What is my SIG Sauer P226 worth?
A service pistol issued widely enough that used ones are everywhere, with one exception collectors watch for: the early examples marked as made in West Germany.
Made 1984–present.
No page can price your gun, and one that offers to is guessing. What this does is show you which one you have — because that is where the money is.
How to tell which one you have
- Read the slide text for W. Germany, Germany, or a US address.
- Look for any agency, contract or military markings.
- Check for an import stamp, which appears on some European-made guns.
- Establish whether the original box, manual and spare magazines are present.
The versions that change the number
| Version | What it means for value |
|---|---|
| West German production 1984–1990 | Marked W. Germany on the slide. The examples collectors pay a premium for. |
| German production 1990–2000s | After reunification, with the marking changed accordingly. |
| American production 1990s–present | Made in New Hampshire. Very common and valued as used working guns. |
| Agency and military variants various | Contract guns with their own markings, which some buyers seek specifically. |
What actually drives the price
- Whether the slide says W. Germany, before anything else.
- Agency or contract markings.
- Condition of the finish on a pistol that was probably carried.
- Box, papers and the number of magazines.
And the two that apply to every gun on this site: do not clean it, and keep the box and papers. Removing original finish is permanent, and on the right gun the packaging is a real part of the total.
"It is a modern black pistol, they are all the same"
Across a table they are, which is the problem. A West German-marked P226 sits well above an otherwise identical American-made one, and the difference is one line of text most people never read. Check the slide before the safe goes out as a lot of used service pistols.
It came from a police department. Does that hurt the value?
Slightly, because of the wear and because there are many of them, and it helps with the buyers who collect agency guns. Either way it is worth identifying rather than assuming, since department markings can swing it in both directions.
Getting a number for yours
Send photographs and we will tell you what we will pay for it. We buy nationwide — a single firearm ships to us prepaid and insured, and for a collection we come to you. More on what separates one SIG Sauer from another.