I have an opportunity to get one of these. It is a Japanese Police overrun.

How many of these made it into the US?
I should be able to get it tomorrow.

The only detractor is it has a set of P232 grips on it that are modified to accommodate the safety. Could it have come from the factory with those on it?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

quote:

Originally posted by cda926:
How many of these made it into the US?

I believe only SIG-Sauer could provide you with this number and they are not inclined to do so.

quote:

The only detractor is it has a set of P232 grips on it that are modified to accommodate the safety. Could it have come from the factory with those on it?

Only if the pistol was sent to SIG for refurbishment. These pistols were manufactured before the existence of the P232. The odds are very much against you finding a set of correct grips for your pistol, I'm sorry to say.

On the upside, I believe the standard P230 magazines will work with .32 ACP ammo.

SIG-Sauer actually did make some P230 pistols in .32 ACP outside of the Japanese contract. Here's a very early example, serial number S100758. The box the pistol is sitting on is not correct to the pistol; that's a 1990s box.

Thanks for the response!!
That is a BEAUTIFUL 7.65!
The one I found has the Japanese Police symbol on the frame and the external safety.

I have some pictures saved on my phone. I’m not certain how to post them here. The serial number is in the S 163xxx range.

quote:

Originally posted by cda926:
The serial number is in the S 163xxx range.

Two of these contract pistols are noted in the serial number list, both proofed 1997:

S1640xx-KH-1997-7.65mm

S1816xx-KH-1997 7.65mm Tokyo Police contract overrun

That's a really nice P230 you have there Para. I notice it's only marked "7,65mm B". Was this one a German or Swiss police issue and is that the holster that belongs to it?

Interesting. Just to cover the base, did all of the commercial .32s simply not have lanyards? I can see how they obviously wouldn't, but ya never know 'til you ask.

quote:

Originally posted by kaschi:
That's a really nice P230 you have there Para. I notice it's only marked "7,65mm B". Was this one a German or Swiss police issue and is that the holster that belongs to it?

The photo is from a German auction house. I'd say, considering that holster, there's a very good chance that it's ex-police pistol, but I don't know.

Here's another .32 ACP P230 from a German auction site. Now, this one has the correct, red cloth-covered carboard box. Serial number S102749

Thank you very much!

By the way, you may ask- what's with the "B"? Why "7,65mm B"?

The European designation for John Browning's .32 ACP cartridge is '7.65mm Browning'. SIG-Sauer was not about to put the word "Browning" on their pistols; hence, the abbreviation of 'B'.

Well, why not just "7,65mm" then? Because in Europe, there were at the time these P230s were produced (the 1970s) other 7.65mm pistols, namely, the 7.65x21mm, aka the .30 Luger. Granted, savvy shooters would be aware that a pistol as small as the P230 would not be chambered in .30 Luger, but not all shooters are savvy.