First post. I had assumed that this topic would have been covered extensively, but after much searching I was unable to find sufficient information in order to allow me to definitively determine if my 6 p226 9mm "high capacity" mags are actually preban.

I bought these many years ago and I think each one was represented as being preban. But now that I am moving to a state that does not allow high capacity mags (unless preban) I need to make sure that mine are really preban. I tried taking some photos but they came out badly. I'll try again with different camera and lighting but in the meantime I thought I'd describe them and see what you think.

First of all, they are all a dark grey color and I do not think any are phosphated. All of them have dovetail joints in back although one of them has smaller dovetail joints (not a zipper) and all have sight holes for determining amount of cartridges in back -- none of them have a zipper joint.

All have rectangular indentations near bottom of mags on each side. Some, but not all, have the "triple s" on back and some but not all have either Sig Sauer or Sig Sauer plus P226 embossed on the left side (the P226 if there is located below the Sig Sauer embossment.

None of the mags are marked/embossed LEO or made in italy or MecGar or anything other than what I posted above (obviously).

Here are the individual descriptions by type:

A. 1 mag with small dovetails (NOT ZIPPER) using stitch weld (not small spot weld) WITH triple s on back and embossed only Sig Sauer on left side.

B. 1 mag with larger dovetails using small spot welds WITH triple s on back and embossed Sig Sauer only on left side.

C. 2 mags with larger dovetails using small spot welds WITH triple s on back and embossed Sig Sauer P226 on left side.

D. 1 mag with larger dovetails using small spot welds WITHOUT triple s and embossed Sig Sauer P 226 on left side.

E. 1 mag with larger dovetails using small spot weld WITHOUT triple s on back and WITHOUT any embossing on left side.

Pics would be of good use here; I suspect there are a couple of members here that could offer some good info.

I didn't read anything that determines them to be post ban magazines. I believe the post bans had witness holes down the side of the magazine tube, not the rear. I have read comments here about type or location of spot welds but never paid that information much mind. They read like pre ban magazines and it would be for others to prove should you ever have a legal issue.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
Pics would be of good use here; I suspect there are a couple of members here that could offer some good info.

Well, I took two better pictures but am new to this site. It doesn't seem possible to upload photos directly to this site. Looks like I have to use some type of photo hosting service -- is that right? I'm not using any hosting service now, any recommendation for free service?

BTW, is there a main page for this forum that explains how this site works with FAQs, etc? That would be nice but I have not found it. Seems like this is a bare bones operation, perhaps (maybe because no advertising to help pay the bills)?

Thx

quote:

I'm not using any hosting service now, any recommendation for free service?

Postimage.org

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...0601935/m/6470098434

Thanks, OR for that excellent referral for photo hosting. So fast and easy.

The mags stamped “SIG Sauer P226” are definitely pre-ban. They are from the 80’s.

Not sure about the others.

If I was a gun owner and moving I certainly not move to a state with mag restrictions what state are we talking about?

quote:

Originally posted by nra-life-member:
Sig converted over to Italian made magazines during the AWB. You will find Italian and German Marked POST AWB 1994 start. Any LEO marked German magazine would have been imported into the USA, but not unmarked magazines. After the AWB none of the German mags were imported. This is what I was told by Sig CS right after the AWB ended and also confirmed at my local Cabelas Gun Library. It all makes sense to me.

Per the non marked German magazines, I do have a few that are P226 and P220 (came with the NIB Guns in 1993)

Also have a few that have the P226 Marked on the bottom of the floorplate. I believe those are the earliest magazines that came with the Tyson Corners Early Imports..

This is confusing. Let me ask, how does this information apply to the specific mags I have described and photographed above? Do you have a position as to whether any of these mags are pre or post ban and, if so, why? What attributes do they have or are they lacking that would cause you to identify them as pre or post ban?

Welcome to the Forum!

Those all appear to be pre-ban magazines to me, but my opinion and a nickel will get you a cup of coffee. My reasons to believe they are that old: All the magazines have the [dovetail] pattern and spot weld in the back; All appear to have the phosphate finish; All have witness holes in the back and not the sides; All DO NOT have any LE/Mil Only stamp correct? (you didn't post photos of the front or other side).

What state are you moving to?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: G-Man,

G-Man I hate to differ with you, but the mags in the photo are best described as "Dove-Tail" pattern. True "Zipper"back mags are quite different.

quote:

Originally posted by Udo:
G-Man I hate to differ with you, but the mags in the photo are best described as "Dove-Tail" pattern. True "Zipper"back mags are quite different.

You are correct! The zipper seam was used for single stacks like the 220. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a 226 mag with the zipperback. I used the incorrect term but my belief that those are pre-ban remains the same. Thanks Udo!

It seems to me that you are way overthinking this. These are not LEO marked. They clearly are of a construction that existed preban. How would anyone who was determined to prosecute you find otherwise?

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
It seems to me that you are way overthinking this. These are not LEO marked. They clearly are of a construction that existed preban. How would anyone who was determined to prosecute you find otherwise?

