Following the success of the revolutionary SIG P220, the SIG P225 continued SIGs unique pistol design and kept many remarkable things the previous pistol had accomplished but also added some new features. To begin, the 225 is a much more compact version of the 220. The original 225 design was released in 1978. It utilizes the same operating system and takedown procedure as the 220 but puts it into a compact package. Many would say the 225 was a better version of the 220 because at first both were chambered in 9mm. The 220 being as big as it was, was later changed into a .45ACP and 10mm pistol which was a much better utilization for that pistol due to its size. During the 1970s maybe German-based companies were needed to create new pistols that could be utilized by police and counter-terrorism units. The SIG P225 earned the title of P6 and was used extensively by the German police. German police were given the freedom of choice to choose any of the German pistols of their choice. SIG had originally entered the 220 but had changed their submission to the 225 pistols as it was a better-suited pistol for those tasks and conditions. Around this time SIG Switzerland was joining forces with J.P. Sauer & Sohn out of Germany. This is how S.I.G. became the SIG Sauer we know today. Due to this acquisition, SIG was able to make their P 22X pistols much more affordably than any of the other German-based companies. A few versions of the “P6” 225 were made. There were civilian versions as well as police versions. The official German police version that was made in West German are stamped “P6” SIG Switzerland also made these pistols for their police departments in collaboration with SIG Germany. The second version is the citizen version and is distinguishable from the police version because it has a lighter trigger pull and no night sights. The SIG 225-A1 was what SIG USA had made in collaboration with SIG Germany and was introduced in 2015 and discontinued in 2019. It is distinguishable from the other versions because it has different sides and the SIG Sauer Inc. New Hampshire mark on the pistol. The older Swiss and German SIG 22X pistols were stamped and the newer German and American pistols were milled with CNC machines. Swiss SIGs often have the stamp “Montage Suisse” this is French for Swiss Built. SIG Switzerland used some German parts like the frame to complete many of these builds. Collectors or shooting enthusiasts can tell where each SIG was fabricated and traveled to based on the markings on the pistol. German SIGs often have “W.German” on them and the Americans have “New Hampshire” marks on them. Early versions of the SIG 225 utilized a single stack magazine and a heel magazine release. These features changed slightly over time. The SIG 225 was adopted by police departments around 1995 and is still used by some police departments around Europe today.
