SIG gutting their classic 226/229 product lines

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  • Hohn

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    Did you notice this?

    The number of 226 and 229 models you can get is now down to just a few. It wasn't that long ago where there were well over a dozen of each. Now? It's basically a Legion, a Nitron and a couple more. Want a 229 Elite Stainless with rosewood grips? Maybe you can buy used.

    Never mind if you actually wanted a particular model in a particular caliber.


    Apparently even at the lofty price most metal Sigs go for, there's just no money in it compared to pushing more plastic fantastic.

    At us pace, the Sig handgun model line will consist entirely of P320 variants in a decade. After a few more "voluntary upgrades", of course.
     

    Vigilant

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    Plastic Fantastic is where Cohen wants Sig to be, and he’s racing the company to the bottom as fast as he can drop a 320. Just read today about ANOTHER 320 lawsuit. Wait, that was probably a Kirk post here? Anyhoo, they(Sig) can’t **** up fast enough or just enough under current leadership. I’m happy to have my legacy 2 series pistols from back when quality was important. I’d love for someone to drop a 230 in the classy’s soon, as the 226, 228, and 225 need a baby brother.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    The number of 226 and 229 models you can get is now down to just a few. It wasn't that long ago where there were well over a dozen of each. Now? It's basically a Legion, a Nitron and a couple more.

    Not counting different calibers, DAO, or DAK variations, there are 11 models of the P226 and 10 models of the P229 on their website as current production, and that doesn't include "Legacy" guns. Quite a bit more variety than when the folded slide Sigs were being made.
     

    Vigilant

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    Not counting different calibers, DAO, or DAK variations, there are 11 models of the P226 and 10 models of the P229 on their website as current production, and that doesn't include "Legacy" guns. Quite a bit more variety than when the folded slide Sigs were being made.
    I like folded slide Sigs.
     

    Hohn

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    Not counting different calibers, DAO, or DAK variations, there are 11 models of the P226 and 10 models of the P229 on their website as current production, and that doesn't include "Legacy" guns. Quite a bit more variety than when the folded slide Sigs were being made.

    I don't think adding a red dot to the top should count as a separate model. Nor shipping it with 10rd mags or "CA compliant".
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    I don't think adding a red dot to the top should count as a separate model. Nor shipping it with 10rd mags or "CA compliant".

    Adding a red dot requires milling the slide, which is a bigger difference than a different color finish and some different grips. If a beavertail and front cocking serrations is a separate model, so is a red dot compatible gun. Eliminating the one CA gun and the MK25 that's the same gun but with extra "collectible-ness" still leaves you with 10 and 9, respectively. And, again, that's not actually all the models in production due to "Legacy" guns still being made. It does not count distributor exclusives like the TALO guns with the ASE elites, which would easily put you over a dozen models available.

    I don't really care that the diamond plate and rainbow brite finishes are gone. I think saying Sig is "gutting" their lineup is going overboard. Dropping SKUs that aren't popular isn't gutting, especially when they roll out different options. If you want a Stainless Elite, you've got the P226 option or the ASE P229 option that are still in production. There are still WAY more options available today then when the P226 was becoming a classic.
     

    shootersix

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    ok lets look at this from sig's point of view, the more models you have, the more production you have, so, if you the consumer wants lets say a emperor scorpion 226 in 40 s&w, and they're out right now (all the distributors and the factory) you have to wait till they produce them again, and the more models they make, the longer it takes them to produce them again.

    I remember one time we (the gun shop I work at) got in a Kimber 1911 custom target 22 long rifle, and it sold in like an hour, unbeknownst to me, it was a special order for a regular customer (huge Kimber fan) so we called Kimber and put another one on order, and it took 2 years to get another in! (yes 2 years!) because that's how long it took Kimber to put that model back in production.

    so while a huge collection to choose from is wonderful for us, its really not, lets say you want a 226 tac ops full size, and they just shipped their last one, they aren't going to stop producing the run of 229, or 1911's just to make 1 226 tac ops. it's not like they've dropped the 226 nitron, they dropped the equinox, the 226 combat, they dropped the 226 navy in flat dark earth (but still make the nitron), id guess they picked the models they dropped were based on demand

    ford just did the same thing cutting the number of models they produce.

    as for focusing on the plastic guns, they're cheaper to make, 1/2 the machining just a plastic mold for the frame, that can be outsourced to any injection molding company (or multiple companies), add that to the fact they're producing a whole $**t ton of p320's for every branch of the military, the reduction of models they produce kind of makes sense to me.
     

