Manufacture date of SIG mags?

[amb]

I've probably read several hundred threads here and elsewhere about figuring out when Glock mags were manufactured, but not a single one about SIG mags. Anyone? They don't seem to be date-coded, but I'm sure there have been some kind of manufacturing changes over the last 20+ years...

I'm asking because I could use another P226 mag or two, and these look like a really good deal with mag bodies that look just like the ancient P226 mags that I do have:

http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig_p226-9mm-15rd-german-magazine-reconditioned.html

Note that TGS won't ship them to Mass. as a matter of policy, but they are otherwise a good outfit, and that price is barely over what a used 10rd mag goes for.

 

[PaulD]

My understanding is that if a Sig mag is made by Sig (as opposed to Mec-Gar) and has no date code or "LEO only" marking, it is pre ban and good to go. Also, at least for 229 mags, the mag body has a zipper style joint up the back of the mag.

 

[drgrant]

My understanding is that if a Sig mag is made by Sig (as opposed to Mec-Gar) and has no date code or "LEO only" marking, it is pre ban and good to go. Also, at least for 229 mags, the mag body has a zipper style joint up the back of the mag.

Yeah, but even this is only partially correct.

There are zipper AND zig zag P series mags that are preban, although the
zippers are clearly the older/original design.

There are also magazines made by mecgar which are preban, but most of
these are oddballs- EG, like the 17 round flush fit P226 mags, etc. (ETA- these are still
made today, and they look exactly the same as ones that I've seen years ago... )

The only real dead giveaways is that on the brand new P series mags, some of them seem to be coming with date stamped plastic baseplates.

Also, most glossy finished (as opposed to parkerized) mags are new manufacture, but that isn't an absolute either- for example, the oddballs
mentioned above were made in a variety of finishes.

The end result is that it's difficult to identify pre vs post sig mags, in a lot
of cases you can only make a best guess.

When you get into .40/.357 land it might get a bit easier- eg, Factory mags only marked with .40 are definitely preban. Mags marked ".40/.357" are probably far less likely to be preban, due to the relative newness of .357 sig in relation to the ban. (What is unclear to me, though, is when exactly manufacturers started tooling up guns and mags for .357 sig.... )

Another category that's probably easy to ID is .40/.357 P226 mags. I don't think the larger caliber P226s even emerged until the
ban had passed, making magazines unlikely. Ironically enough though, From what I've heard you can use preban 9mm mags in
these things, and they hold 11 rounds of .40 or .357... unsure of reliability, though.

-Mike

 

[PaulD]

Thanks. I figured what I said was incomplete. Also, I have both zigzag and zipper pre-ban 229 mags so I should have stated that.

The whole thing is quite absurd.

Yeah, but even this is only partially correct.

There are zipper AND zig zag P series mags that are preban, although the
zippers are clearly the older/original design.

There are also magazines made by mecgar which are preban, but most of
these are oddballs- EG, like the 17 round flush fit P226 mags, etc. (ETA- these are still
made today, and they look exactly the same as ones that I've seen years ago... )

The only real dead giveaways is that on the brand new P series mags, some of them seem to be coming with date stamped plastic baseplates.

Also, most glossy finished (as opposed to parkerized) mags are new manufacture, but that isn't an absolute either- for example, the oddballs
mentioned above were made in a variety of finishes.

The end result is that it's difficult to identify pre vs post sig mags, in a lot
of cases you can only make a best guess.

When you get into .40/.357 land it might get a bit easier- eg, Factory mags only marked with .40 are definitely preban. Mags marked ".40/.357" are probably far less likely to be preban, due to the relative newness of .357 sig in relation to the ban. (What is unclear to me, though, is when exactly manufacturers started tooling up guns and mags for .357 sig.... )

Another category that's probably easy to ID is .40/.357 P226 mags. I don't think the larger caliber P226s even emerged until the
ban had passed, making magazines unlikely. Ironically enough though, From what I've heard you can use preban 9mm mags in
these things, and they hold 11 rounds of .40 or .357... unsure of reliability, though.

-Mike

 

[amb]

Thanks, both of you, for this excellent information.

Just to confuse the issue more, while the refinished TGS mag bodies are confirmed to be pre-ban, everything else (spring, follower, baseplate) has been replaced with newly-manufactured (and thus potentially dated) parts. I don't think it would bother me, and I've heard from a couple of people who also consider the TGS mags pre-ban and will bring them to Mass., but your legal advice and/or paranoia may vary. (If anyone wants to debate the details of what exactly makes a mag "pre-ban" in the commonwealth of Mass. in light of the absence of official guidance or caselaw, I'm interested, but we should start that in the legal forum.)