Sig Sauer P6

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

A very, very long time ago in another place a P6 was my constant companion, and often was the only thing standing between me and some very bad things. I've done my best to forget those times, but a decade or so back a bunch of these guns were imported as police trade-ins, and it brought back to me just how much I liked that gun. It was solid, dependable and reliable at a time when nothing else in my life was. Sadly we didn't have the cash to get one at the time.

Fortunes change, though, and when this one came up on Gunbroker Linda bought it for me. I think she thought it would give me a sense of comfort in our current turbulent times. I don't know that it does, but I'm glad to have it, and circumstances permitting it's my new EDC..

I know it's a bit of a dinosaur in this day and age but hell, so am I. I put together a holster for it, and a buddy of mine sent me a Polizei-issue duty rig and shoulder holster for it.

This is my home-made rig. The gun came with a spare magazine, and I picked up a couple more. The gun is reliable and accurate, and I have no trouble keeping rapid-fire groups in the basket at seven yards.

For those not familair the P6 is an alloy-frame single-stack 9mm that holds eight rounds. It's a compact version of the Sig P220 that emerged from the Police trials in West Germany in the 1970s, and was later introduced on the civilian market as the P225.

It's also the gun that, in a sense, created Sig Sauer. Sig didn't have the production capacity to fill the orders for these guns, so they partnered with, and later acquired, J.P.Sauer & Sohns to meet the demand.

Yeah, it's a 40-some year old design and yeah, there are better, more modern options, but it suits me.

(no dammit, I'm not going to modify it! )

 

[golden]

Michael,

I have a P-6 police trade in and a commercial SIG 225. The 225 is one of my favorite guns. The ergonomics of the grip are perfect for me. The P-6 was bought first and suffers from the P-6 malady of not chambering any hollowpoint loads. I have been able to shoot all the ball ammo I want and can fire the COR BON Powerball round though the P-6 without any trouble.
I think these are great pistols and both have proven very reliable.
I am always on the lookout for another 225, but only at a reasonable price.

I once ran into a Dutch cop whose issue gun was the 225. He told me that they used the GECO round that had a plug in the hollow point which blew out and allowed expansion.

Good luck with yours,
Jim

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Even when Im not actually carrying it, my P6 is always nearby.

Its not the slimmest, not the lightest, doesnt have the best trigger, not high capacity, certainly not the most corrosion resistant pistol I own- but it just works for me. I can draw it and put 8 rounds in the meatball fast and consistently every time.

Even though mine dates from '81, it feeds most HP just fine. At some point they changed the feed ramp angle, mine either has the later barrel installed or somebody did a good ramp job to it.


Welcome to the club, Mike. You are in good company.

 

[Jimfern]

Hey where did you find spare magazines? I'd be interested in picking up a few more, but all I see are after market ones.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Hey where did you find spare magazines? I'd be interested in picking up a few more, but all I see are after market ones.

The two I bought are aftermarket and I'm not best-pleased with the quality, but they work.

My gun was made in '91, and has no issues with hollowpoints. The trigger is pretty decent too.

 

[TomJ]

Congrats. IMO the Sig P series guns are gems. I have an older 9mm P226, P229 chambered in 40/357 Sig and P220. They have never had a malfunction of any kind and are incredibly accurate. I hadn't shot the P220 in a while and did so a number of weeks ago. I forgot what a gem it is.

 

[JR24]

Very nice!

The more I shoot my new (to me) 228 the more I think I need to buy a holster and a bunch of mec gars and carry it.

I recently got a line on a great shape 225 and the owner is holding it until I get the cash together to buy it, next year probably.

It'll be nice to have one around again, I really liked the one I had years ago, only gun I've sold that I've ever missed.

 

[JDR]

For anybody looking for P6 / P225 8 round magazines (not the newer P225-A1 version), try this source.

I bought 2 mags off this guy 2-1/2 years ago, these were surplus Sig manufacture P6/225 8 round magazines. These were in great shape with very little carry wear on them. The magazines were guaranteed to work or they would replace them or give you your money back, but these worked fine. At that time they were $25.00 each delivered but if you ordered 10 or more you could have them for $23.00 each. This is old email info so you will need to make an inquiry.

c/o Patrick Hughes
PH Brass and Bullets Inc
423-430-8340
[email protected]

If these magazines are still available, I’d strongly suggest you get a couple, I have 7 now so I’m in good shape.

 

[Old Dog]

I know it's a bit of a dinosaur in this day and age but hell, so am I.

The older I get, the more fun I have shooting guns that may be almost as old (or older) than I am. Your P6 looks to be in fine condition, sure wish I could find another that looks as good. Some things just seem to get better with age ...

 

[bannockburn]

Tinker

Congrats on the new P6 and good to hear you're not going to modify it...yet! I never had a P6 (went with a P7 instead), but did have an early P220 in the guise of a Browning BDA .45, an early P226, a P228 that my brother let me use for awhile, and a P229 which I currently have. All have been great with solid reliability and amazing accuracy (especially with the BDA)!

