West German Sig P226 in rough condition

OP, my 220 only looks slightly better than your 226. It doesn't have pitting but just as worn. I have no issues with rust. Never refinished it because I just don't care about finishes. It has never rusted or turned brown

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How he is using the gun and where he is storing it will go a long way in helping produce or preventing further rust. IMHO

I have seen many people "clean up" rust and pits on blued guns only to have it continue to rust. The method of cleaning also plays a huge role in ones success.

Either way to the OP enjoy the pistol post more pics when you get it into your hands and please post a range report! Hopefully it is a nice shooter.

I suggest getting a spring parts kit from someone like Top Gun Supply.

SIG P226 9mm PARTS KIT - $23.99 - Top Gun Supply

You can find good detailed videos on YouTube on how to detail strip the gun and install the new parts!
 
OK... I will pull them if there's a problem, this is in good faith

Not the prettiest Sig around, but $315 made it mine.

There were some detail closeups that show the pits more, but you can tell that the gun is pretty rough. Slide has certainly seen better days. However, as I said before, if it functions like it should, I actually like guns like this. I most likely will just address the trigger guard and give it some thorough TLC.

It fills a slot in my meager collection, beside my Beretta 92FS and CZ 75, at a price I've tried to stay at. I've hunted years for a beaten up P226 at this price range, I finally found one ;)
It won't be my primary gun, but I've wanted one, just to have.



It's kind of all relative I guess...
As long as you like it and it's worth it to you, it's a good deal. West German 226's (Triple serials) I've read/heard are more rare/desirable, and many folks try to get them in as nice a condition as possible. But in really nice condition, that can mean $700 - $900 plus.

I got one a few years back for about $500 in just a little better cosmetic condition than yours, but assuming mechanically it's sound and all. I think like yours, it was a good deal, but not a great deal. Like you I got what I wanted at the level I was willing to spend.

But yeah, quick clean and check it out for function, then if you are able (or send it out like others mentioned) strip/clean/replace, and refinish as desired or necessary, and enjoy it and don't look back.

Here's mine from a similar want/hunt story like yours - Good luck and hope you enjoy your new/used Sig!







"
 
I am not knocking your purchase at all I hope you did not take my comments negatively. I have gotten some real deals over the years. I bought a LNIB P228 with 7 mags and a Kramer holster for $400 once.

I passed on a good condition P226 locally early this year. It showed holster wear but no pitting or major scratches for $450. I just did not need another P226.

I personally would have waited for one without the pitting a paid a little more but if you are happy again that is all that matters.
Yeah, that's no problem at all-

I'm trying to stay within a set price range for my purchases. Years ago, got a CZ 75 pre B for, I want to say $320, in VG condition, outside of a mar to the backstrap finish. It's my baby, the gun I like the most of my collection. That was back before we saw all the recent CZ's popping up, and it was a good deal IMO. It's my favorite shooter.
Having done that, I decided that was going to be my ceiling, as other pistols would be complementary to the CZ. No offense to Sig, but I'm a lefty, and the control layout on them is a little bit more difficult for me.

I view the metal guns as I would 60's era muscle cars. To me, the CZ 75, Beretta 92FS and Sig P226 are like a Mustang, Camaro and Challenger... roughly equal, different in many aspects but all worthy and ready to run.

I picked up a Beretta 92FS for $299 awhile back, and that triggered the chase. While getting one was nice, having 2 of the 3 at my target price made me actively want to find the Sig for the same price.

But as we all know, Sigs are tough to find at that range, and so I scratched the itch in other ways. Got a FEG Hipower, a parkerized beater, for just over 200, gave me a traditional design with complete compatibility at a bargain rate. Not a Sig, though, and not a DA/SA.

Found a nice S&W 915 under $250, gave me an American design which filled the same role as my Big Three, same era, and brought me here to this forum (and I love that gun too, I really have come to appreciate the S&W quality).
I grabbed some cheap unknown mags in the assumption that they would fit one of my pistols; one did not. I found that it fit yet another gun in that category, the Star M30, and eventually picked up a 30MI for, you guessed it, the $300 price point. Excellent and unique pistol.

But again, instead of relieving the itch, it intensified it... had 5 hi capacity 9mms in classic metal style, all at reasonable prices, and still missing one of the marquee names. I could now call it "my collection", but it was very incomplete.

Came across a Zastava CZ 99, a Yugoslavian sorta-Sig for $195. "Ugly" was the description, but the slide is in great shape, and the only issue (other than it was filthy) was that the frame was apparently painted with a watercolor paint... wiping it down with alcohol to remove the grunge took the black off the frame. I've since learned that is the factory paint for that, and I addressed it with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black and it is a great shooter, and looks ok.

