Thread: Build Date

Depends. Most earlier ones were completely made in W.Germany or Germany. Those are the easiest to determine. Goes like this: at the front end of the slide, directly opposite from the front sight, check for proof marks and a date code stamping. They look like this....



These decode like this:

A = 0
B = 1
C = 2
D = 3
E = 4
F = 5
G = 6
H = 7
J = 8
K = 9

My P228 (pictured) is a KH = 97 = 1997

The proof marks can be decoded here: https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/P...Proofmarks.pdf

Another way is to check the inside of the plastic grip panels. There is a molded calander stamp of the manufacture date, it looks kinda like a clock.



The example pictured (not mine) shows a manufacture date of July 1990. If there were German parts and it was assembled in the US or is of more recent manufacture, the proof marks and date code stamping may not be there.

In the case of the P232, the proof marks and date code stamps are on the right side of the frame just above the trigger guard. There is also an unofficial compilation of manufacture dates based on serial number but I cannot verify the validity of the list. If you want it, I can e-mail it to you if you haven't dated your SiG's with the above information.

Thanks Growler67, I knew I saw this posted in this forum but I couldn't find it.

No prob.

My 229 has 09 and 12 is where the arrow points. That can't be the year being I bought it in 08 and mine don't even have a rail. I thought all the newer ones had a rail on them.. /me is gettin korn-fuzed again...I'll never get to be a double naught spy now!

My 226 has similar as pictured. The KH anyway - Where you haev an N in that middle strike I have an M. the one on the end was different too. didn't see in the PDF..Now I'm getting all curious..lmao

Originally Posted by DevilsJohnson

didn't see in the PDF

Your date stamp could've easily been set on 09 instead of 08 accidentally. For an explanation of the specifics, you will get the best results by contacting SiGarms directly. There are still non-railed frames around, though mostly in Germany. It is possible that due to current economics, the parent company has shipped stock of parts here because it is currently cheaper to produce here than there. Yours may have been assembled here in Exeter with German parts stock and thus you got one without the rail. If you dislike it, I know of many that much prefer the "clean" look over the "railed" one. Again, if you want a better answer, contact SiGArms.

About 2/3 the way down on page 2153 under "German Proof Marks". The "M" represents the proofhouse in ULM, and mine got the difinitive nitro proof mark "N" and yours got a provisional proof mark for smokeless powder firearms. I do not know the difference in the German definitions of ratings, but your "M" is defined there.

Doing a little research after finding this document, I found that the "squished bug" marks on mine are actually a representation of a leaf (I forget what kind) from the Kiel proofhouse.