 

[Ignition Override]

Always make clear that-
the German P225 and the modern US-made 225 use different components.

Nothing is interchangeable. Many viewers might not realize this-and many live in a foreign country (Czech Republic carry permit/CCW etc).
>>> *The US-made Sigs have no proof marks on the "chin". <<<

My German P225 (original green box and test target) and former Bundesamt P6 are in really nice condition. This "Bundes" P6 has the odd, tiny 'eagle' federal proof mark on the chin. Such nice condition that I sought out a really worn P6 (the slide's rear area), to avoid carrying the other two Sigs.

MT Pierce: excellent choice.

 

[AK103K]

I picked up two when they came in back in the mid 2000's. One was older, and had a lot of wear on it, the other, a later gun, looked brand new. I think I paid $259 for each at a local Gander Mountain. Guns came with two mags, and they threw in a third for free with each. I also bought a number of mags off them too for dirt cheap.

Both were good shooting guns, and both fed anything I put in them, even though the older gun was well before the barrel update.

The only thing I did to them, was add night sights, and swap out the mainspring, for a commercial 225 spring. The DA trigger weight was noticeably heavier compared to my other commercial SIGs, and the 225 spring brought them more in line with them.

This was the older of the two I had....



As I said, not a bad shooter.


Even with a smiley like this.

 

[golden]

Jimfern,.

If you can find MEC GAR made magazines, they should be alright. MEC GAR is the actual producer of magazines for a number of gunmakers and they will be cheaper than SIG made.

Jim

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

The two I bought are aftermarket and I'm not best-pleased with the quality, but they work.

My gun was made in '91, and has no issues with hollowpoints. The trigger is pretty decent too.

I got super lucky- mine came with 4 "zipperback" factory Sig mags.

 

[1KPerDay]

Mec gar doesn’t make P6/P225 mags to my knowledge.

 

[jsbethel]

The length of the P6/P225 magazine floorplate was always a problem for me as far as grip ergonomics was concerned. There was a member on the SigForum that made an aluminum replacement that was ideal but it seems he has not been on that forum in quite some time.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Very nice! I understand the appeal.

As a lefty, I snapped-up a duty used "Montage Suisse" P225 (Canton marked) with the heel mag release. It's one of my favorite carry guns.

There is an almost NIB West German P225 and 6 mags in the safe waiting for a key event for my son (now 14), like Eagle Scout or HS graduation.

 

[JDR]

My P6 is the best $319 I ever spent for a pistol. I know a lot of people will not like the 8 round capacity but I don’t care, it’s a good shooting gun. They really don’t make them like this anymore and that’s understandable but it’s still a darn shame. The older I get the more I appreciate older guns!

 

[.455_Hunter]

I can see how a gun designed for "normal" 9mm ball jacket profile might have issues with wide truncated cone or flat nose JHPs, but I would think that the Federal 115 gr 9BP or Remington/UMC 115 gr JHPs would fire fine in any P225/P6 generation.

 

[Ignition Override]

Do any of you live near Nashville, or Chattanooga?

Two different guns listed on Armslist TN.
A "P225 (P6)", his description-not mine, is still listed on Armslist TN after days and days. No asking price is indicated. Listed as Shelbyville TN.

The Chattanooga gun is listed only as a P6.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Good info...

https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-sauer-p6-west-german-bargain-now/

 

[Jimfern]

For anybody looking for P6 / P225 8 round magazines (not the newer P225-A1 version), try this source.

I bought 2 mags off this guy 2-1/2 years ago, these were surplus Sig manufacture P6/225 8 round magazines. These were in great shape with very little carry wear on them. The magazines were guaranteed to work or they would replace them or give you your money back, but these worked fine. At that time they were $25.00 each delivered but if you ordered 10 or more you could have them for $23.00 each. This is old email info so you will need to make an inquiry.

c/o Patrick Hughes
PH Brass and Bullets Inc
423-430-8340
[email protected]

If these magazines are still available, I’d strongly suggest you get a couple, I have 7 now so I’m in good shape.

Thanks for this, I just emailed Patrick.

 

[Jimfern]

Jimfern,.

If you can find MEC GAR made magazines, they should be alright. MEC GAR is the actual producer of magazines for a number of gunmakers and they will be cheaper than SIG made.

Jim

I do have a few Mec-Gar mags for my Browning BDA/P220 and they work great.

 

[defjon]

Still remember the first time I held one at gander in 2005 or 2006.

In rough cosmetic shape but man... Felt like holding Excalibur. Fit and pointed perfectly.

Unfortunately I went with a used 226 for the same money choosing capacity. Grip is much thicker though and in hindsight, the zombies never came and I would likely have been better served by the uglier better feeling gun!

Maybe someday one will come my way.

 

[golden]

In many P-6's, no conventional hollow point will feed. REMINGTON 115 grain jhp would not feed reliably in my P-6, but worked in every other gun I tried.

Jim