    Ark

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    They want to be Glock. Building plastic guns for $50 and selling them for $500 because Sig badge.
     

    rhino

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    Adding a red dot requires milling the slide, which is a bigger difference than a different color finish and some different grips. If a beavertail and front cocking serrations is a separate model, so is a red dot compatible gun. Eliminating the one CA gun and the MK25 that's the same gun but with extra "collectible-ness" still leaves you with 10 and 9, respectively. And, again, that's not actually all the models in production due to "Legacy" guns still being made. It does not count distributor exclusives like the TALO guns with the ASE elites, which would easily put you over a dozen models available.

    I don't really care that the diamond plate and rainbow brite finishes are gone. I think saying Sig is "gutting" their lineup is going overboard. Dropping SKUs that aren't popular isn't gutting, especially when they roll out different options. If you want a Stainless Elite, you've got the P226 option or the ASE P229 option that are still in production. There are still WAY more options available today then when the P226 was becoming a classic.

    Indeed! Back then, the number of options for the P226 = 1. Number of options for the P225, P228, P230 were 1,1,1.

    The P220 had all the crazy options. You could get it in either .45ACP or .38 super (and maybe 9mm?).
     

    DustyMck

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    that is such a shame the 22 series is such a large part of their positive reputation the 320 while a good gun just isnt.
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

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    Well...as a favor to my fellow :ingo:ers.. I'll help you dispose of any unwanted 22x series so you don't have the cost of recycling them... Just tryin to help out...
     

    shooter521

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    I expect that within the next several years, SIG will discontinue all their hammer-fired metal-framed "Classic Series" guns due to a combination of rising manufacturing costs and sagging sales. They might keep the SP2022 around awhile longer, but otherwise it's going to be all P320 and P365, all the time. S&W and Ruger have already gone down that path, and it seems to be working for them, for the most part.
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    I expect that within the next several years, SIG will discontinue all their hammer-fired metal-framed "Classic Series" guns due to a combination of rising manufacturing costs and sagging sales.

    Maybe, but I doubt it. The Legion thing went over pretty well. Beretta is rolling out new versions of the 92. There must be some market for them.
     

    cosermann

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    Indeed! Back then, the number of options for the P226 = 1. Number of options for the P225, P228, P230 were 1,1,1.

    The P220 had all the crazy options. You could get it in either .45ACP or .38 super (and maybe 9mm?).

    Yep, back in the day. :oldwise:

    Back when I got my first P228 ('91 or '92??), you got . . . a P228. It was available in any color as long as it was black. That's it.

    There was no "Legion Emperor Scorpion Enhanced Elite Two Tone P228." Just the P228.

    I've always viewed the multiplication of model options as a symptom of marketing driven decline (i.e. focus on appearance/bling over function).
     
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    rhino

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    Yep, back in the day. :oldwise:

    Back when I got my first P228 ('91 or '92??), you got . . . a P228. It was available in any color as long as it was black. That's it.

    There was no "Legion Emperor Scorpion Enhanced Elite Two Tone P228." Just the P228.

    I've always viewed the multiplication of model options as a symptom of marketing driven decline (i.e. focus on appearance/bling over function).

    I think you're right. The marketing people were trying to push more guns out the door with mostly cosmetic differences. I have no idea he ow that worked for them.

    I do know the Legion series of guns are selling well enough that they keep extending the concept. You can now get a P220 Legion in 10mm and a P229 Legion SAO 9mm. I doubt if they would make the investment in the tooling necessary to do a SAO P229 (their first for that model) if the market wasn't showing signs of being hungry for it. I will get one as soon as availability and a good checkbook balance meet at the same time. I'm actually hoping to get a used one, but that could take a while longer. Finding used P226 SAO guns for much less than new gun prices is a challenge right now and it's been out for years.
     

    shooter521

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    If your flagship product isn't slaying the competition the way you'd hoped, or the way it used to, just paint it up and make it shiny!

    Thankfully, I think we're on the downslope of that trend with SIG. Their "discontinued" pages are FULL of models with silly cosmetics that they made for like a week, then dropped. Diamondplate, Spartan, Mastershop Series, oh my!
     
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