Wondered if anyone knew how to tell an authentic early P228 M11. I recently saw a KB code one in excellent shape and the only thing I saw different was "US" and "M11" on the right side. I wasn't sure if it may actually be something someone engraved as the quality isn't what is on the rest of the pistol. (I realize that the US M11 would not have been done by SIG.) Anyone have pics or info on the early ones? Thanks

(I did search Q's excellent thread but may have missed this info.)

quote:

Originally posted by RR:
Wondered if anyone knew how to tell an authentic early P228 M11. I recently saw a KB code one in excellent shape and the only thing I saw different was "US" and "M11" on the right side. I wasn't sure if it may actually be something someone engraved as the quality isn't what is on the rest of the pistol. (I realize that the US M11 would not have been done by SIG.) Anyone have pics or info on the early ones? Thanks

(I did search Q's excellent thread but may have missed this info.)

That one is obvious fake. It's live, so don't post it. But, when it's done in a couple of days, I'll post and explain.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by RR:
Wondered if anyone knew how to tell an authentic early P228 M11. I recently saw a KB code one in excellent shape and the only thing I saw different was "US" and "M11" on the right side. I wasn't sure if it may actually be something someone engraved as the quality isn't what is on the rest of the pistol. (I realize that the US M11 would not have been done by SIG.) Anyone have pics or info on the early ones? Thanks

(I did search Q's excellent thread but may have missed this info.)

That one is obvious fake. It's live, so don't post it. But, when it's done in a couple of days, I'll post and explain.

Thank you sir. Much appreciated!

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
That one is obvious fake. It's live, so don't post it. But, when it's done in a couple of days, I'll post and explain.

Obvious to you maybe. I see the etched out US M11 on there, everything looks right to this non-expert. Look forward to the explanation!

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
That one is obvious fake. It's live, so don't post it. But, when it's done in a couple of days, I'll post and explain.

Obvious to you maybe. I see the etched out US M11 on there, everything looks right to this non-expert. Look forward to the explanation!

You're talking about the P228R with the etched out "US" "M11". That's the real deal. But, that's not what we're discussing here.

Jesus that was a scavenger hunt. Yea that looks super suspect. I would think that they wouldn't list it that way. That is probably going to get someone "hurt" bidding up on something that isn't what they think it is.

If it’s the one I saw recently, it ended up selling for $1610.

Yeah, some noob got taken for a ride.
Here it is, from the Rock Island Auction, ended just a while ago. Sold for $1610. Then, tag on 18.5% buyer's premium. Then, if you pay by CC, tag on 3.5%.

Interesting looking gun. You can go to their Full Screen and blow up the images further to study the details. The "U.S." "M11" appears to be aftermarket engraved amateurishly, and was not done at the same time as other markings on the gun.

https://www.rockislandauction....atic-pistol-with-box

---

---

So, the one in the OP is a 1991 gun, according to serial # B 152928. And, it's highly suspicious for being a fake M11.

I collected some M11 (not M11B) data below.

This next one, serial # B 171378, from 1992, is the only M11 that the provenance is known. It's the real deal, as the subject of this article, https://blog.1800gunsandammo.c...ttle-gun-that-could/

---

The next two, consecutive #s, B 317791 and B 317792, from 2003, were in the Rock Island Auction in 2015.
https://www.rockislandauction....228-pistol-9-mm-para
https://www.rockislandauction....228-pistol-9-mm-para
Although the "US" "M11" appear to be the same fonts as the rest of the markings, the auctioneer never showed the factory labels, so we really don't know if they are legit. Note also, that the "1" in the "M11" is slightly different, and the "11" is distant from the "M". Also, the cases are definitely not correct for the year of the guns.

---

This one, serial # B 329xxx, year 2004, was posted on ARFCOM several years ago. No other info or pics. So, who the heck knows.

---

This one, serial # B 334440, year 2005, is a fake. Poster claimed to have taken the pic at some military vendor equipment demo. When someone called him out about the part of the frame, where the numbers and letters are, having been manipulated, he gave some BS explanation. I just can't capture the image to save as a stand alone. So, you'll need to click on his link to see the pic Problem solved with screen shot.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/...4758/in/photostream/

---

This one serial # B 3371xx, year 2007, is probably a FrankenM11. The frame might be legit, but the slide, lacking that "Made In Germany", might not be part of the original gun. Can't recall where I saved this from, now.

---

This one, serial # B 337712, year 2007, was the CPO that sold on GunAuction.com several years ago. It has the same characteristics as the one right above. And the serial #s are very close. So, that led me to think that they are both FrankenM11s.

---

This one, serial # B 337784, year 2007, was posted on another board several years ago by a member asking for info. I don't recall he had anything else other than the gun. This gun's serial # is also very close to the one above.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12131,

Thanks Q!

Yeah, the Rock Island consecutive pair even says they are "civie" model M11s, which never happened until the M11-A1 (which is a P229/9MM, of course). Basically 2 P228 that someone had US / M11 engraved on.

The only "factory" M11s that ever were released on the civie market were marked M11B. They were left over Military M11 pistolsthat were marked with a "B" after the fact in order to be legally sold (as they can't sell M11 marked pistols).

Details about those here.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns....-sauer-m11-b-pistol/

^^^ Yeah, that article is the only one out there talking about the the "real" M11s that made their way to the civilian market, with the "B" added. All other M11s I posted above, except one, are suspect.

Btw, the author made a glaring error regarding the stamped slide. Kind of embarrassing, imo.


The P228 (top) sheet metal slide next to a P229 milled slide. Circle calls out one place stronger metal was welded to the stamped steel.

^^^ The link is in my post.

Missed it.

And she rides again....Buyer Beware

quote:

Originally posted by a.lol.cat:
And she rides again....Buyer Beware

Is it that one I'm seeing on GB right now?

Same one.

You'd think that GB would have a report item feature so that the seller would be forced to take it down.

The description is BS. They know for sure that it's a fake. It's too bad that a perfectly good P228 had to give its life to be part of a scam.

Seller is actually clever. He sows enough seeds of hope and doubt into the description, with the it could be the real thing, but it could be a fake, hoping to lure suckers in. With that, you can't really claim he's scamming anyone.

This same seller sold a few unconfirmed "factory" Ni SIGs recently, knowing folks can't prove one way or the other. When I asked him if he had any documentations for his claim of "factory" finish, he said he just knew they were factory Ni, because he has owned and handled many of them.

Bringing this back to life because

She rides again....Buyer Beware