SIG P210

The SIG P210 (Swiss Army designation Pistole 49) is a locked breech semi-automatic pistol designed and manufactured in Neuhausen am Rheinfall (Canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland) by Swiss Arms AG, formerly SIG Arms AG (distributed in U.S. by SIGARMS).

It is of all-steel construction chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and 7.65×21mm Parabellum. It was used from 1949 to 1975 by the Swiss army and police units. It was also adopted and is still in service with the Military of Denmark (as M/49 Neuhausen or simply Neuhausen), in 1951 by the German Bundespolizei and in shooting sports.

The pistols were decommissioned and replaced by the SIG P220 (Swiss Army designation Pistole 75) but second-hand 210s are greatly valued by shooting sports competitors. The P210 is also considered as an investment for some collectors and often fetch prices over US$2500. This varies around the world; an average price in Sweden is $1500–2000 while in Spain a P210 will sell for no less than €4000.

History

The design was derived from Charles Petter Modèle 1935A pistol. In 1937 SIG acquired a license for Petter system in order to develop a replacement for the Luger Parabellum 06/29, which had been in service since 1900. Development was slowed by the Second World War. After testing various experimental models (as the 44/16 with a double column magazine), the pistol entered on service in 1949 with the Swiss army (Ordonnanzpistole 49) and (SP47/8) for civilian market. Some previous series were tested by Swedish sport shooters and by the Danish army (Danish Defence designation Pistol M/49). In 1957, the civil designation (SP47/8) was definitely changed to P210 according to the company nomenclature policy.

Design

The SIG P210 is a single-action pistol, with a magazine capacity of eight rounds of 9 mm, 7.65 mm, or .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR). It is a licensed development from French-Swiss designer Charles Gabriel Petter's Modèle 1935 pistol. It has a frame-mounted manual safety that blocks the trigger and a magazine disconnecter safety that blocks the trigger when the magazine is removed. It has a 120 mm high quality barrel (150 mm in the 210-5 variant) and the pistol is very durable and reliable. The slide and frame are machined from blocks of steel, which makes production rather costly compared to more recent pistol designs manufactured of pressings and welds.

SIG P210 with slide opened.

Lock of the SIG-210 pistol

Its hammer action is built into a removable assembly for easy maintenance, after the fashion of the Tokarev TT-30 pistol, whereas its slide rides inside the frame rails, rather than outside as in the traditional Browning pattern. This latter feature mimics the frame-to-receiver interface of its predecessor in Swiss military service, the Luger pistol, allowing for a very tight fit between the slide, barrel and frame without compromising reliability. This construction feature contributes to the unusually high accuracy for which the SIG P210 is known. It ships with a 50-meter (54.7 yd) test target typically showing a group of five to ten shots in a cluster under 5 cm (2 in) in diameter.

Variants

There are a number of SIG P210 model variations.

SIG P210-1: The first version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood grips, fixed sights, and polished blued finish. The P210-1 was issued to the Swiss armed forces, and it was also sold commercially.

SIG P210-2: The most common Swiss army version chambered in 9 mm Luger, with plastic grips, fixed sights, and bead blasted finish.

SIG P210-3: The Swiss police version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood grips, fixed sights, and polished blued finish. Have been built only 900 specimen for the police of Basel, Lausanne, Glarus and a few units for sale to private individuals.

SIG P210-4: The German border guards Bundesgrenzschutz issue chambered in 9 mm Luger, a modified version of the P210-2 that omits the lanyard loop and includes a loaded chamber indicator. Serial numbers are D 0001 to D 5000.

SIG P210-5: The sports extended barrel version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood grips, an adjustable trigger, a 150 mm extended barrel with a detachable front sight mount, adjustable target sights, and bead blasted finish.

SIG P210-6: The sports (120 mm barrel) version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood or plastic grips, an adjustable trigger, fixed or adjustable sights, and bead blasted finish, built on the standard or heavy frame.

SIG P210-7: The .22 LR rimfire version with wood or plastic grips, fixed or adjustable sights, the latter version fitted with a special cut down hammer. The special slide, barrel, recoil spring, and magazine fitted to this pistol are available as a conversion kit adaptable to all P210 centerfire models.

SIG P210-8: The deluxe sports version chambered in 9 mm Luger, with a side mounted magazine catch, wood grips, an adjustable trigger, adjustable sights, and bead blasted finish, built on the heavy frame.

SIG P210-5LS: The 2003 version chambered in 9 mm Luger, which has a side mounted magazine catch, wood grips, adjustable sights, bead blasted finish, and a longer slide and barrel fitted on the heavy frame.

