A little more than a week ago I jumped on the rather large bandwagon of surplus Sig P6 buyers. I became interested in the P6/P225 platform just recently. I am working on a purchase of a German P220 from a friend and the 225's resemblance caught my attention. Strangely there seems to be an open hostility to this gun among “Sig purists”. Maybe it’s the very low cost or the flood of these things into the market that has them turning up their noses but I don’t get too concerned with that sort of talk when I am shopping for something that interests me. Besides, what the hell is a purist anyway?
Well, I started reading and many of you know how it goes; the more you read about a gun you like and the more you browse pictures and read reviews, the more you want one. I did and, I did.
Most of you know but for those that don’t; the P6 is the same (though with some small differences) as the Sig P225, a discontinued model. They were employed by some European police agencies, mainly West Germany from the mid seventies to the mid nineties. It’s a single stack 9mm steel/aluminum auto pistol that closely resembles the larger P220.
I bought one from Bud’s a little over a week ago. Sure, it was a few dollars more there than at some of the other online suppliers but I didn’t mind because I love Bud’s viewable database of area FFL’s right on the website. Its worth $20 or $30 to me to be able to buy a gun from the comfort of wherever I am and not have to fuss with calling an FFL and having him fax paperwork etc. etc. Its just click, click and go. Easy as buying tires and nothing to get in the way of a 2am impulse buy.
I got my P6 last week and it was love at first sight. No, its not the tiniest 9mm and the design is a little dated but this piece is a real gem. I like compacts. They have most of the concealment benefit of subcompacts but with a full grip. My pinky is not hanging in the wind or resting on a magazine extension. Its got it own spot, treated as an equal to the other two fingers. I also like narrow grip frames engineered around single stack magazines. I don’t have giant hands so guns like my 1911 and P7M8 always felt good to me. The Sig P239 is not bad but for me the P6 feels a little thinner and much nicer. I also really like the mini P220 look of the P6/P225 that the P239 just does not have.
When you buy one of these surplus pistols you usually don’t have the ability to see it before laying your money down. I’ve seen pictures of nearly perfect examples as well as guns that look like they had spent their service lives in holsters carved out of pumice. Bud’s described thier stock of pistols as showing some external, but very little internal, wear. I feel that mine was just exactly as described. ((See Pic)) It was not perfect on the outside with what I would characterize as very typical wear on a sidearm that was carried but cared for. The blue is a little thin on the forward corners and there are several very small nicks on the frame finish. There are no scratches or metal damage anywhere and the inside of the pistol would make me guess that maybe 1500-2500 rds had been through it. A full detailed strip revealed very little wear though a fair amount of lint had accumulated under the trigger. All springs and parts were in fantastic shape. The grips were in excellent condition and the grip screws were rust free. It came with two magazines, one that looked about the same age as the pistol and a brand new one. ((I really wish I could find someone to sell me a few more but so far, no joy.)) The included blue Sig box came with a broken hinge though I already have so many pistol boxes that I really don’t need to store another. I’ll probably just toss it. Also, I certainly would have never used it but these P6’s from Buds do not come with the surplus German police holsters.
Shooting impressions from today were very good and worth talking about. The pistol was well inside of combat accuracy, grouping under 2 inches at 15 yards without any trouble. The double action trigger pull is very heavy but not offensive to me. With taking a gun on and off, carrying off body, and occasionally carrying “Mexican” I don’t at all mind a revolver-like first pull. It really didn't feel all that much heavier than the DA pull on my USP .40. This can however be lightened with a spring change. Trigger feel is a very Sig DA/SA which is not a bad thing.
