III. Firearm Information by Type

C. Semi-Automatic Pistols

2. Models and Manufacturers

q. Sig Sauer

7. Are Sig Aluminum Frames Weak?

I have recently seen on the net that some people believe the aluminum frame on the SIG is inferior or weak. Their erroneous solutions vary:

1. Don't buy a Sig because it has an aluminum frame. Instead buy an all steel gun or a polymer type. NONSENSE.
2. Don't use hot loads like a COR-BON 135 grain 40S&W load, otherwise your Sig frame will wear out or be damaged. NONSENSE.

1. Literally hundreds of agencies all over the world use Sigs because Sig guns are TOUGH, excellently engineered, hold up excellently in the field, and are superbly accurate right out of the box.
2. Besides the all-steel slide, the aluminum FRAME also incorporates steel lockup and arrest mechanisms. This combination makes the Sig just as sturdy as all-steel guns. The SigArms rep said that some other pistol companies in the past have made ALUMINUM lockup and arrest mechanisms that would actually crack after 10,000 rounds. Sig frames do not wear out any faster than steel frames, BASED on many tests over the years with different materials, including steel. They have shot 200,000 - 300,000 rounds through several different Sigs without having to replace any frames. Yes, this is what SigArms told me, and I have no reason to suspect their statements. If the Sig gun is cleaned and lubed as directed, after each firing, the Sig should hold up quite excellently, just like a steel frame.
3. It is very unusual that Sig owners request a Sig frame to be replaced; and it's usually the result of some unusual circumstance in the field or a very rare defect. There have been a couple cases on the Net in which the P229 was replaced by SigArms with no questions asked, because of frame deterioration. As far as I can tell from SigArms and experiences from Sig owners in general, this frame deterioration is unusual; if it were the norm, SigArms would not be able to keep enjoying their excellent reputation and their business would be in jeopardy.

   SigArms told me that wear patterns are fairly normal and occur within the first couple hundred rounds of the break-in shooting period of the P229. The main location that causes some people concern is on the rail, about one inch from the muzzle end of the frame. During the break-in period, you may see the black anodized material wear off in this area and possibly see what appears to be some very small pits or chips. Seeing a little silver colored stainless steel and minor wear patterns is no cause for alarm. The wear patterns become stable during the first 1000 rounds of shooting. Make sure to clean and lube your gun, including the rails, before each shooting session. If your new gun shows these wear patterns then keep an eye on it during the break-in period, to make sure the wear patterns do not degrade the rail. If the wear patterns appear to be getting worse after several hundred rounds, then call SigArms at 603-772-2302.

   [Even though there are many happy Glock owners out there, occasionally you hear a horror story about a particular Glock, which could be a rare defect or a maintenance problem. With the amount of Glocks out there, the horror story is the exception rather than the norm. So it is with the many Sigs all over the world.]

4. Limiting the Sig guns to light/medium ammo loads only, is complete nonsense. For all practical purposes, you can shoot anything in a Sig that you would normally shoot in an all-steel gun, including 40s&w COR-BON 135 grain loads. Just make sure to properly clean and lube your Sig accordingly for proper maintenance. Very simple. Shooting only hot loads in ANY gun will cause it to wear out faster.

   It is true that SigArms does not recommend +P ammo unless it is authorized by SAAMI. The 40s&w does not have a +P authorization. To confuse matters, COR-BON 135 grain rounds are listed on the ammo box as being +P. This is really more of a marketing strategy from COR-BON, to let buyers know that this is a hot load. The important thing to remember here is that the COR-BON 135 round is WITHIN the SAAMI limit of 35,000 psi. So technically, this round is within the authorized guidelines of SigArms and SAAMI.

   The Sig representative I talked with did say that the 357SIG round is engineered to be more ballistically efficient than the 40s&w round. That is one of the main reasons the 357SIG round is powerful, yet very pleasant to shoot. The 357SIG round has to be mated with a tough gun that will support it -- thus, the SIG P229 with its perfectly matched stainless steel slide and aluminum frame with reinforced steel lockup and arrest mechanisms.

   As far as ammo goes, it depends on which philosophy you follow: The "light and fast" or the "heavy and slow" fans. If you like the heavy and slow philosophy, use the 165 - 180 grain 40s&w rounds. If you like the light and fast rounds, use the 40s&w 135 grain load or use the 357SIG rounds. But having an aluminum Sig frame makes no difference whatsoever in your ammo decision, unless you go beyond the SAAMI specs.

5. On the internet, people can say anything they want, even if it is completely bogus -- I thought this SigArms response was interesting. Possibly, some people have had bad experiences with OTHER brand name aluminum slides and/or frames and then assume that Sig frames might be inferior also, without really investigating the facts. On the other hand, there have been rare incidents of frame deterioration where SigArms has replaced the customer's guns. Again, with proper cleaning and lubing, the Sig guns will last for a very long time, just as long as an all-steel gun, which is based on Sig manufacturing tests.
6. If you have any other questions, please call SigArms at 603-772-2302 to get actual facts, instead of here-say.