Scanned the Sig market again, and came back with the following info- most used Sigs were CPOs and pricey, and getting something under $500 seemed to be an accomplishment. Wasn't the range I wanted, so I conceded temporary defeat, and browsed elsewhere. The Daewoo DP 51, a gun I'd ignored in the past, seemed to have jumped from sub-$300 to over 400, I guess due to the Lionheart rebrand and MSRP of over 700. So I resolved to hunt down a cheaper one of those, knowing the elusive Sig was out of my price range. Wasn't very enthused about it, but hoped that a decent price and solid function would warm me up to it...
and then I found this.

at this point I feel inclined to point out that I've paid off my car notes, gave up a good bit of my youthful vices, and have been putting in a fair amount of OT at work. The occasional money I spend on a pistol, once or twice a year at this range, isn't breaking me, and I enjoy the experience of shooting a variety of good handguns at the range. I know people my income level that have $1500+ in one handgun, and I'd rather have a collection of shooters than one safe queen.

If this Sig works out, I'm a little curious what my desires may become... will I decide to move the CZ 99, will my pursuit drop off, will I begin refinishing a couple- polishing up and NP3 coating a matching set, for example? I don't care for the polymer trends, and most of the new makes don't appeal as much as the older ones do to me.

I have to admit, I enjoy having doublestack 9mm pistols from all over the globe... and I think that, and the fact that Yugoslavia is now extinct, will save the Zastava. Heck, maybe now I need to find a MAB PA 15... :o
 
Bought a Sig P6 some years back came in the blue box of happiness with two mags. Frame is ok but the slide is finished challenged. Even so it's very accurate and reliable. Managed to squirrel a few extra mags when they were available. Good solid pistols. Frank
 
Just 'cause it's a West German Sig does not mean you must buy every dog.

They are not rare and more will come along. I've paid $350 for much better condition ones. Now show me a nice BDA 45 or a BDA 9 or how 'bout one in 38 super.. I'll be interested.
 
Scoobysnacker, after all that talk of all the pistols you've accumulated I reckon it's high time you post some pics dude!!! :D
:) Yeah, that was a ramble- sorry about that!

I will try to take some good photos and post them. No, they aren't as pretty as some of the nicer ones we see, but they're mine!

And that ramble should address the storage and care questions- I may acquire a beater, but it's for the purpose of "my own little collection", and although I shoot them, I spend a lot of time doing what I can to preserve them like they were museum pieces. To me, that's part of the fun.
 
Just 'cause it's a West German Sig does not mean you must buy every dog.

They are not rare and more will come along. I've paid $350 for much better condition ones. Now show me a nice BDA 45 or a BDA 9 or how 'bout one in 38 super.. I'll be interested.
Having had a BDA i don't get it. Same old Sig different importer

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FWIW, keep the rails lubed on the Sig. Hardened steel slides are tough on alloy rails. I prefer grease for long range sessions. I use a childs medicine syringe with white grease from an auto parts store spooned into it.

Excellent find and as always, let us know how it shoots.

OK I couldn't stand it. I had to show it off; my KJ P226:

DS2_8291a.jpg


Sold to fund a rifle project years ago... sigh.
 
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Well, the gun arrived, and optimism abounds!

It is absolutely neglected, but not very worn. It's filthy, I was using Ballistol, going to go grab some brake cleaner and hose it out.

Doesn't look like it was shot much at all. Barrel grooves are sharp, but there looks like some dark near the chamber. Gonna soak a few patches and leave them in, see if that takes it out.

Frame- outside of the ding on the guard, looks new under the sludge. That guide reference to check the use and wear, the color of the slide rails- the rails on the frame are still black, not worn at all. Missing a screw for the grip, and there was a couple of decades of just grime in places. Going to have to find a matching screw somewhere now...

As an aside, when I was filling out the paperwork, my son said "hey dad, come look at this....", was a very clean old CZ (I assume 27). It was $225, I went ahead and got it for him. Old, with the slanted serrations, with matching numbers (16xxx), a Nazi eagle and K acceptance stamp on the barrel, DR stamp on the trigger guard. Our first .32 acp pistol.

Pics will be coming.
 
Well, the gun arrived, and optimism abounds!

It is absolutely neglected, but not very worn. It's filthy, I was using Ballistol, going to go grab some brake cleaner and hose it out.

Doesn't look like it was shot much at all. Barrel grooves are sharp, but there looks like some dark near the chamber. Gonna soak a few patches and leave them in, see if that takes it out.

Frame- outside of the ding on the guard, looks new under the sludge. That guide reference to check the use and wear, the color of the slide rails- the rails on the frame are still black, not worn at all. Missing a screw for the grip, and there was a couple of decades of just grime in places. Going to have to find a matching screw somewhere now...

