quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
The U 124 is about 1985. I believe the "factory" nickel began around '89.

But it is still a fine pistol and finish even if it is not a "factory" article.

Whether the present gun is factory nickel, we probably will never know. But factory nickel SIGs were done by the Germans long before the Americans (Klein Plating) took over in ‘89/‘90. I still have a JG (‘86) P225 and had a JH (‘87) Tysons Corner P226, both factory nickel, complete with original boxes and paperwork. The box labels have either "EN" or "EL" (for Electroless Nickel) on them.

There is a distinct possibility that you have a factory nickle finish P226, or perhaps it would be correct to say, a factory-ordered nickel P226, since SIGARMS was, at that time, merely an importer.

The first SIGARMS import marking was as you see on your pistol (though it is indistinct in your photos as sized)- Tysons Corners, on the right side of the slide, and this stamping was placed over the side finish, meaning it was applied stateside. The import marking of your pistol was applied before the nickle finish, meaning the import marking was already on the slide. Ergo, the nickel finish was applied stateside.

I have two P226 pistols with this small, right-side Tysons Corners marking U118XXX, proofed 1984 and U128XXX proofed 1985.

Among my research materials is The Gun Digest Book of 9mm Handguns copyright 1986, and the front and back covers of this soft cover pulp publication are adorned with SIG pistols, two on the front and two on the back.

The front cover shows a nickel P225 with wood grips and a blued P226. The serial number of the Tysons-marked P226 is U124631.

On the back cover is another P225 and P226, this time the P226 is in full nickel finish, including the barrel, just as yours is. Unfortunately, the serial number is not visible, but you can bet it's in the same range as the P226 on the front cover, which makes both of these pistols brothers to yours.

On the inside of the front cover, there is a description of these pistols, talking about the finishes of "blue, optional satin nickel or the new "X-finish," a bonded synthetic that's impervious to saltwater corrosion." This is of course the first version of K-Kote and I saw my first K-Koted P226 in 1987 in a gun shop in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This first version of K-Kote was shiny and slick. You can see the later version of K-Kote on the slide of the P225 on our home page.

But all of that is neither here nor there. I think you have one of the earliest factory satin nickel P226s. For the bulk of nickeled SIG pistols, Klein's did the work, but I seem to recall vaguely that someone else did the first nickel SIGs.

I saw the title and said, meh, no big deal.

I saw the picture and went wow! Certainly a nice one.

Thanks for the information Parabellum. I didn’t even think about the Tysons corner mark being post plating. Was wondering why it was so indistinct compared to the other stamps. I 100% think it’s an en sig, but without proof that is just my opinion. Thought about trying to do more research on how this pistol got to the lgs. It would be a one in a million chance to find the original box, but maybe it’s worth a shot.

Interestingly enough, this pistol was purchased in Atlanta and I live in a suburb of Chattanooga. Which shop were you referencing?

Also, is there a way to post a larger photo only using a mobile device?

quote:

Originally posted by Shack:
I didn’t even think about the Tysons corner mark being post plating.

pre-plating.

quote:

Was wondering why it was so indistinct compared to the other stamps. I 100% think it’s an en sig, but without proof that is just my opinion.

You do realize that your pistol is only two numbers away from the blued P226 on the cover of that book, right? Let me suggest something to you- those four pistols pictured- they were almost certainly provided by SIGARMS for the photographs. It may be that the pistol you now possess is the very same pistol on the back cover.

quote:

Which shop were you referencing?

Couldn't tell you. I was visiting friends, I had never seen the shop before or since, and it's been almost 40 years.

I just can’t imagine what the odds of that would be. Do you have that book in your possession? Are the serial numbers revealed in the corresponding article?

The only P226 serial visible on the cover is on the blued pistol- U124631, two away from your U124633.

In the SIG article in the book, there are photographs of two P226s- U122754 and U 134276, but the former is clearly a pistol which has seen some shooting, and the latter is a photograph of the frame only, showing the mud rail cutouts. It's apparent to me that these photographs are not from the same set as those on the covers.

