Downr@nge
Member
I was looking on YouTube for reviews of the gun and I saw two vids that said the finish was horrible because it rusted and scratched so easily. Is this a common issue with the Si Sig P226?
Sig P226 Owners, how does the finish hold up?
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Downr@nge
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In both instances, both guys showed proof. I think its the Nitron finish they were talking about.
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I haven't seen the videos you are talking about, but I have carried many different Sig 226s over the last 30+ years.
The early, mid-80s, 226 came with a blued finish on the slide. it was relatively thin and wore off quickly.
The Nitron finish is only applied to the stainless steel slides and I haven't seen any rust problems with them in years.
Do you have a link to the clips?
The early, mid-80s, 226 came with a blued finish on the slide. it was relatively thin and wore off quickly.
The Nitron finish is only applied to the stainless steel slides and I haven't seen any rust problems with them in years.
Do you have a link to the clips?
madstabber
Member
mine looks brand new after 4 years. i shot it often but dont carry it, and i keep it cleaned and oiled.
Downr@nge
Member
Here's one vid where they guy is talking about the rust problem he encountered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9vpP55k1s0
Here is the other vid where the guy is talking about the finish being worn very easily.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffe8I8iVm0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9vpP55k1s0
Here is the other vid where the guy is talking about the finish being worn very easily.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffe8I8iVm0I
Creature
Member
My older P226 is shot often and carried a lot...and still looks darn good.
OK I watched both the clips and the first thing that struck me is that both users have limited knowledge of their guns and are repeating something they heard without further research...maybe from the local gunshop commandos 
1st clip: That is a 226 Navy, with the phosphated internals as a copy of the 226 supplied to the Navy SEALs. Neither the frame nor the magazine are coated in Nitron. The frame is hard anodized aluminum. The magazine is phosphate coated. A telling point is when he talks about the rust needing oil to remove...this would lead me to believe that he isn't properly maintaining his gun. If you have rust forming on your mags, you haven't cleaned them properly
2nd clip: This 226 isn't Nitron coated either. It is a folded carbon steel slide and Nitron was never the factory applied finish. I have some Sigs...notably a Israeli surplus 228 and another w/65k+ rounds used in competition...which have seen a lot of wear and don't look anything like that.
Two things come to mind and both are holster related.
1. improperly fitted holster
2. holster design which exposes the top of the slide to abrasion from the seat belt...I don't even think that would cause that much wear.
I've seen (50+) and purchased (4), or caused to be purchased (6), numerous LE trade-in Sigs and have never seen anything that bad...if I saw that kind of wear on a gun, I'd say it was abused
1st clip: That is a 226 Navy, with the phosphated internals as a copy of the 226 supplied to the Navy SEALs. Neither the frame nor the magazine are coated in Nitron. The frame is hard anodized aluminum. The magazine is phosphate coated. A telling point is when he talks about the rust needing oil to remove...this would lead me to believe that he isn't properly maintaining his gun. If you have rust forming on your mags, you haven't cleaned them properly
2nd clip: This 226 isn't Nitron coated either. It is a folded carbon steel slide and Nitron was never the factory applied finish. I have some Sigs...notably a Israeli surplus 228 and another w/65k+ rounds used in competition...which have seen a lot of wear and don't look anything like that.
Two things come to mind and both are holster related.
1. improperly fitted holster
2. holster design which exposes the top of the slide to abrasion from the seat belt...I don't even think that would cause that much wear.
I've seen (50+) and purchased (4), or caused to be purchased (6), numerous LE trade-in Sigs and have never seen anything that bad...if I saw that kind of wear on a gun, I'd say it was abused
Downr@nge
Member
Thanks 9mmepiphany! I have my mind made up on a S&W M&P .40 and this p226 has been talking to me lol and when I saw those vids, I thought I'd ask you guys here. Glad to know this isn't a common problem.
spyderdude
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This kind of has me concerned as I'm a new Sig owner and recently bought a P229 that was made in April 2008. When did Sig start using the Nitron finish and how strong is it?
I already have a small scratch on the slide of my P229 after taking it out of the metal lock box in my car and I would hate for it to have rust after paying almost $800 for this gun.
I already have a small scratch on the slide of my P229 after taking it out of the metal lock box in my car and I would hate for it to have rust after paying almost $800 for this gun.
Prion
Member
Seriously, youtube?
All gun videos on youtube should be....avoided. Youtube is good for funny and entertaining videos, not information.
Sigs Nitron finish is good but not indestuctible. Use common sense and treat your gun right and it will be fine.
All gun videos on youtube should be....avoided. Youtube is good for funny and entertaining videos, not information.
Sigs Nitron finish is good but not indestuctible. Use common sense and treat your gun right and it will be fine.
The 229 has always had the stainless milled slide coated in Nitron to blacken it...just because something is stainless, doesn't mean it won't rust (it isn't rustless)...it still needs to be cared for
spyderdude
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Right I understand stainless isn't indestructible. I still wipe the slide down with a silicone cloth every now and then.
silversport
Member
some who work for SiG Sauer (formerly SiGARMS) are reporting that since 2007 (at least) Nitorn has been a Diamond Like Coating (DLC) applied IONbond...I sent my P225 to SiGARMS for this applied to both my carbon steel slide and the alloy frame...looks as good now as it did when applied...it perfectly matches the Nitron on my SiGARMS GSR Revolution STX which also looks like the day it was bought in January 2007...
Some of the rust in the video was on the top of the barrel hood that is carbon steel...I have owned many SiGs sine 1996 or thereabouts and have never had rust there...I will say that a buddy with what I would call more acidic sweat than I did get a rusty thumbprint on his P228 on the barrel hood...it was there years later and finally removed by a good cleaning and a scuff pad...
Bill
Some of the rust in the video was on the top of the barrel hood that is carbon steel...I have owned many SiGs sine 1996 or thereabouts and have never had rust there...I will say that a buddy with what I would call more acidic sweat than I did get a rusty thumbprint on his P228 on the barrel hood...it was there years later and finally removed by a good cleaning and a scuff pad...
Bill
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