SIG P210-6S: The 2003 version chambered in 9 mm Luger, which has a side mounted magazine catch, wood grips, adjustable sights, bead blasted finish, and a standard slide and barrel fitted on the heavy frame.

SIG P200: A double barrel variant of the P210 also exists.^[1][2]

A certain geometrical variation on half moon configuration trigger, are done in sports versions.

The SIG M/49, usually called only Neuhausen in Denmark, is the Danish military issued version for officers, military police, and special forces, chambered in 9 mm Luger, and is a specially marked version of the P210-1 or P210-2. This is the standard sidearm in the Danish military, though heading on nearly 60 years of continuous use; the SIG M/49 is being replaced with the HK USP, but still in service as main pistol in the Danish military.

Serial numbers starting with a P were made for private use. Those that start with an A are the property of the Swiss army. Those that start with an D belongs to the Bundesgrenzschutz issues. Those that have a P added to the rear of a serial number that starts with an A have been sold by the Swiss army to civilians. A stamped "P" (="privat") on the front of the trigger guard shows that a weapon was left as a gift to the owner upon leaving the Armed Services. Danish and German P210s have their own special serial numbers.

SIG Sauer P210 Legend series: In 2010 SIG Sauer introduced a new version called the P210 Legend, now manufactured in SIG Sauer's Mastershop facility in Eckernförde, Germany instead of the traditional SIG plant in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland. While the general profile of original P210 design was followed for the new gun, SIG Sauer this time around chose to use a button-style, frame magazine catch (sometimes referred to as the 'American-style' magazine catch), an elongated 'beavertail' shaped similar to those found on 1911 and SIG Sauer Elite pistols, more extensive use of stainless steel, as well update of other features and specifications. Two versions were originally offered at launch: a fixed sight base model and the Target version that comes with an adjustable rear sight. A limited run collector's variant of the basic model was also offered at launch; referred to as the First Edition, this version consisted of a sequentially numbered run to a total number of 210 examples featuring ornate engraving and metal inlay. In 2012, SIG Sauer introduced a new variant of P210 Legend, called the Super Target, which featured additional modifications such as an extended barrel length to 6 inches, control reconfiguration to a 1911-style thumb safety and wood grips with integral magwell funneling. In 2013 SIG Sauer introduced the Silver series of the P210 Legend, which consists of the existing Legend models finished in silver colored PVD instead of the standard proprietary Nitron finish that is commonly used on SIG Sauer handguns.

SIG Sauer P210 Legend series: Discontinued In late 2014, the Silver series was not officially imported into the U.S. civilian market by SIG Sauer (as noted by their absence on the company's U.S. website) and is strictly considered a "rest of the world" product by the company. Additionally, as of 2015 The Sig Sauer Legend, Legend Target and Legend Super Target series are no longer offered for sale in the US as evidenced by their listing as a "Discontinued Product" on the Sig Sauer U.S. website.

Gallery

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  SIG P210-2 (note a P = Privat on the trigger guard as a gift to the owner upon leaving the Swiss Armed Services)

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  Danish Army SIG P210 pistol (Danish military designation Pistol M/49). It also unofficially known as the Neuhausen pistol

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  SIG 210 Legend

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  SIG 210 25-yard Bench Speer Gold Dot 124 Grain Handload

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  Experimental 44/16 with a double column 16-Round Magazine

Users

•  Denmark: used by the Danish Defense Force.^[3]
•  Kazakhstan: since 2007.^[4]
•  Latvia: used by the Latvian National Guard.^[5]
•  Monaco: used by the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince.^[6]
•   Switzerland: used by the Swiss Military and various police forces.^[7]
•  West Germany: used by the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS)^[7] and GSG9.

References

• Armbruster, Erwin, & Werner Kessler (ed.). Begegnungen mit einer Legende—SIG SP 47/8 / P 210. Kessler Waffen AG, 2007. (German) Sample
• Doebeli, Hans P. Die SIG-Pistolen. Stuttgart: Motorbuch-Verlag, 1981. ISBN 3-87943-739-4. (German)
• Vetter, Lorenz. Das große Buch der SIG-Pistolen. Dietikon-Zürich: Stocker-Schmid, 1995. ISBN 978-3-7276-7123-4. (German)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to SIG P210.

• Description of Pistole 49, official Swiss Army webpage
• SIG P210 History and images
• SIG P210 history and design features
• SIG P210 parts and variations
• SIG P210 serial numbers
• SIG P210-2 disassembly/reassembly
• Commemorative Confederatio Helvetica 1291-1991 for the 700th Swiss Confederation anniversary