Hey all. This is my first post. I am really
Wanting a West German p226 nickel plated because well, they’re frickin gorgeous!

I have a few questions.
(A): how rare are these handguns? What is the value of them? A quick google search and theirs been ones sell for 800 and then other forums I’ve read people selling them for close to 3k. Are they hard to come by nowadays?
(B): how much of a value change if the Sig does not have the original box, AKA, if you can’t prove its original finish. That’s something I need to know when shopping around.
(C): This should be an easy question for someone who would know. But I’ve seen some with nickel plated barrels and others without the barrels plated. Which years did they plate the barrel?

Thanks fellas!

quote:

Originally posted by Morrow_96:
Hey all. This is my first post. I am really
Wanting a West German p226 nickel plated because well, they’re frickin gorgeous!

I have a few questions.
(A): how rare are these handguns? What is the value of them? A quick google search and theirs been ones sell for 800 and then other forums I’ve read people selling them for close to 3k. Are they hard to come by nowadays?
Scarce but not rare. They do pop up from time to time on GB.

(B): how much of a value change if the Sig does not have the original box, AKA, if you can’t prove its original finish. That’s something I need to know when shopping around.
If seller doesn't have the original case/box that confirms factory finish, I don't care whatever seller tells me, however gorgeous the gun looks. They can even claim SIG told them over the phone so and so, but that doesn't prove anything.

(C): This should be an easy question for someone who would know. But I’ve seen some with nickel plated barrels and others without the barrels plated. Which years did they plate the barrel?
Pre-90s SIGs were Nickel plated in W. Germany, and, everything was plated (barrel, breech block, sights, and internals), not just the frame and slide. Post-90s SIGs were plated by Klein in Erie, PA, up until around the end of the 90s. Only the frame, slide, guide rod, and controls were plated on these guns.

Thanks fellas!

Welcome to SF.

Welcome to the forum!

A nickel P226 would be a nice one.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by Morrow_96:
Hey all. This is my first post. I am really
Wanting a West German p226 nickel plated because well, they’re frickin gorgeous!

I have a few questions.
(A): how rare are these handguns? What is the value of them? A quick google search and theirs been ones sell for 800 and then other forums I’ve read people selling them for close to 3k. Are they hard to come by nowadays?
Scarce but not rare. They do pop up from time to time on GB.

(B): how much of a value change if the Sig does not have the original box, AKA, if you can’t prove its original finish. That’s something I need to know when shopping around.
If seller doesn't have the original case/box that confirms factory finish, I don't care whatever seller tells me, however gorgeous the gun looks. They can even claim SIG told them over the phone so and so, but that doesn't prove anything.

(C): This should be an easy question for someone who would know. But I’ve seen some with nickel plated barrels and others without the barrels plated. Which years did they plate the barrel?
Pre-90s SIGs were Nickel plated in W. Germany, and, everything was plated (barrel, breech block, sights, and internals), not just the frame and slide. Post-90s SIGs were plated by Klein in Erie, PA, up until around the end of the 90s. Only the frame, slide, guide rod, and controls were plated on these guns.

Thanks fellas!

Welcome to SF.

Thanks man! I’ll definitely be looking for one. And about the box question. Will Sig even be able to tell you if an 80’s 226 was nickeled or not? Because if you called them with the SN and they told you themselves I’m sure that would be okay.

Forget calling SIG USA with those 80s SIGs. Even SIG DE won't be able to tell you. The only way to know for sure is having the original box.

My example is U465560, proofed 1992 and has a grooved trigger. The box is marked 'nickel'. The plating was performed by Kleins, after these pistols reached the US, of couse, so, SIG will probably not be able to tell you by serial number. I don't think their records from that far back are very good.

At one time, I had a list of all the films in which a nickeled P226 appears but I can't locate it. Let's see. Morgan Freeman had one in Hard Rain and he also had a nickeled P226 in another film- Kiss the Girls, I think. It's the film where he shoots through a milk carton to prevent muzzle flash from setting off an explosion in a room filled with natural gas.
Ben Affleck had one in Reindeer Games. IIRC, Dennis Farina had one in Get Shorty, near the end of the film, where he takes the locker key from John Travolta.

There was at least one other film where I've seen a nickeled P226, maybe two, but I can't recall. In all of these films, it may be the very same pistol, because these guns are supplied to film production companies by movie armorer companies. Like the stainless Beretta 92F (another pistol which has appeared in more than a few films), the nickeled P226 is a very photogenic handgun and that's why it shows up in Hollywood films. All four of the films I mentioned were produced from 1995 to 1998, so, again, it might be the exact same nickeled P226, supplied by the same movie armorer company.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
My example is U465560, proofed 1992 and has a grooved trigger. The box is marked 'nickle'. The plating was performed by Kleins, after these pistols reached te US, of couse, so, SIG will probably not be able to tell you by serial number. I don't think their records from that far back are very good.

At one time, I had a list of all the films in which a nickled P226 appears but I can't locate it. Let's see. Morgan Freeman had one in Hard Rain and he also had a nickeled P226 in another film- Kiss the Girls, I think. It's the film where he shoots through a milk carton to prevent muzzle flash from setting off an explosion in a room filled with natural gas.
Ben Affleck had one in Reindeer Games. IIRC, Dennis Farina had one in Get Shorty, near the end of the film, where he takes the locker key from John Travolta.

