Sig Sauer P230

[CLASSIC12]

I bought this small and cheap ($ 490) Sig Sauer P230 to add to my Lausanne, Vaud police accumulation (I already have a P220 and a S&W 39-2 which are police surplus). The particularity being the caliber, 9X18 police or ultra.

Bad title - Wikipedia

Tosetti might be the name of the inspector who received the gun originally

The test target is dated June 19, 1980 and shows only three shots at only 10 m

The SV in the shield at the right of the serial number is for “Sureté Vaudoise”, i.e. Security police of the Vaud state

10 shots at 25 meters, the gun is quite accurate considering it’s size

 

[ShivasIrons]

Learn Something New Every Day. Never heard of the 9x18 Police.

Nice Pistol! Sigs are my Favorite...

 

[GeoJelly]

Very nice sir, and great photography! I have a couple of them but in .380. I have loaded some mild loads to shoot in them as they kick like a mule with factory ammo. Do you also have one in .32/7.65?

 

[Old_Cop]

Why make the Ultra different from the Makarov? Certainly close ballisticly.

 

[Absalom]

Learn Something New Every Day. Never heard of the 9x18 Police.

A relic of those days in the 1970s when European police agencies went looking for a service round that was
a) still usable in a straight blow-back action,
b) more effective than the 7.65mm,
c) less powerful and military than the 9mm Para/Luger,
d) not the .380/9mm kurz.

The better-known example is the Walther PP Super, of which several thousand served for just a few short years in the mid- to late 1970s with some German state police forces. Also an excellent gun, but got swamped by the adoption of a wave of 9mm Luger pistols.

Why make the Ultra different from the Makarov? Certainly close ballisticly.

What? Adopt the enemy's standard caliber? That would have never flown ...

 

[darg]

Is that 9x18 Police similar to 9mm Makarov?

 

[Moo Moo]

Those are beautiful grips.

I've got the .380acp P230.

 

[Darkenfast]

Is that 9x18 Police similar to 9mm Makarov?

They are similar, in that the both answer the same question: What can be done to make a blow-back auto a better choice for police and military. Both are slightly more powerful than the .380 ACP/9mm Short.

The Makarov has a slightly larger diameter, thus they are not interchangeable.

The Mak has had a much more widespread career, due to it's being the Soviet service pistol and the success of the Makarov pistol.

Both are largely superseded by the 9mm Parabellum in military and police use worldwide. Both are still useful as personal choices for protection and fun.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have a box of RWS 9 x 18 Ultra just like yours, it is probably the last in Ohio! Most people refuse to believe it is different than Makarov!

Ivan

 

[colt_saa]

It looks to be in wonderful shape, Congratulations on the new addition to the Family

 

[Andyd]

My son carries a P232 as his back up gun in an ankle holster. The other cops all used to make fun of him because of his shiny little toy gun and also predicted, that he would loose the gun in the first foot chase.
Two days ago his department had to requalify with their back up guns and most other officer had either Glock 26 or Glock 19s, he therefore had clearly the best result. His primary duty weapon is a Glock 17 and he had considered switching to his G26 for mag compatibility but that little gun that dad gave him when he graduated police academy is just too accurate and easy to shoot well.
He has never lost one of his frequent foot chases and the gun stayed safely in the ankle holster.

 

[malph]

Why make the Ultra different from the Makarov? Certainly close ballisticly.

I think Cold War politics explains it.

The West Germans were not going to adopt a Commie caliber at the height of the Cold War.

 

[Andyd]

Why make the Ultra different from the Makarov? Certainly close ballisticly.

The Russians "found" the idea for the 9mm Makarov and Makarov pistol in the Walther factory in 1945. As with the 7.62x25 and its parent, the 7,63 Mauser, they also made the 9mm Mak to Russian specs.
Walther went back to the design in the 1970s to use the largest calibre in a simple blow back design that will still allow the slide to be retracted.

Reloading the 9x18 is a simple task, the projectile is the same diameter as the .380 ACP/ 9mm Browning.

 

[bgrafsr]

Those are beautiful grips.

I've got the .380acp P230.

Me too.

\

 

[malph]

All this talk about Sig P230s has caused me to break out my trusty Sig P232 and head to the range with it.

It's the all stainless version so recoil isn't bad.

 

[Andyd]

The Pachmayr grips can easily lead to trigger reset problems if the grip screws are overtorqued and the grips were not relieved on the inside ad are squeaky clean. I had hunted down a set of original P232 factory grips for my son but he is so happy with the current set up, that he keeps the Pachmayrs on the gun.

 

[malph]

I almost forgot how much fun the P232 is to shoot, at least in the all stainless configuration.

I remember the alloy framed version as being a bit snappy but nothing approaching uncontrollable.

I have experienced the issue Andy mentions with the rubber Pachmayrs in the past so avoid them these days.

Plus, they add bulk to what is a very svelte design.

The P230/P232 series is assuredly one of the best blowback guns ever produced.

 

[Bro. Dave]

I own one of the P230s in the .32acp chambering. From the shallow research I did upon purchase it is purported to be overrun from an order placed by a Japanese Police agency. Whether that was the national police or a certain prefecture I know not. They do seem to be uncommon.

Since it came to me in the box and either unfired (which I believe to be truth) or just cleaned extraordinarily well, I have not shot it. The size, shape, and comfort in the hand make it a joy to hold and point. It is still at risk of being fired.

 

[CLASSIC12]

Very nice sir, and great photography! I have a couple of them but in .380. I have loaded some mild loads to shoot in them as they kick like a mule with factory ammo. Do you also have one in .32/7.65?

I don’t, only this one. Did they even make them in .32 ACP ?

 

[Bro. Dave]

Here are a couple of quick snap shots of my P230 in .32

 

[malph]

I don’t, only this one. Did they even make them in .32 ACP ?

Yes. They were made in .32acp but are somewhat rare, at least in the USA.

 

[xtrtsqrt11]

I'd love to have one in .32. Never seen one though...

They are rare enough in .380 in this area...

 

[Hasbeen1945]

I have the SS p232 in 380. It’s fun to shoot. A friend after shooting mine had to have one. He picked what looked like a almost new one.
After to shooting it a while it needed cleaning. The take down lever spun on its shaft. After a little research we found out this is a known problem.
No factory replacement parts available.
Moral of story . Keep internal area clean around take down lever. Don’t force lever if you have any resistance.