The Sig Sauer P225 was designed by SIG (Schweizer Industrie Gesellschaft) of Neuhausen-Rheinfalls, Switzerland and was first announced in 1978. Due to the restrictions placed on arms sales by the Swiss Government, SIG has entered into agreements with J. P. Sauer & Son of Germany so that Sauer can manufacture the SIG designs, thus giving them an export market since the German government’s regulations are much less restrictive.
Design
The Swiss-manufactured pistols have been adopted by the Swiss police. In contrast, those made in Germany, the ‘Pistoles 6’, have been adopted by the German Border Police, Customs Administration, and six regional police forces.
The Sig Sauer P225 is a slightly smaller version of the earlier Sig Sauer P220. It uses the well-known Browning link method of breech locking, using a shaped cam to withdraw the barrel from engagement with the slide. Its principal feature is the incorporation of improved safety devices, and there is no applied safety so that the weapon can be brought into action very rapidly.
Once the pistol has been loaded by operating the slide, the hammer can be safely removed by pressing the de-cocking lever on the left side of the frame. The firing pin is securely locked by a spring-loaded pin that passes through it, but the hammer is stopped short of striking the pin. To fire, the trigger is pulled through to raise the hammer and then release it; as the hammer reaches the full-cocked position, a safety lever is rotated by the trigger bar.
This rises beneath the firing pin, pushes the locking pin-up, and clears the hole so that as the hammer drops, the firing pin is free to move when struck. As soon as the slide moves on recoils, the disconnector allows the firing pin safety pin to drop back into place, and the pin is again securely locked.
The design is well-balanced, and the Sig Sauer P225 performs well on the range. Like all SiG products, the finish is immaculate, and quality control is such that parts from Swiss or German pistols are freely interchangeable. The Sig Sauer P225 was the standard German Cop sidearm for years, equivalent to the Smith & Wesson Model 10 that was the standard for their American counterparts.
Technical specifications
| Manufacturer: | J.P. Sauer & Son, Eckernforde, Germany; Schweirzerische Industriegesellschaft Neuhausen-Am-Rheinfalls, Switzerland |
| Type: | Locked breech, double-action, semi-automatic |
| Caliber: | 9mm Parabellum |
| Barrel: | 3.85in (98mm) |
| Weight (empty): | 26.1oz (740gm) |
| Magazine capacity: | 8 rounds |