The odds of it being the very same pistol are better than you seem to think. These are pistols from near the beginning of SIGARMS importation (Interarms was the previous importer, from 1982 to 1984). These four pistol on the covers were likely all imported in the same batch, and I have to tell you that after seeing a quarter century of SIG pistol photographs appearing on the pages of this forum, I have never seen an earlier example of a factory nickel P226 than yours. They are anything but common.

With these serial numbers being right up against each other like that, your pistol was part of that same initial batch, and with so few examples having been finished in nickel (and the one on the cover of the book being presented as "something new"), the odds are quite good.

I don't suggest any of this flippantly. I'm serious.

Holy cow. I’m extremely grateful for your diligence and attention to detail on this particular pistol. Thank you for letting me know. I’m a bit lost for words. I did just purchase this same publication off eBay.

Would be cool if your gun was in that mag.

Since you purchased a copy it might be fun to compare your gun to the one pictured. Sometimes small details set them apart and may identify yours as being the one pictured. An odd strike on the letters and numbers stamped on the gun or other small nicks or blems.

One thing that mitigates against it being the same pistol is the position of the grip screw slots. They are not in the same position in the old and new photos.

However, if the grips were ever taken off for cleaning sometimes in the decades of this pistol's existence, the screws could have been put back in different holes, or the screws were tighter or looser in the old photograph on the cover. Of those two possibilities, I'd vote for the latter.

There is a bit of latitude when the screws are snugged down, but the factory would over-tighten them of leave them loose, and an owner knows to avoid too snug or too loose, too.

All of this is a stretch, but there is little else to go on.

Should I submit this pistol to the archive list?

Yes, full serial umber

Well, this thread took an interesting turn! OP, that is a hell of a find.

Congratulations, that 226 was a great find.

.

Detail of the P226 on the front cover

I revisited the lgs today where this pistol was purchased. They were not forthcoming with any info about the seller, and I appreciate that. Reiterated it was from an estate, but gave me no additional clues to follow up on.

Update! I received my copy of the Gun Digest previously mentioned in this thread. The copyright is from DBI books based out of Northbrook, Illinois. The article on the cover appears to have a different photographer than the rest of the book and sites his name. So I start googling his name and photography. This leads me to a business in Northbrook with no website and a disconnected phone. So I google some more with keywords of northbrook and Illinois. I find a woman’s obituary, who is survived by John Hxxxxxx, the same name listed as the photographer. It also lists their son’s name. I start searching the son’s name and found one in Northbrook, Illinois. Some more searching and I found an email address for said son. So I shot him an email… and it is him and his dad was the photographer for all dbi publications for several years. I described to him the situation that has unfolded here… I’ll copy and paste his correspondence.

“ You caught me on a good day… I happen to be working out of my home office today so I asked my dad if he remembered this shot-- and he does.

I had to move my dad in with me a couple of years ago (he’s pushing 91) and I have a lot of his business files stored at my house.

I’ll have to look through the files and see what might be there. There are a lot of files taken over many years so it will take some time and effort but I’ll take a look as one gun enthusiast to another. Also, the organization is not what it once was as I never anticipated anyone ever asking about that material ever again. We had to dispose of a lot of it but I believe I retained most of the firearms material.

That said, work obligations are going to take up my time the remainder of the week so I’ll look over the weekend. What’s the date of the book? That might help.

Just so you know, most (if not all) the DBI shots were done on large-format (8x10) Kodak Ektachrome film so any source material would be on transparencies, not prints.”

So there’s a chance there is a negative with an alternate photo somewhere revealing the 226s serial number. Odds are low, but better than zero.

Excellent investigative work

I’ve also developed a new strategy for the lgs. I’m going to offer a hefty financial reward to the family of the estate for the original factory box. I’m hoping this will evoke action, rather than my feeble first attempt.

Wow! Thanks for the update. This is turning out to be really interesting.