There was at least one other film where I've seen a nickeled P226, maybe two, but I can't recall. In all of these films, it may be the very sane pistol, becuse these guns are supplied to film production companies by ovie armorer companies. Like the stainless Beretta 92F (another pistol which has appeared in more than a few films), the nickeled P226 is a very photogenic handgun.

Funny thing! I just watched "The Long Kiss Goodnight", and Geena Davis uses a nickel P226 in that film. Will Smith used one on "Bad Boys" as well.

If you cannot locate one at a reasonable price you can always find a run of the mill well worn example (they show up on GB for decent prices) and have it ceracoated in a nickel finish or even have it plated properly. It won’t be the real deal but it might satisfy your craving for the look.

quote:

Originally posted by elberettas:
Funny thing! I just watched "The Long Kiss Goodnight", and Geena Davis uses a nickel P226 in that film. Will Smith used one on "Bad Boys" as well.

See? Long Kiss Goodnight was produced inside that same window of 1995 to 1998. Betcha in all these films, it's the exact same pistol. If anyone was aboe to determine the armorer who supplied guns for these five films, that would seal it if it was the same armorer for all of them.

IIRC, Will Smith had a full nickeled P225 in Bad Boys, which was never offered by SIG-Sauer. I could be mistaken that he had a P225. It's been years since I saw that film.

**edit**

We're both correct

Nickeled P225

Nickeled P226

And, again, this film was produced in that same window of 1995 to 1998.

Oh, and American Beauty. 1999

That's the film I couldn't think of.

If you think 12131’s quick reply was impressive (like I do), you should ask him something random about a 228

The knowledge here is crazy, and not just about guns. Just about anything you can’t seem to figure out, someone here will know how.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by Morrow_96:
Hey all. This is my first post. I am really
Wanting a West German p226 nickel plated because well, they’re frickin gorgeous!

I have a few questions.
(A): how rare are these handguns? What is the value of them? A quick google search and theirs been ones sell for 800 and then other forums I’ve read people selling them for close to 3k. Are they hard to come by nowadays?
Scarce but not rare. They do pop up from time to time on GB.

(B): how much of a value change if the Sig does not have the original box, AKA, if you can’t prove its original finish. That’s something I need to know when shopping around.
If seller doesn't have the original case/box that confirms factory finish, I don't care whatever seller tells me, however gorgeous the gun looks. They can even claim SIG told them over the phone so and so, but that doesn't prove anything.

(C): This should be an easy question for someone who would know. But I’ve seen some with nickel plated barrels and others without the barrels plated. Which years did they plate the barrel?
Pre-90s SIGs were Nickel plated in W. Germany, and, everything was plated (barrel, breech block, sights, and internals), not just the frame and slide. Post-90s SIGs were plated by Klein in Erie, PA, up until around the end of the 90s. Only the frame, slide, guide rod, and controls were plated on these guns.

Thanks fellas!

Welcome to SF.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Oh, and American Beauty. 1999

That's the film I couldn't think of.

Oh, and Zombieland with Woody Harrelson! That’s actually where I found out about the nickel plated 226’s

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Oh, and American Beauty. 1999

That's the film I couldn't think of.

Yes Sir! That's a really cool site I visit from time to time.

quote:

Originally posted by hunter62:
If you think 12131’s quick reply was impressive (like I do), you should ask him something random about a 228 ...

Random question for Q.

What is the list of P228s that are owned by sigmonkey?

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by hunter62:
If you think 12131’s quick reply was impressive (like I do), you should ask him something random about a 228 ...

Random question for Q.

What is the list of P228s that are owned by sigmonkey?

M11B

^^^ Looks like someone needs to go on a buying spree, if that's the complete list... one is none.

...just to add that I had a 1987 P226 that was SIG blue and bought new by me...

...upon delivery and after calling SIGArms then in Herndon, VA I was told all nickel SIGs were EN'd by Klein in Erie, PA...that is where I sent mine as I never carried it for duty as SIG Blue...

Bill

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SiGagain,

It is worth noting that these appear to have recently climbed in price, even without the factory box to prove originality.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/841259574

I picked mine up for ~$850 with factory nickel mag, manual, and non matching box a few months ago. Easily my favorite Sig of the ones I own. I did not feel that an extra $1000 for a box with nickel labeling was justified, esp. with how nice the condition I bought mine in.

If I could find a nice example with original matching box, target, etc. for under $1000 I would jump on it.

That pistol appears all correct. Serial number of U465603, which is within 50 of my U465560. No doubt that these pistols were sent to Kleins in small lots, probably 50 or 100, or perhaps as many as 250 at a time.

And, yes, that's not the correct box for that pistol.

Ironically mine came in same case, in very similar condition, although my serial is 419-XXX. It is unfortunate one cannot verify if factory nickel other than box, but I am 95% certain it is due to quality of plating and nickel mag.

20191224_085447 by m b, on Flickr