Chapter 4 – American Pride

Two iconic US semi-automatic miniaturized pistols made in China: In early November of 2022 two diecast 1:2.05 scale pistols were liberated at German internet auction house Egun. Both are products of two Chinese toy (!) makers. One of the miniatures is an ALLOY EMPIRE branded, black finish SIG Sauer P226 S auto for the popular 9x19 mm NATO cartridge, the other a MISHAI marked, satin nickel finish Colt 1911A1 for the venerable .45 ACP round with WWII markings. Both pistols were somewhat hesitant to give away all their little secrets. It took a couple of weeks to learn enough about them to do a proper classification. 

American pride semi-auto pistols “en miniature” (from left):.45 ACP cal. Colt 1911A, wonder-nine SIG Sauer P226

With their barrels plugged both pistols are of the non-firing kind. They can be disassembled and re-assembled like they were the full-size real things. Actually, most of the real guns’ actions can be realized. 

These miniatures cannot be safely modified to shoot, no matter what you may hear, watch on one of the internet channels or read elsewhere.

Upon receipt they were shown to a few collectors. These initiates were impressed by the high standard, the quality of the miniaturization. But they were not certain if these miniatures were to be considered high end toys or entry level collector pieces. Tell us what you think, send us an e-mail to wn@american-frontier-miniatures.com with your comments.

Right side view of Alloy Empire 1:2.05 scale SIG Sauer P226 S: Note picatinny rail under receiver, real 9 mm Parabellum cartridge with solid brass dummy cartridge for size comparison

3.4.1 A little bit of background information on SIG Sauer to bring the subject into perspective:  Since the late 1940s the Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft aka SIG from Neuhausen on Rheinfall, Switzerland, made the famous P210 pistols. These are full-size single action (SA) service pistols with single stack magazines. SIG is in the gun making business since 1860 already. 

Their P210 design goes back to World War II. She was adopted by the Swiss Army and other military and police organizations. The P210 has been considered the finest machined handgun in the world and still is today in the humble opinion of this scribe. Because SIG engineers were able to produce a sidearm as precisely as the proverbial Swiss watch utilizing an improved Browning-Colt design¹⁾. 

Two SIG Sauer P226s (from left): Full-size original early Eckernförde made 4.4” barreled variant featuring decocking lever vs Alloy Empire P226 S miniature with receiver mounted ambidextrous manual safety, picatinny rail and beaver tail

In 1975, SIG entered into an agreement with German gun manufacturer J.P. Sauer & Sohn of  Eckernförde, to develop and market a new handgun. This became the P220 as a replacement of the P210s service pistols in Switzerland. In contrast to the P210 the P220 is a modern single action/double action (SA/DA) construction with single stack magazine and decocking lever. Her very different locked breech design was pioneered by SIG Sauer. 

The P220 and all subsequent pistols from SIG and J.P. Sauer & Sohn were manufactured and distributed by two SIG Sauer companies, namely 

• SIG Sauer GmbH, Eckernförde, Germany and 

• SIG Sauer, Inc., of Newington, NH, USA (formerly in Exeter, NH, until 2016 when the plant was moved to Newington, NH). 

This family of pistols is properly known as SIG Sauer pistols²⁾.

Close-up of left-side slide markings of miniature P226 S: The EXETER - NH makers mark under SIG SAUER MADE IN GERMANY seem to indicate the pistol was modelled after a US made original produced by 2016 at the Exeter plant

3.4.1.1 SIG Sauer P226 - short version of a long story: Following the P220 was the SIG Sauer P226,again a full-size service pistol and designed between 1980 and 1983. This development project was initiated for entry into the XM9 Service Pistol Trials held by the US Army in 1984. On behalf of the US armed forces their Army was charged to find a replacement for the outdated .45 caliber M1911A1 but also 24 other handgun models at that time in US military service. Some of the Army’s key specification requirements were production in the USA, DA/SA action, 9x19 mm NATO caliber ammo in double stack magazines. 

That and more is what you get when you purchase a regular US made P226. 

In addition, buyers can currently select from three different actions offered, namely SA/DA, DAO (double action only) and SAO (single action only). DAO is a requirement of several law enforcement agencies whereas Bulls eye competition shooters may prefer SAO actions.

Close-up of left-side of slide & receiver with details of controls and parts of miniature P226 S (from left): On slide ejection port/locking lug, dove-tailed rear sights; on receiver takedown lever, slide stop, ambidextrous manual safety, hammer, beaver tail; behind trigger magazine release button 

Only Beretta’s 92SBF and the SIG Sauer P226 satisfactorily completed the trials. Eventually Beretta was awarded the M9 contract for their 92F. On the other hand, the P226 and her variants are today in service with numerous law enforcement and military organizations around the globe³⁾. The US Navy SEALs, however, later elected to adopt the P226 as the P226 MK25 with special corrosion protection.