The feed ramp on these pistols is rather steep so I knew I needed to test my ammo before carrying it. Today I fed three types; new Black Hills 124gr 9mm +P with the Hornady hollow points, Speer 124gr +P Glod Dots and various FMJ. The P6 gobbled scores of FMJ and Gold Dots with no problem. The Black Hills was another story. Not a surprise really. The shape of the bullet didn’t seem like it was going to function perfectly with the P6 feed system. Out of 50 rounds three would not allow the gun to fully lock into battery, One FTF, and one left a curious thin copper shaving hanging out of the ejection port. The other 45 rounds fed and shot fine but I’ll never use them in this gun again. 124gr +P Gold Dots will be my P6 load.
Two criticisms I often read about the P225 is its caliber and capacity. One forum member commented that he did not see the reason behind carrying an 8+1 round 9mm in a compact size frame. Not a bad point what with the 10 plus round Glock, Smith M&P, and Springfield XD subcompacts out there. Not to mention the tiny Keltec and Kahr 9mm’s, available. I don’t know if I can argue against all that but I’m 6-0 tall and weigh about 225 lbs. Though they are not the exact same size, the feeling of my Glock 27, HK P7M8 and this P6 when IWB just behind my right hip are so similar that it really doesn’t matter. If I can’t tuck one of these then I’ll have to radically depart from a compact auto and will always go to my S&W 642 anyway. After carrying that I feel like I’ve been upgraded when I get to carry something with more than 5 rounds.
Sure I wish the P6 was a .40, or a .45 or even a .30-06 for that matter, but after a range session today with the P6 I just don’t have any doubt in this pistol’s incredible accuracy and in fact I shot it a little better than my duty Glock 22. The differences or advantages/disadvantages between 9mm, .40, and .45 makes for a wonderful diversion and I believe that a bigger hole in the bad guy is, well, a bigger hole in the bad guy but nine well placed premium 9mm hollow points are so harmful to human anatomy that I frankly don’t worry much about that sort of thing. Training, practice, and emotional control in a fight are so much more important.
Finally, I had initially considered a refinish job but after thinking about it I'm not going have it done, at least not any time soon. It would cost half as much as the gun and it would take away some of the charm of the piece. I like that this little pistol has history and that it was once depended on. I like the wear.
So the P6 gets a thumbs up from this "non-purist". Plus or minus $300 gets you a neat little Sig that is ready to again be depended on. These guns ought to be in service and I’m happy to employ one though please don’t buy one too. Magazine demand is high enough as it is.
Well, I started reading and many of you know how it goes; the more you read about a gun you like and the more you browse pictures and read reviews, the more you want one. I did and, I did.
Most of you know but for those that don’t; the P6 is the same (though with some small differences) as the Sig P225, a discontinued model. They were employed by some European police agencies, mainly West Germany from the mid seventies to the mid nineties. It’s a single stack 9mm steel/aluminum auto pistol that closely resembles the larger P220.
I bought one from Bud’s a little over a week ago. Sure, it was a few dollars more there than at some of the other online suppliers but I didn’t mind because I love Bud’s viewable database of area FFL’s right on the website. Its worth $20 or $30 to me to be able to buy a gun from the comfort of wherever I am and not have to fuss with calling an FFL and having him fax paperwork etc. etc. Its just click, click and go. Easy as buying tires and nothing to get in the way of a 2am impulse buy.
I got my P6 last week and it was love at first sight. No, its not the tiniest 9mm and the design is a little dated but this piece is a real gem. I like compacts. They have most of the concealment benefit of subcompacts but with a full grip. My pinky is not hanging in the wind or resting on a magazine extension. Its got it own spot, treated as an equal to the other two fingers. I also like narrow grip frames engineered around single stack magazines. I don’t have giant hands so guns like my 1911 and P7M8 always felt good to me. The Sig P239 is not bad but for me the P6 feels a little thinner and much nicer. I also really like the mini P220 look of the P6/P225 that the P239 just does not have.
