“The export of some firearms has been temporarily suspended by the German federal government,” the National Shooting Sports Foundation reported in yesterday’s email blast. TTAG has learned that SIG SAUER is the sole German manufacturer concerned (thank you, Green Party). The kerfuffle surrounds exports to Colombia, another South American country where “seepage” of legally exported guns to cartels is an ongoing problem. SIGs not the first German gunmaker to run into this “straw purchaser” issue . . .
As we reported in November 2011, the German government raided H&K, when the Greens presented evidence that the cartels had used H&K fully-automatic firearms to commit heinous crimes. The German Republic’s investigation led to a temporary export ban. That problem was eventually ironed-out, as this one will be with SIG. The NSSF reports . . .
We have heard that good progress is being made in Germany to resolve the issue and that export licenses are being reinstated. However, the market availability of some German-made products in the United States is being affected and it may take some time for supply to return to normal. Dealers are advised both to be aware of this supply interruption and that they should see improvement early next year.
One wonders if the seepage issue will ever hit American shores. As we pointed out in 2011, after the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry exposed the ATF’s Fast & Furious gun running operation, more than 100k U.S.-made firearms have been illegally transferred from the Mexican military and police. A practice which continues unabated.
Must be election year in Germany.
That would be “Colombia”–“Columbia”, as in “District of…”, is probably riddled with cartels too, tho…
Yes, I believe the 2 main cartels in the District of Crime call themselves “Democrats” and the other is called “Republicans”
1
The punk upstart cartel is called Libertarian…
Perfect
D’oh! Text amended.
Today is a good day to buy that P226 Stainless Elite I was looking at.
Any day is a good day to get one of those. Such a good looking and sweet shooting gun.
Buy American…or Austrian or heck even Brazilian 🙂
SIG is American partially – made in NH. Especially the 1911s. They also have a big tactical ninja school in Epping, NH that I really, really, really want to go to.
Very few Sigs are made in Germany anymore. And Sig Sauer had taken steps to start the transfer of production of the remaining guns it the USA even before this export ban. This will likely hasten the transfer.
I believe the P210 and P232 are the only pistols left being made in Germany.
Robert, what models are affected?
None of the models I follow on Facebook, thankfully.
So Adriana Lima and Hillary Rhoda are okay? (humor)
Last I heard the X Line, P210, P230, and the SSG rifles are still made outside the United States. There might be another model or two but for the most part everything else in the Sig catalog can be made in the US.
Big deal…. Sig makes firearms in the US.
This is the cause of the lack of 9mm Mastershop pistols available, the new X5 and all manners of crazy colored mastershop guns, also the P210.
p210 is krautern. thank goodness i can now justify prolonging my not having one.
we can still get bohunk junk though. solid steel.
and one of those commie biathlon dealios.
They need to bring the X5 production line to the US.
They are.
Yahoo!!!
So, how does this effect the average American Joe? I’ll still be able to get the HD shotgun killing, best carbine for women, children, little old ladies MPX, right? Or does this only apply to those thing we can’t buy already?
MPX is US made.
Alas. I was hoping to get a x5 supermatch for my last SSE purchase in CA. Looks like im hosed.
O Hephaestus, great god of weapons, let me win the lottery so I can buy a Sig210.
The country is Colombia, not Columbia. Columbia is the commie school that the Panty Waste of the U.S. went to college.
13 months later and the ban is still in place.
Bastards.