German vs USA made Sigs

[Joey]

I saw this post over at the outdoor trader, and wanted to know what everyone thought here.

German vs USA made Sigs

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[RevolvingMag]

Don't have experience with Sigs, but German designed/engineered stuff is usually better. The roads, the cars, the guns, the tanks.... the only problem is because it's been engineered/massaged so much more is that it usually takes more time/money to make it. I love older German cars, and guns. I have an old VW, that's 38 years old, never been restored, and would still run if I put an alternator on it. I just haven't because I want to put new floor pans in.

Look at the tanks... WWII- German tanks were so much better than American tanks. We just had more. Otherwise...

[gasmitty]

I say it's a flip-a-coin proposition. The German ones had sheet metal slides with pinned-in breech blocks, whereas I believe the American-made guns all had machined slides. I'm happy with my W. German 220 and my friend is happy with his American 220. Both are rugged and accurate weapons.

BTW, the WWII German tanks weren't necessarily better when it came down to actual performance. They had a bigger gun (88 mm vs 75 mm) and better turret armor, but their Diesel-electric drive system was prone to failures which were not easily repaired in the field. They went no farther or faster then our Shermans, and our Shermans had gyro-stabilized guns which allowed accurate shooting while on the move.

But I will grant you, Germans traditionally put a lot of effort into their engineered products.

[357and40]

I like my W. German P6 and my American P226. Both great shooters!

[adric22]

Don't have experience with Sigs, but German designed/engineered stuff is usually better. The roads, the cars, the guns, the tanks....

I agree.. Pretty much all of the high quality stuff is always made in Germany or Japan. The cheap junk is made in China. Nothing is made in USA these days. Ever noticed that most of the quality gun manufacturing today is still from Germany/Austria/Czech Republic?

[matthew03]

I've never owned a German Sig, but my Exeter Sigs (4) have always worked flawlessly.

[5POINT56]

IMO, SIG's can be measured in BC and AC (Before Cohen and After Cohen)

Ron Cohen, the current President and CEO of SIG USA was imported from Kimber. It is at this point in SIG's history where they **** the bed.

SIG used to be a company that prioritized the highest quality in the pursuit of developing serious defensive and military minded weapons. Ron Cohen changed a lot of that.

QC dropped significantly after his arrival and that's when SIG started pumping out inconsistent quality as well as marketing ridiculous guns, such as the one below.



From Cohen himself:

"“Within a month-and-a-half, I let go of 99 percent of the top management of the company and brought in people that fit the mold that I was seeking.”

The mold he was seeking was to mass market and mass produce a brand and reputation that was never built around the goal of mass producing and mass marketing.
This is not to say every gun they now make is crap, but it is to say that SIG, in many respects, for about that past 6 years, is riding on a previous reputation that no longer exists. The guns they make today, can be very good guns....but the days of producing and prioritizing items such as the "true" NSW P226 are long gone.

Any gun you can get that is either German made or pre-2004 would be my advice.

[QKShooter]

My Vintage SIG/Browning BDA (Browning Double Action) .45ACP Made In W. Germany is a marvelous machine.

It has never failed to or feed, function.

The pistol has a round count in the thousands and the hardcoat anodize on the Aluminum alloy frame is not even worn off the frame rails.
Yes, it has the Euro butt magazine release but the pistol is so doggone 100% reliable that I often carry it.
The SIG P220 magazines (with a flat base) will fit & function in the Euro but, not the other way 'round.
The only changes I've made to the gun is adding a set of KINGWOOD Hogue exotic wood grips.
Oh...and years ago I added a Harrts Mercury Filled Recoil Reducer Stainless steel guide rod...(no longer available) & I only added that to gain a few fractions of a second "quicker back on target" and that does work to reduce muzzle rise.
Too bad they are not being made anymore since Mr. Harrt passed away years ago.
If you ever find one - snatch it up!
They were always expensive at around $80.00 way back when.

Here is what they looked like. Don't bother trying to figure out a phone number - you can't get one. Harrt is dead & you'll just harass some poor innocent lady that inhereted that old phone number.