I’ve also heard one report of the Ulm proof house’s stag antler mark appearing on a the frame and slide of a 1993 SIG P226 (in addition to the Kiel mark on the slide), which would imply that the firearm required repair and re-proofing… and presumably the repair took place at a location that was closer to Ulm than Kiel. Tradition held that the leaves of the nettle were symbolic of the nails used to crucify Christ, so the three larger leaves represent the nails of the crucifixion.Īll true German and West German SIGs were test fired at the Kiel proof house, so the Nesselblatt proof mark is an indicator of a true German or West German SIG. Here’s another image showing the marks of German/West German proof houses, along with the approximate year they were first in use:Ĭoat of arms of SchaumburgThe shape represents a Nesselblatt, or nettle leaf. The column marked (b) shows varios German/West German proof marks after 1945, while the column marked (c) shows German proof marks used from 1939-1945. The top row (a) indicates the German (or East/West German, depending on the year) city in which the proof house is located. Here’s an assortment of mid 20th century proof marks used through Germany’s (and West Germany’s) history: This is an important fact that will become relevant again later in this article. Because the US is not a CIP member state, foreign guns do not need a CIP proof mark to be sold in the US, nor do US guns need a US proof mark to be sold in CIP member countries. While the CIP and SAAMI do share information and cooperate, neither has a requirement regarding selling in each other’s countries. In order for a civilian firearm produced in a CIP member state to be legally imported to another CIP country, it must bear the proof mark of a CIP member state (military testing standards are, predictably, different than civilian ones). The United States does not participate in CIP, but instead formed its own standards group named SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute). As of 2015, the CIP includes 14 member states. Much like reciprocity of modern concealed carry permits between states, some European countries began to recognize each others’ proof marks as a high enough testing standard for foreign countries’ firearms to be legally imported.įast forward to 1914, when a number of European countries formed the CIP (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l’Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) as a formal standards group to ensure consistent testing among member countries. Over the next few decades, other countries established their own safety standards and proof houses, along with their own unique marks. Guns that passed testing were stamped with a mark representing the proof house. The London Gunmakers Company set up a “proof house” in London, and not surprisingly… firearms makers who were not part of a guild tended to fail testing more often than the guild members. In 1637, after heavy lobbying from the London Gunmakers Company, a London-area firearms guild, King Charles I issued a Royal Charter setting firearms safety standards. The first proof marks started appearing in 15th century France, and by the 17th century, European firearms guildsmen were heavily promoting their use - and lobbying their governments for laws requiring them - primarily to dissuade competition from non-guildsmen and scare potential purchasers away from un-proofed guns. But like many government regulations, their origins have more to do with self-interest than safety.
In modern years, they truly do serve that purpose. Proof marks are stamps embedded in certain parts of a firearm following (and sometimes during, depending on the firearm type) its manufacturing to indicate that the firearm has been “proven” to be able to handle the specific type of ammunition for which it was designed. And even if you’re already familiar with proof marks, maybe this article can broaden your knowledge and teach you something new. If you’ve heard someone mention proof marks or date codes when discussing a SIG Sauer pistol, but weren’t quite sure what those were, then the goal of this article is to bring you up to speed.
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