August 09, 2020, 03:26 PM
12131P226 SL SO, made in 2005, proofed in 2018 - An unexpected journey /// ** Range Report, p.2 **
Back in early March, right when the Rona crap was getting in full swing, something possessed me to order this P226 SL SO from Tim Rothe in Germany. Maybe it's because I noticed the interesting billboard on the gun. After the initial communications and payment was wired, the man went radio silence for a bit, and I thought, oh no, he's been hit by the virus, and my money is gone. But then, things started moving again, with the good folks at MMBI helping me out on the importing end. Knowing the whole process, even without the virus situation, would take months, I was kinda just chilling out putting this thing in the back of my mind. Fast forward to last week, when MMBI informed me that it's here ready to ship to my FFL. Wow, that was a pleasant surprise. Even better, USPS decided to step their game and delivered it a day early. Went to pick it up the next day and found out the FFL had tossed the factory outer cardboard box in the dumpster the evening before. So, we went to the dumpster, praying that the trash truck has not come by, and lo and behold, the box was there still, neat and clean and undamaged. So, I dove in and retrieved it, took it home a gave it a good sterilization. Turned out that the shipper/exporter from Germany stuck all kinds of documentations and shipping label on the box. So my FFL mistook it for just a generic shipping box and tossed it. But, everything is now whole. Whew!
Now, onto the gun. It was made in 2005, based on the serial number (U715018) and the matching grips' date clock, but was not proofed until much later. In this case, the proof year was 2018 (BI date code), 13 years after it was made. So, this P226 just hanged around unproofed somewhere in the factory warehouse until recently discovered? And then, boss said, "Hans, get this one proofed and get it on the market, will you?"
Another interesting thing I realized is that, the import marking, "SIGARMS INC. EXETER NH" was already done in Germany. We normally think that, when the importer imports a gun from overseas, they engrave their importer mark per ATF regs, after they receive it. But, with SIG NH, I suppose they had an agreement with SIG DE to have their importer mark put in while the gun is still overseas. Makes sense, since they both belong to the same parent company. Other private importers, however, have to mark their name after they receive their guns.
But, this gun never had the chance to make its way to SIG NH, since it was proofed in 2018, while the German export ban on SIG was in effect (and still is). However, you can still bring it over here yourself with the help of your favorite private importer, which is exactly what I did. So now, the gun bears 2 different importers' marks, "SIGARMS INC. EXETER NH" and "MMBI MYERSVILLE MD".
Being all stainless steel, this one weighs in at a little over 41 oz w/ empty mag.
Trigger pull is heavy, both in DA and SA.
DA pull = 11 lbs 3 oz (avg of 5)
SA pull = 5 lbs 3oz (avg of 5)
Although quite heavy, if there is a redeeming quality, it's the SA pull that breaks like glass rod.
This SIG will eventually get a trip to The Sig Armorer some time.
Btw, SL is code for stainless, and SO, contrary to internet legend, does not stand for Special Ops. It's just the code for accessory rail.
Hopefully will get some range time next (this) week.
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