OK, so I recently found a guy offering an " unfired 20 year old P226" for $500. Naturally, I contacted him for more info and learned the pistol is closer to 30 years old. Unfortunately, the comms have been sporadic--his inbox filled up and for a week, my IMs were bouncing back.
His last contact before losing contact said he bought it new "around early 90s" and never fired it. He said it's still in the box, which he described as "yellow, with a felt lining."

That suggests it may be a West German pistol, and for $500, I wasn't going to piss around with more questions--as soon as I was able to get a board admin to contact him and advise him to clean his inbox (not this board, BTW), I said I'd take it and now we're going to get an appointment to meet at a FFL Monday or Tuesday.

Now this is sort of a dilemma. I was casually shopping to replace my last P226, which my son decided should be his, so I was looking for a shooter. And while it would be fun to treat this like any other "new" gun (clean, lube, load and fire), I'm wondering if that's a good idea in this case.

I am not a Sig collector, but assume a NIB W.German pistol would carry a premium for someone who is.
If this is as he describes it, it'll be tempting to put it on auction with a penny starting bid, just for the fun of it.

Thought I'd mention it here to hear any opinions, just in case anyone says anything I haven't already considered.
Shoot it?
Sell it?
Stash it in the back of the safe and let it age like wine?

Anyone want to venture a guess at market value for something like this?

(I know we all love photos...this is NOT the one I'm buying, but the same era and box.  I am HOPING this is what I'll see when we finally meet.)

Attached File

Unless it's serial number 000001 I wouldn't pay more than $500 for that.

Got 900 for one just like it 4 years ago. What does that tell you. One in picture will bring 1000 now to the right buyer if all is in the box. Test target and docks.

Does it check all the boxes as a shooter? You could probably sell it and pick up a newer CPO or used gun and have money left over but whether or not it's worth it is up to you.

Beautiful handgun I wouldn’t shoot I’d stick it in the back of the safe

I would FO in 2 seconds

Paid 650 for this 1988 West German 226 about 2 years ago, with 4 original zipper back mags, test target etc.

Attached File

Nice,

I have a Herndon P220, old bar dot sights, more acurate than my Exeter P220.

Unless it’s some special edition, the P226 is simply just to common to have collector value.

That’s not to say some yahoo won’t pay more for it just for being “unfired” since the factory. So if you’re looking to make some money, sure go ahead and try.

Frankly, if it’s old enough to predate the move to the stainless slide (it’s still a pinned block with an internal extractor), it may be in your best interest to flip it since you can’t find parts anymore.

This is the direction I'm leaning. I love classic Sigs--my P220 gets almost as much range time as my 1911s--but for a shooter, I'd like to mod this one slightly (SRT at a minimum), and I'd probably feel better playing around with a newer, more used gun.

Finally got to meet the seller this AM and the pistol was as described--appears to be factory fresh in the box, with docs and test target, two 'dovetail" mags...
More pics when I have a chance, but the date code is JK (1989), and it is "Made in W.Germany."
(The red in the corner of the slide is not rust--it's lint from the red lining in the box.)

Attached File

Attached File


Attached File


Attached File

Attached File


Attached File


Attached File

Attached File


Attached File

Attached File


Attached File

Attached File


Attached File

Yeah.
So, I'm satisfied with the purchase.  :)

Congrats! Shoot it!

Don't listen to the $500 guys, that thing will be worth quite a bit more than that to a "Sig" guy that is stuck in 1990 thinking everything they make these days is junk in comparison.

Or it will be a great shooter.

Either way, good pickup.

Nice gun!

Great buy.  I was mentally wondering to myself just this evening - how much is Sig driving down the value of their guns given the recent years of selling a lot in the LEO market, and having them flood the used market now at sub $500 prices.  I think guns like yours will always have value to collectors, but I think the overall value of Sigs is dropping given the recent flood.  For what it's worth, I got a new in box law enforcement 229 a couple months ago for $500; picking up a $400 226 in .40 next week.  But I would have jumped all over a West German Sig like yours at that price, and will continue to do so.  However, I think we will see a future market where used sigs are in the 4-500 price range, given the available volume.

That's kinda what I'm hoping.  I was looking for a decent shooter-grade when I stumbled on this.
Typical cop guns (carried much, fired little) would be right up my alley. If the price of shooters drops a little, I'll be a happy camper.

would have bought that all day long, biggest danger to future value is Joe Biden confiscating them...  otherwise I would keep it unfired and hope the market rebounds.

That was a score,congrats. I don't know what the future holds for the older models,as far as being worth more, to me it would be a shooter. If it was a NIB P228, well that may be a different story. Either way, you got a great deal and a pistol that will be good to go for a lifetime.

Thats been happening for 15-20yrs.

Look up some CDNN ads in shotgun news from 2000-2005. $250 226's for years.

I wouldnt worry about it.

That was exactly my first pistol back in 86. Never burped in thousands of rounds. See if you can find some zipper back 20's for it.