SIG P210
| SIG P210-2 | |
|---|---|
 SIG P210-2 Pistol, 9x19mm Parabellum. | |
| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin |  Switzerland |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1949–1975 |
| Used by | Swiss army, Royal Danish Army, Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Charles Petter |
| Designed | 1947 based in Modele 1935 |
| Manufacturer | Swiss Arms AG formerly SIG |
| Produced | 1949-2005 |
| No. built | c.a. 350.000 all variants |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 215 mm |
| Barrel length | 120 and 150 mm in P210-5 |
| Cartridge | 9x19mm Parabellum 7.65x22mm Parabellum .22 Long Rifle |
| Action | Recoil operated |
| Feed system | 8-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights adjustable in sport variants |
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 the SIGARMS).
It is of all steel construction chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger (7.65 mm Parabellum). It was used from 1949 to 1975 by the Swiss army and police units. It was also adopted by the Royal Danish Army and in 1951 by the German Bundespolizei.
Actually the pistol are decommissioned and replaced by the SIG P220 but a second hand items are looking so hard by shooting sports competitors. The P210 is considered also an apreciate gun for collectors and often fetches prices over US$2,000 or up. This varies around the world, where an average price in Sweden is $1000-1500. In Spain no less €2500.
Design
The SIG P210 is a single-action pistol, with a magazine capacity of 8 rounds of 9 mm, .30 Luger, or .22 Long Rifle (.22 LR). 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 (npr 150 mm in the 210-5 variant) and the pistol is very durable and reliable. The slide and frame of this outstanding weapon are completely machined out of blocks of steel, which makes production rather costly compared to recent pistol designs, manufactured of pressings and welds. Its hammer action is built into a removable assembly for easy maintenance, and its slide riding inside the frame rails, rather than outside as in the traditional Browning pattern adding swiss designer Charles Petter SACM Modele 1935 pistolet system, allows 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 test target typically showing a group of 5 to 10 shots in a cluster under 5 cm in diameter.
In 1937 SIG acquired a license for the Petter's system, to develop a new self-loading pistol. Only after the Second World War, on the initiative of the Swiss army command, which would replace the Ordonnanzpistole Luger Parabellum 06/29, the development was ended. After testing various experimental models, the P210 as a standard model was delivered for the first time in 1949 to the Swiss army. Previous series (original designation SP47/8) had been tested by swedish sport shooters and also by the Danish army.
There are a number of SIG P210 model variations.
Variants
SIG P210-1 The commercial version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood grips, fixed sights, and polished blued finish.
SIG P210-2 The original Swiss army version chambered in 9 mm Luger, with plastic grips, fixed sights, and bead blasted finish. Note the modified stock of tropical wood instead of plastic on the main image.
SIG P210-3 The Swiss police version chambered in 9 mm Luger and .30 Luger, with wood grips, fixed sights, and polished blued finish.
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 plunger on its slide that allows to tell whether a round is chambered. Serial numbers 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 M/49, usually called only Neuhausen in Denmark, is the Danish military issued version, 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 now in the process of being replaced with the HK USP.
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.
Bibliography
- Das ultimative Buch über die Geschichte der SP47/8 und der SIG P210 by Erwin Arnbruster & Werner Kessler
- Das große Buch der SIG-Pistolen by Lorenz Vetter (1995)
See also
External links
