SIG P-210: Just stepped off the deep end....

We don't believe you till we see the pics.

SharpsDressedMan said:

Well, I did something that I never thought I'd do. I took the plunge on a vintage SIG P-210. With intent to "thin down the herd" (selling off some of my other stuff), I gave into the urge to sell a few to finance a bigger one. Any SIG P-210 owners out there that want to tell me any "need-to-know" stuff, good or bad, and stories or pics about their own? Mine will have to be imported from a dealer in Switzerland, so it will be awhile before it gets here. All info and comments welcome. Hey, I couldn't afford a Porsche or Ferrari, so the P210 was the next best midlife crisis.

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I do not have to see it to believe it. This must have been best quality service pistol ever put together. It has world following and unlike some is expensive everywhere handguns can be had.

Congrats! I'm super jealous. Pics and a plinking report please when it comes in.

I opted for a P-210 Legend Target and received just about a month or so. All my guns have been above average including a Custom 1911. I am in awe of this P-210. It is elegant beyond expectations and shoots so well it could be compared to a high end .22. I just love this gun!!!! Congrats. I hope you handle waiting better than I do.

They certainly are accurate. Which model are you getting?

After I bought mine last year I asked around about getting a spare recoil spring. The answer I got was, "Why?" It seems the guns run for a 100k or 200k rounds or more on the original spring.

The military surplus gun I got from Top Gun Supply last fall, if it was a commercial gun, would be a P210-2. The one he sent me is 1970ish and came with early-80s commercial stocks on it (like the rest of the pallet.) I say sent because he sold about 30 guns on the basis of one pic of one of the guns. One pic, one price.

I still would like to know the story behind how he got a pallet of 30 nice guns from a wide variety of years with matching stocks. There was a rumor about a museum order for the guards and how the guns weren't supposed to be exported to the U.S., but they were and he ended up with them. It's a shame the endless thread on sigforum was pruned due to age, it had a lot of valuable information on the history and accuracy, etc.

I'm turning green with envy...

Nice!

Droooool

Simply the finest 9mm handgun EVER produced. I have never been fortunately enough (yet) to own one. But, I have handled a couple of them. The only way to describe it is "WOW"

Congrats on pulling the trigger (couldn't resist), on such a finely made pistol. I have been lusting after one for many years.

SharpsDressedMan said:

It's a P210-1, made in 1952.

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Impressive...know you're anxious for it get here. Awesome looking stocks on the pictured gun!

That's one sharp pistol there! Beautiful guns.

The P210 is a well made pistol, but for actual shooting purposes I normally gravitate to the 1911s. The P210 gets out about as often as the S&W M52.

You may soon find that it is a great hammer biter; I had one friend fire three shots and hand it back saying "You might want to wipe the blood off your gun." Another was not bit as bad but still about like a GI 1911. I am fortunate that my narrow hand is not bothered, but if you are, you can buy accessory glue on or screw on beavertails.

The magazine is tight in the well. This no doubt ensures feedway alignment but in combination with the heel catch makes reloads a leisurely affair.

The thumb safety is placed for an orangutan, or at least somebody with longer thumbs than me. Strangely enough, the corner of the slide stop will whack me on the end of the thumb if I do not adjust my grip from what works with a 1911.

Not saying it is bad, just that it is different. It was designed by people who needed something cheaper than Lugers and still hated to give them up.

Mr. Watson, I think all those little things were addressed with the new (current) production. I'd look at them if they were not over $2k.

I haven't handled one of the German made P210 Legend models yet.
The beavertail is bound to be an improvement.
The "improved" manual safety looks to be in the same location, out of reach; and the slide stop looks bigger if anything.
I haven't seen anybody to say whether the crossbolt magazine catch gets you drop-free magazines as we Colonials expect.

We now have an "internal drop safety" which I take to mean a firing pin obstruction in the Series 80 mode. Reports are that the trigger pull remains good, though.

I assume it retains the magazine disconnector, always an aggravation.

Nice choice. Can't wait to see pics of the actual gun. What is the lead time for its arrival?

"It's a P210-1, made in 1952."

Just like mine, only nicer. I predict you're going to love it. The hammer hasn't touched me yet; or anybody who has shot it. I warn them anyway.

I don't recall who it was, but their theory was that the wood grips were just enough different from the original military grips to provide a different hold that minimized the chances of hammer bite. It might have been one of the target shooters from Switzerland who posted on the missing/pruned sigforum thread I mentioned earlier.

John

JohnBT said:

They certainly are accurate. Which model are you getting?

After I bought mine last year I asked around about getting a spare recoil spring. The answer I got was, "Why?" It seems the guns run for a 100k or 200k rounds or more on the original spring.

The military surplus gun I got from Top Gun Supply last fall, if it was a commercial gun, would be a P210-2. The one he sent me is 1970ish and came with early-80s commercial stocks on it (like the rest of the pallet.) I say sent because he sold about 30 guns on the basis of one pic of one of the guns. One pic, one price.

I still would like to know the story behind how he got a pallet of 30 nice guns from a wide variety of years with matching stocks. There was a rumor about a museum order for the guards and how the guns weren't supposed to be exported to the U.S., but they were and he ended up with them. It's a shame the endless thread on sigforum was pruned due to age, it had a lot of valuable information on the history and accuracy, etc.

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Weren't those brought in by PW Arms. If they were call Dan at Dan's ammo and he might know more of the back story on them. He is very tight with PW Arms.

Thank you, they were PW Arms imports. The huge import marks are on the other side; it looks like a Ruger. They shouldn't be allowed near guns. Good thing I bought it to shoot and not look at.

Congratulations Sharps. I have owned four of the Swiss versions, P210-2s, and -6s with adjustable sights. I don't count a fifth purchased from a collector dealer, rejected and returned due to condition. I have owned some other vey nice guns, but never any I considered to be superior to the P210 in fit, machining and overall quality. I have had a very few pistols that group as well as the 210, but none that would shoot better. The four I owned were 100% reliable with every type of ammunition I ever fed them. Absolutely the best IMHO.

SharpsDressedMan said:

It's a P210-1, made in 1952.

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Even though that pistol has fine sights, the pistol is a fine sight(ing implement)!

I had a French 1935-A and that thing pointed so well it was scary.

I am envious as well....... Congrats on picking up a legendary pistol.

8 Months ago, I was able to handle one for the first time (210-9, i think). It was so nice that i was contemplating on selling my LWRC to fund its purchase.......but I didn't. It was a hard fight.

Have a SIG P-210-5. It shoots charmingly well, never misses a lick, and has a SA letoff like a fine S&W sixgun. On the other hand, I hardly ever shoot it anymore, and that is true of a safe full of centerfire shellshuckers. It seems to me why bother, when another safe full of SA sixguns just begs to go shooting , never drops a single fired case upon the ground, and shoot as well as the BEST of any autoloading pistol of any make, shape, caliber, or vintage.

I was going to comment that I had the "poor man's P210" in a S.A.C.M. 1935A, but someone beat me to it!

The 210's are great pistols. Enjoy!