In full production since 1984 the P226 is currently available in a variety of big bore calibers incl. 9x19 mm NATO, 9x21 mm IMI, .357 SIG and .40 S&W, plus .22 Long Rifle, and barrel lengths between 4.4” and 6”. She can be had with a decocking lever or an ambidextrous manual safety. The latter seems to be preferred by many buyers in the USA.

Close-up of right-side of slide and receiver detailing controls and parts of miniature P226 S (from left): On slide hammer, dove-tailed rear & front sights, ejection port/locking lug/caliber stamp 9mm Para, S/N U 869 227, model designation P226 S; on receiver beaver tail, ambidextrous manual safety, opposite end of magazine release button, trigger, S/N U 869 227, Chinese ALLOY EMPIRE maker’s logo and mark

3.4.1.2 The ALLOY EMPIRE SIG Sauer P226 miniature: A P226 S - note Italics - variant with an Exeter, NH markers mark on the left side of the slide, fitted with an ambidextrous manual safety with picatinny rails must have served as the model gun for this black Alloy Empire 1:2.05 scale miniature which is now a member of the Hunzinger Collection. Among others this miniature also features front cocking serrations, a beavertail and Exeter style sights. As of early December of 2022, however a full-size SIG Sauer manufactured counterpart of the miniature seems to be a rare breed in the P226’ family range. Regular finds on both sides of the Big Pond are MADE IN GERMANY marked P226 Ss but their slides are in the white. Also, they feature fully adjustable rear sights and decocking levers only. This forstered the suspicion that our P226 S might be an ALLY EMPIRE fantasy miniature of which no original ever existed.

Business end (left) and breech view (right) of miniature P226 S

Eventually, after many inquiries among collectors, dealers and importers we struck gold, so to speak. A contact could be established with G-S-G aka German Sport Guns GmbH of Ense. G-S-G is the German importer of SIG Sauer guns. Here is the story of this seemingly rare Exeter marked P226 Ss. 

Hendrik Gießler, Key Account Manager at G-S-G kindly provided their history. He helped us with the details of the 5” barreled P226 S variants with Exeter markings because he was part of it. Gießler explains our P226 S is an exact miniaturization of the P226 X-Five SO Generation 1 produced between 2007 and 2012 in Eckernförde. A series of P226s identical to the X-Five SO Generation 1 pistols but with P226 S markings and US address instead was produced in Eckernförde for the US market. This P226 S means the slide was milled from a Solid blank of steel as opposed to using the pressed & stamped steel technique. Back then the Exeter address had to be applied, however, to cope with certain US import regulations mandatory for guns exported into the USA⁴⁾.

Early December 2022: P226 S discovered in Belgium with “German style” drift adjustable sights

Hence, the miniature’s unusual technical features are correct. This ALLOY EMPIRE P226 S is no fantasy miniature. It is a 100 % perfect miniaturization of the real thing as made between 2007 and 2012 in Germany for the US market. The fact remains that their originals are rare finds today. 

Slide pulled-back: Note dummy cartridge on top of magazine follower 

Together with the miniature came a solid brass dummy cartridge. It can be loaded into the magazine and will ejected by jacking the slide. Every lever or button of the little thing works as it should, even the safety is fully functional no matter if you engage it on the right or left side. Exeter style rear and front sights are dovetailed into the slide like you find on originals. She is a heavy metal pistol except for grips and sights and can be dismantled in 44 parts.

3.4.1.3 SIG Sauer P226s on the big screen: According to IMFDB the Internet Movie Firearms Database https://imfdb.org/wiki/Main_Page the first known movie introducing a P226 was as early as 1985 in Rambo: First Blood Part II by actor Andy Wood as character of CIA operator Lifer. From there on this pistol has been a regular at least once a year in many, many action, crime, mystery or spy movies and else. Remember Bruce Willis as Detective Tom Hardy 1993 in Striking Distance? Or Geena ‘Charlene Elizabeth “Charly” Baltimore’ Davis 1996 in The Long Kiss Goodnight? Antonio Banderas as Agent Jeremiah Ecks carried one 2002 in Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever and so did Jason Statham as Chev Chelios 2006 in Crank. Neither James Bond aka Daniel Craig would 2008 do without P226 nor Tom “Ethan Hunt” Cruise 2011 in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Even Charlize “Andy” Theron felt comfortable in 2020 with one in The Old Guard.

