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Sig P230JP: A Special Pistol for the Japanese Police (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2024-09-13 12:00:01 +0000 UTCThe Japanese national police decided to replace their old Model 60 S&W revolvers in 1995. While traditionalist elements liked the use of a non-threatening compact revolver, others advocated for a modern sidearm - essentially a semiautomatic service pistol. Trials took place in 1995, and the SIG P230 in .32ACP was a compromise choice - semiautomatic, but compact.
The version of the P230 that SIG Germany submitted to these trials had a couple unique features. Namely a manual safety (to complement the decocker and empty-chamber carrying of the Japanese police) and a lanyard loop on the left side of the grip. However, the competition remained mired in controversy after SIG was awarded the contract, and only a few thousand were actually procured. In 2006, the J-frame scandium S&W Model 360 was adopted, returning the force to its preferred snubby revolvers.
A batch of apparently overrun P230JP pistols were imported into the US for commercial sale in 1997. Interestingly, these came in two serial number ranges. Guns in the 181xxx range are marked "Made in Germany", and guns in the 163xxx range are marked "Made in West Germany", although both have 1997 proof codes. This suggests that a supply of leftover parts from before German reunification were used to produce the Japanese police pistols.
Comments
Guido Schriewer
I assume they were proofed after final assembly. unless barrel swap don't get marked proofed just for a slide in (west)germany. sauer son made. use to live couple minutes drive almost worked there some years back.
Guido Schriewer
frankly I wasn't aware of anybody having 230s. those were in EVERY advertisement of sig next to the 220 series in the 80s. sights look good. magcatch doesn't. compared to a walther. with THAT list of trial guns... to end in the middle: walther police 9mm ultra? surprised they didn't went with the hk. like being japanese like different.
Tore Martinussen
I'm pretty sure the SIG Sauer factory in Eckernförde marked new guns with "Made in W Germany" for a decade after the reunification. Sauer 200 STR rifles from there were marked W. Germany to at least 1997, barrels even later. The production could not keep up with demand so these had receivers that were brand new.
BEAUSABRE23
" a non-threatening compact revolver". I don't know about you but if someone points a pistol at me, I'm gonna feel threated whether it is revolver, an automatic or a wheel lock. Reminds me of Admiral Halsey's order to the Third Fleet after Japan announced it was surrendering that any Japanese aircraft spotted were to be shot down "but in a friendly manner:".
Troy Janda
It was my understanding that the safety on the Japanese police 230 would come off when the pistol was cocked to single action. Did you happen to try that? I believe it was to encourage single action use. The standard Japanese police course of fire with the autos and revolvers dictated single action and officers were encouraged to use single action to make very precise hits.
