What makes a Sig 210 so great?

[GigaBuist]

Did a quick search, didn't see anything that addressed this specifically.

Back in the threat about an accurate 9mm I saw the Sig 210 come up a lot. Thing is, I don't know what makes them so great in this department.

Is it a number of design characteristics? Quality of workmanship? Both?

While I'm at it:
I gather that some elements of the CZ-75 were taken from the Sig 210 but I don't know what they are. Anybody know?

 

[Wil Terry]

Now Stop And Think !!!! It Is A Pistol Made In Switzerland.

What are the Swiss famous for making ??? At what tolerances are they used to working ???
Is this starting to click in ???
Yes, I do own one, a very rare SIG NEUHOUSEN P210-5 convertible in 9MM PARABELLUM and 7.65MM "LEWGA". It will shoot one hole groups at 50 meters routinely with damn near any kind in 9MM cartridges, and the hotter they're loaded the better.
The only other 9MM pistols I own even breathing it's dust is a CZ85 COMBAT and a custom BROWNING GP COMPETITION. THESE TWO SHOOT LIKE A MILLION BUCKS BUT USUALLY CAN ONLY DO AT 25 METERS WHAT THE P210-5 DOES AT 50 METERS. No BS !!!!
The only S&W M952's I have seen were not worth carrying home in comparison.

 

[Onmilo]

I have owned two Sig 210 pistols and a Smith and Wesson 952.
I wish I had one of those Sig 210 pistols back.

As a target shooting handgun in 9mm you will not find a finer handgun and you really have to shoot a 210 for a while to understand exactly why.

 

[cslinger]

I don't think it is much the design as much as it is the build quality. These are Swiss made, pretty much hand built guns. The design is ok, but the build is spectacular.

 

[PzGren]

The design, with it's long slide rails, helps a lot to get the accuracy.

 

[jack the toad]

I think the long slide rails are carried over in the CZ.

 

[Jim Watson]

Mostly workmanship.
Long slide rails do not make a CZ75 a 50 metre slowfire target pistol.

Remember, the P210 was the replacement for the longest serving Lugers anywhere. And a Luger is pretty accurate itself.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I've had a P-210-6 and a 52. Both are great guns, with the "edge" for accuracy going to the 210. (Sold them both to buy a nice, fairly new pickup which I badly needed...)

I'll go with the folks who say the "build" quality is what gives the P-210 the edge. The design is OK, but its the time and attention paid to how its made. (As noted, long rails don't add much -- unless the barrel and slide are nicely fitted, etc.)

The P-210, however, isn't the most user-friendly gun: reloads (except on the newer P-210-8) are't quick or easy, the sights on some model draw blood, and the safety can be hard to release. The P-210-8 fixed most of the drawbacks, and then they quit making them.

 

[Ash]

When the books say the design was too expensive, which is why they came out with the 220, I just roll my eyes. There isn't a thing about the design that justifies the cost of production. It is just an evolved French SACM, and in no way is the design more costly to produce than the CZ-75, 1911, or Browning Hi Power. This isn't an expensive pistol, design-wise. Very close tolerances and exacting detail make it expensive, but turn the design over to CZ or Beretta and you will get a pistol that, while not as close in tolerances, would be every bit as reliable. Accuracy would fall, of course, but price would be about a quarter of current prices.

I am not at all impressed with the 210 design. Indeed, I am very underwhelmed by it. I would take a Star 30M any day over the 210 as far as designs go. Now, one could take a CZ-75SA and make overall tolerances as tight as the 210 and you would have a superior pistol to the 210. That said, in application, the 210 is a very precisely-made pistol, and that precision is what makes it appealing.

Ash

 

[Walt Sherrill]

Now, one could take a CZ-75SA and make overall tolerances as tight as the 210 and you would have a superior pistol to the 210.

Which is what the Sphinx does -- same build quality (also Swiss). But the accuracy, while quite good, and with slide inside the frame rails, may still not be as good as the 210. (My 210 came with a test target showing a 1.75" group at 50 meters (roughly 55 yards.)

I have two Sphinxes -- and they clearly are superior to the CZ-75's and any of the current SIGs I've owned or shot. There's a new expensive SIG I've only seen, not shot, that may be quite good, however.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The key thing about the 210 is the hand fitting and the precision of tolerances. It also has good ergo's and decent sights. Put that package together and you have an exceptionally accurate handgun. I have a 210-6 and a 210-5. The -5 is clearly more accurate in my hands then the -6 which I attribute to the longer sight radius.

It is hard to verbally describe the precision of these handguns. It must be felt to be believed.

 

[JohnBT]

I've shot them. Nothing but accuracy and pure quality. Simply outstanding workmanship. John

www.p210.com/history

"According to SIGARMS, the P210's slides and frames have always been machined from solid blocks of steel. Owing to the additional expense of raw materials and the extra production effort, this technique is much more costly than machining the same parts from roughly shaped forgings."

"One of its design specifications was that it had to be equally usable unmodified for competitions at 50 meters as its predecessor, the superbly accurate Swiss Parabellum 06/29, chambered in 7.65x21mm. The target was a Swiss C50, with the 10 ring a disk of 5 centimeters, just under 2" in diameter."

COVER YOUR EYES

 

[unsingle]

There is no other gun that feels like a P210 when you are shooting it. It is as smooth as glass. Just feels like pure precision. You need to try one to see what I mean.

 

[HammerBite]

COVER YOUR EYES

It's too late! My corneas are burnt! I want that first one!!

 

[Ghost Tracker]

When you shoot one...you'll know. Rolex watches don't keep time any better than Seiko watches. My Porsche can't go anywhere that my Toyota can't take me. A steak from Ruth's Chris and a steak from Logan's Road House both come from a cow.

But precision & excellence are even more amazing when price ceases to be a primary concern. THAT'S what so special about a Sig 210.

 

[col_tapiocca]

What makes a Sig 210 so great?

Simply Swiss Made?

I've a Sphinx AT-2000S (Swiss Made CZ75 clone)
In comparison with a CZ75 from Czech republic they are big different in workmanship.

 

[Royalsalute]

p210 is a great pistol, you can pass it to your kids and their kids. it will last for generations.

regards

chang

 

[TNT.45]

To own one is heaven in your hand. It is the excalibur of handguns. A shaking meth freak could shoot X's...lol

To answer your question though its the tight tolerances and machining along with hand assembly & finishing that makes them so desired. All new guns are made so humnas touch them the least to save money. A maintained Sig P210 will last forever and be one of the most accurate pistols you could own(non target models excluded)