ALLOY EMPIRE SIG Sauer P226 S: Magazine removed with dummy shell loaded

3.4.1.3.1 SIG Sauer P226s on Television: On TV these pistols must be as popular as they are in the movies. Compared to the movies, however, it took them a few years before they really got started to appear on the small screen. But they were and still are regularly featured in well-known and not so well-known flics and series particularly like The X-Files (1994 - 2002), JAG (Season 4, 1998/99), Ultimate Force (2002 - 2006), Navy CIS (2003-Present), CSY: NY (2004 - Present), Navy CIS: L.A. (2009 - Present), Hawaii Five-0 (2010 - Present), The Bridge (Bron: 2011 - Present), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014), Navy CIS: New Orleans (2014 - Present), Magnum, P.I. (2018), Yellowstone (2019) or Hawkeye (2021), Navy CIA: Hawaii (2021 - Present).

Right side view of Alloy Empire SIG Sauer P226 S

3.4.2 The abridged history of the Colt 1911A1: As mentioned above the other Chinese miniature we could liberate is a 1:2.05 scale version of the Colt 1911A1. As you may know numerous books and articles have written about this famous pistol, her variants, her predecessor M1911 aka Colt 1911 or Colt Government, and their different US and foreign manufacturers. Technically, both M1911 and M1911A1 are full-size single-action (SA), recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistols. The regular single stack magazines of these two service pistols hold seven (7) rounds of .45 ACP cartridges.

Whereas the 1911 was adopted prior to World War I in 1911 already the 1911A1 is the (mostly ergonomically) improved model of the two^{1, 5, 6)}. 

John M. Browning:  Gunsmith, founder of Browning Arms Co., Ogden, UT, USA

These two impressive American .45 cal. semi-auto pistols are a product of John Moses Browning’s (*Jan. 23, 1855 - †Nov. 26, 1927) fertile imagination, as is the Belgian M1935 Browning High Power (Grande Puissance) with her double stack magazine holding 13 rounds of 9x19 ammo. The M1911 is one his most successful designs. Both Hi-Power and Colt 1911/1911A1 are among the most copied firearms in the world.

Two Colt 1911A1s (from left): Original phosphatized full-size military variant S/N #1100371 of 1943 production vs satin finish MISHAI branded miniature with fantasy military S/N #S000001

As of 1940 this pistol's formal U.S. military designation was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926. The latter’s designation changed to Pistol, Caliber .45, Automatic, M1911A1 in the Vietnam War era. 

Right-side view of MISHAI marked Colt 1911A1 miniature: Note US property markings and fantasy military serial number #S000001 on receiver, tip view of real .45 ACP round for size comparison

These two .45 ACP caliber pistols were the standard issue US side arm from 1911 to 1985. 2.7 million specimens of these pistols were procured by the US military during their service life. This means over 70 years continuous service until she was eventually replaced by the Italian development Beretta M92F.

Left-side view of MISHAI Colt 1911A1 miniature: 7 round Magazine removed, patent and Colt markings on slide, real .45 ACP cartridge for size comparison

These pistols were widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These are the makers in addition to the Colt company: 

• World War I: Springfield Armory (1914-1915), Remington-U.M.C, (1918-1919), 

• World War II: Singer Manufacturing Co. (1942), Ithaca Gun Company (1943-1945), Union Switch & Signal (1943), Remington Rand (1943). 

Please, note that the US Army did not replace the M1911A1 with the Beretta until October 1986.

Comparative view of left side of slide and receiver markings (top phosphatized original, bottom satin finish miniature): Slide markings are identical except for address line right of logo reading on original HARTFORD,CT. U.S.A. vs miniature HARTFORD.OT. U.S.A.; original and miniature share the G.H.D. inspector mark below slide stop 

Due to the enormous popularity of the M1911s among her users, however they were not completely phased out. Modernized derivative variants are still in use by some units of the US Army Special Forces, US Marine Corps and the US Navy.

It should also be noted that more than a dozen Armies around the world include this Browning design pistol in their inventory. 

Comparative view of receiver markings on original (top) vs. miniature (bottom): Identical left of tip of slide stop except for different serial numbers; right of slide stop of original reads M1911A1 U.S. ARMY vs MISHAI U.S. ARMY on the miniature; note checkered trigger of original vs round on miniature (what look like serrations on trigger are reflections)

Close-ups of miniature Colt 1911A1: Bad guy’s view of the muzzle, barrel bushing & integrated front sights; rear view with grip safety & rear sights on top of slide, left side of receiver safety

The Hunzinger Colt 1911A1 family proudly displayed on the Stars & Stripes: Top big daddy full-size Colt WWII pistol #1100371, center Chinese son MISHAI Colt 1911A1 1:2 scale #S000001, bottom little Japanese grandson Iinume Colt 1911A1 1:6 scale #721826