Armed forces and law enforcement agencies worldwide utilize Sig Sauer firearms, and their pistols have a reputation for sturdiness, dependability, and accuracy. Given that it has its American headquarters and is one of the most well-known weapons manufacturers, it is surprising that only some people know that Sig Sauer started modestly enough as a wagon builder in Switzerland.
They’re Made in Germany
Most people see American-made Sig pistols on store shelves in the German city of Eckernforde, Schleswig-Holstein. In the 1970s, Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG) of Switzerland partnered with J.P. Sauer & Sohn of Germany to improve its military-grade weapons. The result was the 9mm Sig P210, an improved version of a French Petter-Browning design that became the standard sidearm of the Swiss army and police forces. Since then, Sig Sauer has expanded into the modern poly striker gun market with much success. Law enforcement professionals, including many U.S. Navy SEAL teams, highly regard the company’s guns. But they also are popular with civilians. A single firearm may have hundreds of parts and components. There is no need to replace the complete handgun because some weapon parts wear out more frequently than others. Instead, you may do routine maintenance on the gun, and you can buy sig factory parts for sale. Most Sig pistols feature aluminum slides, which reduce their overall weight and operational cost. That makes them easy to rack, even for youth shooters or those with strength or manual dexterity challenges.
They’re Striker-Fired
Firearms are unique among consumer products in that they’re exempt from federal safety regulations, so manufacturers don’t have to meet specific standards like those required by other consumer products. Instead, guns are evaluated by NIJ and SAAMI to make sure they comply with industry standards. Sig Sauer entered the modern poly striker gun format with a bang by offering the P320, one of the most highly-regarded models in its class. The P320 has modular chassis that allows the trigger system to be swapped between subcompact, compact, and full-size frames and slides.
The company hasn’t rested on its laurels, though. It continues pushing the envelope with new designs like the P239, a double-action pistol optimized for carrying smaller than the original P225. The P239 is also the first Sig Sauer pistol to be striker-fired, eliminating the need for a hammer and making it more reliable than early striker-fired handguns. It is the type of firearm that law enforcement officers and civilians trust to do their jobs.
They’re Designed for Law Enforcement
Police departments around the country use Sig Sauer pistols, and the company has won multimillion-dollar contracts to supply variations of its P320 handgun to the army. The gun is also popular among smaller, rural departments. But after a deputy with the Riverdale Police Department in Georgia dropped his holstered P320 and a bullet shot into his leg, the chief returned all his officers’ guns to the company for modifications. He said he wanted to be sure they would never discharge accidentally. Sig Sauer had already fixed the problem in its military version of the gun, and it took months before it offered a voluntary upgrade for civilians, too. But the company maintains that its product “meets and exceeds all U.S. safety standards,” including endurance testing, which Sig Sauer conducts.
Expanded in the U.S.
When the Swiss-German gun maker started in America — as SIGARMS in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and Exeter, New Hampshire — they weren’t producing a lot of guns. The company primarily imported and stocked parts for the firearms they made back in Switzerland and Germany. But under a few different CEOs, the company has grown into what’s known as a “systems manufacturer” that makes everything from ammunition to electro-optics. It includes a brand-new, cutting-edge ammunition plant in Jacksonville, Arkansas. And the SIG Sauer Academy is a state-of-the-art training facility for law enforcement and civilian shooters in Epping, New Hampshire, just an hour from Boston. The SIG Sauer Academy is one of the best facilities in the world. And the company is fearless in putting its money where its mouth is, supporting various pro-gun and law-enforcement groups. And they practice what they preach regarding safety by putting their products through rigorous testing throughout research and development and having live users at the SIG Sauer Academy test them repeatedly.