Because it involves a potential felony and loss of gun rights for life, this is not something to be taken lightly. You seem to think that as long as a mag is not LEO marked, it's preban and that that is a known fact. I don't think it's as simple as that (although I wish it were).

I fully understand the issue and possible risks and was in no way minimizing them. But having someone on this site saying they are pre-ban does not negate the risk in any way. SO if that's your strategy for solving the risk I think you are very mistaken. Back when I was concerned about this I always got some documentation that the item was preban (normally a letter from the mfg. or seller) But its seems unlikely you will get that given you are posting here, but maybe you can. I did not say because they are not marked LEO that they are preban, there are millions of mags mfg post 2004 that are not marked, I said they are of a type that its possible they were manufactured pre 1994, and absent markings it would be difficult to prove otherwise. The burden of proof is not on you and depending on the particular State statue your efforts and the extent of your efforts to research it may help you. This is unlike in some case where the particular mag type didn't even exist preban.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
If I was a gun owner and moving I certainly not move to a state with mag restrictions what state are we talking about?

I was making $120k a year. I moved to a state with a 10 round maximum for a job making $290k with the same cost of living. I'd do that again. I have a family to think of.

Well, you may not be overthinking it, but you're not seeing some of the obvious things that have been shared by other members here. Regardless, I suggest some further introspection would be justified if you're considering a move from a 'Free State' to a Ban/commie State.

That said, everything 'nra-life-member' posted seems correct, but I'll state it a little differently, and with some add'l detail as follows:

- All SIG OEM mags sold during the AWB were marked 'Restricted Law Enforcement / Gov't Use Only'. They were either manufactured by SIG (JP Sauer & Sohn - Made in Germany) and bear the SIG 'Triple S' Triskelion mark, or by Mec-Gar, which wee marked 'Made in Italy'.
- After the AWB, NONE of the SIG (Made in Germany) with the SIG 'Triple S' Triskelion mark were imported to the US. Going forward all SIG OEM mags were SIG 'Made in Italy' (by Mec-Gar), until much later (2013?) when Checkmate became an alternate supplier for SIG OEM mags (in addition to Mec-Gar). I believe the Checkmate P226 mags were marked 'Made in USA'.
-Prior to the AWB, all SIG OEM mags imported to the US were manufactured by SIG (JP Sauer & Sohn - Made in Germany) and bear the SIG 'Triple S' Triskelion mark.

Looking at your pics, I draw the following conclusions:

- Of the SIG SAUER marked mags, the one on the extreme left w/ 'smaller dovetails' and 'stitchwelds' is the newest, and is EXACTLY what was provided with my NIB 'KE' (1994) W.German P226. That was the last version of the German SIG mags imported prior to the AWB.
- The three mags marked 'SIG SAUER P226', are older versions of the German SIG mags (definitely Pre-Ban!), and are the oldest pictured, but not the oldest by SIG. The mags you have here are only predated by the original German SIG mags, which were stamped 'P226' on the bottom of the floorplate in addition to the other markings on the mag body. All should have the SIG 'Triple S' Triskelion mark.
- The other mag marked SIG SAUER (#2 from the left) falls in the middle date wise, which I conclude due to the difference in the size of the 'dovetails' and the 'spotwelds' used on the earlier/earliest SIG German mags.
- The last mag on the right looks just like a German SIG mag to me, bearing all the physical characteristics, but looks a little 'sketchy', lacking ANY markings whatsoever.

It should be noted that the 'spotwelds' and the SIG 'Triple S' Triskelion marking on the mag body are hand operations. They are performed by workers during manufacturing and not an automated process. This is evidenced by the add'l spotwelds here & there, as well as the inconsistent locations, including that of the 'Triple S' Triskelion mark. As such, I can overlook the missing Triskelion on the last 'SIG SAUER P226' marked mag and conclude it's a genuine Pre-Ban SIG German mag. And while I say the last mag looks a little 'sketchy' to me, and I find it hard to believe it could be missing ALL identifying markings/stampings, 'nra-life-member' says he's got a few that came w/ NIB 'KD' (1993) W.German P226's, so I'll take him at his word.

The information you're getting here on SF is likely the most accurate/best you're going to find. To my knowledge, there is not repository of all the details you seek (e.g. Pictures with circle & arrows, and a paragraph on the back of each one)

There are some caveats here as well. After the AWB, there could have been some small quantity special imports of certain 'special German model' pistols that came with German SIG mags that were post-ban. These would be VERY limited, and likely went to collectors that would not separate the mags from those pistols, but anything's possible. Further, there could be post AWB pistols and/or mags, that were 'self-imported' by Military Service Members, or others living abroad/in Germany. As a result, other post-ban mags 'may' exist in the US that are not identifiable based on the criteria known of mags imported by SIG-USA. Again, anything's possible.

All that said, IMO you're likely GTG with all of your mags....And NONE have ANY definitive markings that would 'prove' that they are Post-Ban! Your mileage may vary!

I have never seen (and I have a lot of them from this era) a sig mag lacking any markings (far right). But as I said above, absent alternative identifying factors its not going to matter.

Just do not take above 10 round of any era into NY State.