That's a good read.   I bookmarked the link for future reference.  Thanks, OP

Wow. Great info. !

Great read. He is certainly a wealth of knowledge.

Thanks for posting OP.  Saved those links for later.

Excellent article.  
thanks for posting!

The German made SIG Sauer pistols had a slide made from a carbon steel flat.



Then the flat was pressed into shape over a mandrel in a large hydraulic press.





This is what they look like after the press.



Then the ejection port is milled out.



Next a front end piece is welded on.





After the weld.



They are proofed at the factory in this room in the basement. They are fired twice with 30% overpressured rounds to test that they are safe to rife as per German law.



here is one of the fixtures they are proof fired in.



This is not to be confused with the test firing done by the German factory to make sure they shoot accurately and function properly. That is done in this room down the hall from the proofing room.



They are fired 5 times at a paper target 25 meters away. This test target is shipped with the pistols made in Germany.



The shooters only rest the butt of the grip on a padded wooden block and the forward part of the frame in a noth at the bottom of the cutout in a wooden door that slides down.



Very early P220 pistols had a more rounded front end of the slide like this one




Later they looked more like the current ones but the top corners of the rear half of the slide had beveled edges rather than the rounded corners they have now.

C_Swimm:  Do you know what welding process was used to affix the bushing to the slide?  It looks like either capacitance discharge welding or possibly friction welding.  The bead doesn't really look like a vibration/friction expulsion though.

Sorry I do not know. It was a few years ago, and I don't think I thought to ask at the time.

Of course this is just on the stamped steel slides. All the newer stainless slide versions are CNC machined from solid bar stock.

I find the older p220 and p226 to be better balanced  than the new ones . Not that the new ones are bad , but I prefer the look, and feel of the folded sheet mtl slide p220 and p226 .

Agree Completely. Glad I was over in Germany in 2000 while they were still making them that way and was able to get a new P226 still made the old way.

Since the year 2000 SIG Sauer in Eckernförde has changed a lot, the rifle production went to Isny and with the loss of the export permit the staff was reduced from about 200 to 50 now.

I just received an official notice from the Eichdirektion Nord this week that the proofhouse in the basment of the factory will be closed in October 2017. It stated the the number of proofed guns is in no relation to the cost anymore.

Some great info and good reads!
Thanks for all who posted!

I have learned a lot about Sigs I purchased back in the 80's.  Thanks.

I have 2 220's. One a 9mm made in 1976. I have not fired it because it is in mint condition. Imported by Hawes in Los Angeles. Really a neat import logo. The other one is a 38 super made in 1996 with the American mag release. I believe this was the last year for the 38 super in a 220. It surprises me to learn the number of gun people that do not know that 220's were made in calibers other than 45acp. Wish I had one in 7.65 mm but that is just wishful thinking.

Some pretty good info in the link in the OP.

I knew my Sigs were old and made in Germany but I guess I hadn't paid enough attention to notice that there was a difference between "Made in W Germany" and "Made in Germany".

I just checked my Sigs and all say Made in W Germany.

Where’s the love anymore for my beloved P220’s!.....

I love em


the only question I have is the west german one worth the extra?

I am not really interested in  rails etc.. would prefer older


years to stay away from?

years to gravitate to?

The P220 seems to be not as popular as it once was. Sad. But it’s still a worthy battleship.