James Reeves@jjreeves
Buyer beware. Sig 55X series rifles are hard to come by right now. Sig Sauer AG made a "730th Anniversary Edition" 551 in bright red with laser engraving. While this style of commemorative rifle appeals to some European consumers, it's less desirable in the US market.
I had a potential client reach out to me a couple of weeks ago to tell me that he purchased one of these guns...without knowing it. Apparently, someone has re-coated these rifles in traditional Sig gray and is re-selling them without disclosing their origin as anniversary guns. I have an idea of who is doing it, but I am not going to make accusations publicly, especially since the issue was resolved for the possible client after I advised him on a course of action. But the client did tell me that I could disclose the circumstances of this incident so others might avoid what he encountered.
From pictures on the internet, it's hard to tell a re-coated red gun from the standard gun. However, there are unmistakable cues when the rifle is in hand. Namely, the laser engraving is still visible through the gray coating, and there are still traces of red in areas too small for the coating to reach. See attached pictures. My understanding is that these guns are serialized JDI 730-XXX.
I'm not telling you to NOT buy these guns. After all, Sig 5X series are some of the greatest in the world. If you don't mind raised areas in the coating or flecks of red in hard-to-see nooks and crannies, great. I just want consumers to know what they are buying when they buy it. And it's disappointing that a company or person in the gun industry would conceal the origin of these rifles from other gun enthusiasts to maximize profit. BOLO.