When you buy one of these surplus pistols you usually don’t have the ability to see it before laying your money down. I’ve seen pictures of nearly perfect examples as well as guns that look like they had spent their service lives in holsters carved out of pumice. Bud’s described thier stock of pistols as showing some external, but very little internal, wear. I feel that mine was just exactly as described. ((See Pic)) It was not perfect on the outside with what I would characterize as very typical wear on a sidearm that was carried but cared for. The blue is a little thin on the forward corners and there are several very small nicks on the frame finish. There are no scratches or metal damage anywhere and the inside of the pistol would make me guess that maybe 1500-2500 rds had been through it. A full detailed strip revealed very little wear though a fair amount of lint had accumulated under the trigger. All springs and parts were in fantastic shape. The grips were in excellent condition and the grip screws were rust free. It came with two magazines, one that looked about the same age as the pistol and a brand new one. ((I really wish I could find someone to sell me a few more but so far, no joy.)) The included blue Sig box came with a broken hinge though I already have so many pistol boxes that I really don’t need to store another. I’ll probably just toss it. Also, I certainly would have never used it but these P6’s from Buds do not come with the surplus German police holsters.
Shooting impressions from today were very good and worth talking about. The pistol was well inside of combat accuracy, grouping under 2 inches at 15 yards without any trouble. The double action trigger pull is very heavy but not offensive to me. With taking a gun on and off, carrying off body, and occasionally carrying “Mexican” I don’t at all mind a revolver-like first pull. It really didn't feel all that much heavier than the DA pull on my USP .40. This can however be lightened with a spring change. Trigger feel is a very Sig DA/SA which is not a bad thing.
The feed ramp on these pistols is rather steep so I knew I needed to test my ammo before carrying it. Today I fed three types; new Black Hills 124gr 9mm +P with the Hornady hollow points, Speer 124gr +P Glod Dots and various FMJ. The P6 gobbled scores of FMJ and Gold Dots with no problem. The Black Hills was another story. Not a surprise really. The shape of the bullet didn’t seem like it was going to function perfectly with the P6 feed system. Out of 50 rounds three would not allow the gun to fully lock into battery, One FTF, and one left a curious thin copper shaving hanging out of the ejection port. The other 45 rounds fed and shot fine but I’ll never use them in this gun again. 124gr +P Gold Dots will be my P6 load.
Two criticisms I often read about the P225 is its caliber and capacity. One forum member commented that he did not see the reason behind carrying an 8+1 round 9mm in a compact size frame. Not a bad point what with the 10 plus round Glock, Smith M&P, and Springfield XD subcompacts out there. Not to mention the tiny Keltec and Kahr 9mm’s, available. I don’t know if I can argue against all that but I’m 6-0 tall and weigh about 225 lbs. Though they are not the exact same size, the feeling of my Glock 27, HK P7M8 and this P6 when IWB just behind my right hip are so similar that it really doesn’t matter. If I can’t tuck one of these then I’ll have to radically depart from a compact auto and will always go to my S&W 642 anyway. After carrying that I feel like I’ve been upgraded when I get to carry something with more than 5 rounds.
Sure I wish the P6 was a .40, or a .45 or even a .30-06 for that matter, but after a range session today with the P6 I just don’t have any doubt in this pistol’s incredible accuracy and in fact I shot it a little better than my duty Glock 22. The differences or advantages/disadvantages between 9mm, .40, and .45 makes for a wonderful diversion and I believe that a bigger hole in the bad guy is, well, a bigger hole in the bad guy but nine well placed premium 9mm hollow points are so harmful to human anatomy that I frankly don’t worry much about that sort of thing. Training, practice, and emotional control in a fight are so much more important.
Finally, I had initially considered a refinish job but after thinking about it I'm not going have it done, at least not any time soon. It would cost half as much as the gun and it would take away some of the charm of the piece. I like that this little pistol has history and that it was once depended on. I like the wear.
So the P6 gets a thumbs up from this "non-purist". Plus or minus $300 gets you a neat little Sig that is ready to again be depended on. These guns ought to be in service and I’m happy to employ one though please don’t buy one too. Magazine demand is high enough as it is.
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