HistorySwitzerland is most known for it's watches. It's not the only export goods however, as a Swiss company called Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft has produced firearms since 1860. They are better known as SIG, and in many cases as SIG Sauer. Due to export restrictions SIG could not sell their weapons by themselves, so they cooperated with German Sauer & Sohn, the oldest still active firearm manufacturer (founded in 1751).
Nowadays SIG P226 pistol is the most often seen product by SIG, but for a long time another model was more popular: SIG P210, designed during WWII to replace Luger Parabellum P08. It served in Swiss Army from 1949 until 1975 until P220 replaced it. Originally the pistol was named "SIG-Petter SP47/8" (1947 design, 8 bullets capacity) but changed name to P210 designation after it was accepted by Army. Charles Petter was a Swiss designer who earlier laid base for French Mlle1935 pistol as well.
SIG P210 was manufactured with high precision and often served as a precise sport/target pistol. Among such precision features was also fact that slide runs inside the frame, contrary to typical design found in most other pistols (think Browning style).
There were several models of SIG P210, with a number suffix, for example P210-1, that I'm not going to cover here
Wikipedia information about SIG P210:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_P210More information:
http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg/switch/sig-p210-e.htmlModelgunSIG pistols were not very popular and initially modelgun industry did not look at them. In 1972 MGC decided to release a modelgun of SP47/8, made of ABS. It initially worked on paper caps, and then modified for plastic caps. Later it was remodelled to P210 version and released in ABS, in 1990s also in HW. Finally in summer of 2006 MGC released P210-6 version - a sports variant equipped with Novak sights (triangular).
There was also one very special version of that SIG modelgun.
In 1978, based on success of "Star Wars" movies, MGC released "SF" series of their modelguns, made mainly for demonstration and trade shows. There were three models in series: 44 Automag, SIG SP47/8 and SIG Flash (SP47/8 with a "silencer" that flashed a light upon trigger press), followed later by Beretta M92F.
They were almost normal models, but made in transparent ABS to show internals which were metal plated in copper and chrome. Obviously these models shouldn't be fired, as brittle transparent material cracked easily, and became opaque even more easily due to cap residue interacting with plastic.
Original price was too high and these models were never successfull. Production runs were also very limited, under 100 pieces (based on one source).
SIG P210 has a distinctive, long slide with sleek silhouette. As a modelgun it was never a priority for me, but I kept it on my "wanted" list waiting for an opportunity. I also read a thread about transparent modelguns on the old mp40modelguns forum, and later found two of such models listed on MGCUK website. They did pick my collectors' interest.
I never suspected that one day, in a lucky coincidence, I will become an owner of a transparent MGC SIG 47/8 modelgun.
BoxBox is slightly different than usually. It is a styrofoam "sandwich", consisting of top and bottom halves, held together by a cardboard wrapper.
Top side features black artwork on a silver reflective background. Silver paint is interesting, not just flat. Artwork is a transparent (how else) SIG P47/8 floating through space, with a planet/moon and starts in the background. Bottom right corner says "MGC TRANSPARENT MODEL GUN" in pink (it goes very well with silver/gray!) as well as "models no 1. (SIG)" and manufacturer name. Long sides of the box repeat the text, bottom is plain.
To open the box you first slide the styrofoam out of the paper, then remove the top half. Inside you should find at least the model and its magazine inside a cutout.
I did not get any other accessories with my piece - no manual, no cartidges, no tools. There is however a second cutout in the box.
Modelgun
It brings out very mixed feelings. Yes, it is a rare collector's piece, but it looks completely toyish and fragile. I can understand why these models were not really liked by modelgun fans originally, and even today.
The big advantage of being transparent is that you can clearly see the internals. Some of them are obvious - trigger, slide catch, magazine, return spring, hammer - while others are more interesting on two accounts. You can see all parts linking trigger to the hammer, as well as the firing pin and modelgun-specific detonator pin. You also finally have a chance to see the metal insert in the barrel, especially how it is seated in the plastic to make extraction impossible without destroying the barrel.
