SIG P226

[Slater]

I was in the local gun store the other day browsing the handguns. I looked over a SIG P226 (Mk 25 variant) and it seemed like a pretty solid gun. The counter guy said "They're good guns but you have to keep an eye on the frame rails for excessive wear". I have zero experience with the P226 (or any other SIG), but is there anything to that or just more gun store BS?

[Coal Dragger]

Gun store BS probably from a counter guy that thinks anodizing wear constitutes unusual wear. He probably thinks surface wear on the barrel hood has to be monitored too.

Keep it lubed, and it will be fine. By the time you can wear out the frame rails you'll have shot about $10K worth of 9mm ammo. At which point that pistol owes you nothing.

[Dionysusigma]

Seconding Coal Dragger's comment. There was a very brief time in the 1980s when Sig made "mud cuts" - scalloped cuts in the rails and frame - in an attempt to prevent an almost nonexistent problem, that drastically reduced the frame's service life. They've long since stopped doing that, and the commercial Mk25 definitely wouldn't have them.

Ignore Counter Guy's statement. He probably has a "buddy in the Seals/ Marine Recon/ Delta Force," too.

[MSparks909]

Uhhhh gun shop guy wasn't totally wrong; there were more than a few instances of excessive frame wear around the 2012-2014 time period. Significant amounts of metal were being removed from the frame rails of the problem guns. Google it.

But yes, the anodizing will wear over time. I personally run a grease on the frame rails of my alloy Sigs and Berettas. I've noticed less wear than with just oil. YMMV.

[QuickStrike]

I generously apply weaponshield grease on mine. Doesn't look much different than NIB after a little over a thousand rounds so I'd say it works.

People who lube less might see more wear, I dunno. I always keep the rails on all my guns relatively grit-free and lubed.

[gtmtnbiker98]

The particular area of concern is underneath the frame rails. I don't care what you use (oil/grease/whatever) until the slide mates to the frame, there will be wear. Period. Typically the wear will subside once the two parts have "mated" for a lack of a better term and once stabilized, proper lubrication should prevent further wear. This is what happens when you have a stainless STEEL slide and an ALUMINUM frame.

[1986s4]

I have a P 225 that I bought nearly new. It's a carry piece so the thin SIG bluing on the slide is showing silver and the barrel near the muzzle has a "smilely" . But the greased slide and frame rails show little to zero wear. Unless defective I think the rails are the least of your worries.

[Slater]

I rea somewhere that the MK 25 has a chrome-lined barrel, which makes sense given it's usage by NSW. SIG doesn't seem to make this an advertising point, though. Is that accurate regarding the Mk 25 barrel?

[jwperry]

I rea somewhere that the MK 25 has a chrome-lined barrel, which makes sense given it's usage by NSW. SIG doesn't seem to make this an advertising point, though. Is that accurate regarding the Mk 25 barrel?

Yes, the Mk25 barrels are chrome lined

[17K]

I think the MK25 is one of the most durable handguns built today. A couple of HK models may be the only ones that will outlast a MK25.