I was at the range recently and saw a custom license plate that read “SIG Girl” on a Jeep. This got me thinking about the current company SIG Sauer, its history, and status as a major competitor in almost all aspects of United States gun products. Their current lines include hammer-fired pistols, striker-fire pistols, duty handguns, civilian concealed handguns, pistol caliber carbines (PCC), rifles, ammunition, optics, and suppressors. The market focus for SIG Sauer has radically changed over the years, catapulting them from just ‘another’ European gun manufacturer to a clear rival of other major companies in civilian sales, law enforcement and military contracts, and customer brand loyalty.

History of SIG Sauer

Pre-History

The modern SIG Sauer began in 1976, founded as a collaboration between the Swiss company Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (more commonly called simply SIG Group) and the German company J. P.  Sauer & Sohn (hence Sig Sauer). SIG Group, needing a non-Swiss company to further their export of arms, faced severe limitations under Swiss law. Both companies had a long history of firearms manufacturing before forming SIG Sauer.  

The SIG Group’s name comes from the German for Swiss Industrial Company–no longer involved with the manufacturing or sale of firearms, primarily known as a packing manufacturing company today. The SIG Group’s experiences with firearms goes back to 1859 when they produced the Prélaz-Burnand rifle later accepted by the Swiss military as the M1863. They later produced other rifles and introduced the P210 semi-automatic handgun in 1947. 

Lorenz Sauer founded his company in 1751 and by the early 1800s began supplying arms to the German army. In 1840, after a series of name changes, the company is first known as J. P. Sauer and Sohn (J. P. for current manager Johann Paul Sauer). Name changes continue, but the company continues to produce military and hunting firearms. From 1941-1945, it produced firearms exclusively for the German military. After the war, the primary Sauer facilities were captured and ran by the East German government, making Sauer-branded weapons for the Soviet Union and the Warsaw block. Sauer and Sohn returned to business in West German in 1951 and merged to form Sig Sauer in 1976 with SIG quickly buying out Sauer and Sohn. 

SIG Sauer a Swiss and German Company 1976-2020

During this period SIG Sauer continued to go through minor name and legal ownership changes. The P220 debuted, becoming the primary sidearm of the Swiss military. Meanwhile, the P226 became a finalist in the United States military trials that resulted in the adoption of the Beretta 92FS in 1984.

In 1985, Sigarms formed in the United States, allowing easier import of firearms, specifically the P220 and P230 handguns. Then in 1987, the line increased to include the P225, P226, and P228. In 1990, Sigarms added the P229 to the line. In 2000, the company sold to Michael Lüke and Thomas Ortmeier’s L&O Holding. It renamed Swiss Arms, though it continued using the SIG Sauer brand name. As of 2000, the U.S. Sigarms was legally separate from the German Swiss Arms, which later became SIG Sauer AG. In 2004, the line expanded to include AR-15-style rifles, likely saving the company from failing. In 2007, the name changed again, from Sigarms to SIG Sauer, Inc. It continued achieving success, especially in the U.S.

Sig Gains Ground

2014 and 2015 were momentous years for SIG Sauer. In 2014, SIG Sauer AG started having legal issues within Germany for selling arms to non-approved countries. Then in 2015 SIG Sauer significantly expanded their offerings, including optics, ammunition, suppressors, and air guns. In 2017, SIG Sauer’s P320 won the U.S. Army’s competition to replace the Beretta 92FS as their primary sidearm. In 2019, three SIG Sauer AG executives were found guilty in German court of violating German export laws, and the company was fined $12 million. 2020 also saw the German Sig Sauer AG close its main facility in Eckernförde, Germany, citing difficulty competing for German law enforcement and military contracts. 

SIG Sauer, Inc. (or USA) 2020

Though the P320 did see some issues with drop safety and alleged accidental discharges, 2020 onward continued to see the firearm issued to the U.S. Army and various U.S. law enforcement agencies. In 2022, SIG Sauer, Inc., won the U.S. Army’s competition to replace the both the M4 carbine and the M249 support machine gun. During this time, SIG Sauer also started supporting civilian and law enforcement training as well as expanding their support of civilian shooting sports in the U.S. 

Though the controversy of accidental discharges involving the P320 continued with over 70 cases, SIG Sauer, Inc., maintains these are user errors, but are being used by anti-gun groups to legally challenge the company. Though the questions may remain, the P320 continues to win further law enforcement contracts. Additionally, the P365 handgun designed for civilian use has become one of the top selling handguns in the U.S. since its release in 2017, replacing the very successful P938 that preceded it.

Historical Summary

Unlike the history of more modern firearms companies such as Glock or more consistently owned companies such as Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer has a long and convoluted history. Legal ownership, names, brands, and countries of origin have all shifted many more times than any single article can cover. This article attempts to represent the main events in this history for a better understanding of where SIG has been, and more importantly, where it is going.

The Future of SIG Sauer

According to sales and NSSF data, SIG Sauer has had a handgun in the top-five best sellers in the U.S. civilian markets since 2015. The P938 is an easily concealed sub-compact based on the design of 1911 and was on the list until 2018, where it was replaced by the P365 a double-stacked, striker-fired gun similar in size but with greater capacity than the P938. The P320 has also appeared on such top-five lists in some years since its release. Unlike many companies that focus on primarily firearms or even a specific type of firearm, SIG Sauer has focused on rifles and handguns for military, law enforcement, and civilian use. 

Additionally, they have expanded their footprint to include optics, ammunition, suppressors, training, and competitions. If you want a suppressor and optic on your Ruger, Smith & Wesson, CZ, or Glock, they will have to come from other companies. You can stay brand loyal with SIG Sauer, and that has helped their overall appeal both to contracts (that can include optics, parts, and ammunition) and civilian shooters. Though SIG Sauer is still focused on rifles and semi-automatic handguns, they are well situated to continue to expand into new markets in the years ahead. They are likely well-suited to continue their market position, given their diversification of products and services. I look forward to seeing what their next creation entails!