As an aside, when I was filling out the paperwork, my son said "hey dad, come look at this....", was a very clean old CZ (I assume 27). It was $225, I went ahead and got it for him. Old, with the slanted serrations, with matching numbers (16xxx), a Nazi eagle and K acceptance stamp on the barrel, DR stamp on the trigger guard. Our first .32 acp pistol.

Pics will be coming.

Excellent! Good to hear that the rails are in good shape. That is the most important wear part on a Sig P series IMHO.

Get the spring kit it has new grip screws. If it has been neglected its a good idea to replace them all. They rust.

SIG P226 9mm PARTS KIT - $23.99 - Top Gun Supply
 
WVSig- yeahm there was rust residue around the screws, looked like a little on the frame by the decocker spring (does that rust too?).

Grime, not grease or oil, looks like years of caked on yuck.

Very faint night sights... not Trijicons.

added to confirm:
matching serials to frame, barrel and slide.
Magazine has USA Magazine on the baseplate, don't know what that is, not original?
Left slide side has Sig Sauer, and then in smaller type: Sigarms Inc, Exeter NH
Right has P226, made in W Germany, serial #
Rust etching almost like engraving, and widespread. But shallow. Shouldn't hurt anything other than aesthetics.

Frame is otherwise clean, but the trigger guard is definitely a drop, not a scuff.

Can't wait to go to the range and fire off a couple mags for function check; trigger is nice and crisp.
 
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On the USA Magazine, if it says "Made In The USA" it could be a "Checkmate" factory mag. Otherwise I suspect it's an aftermarket by USA Mags, or?.

Other factory mags were some older Made in Germany with a dovetailed back design. Or Made in Italy Mec-Gars that read Sig Sauer 9mm on the side of the mags.

Mine are the Mec-Gars. The center one in the pic was the blued original, with the right side phosphated, and a newer one far left.

Try to post a pic of yours when you get a chance. Good luck with your taking it for a spin!



 
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What is the date code on the underside of the slide? The pic of the made in the USA mag is too blurry to see much but it is definitely aftermarket range fodder IMHO.

I would pick up some mecgars from Greg Cotes.

Greg Cote, LLC
 
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What is the date code on the underside of the slide? The pic of the made in the USA mag is too blurry to see much but it is definitely aftermarket range fodder IMHO.

I would pick up some mecgars from Greg Cores.
+ 10000

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Date code is KA, which falls in line with my serial # guess of 1990. Sorry about the pics, taken from phone. Will take some better pics soon.

Got her soaking in a ziplock bag with Ballistol on top of the stove right now, I have a built in skillet, and the pilot light keeps things fairly warm to the touch (think- inside a car in the sun in summer). Don't know that it will actually do anything, but it's always something I've done with guns after a good cleaning, to let the warm oil soak awhile. Gonna wipe it off tomorrow (today now)

and see.
 
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Range test passed

50 rds S&B 115 gr FMJ, 7 yds, standing and shooting 2 handed, firing fairly rapid... trying to see if it's consistent.

No failures, everything grouped fairly tight for how I was shooting. Slide locked back as it should, mag release worked, decocker worked, mag ran fine with full 15 rd, and with 5 rds.

Here's a quick photo of a 5 shot group I did, on a 6 inch target.
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I love my S&W's but Sig's hold a close second. I have three that I've been able to pick up over the last couple of years. the 228 is my favorite.

I like your diamond in the rough. Looking forward hearing how you decide to proceed with a refinish or not. :)
 

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just a quick update

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Not pristine as of yet, but I've brought it from ragged to worn.
Took a file, then several grades of sandpaper, then finally some cheap cold blue.

At this point I feel like parkerizing might be the way to go.
 
It cleaned up pretty good. For a shooter what more do you need? Especially when it shoots so well. That's what we all really want in our guns. A pretty safe queen that doesn't shoot all that well isn't near as desirable as your Sig you have there. I really like the trigger action on both my Sigs.
I haven't had any problems with my slide rusting. I do rub it down with Wilson Ultima Lube II inside and out. I am sold on Ultima Lube II as it really makes a smooth slide action.
 
It cleaned up pretty good. For a shooter what more do you need?
At this point, I'm pretty pleased with the slide's condition; but I would like a more permanent, more uniform blued finish.

I really don't want to paint it, although that might be the obvious answer for uniformity.
 
I painted a Taurus 92 and a Marlin and IMO they came out looking really nice. I used Dura Blue. They have painting kits for refinishing pitted guns also.
For $50 I am pleased with the finished look. You do not want to get any paint on slide rail surfaces.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukvJGFGAqcs[/ame]
 

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