It is difficult to describe this model, as both external and internal parts are visible at the same time. Photos should serve this task better.
Left side of the slide carries "M.SP47/8 CAL.7.63 P 07238" marking, repeated at the top with additional "SIG" sign in oval in front, and MGC crown logo further towards the back.
Slide features simple fixed sights. Near back you can find grooves to help with grip when pulling slide back.
Right side has an ejection slot and a metal extractor.
Inside the slide you can see transparent barrel with a metal insert and copper-plated detonator pin. Under the barrel there is a return rod and return spring. Ramp and part that links with frame are transparent plastic.
Closer to the back you can see metal hammer, and inside the slide a breech block a copper-plated firing pin with its spring.
Controls are chrome-plated metal: trigger (you can see its spring behind it), slide catch and safety lever (up = safe, down = fire) with its "S" and "F" markings. Trigger is linked with hammer mechanism via copper-plated bars. Safety can be put on only when hammer is cocked. It blocks the trigger from moving.
Grip is integral with the frame. You can see various screws holding halves of the frame together. At the bottom of the frame (so-called "Europan" style) there is a metal magazine catch.
Looking at this modelgun you can notice its age and fragility:
- plenty of ABS dust inside
- stress cracks in various places, especially near chamber area
- discoloration of metal parts
Magazine
Very simple, made of metal, features a slider on the left side. Slide helps loading cartridges. Magazine is held by a catch at the bottom, it does not have a cutout for a magazine catch in one of the walls.
Capacity is 9 cartridges, one more that original SP 47/8.
CartridgesAs this is an early model, it was built for BLK cartridges. Detonator pin in the chamber is thicker than later ones made for CP-BLK cartridges.
I have tried CP-HW ones for a modern MGC SIG P210 model. They can be loaded into magazine without problem, but when chambering they block on detonator pin because hole in cartridge tip is too small.
FiringI did not fire this model, and do not plan to.
This model has NOT been designed to fire it.
DO NOT FIRE.
Do not even get tempted to do it, you are only going to destroy collector's piece, or take away a large amount of its value.
Did I already tell you not to fire it? Get a non-transparent SIG P210 for that :-)
ProblemsAge obviously shows in this model. You can easily see cracks in the transparent ABS in several places. I presume it is very brittle after about 30 years. Also all cosmetic problems (scratches) are magnified by the fact that it is transparent.
Other than mentioned cosmetic issues, and the fact that this is not a model for firing, I do not think there are any major problems.
Basic disassembly
Disassembly as follows:
- remove magazine
- make sure there is no cartridge left in the chamber. Note: this is easy, chamber is transparent :-D
- pull slide slightly to the back, so that disassembly notch (not slide lock notch) aligns with slide catch pin inside the slide. Again, it's easy as the model is transparent :-)
- while holding slide in position push slide lock form the right side of the model, it should come out easily.
- slide the slide off the frame to the front. Notice how it move inside frame!
- holding slide upside down slightly compress return spring/rod.
- remove barrel by simply lifting it out of the slide. Not through the front.
You have now completed basic disassembly.
Detonator pin does not have any screw, it can be probably just pulled out. I have not tried it though, as chamber area is already cracked a lot.
Going further you might attempt to disassemble trigger and hammer assembly on your own - I didn't.
OverallThis is definitely a collector's piece. Other than enjoying something totally different from usual modelguns, and being able to see right through it, do not expect to fire, or even to use manual cycling of the cartridges. Model is brittle, it was not made for fun use.
I guess most people will prefer to get a normal, working model of SIG P210 (or SP47/
. Still, I believe that this transparent SIG belongs firmly in history of modelguns, and it can be considered as collectable as the early steel ones.
Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:51 pm
A fascinating article smootik, thank you for posting this.
as I’ve always wondered about the transparent models 
and now I know 
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