Sig Sauer Legion Series Pistols

Sig Sauer markets the Legion Series handguns.

Sig Sauer has announced the release of their Legion Series pistols. This new handgun line features stainless steel and alloy construction, enhanced sights and trigger, custom G10 grips, and enhanced SRT action. The Legion Series pistols appear to be targeting shooters with particular tastes in handguns, and will also include a line of Legion accessories. Stepping back from the polymer, striker-fired frenzy of recent years, Sig Sauer has returned to the classic stainless steel and alloy construction. The Legion Series offers several key enhancements

There is no doubt that Sig Sauer is one of the most popular handgun manufacturers in the world. Sig Sauer has consistently produced firearms that capture the hottest market trends, while maintaining the core components the have made Sig Sauer a very successful firearm manufacturer. The test for the Legion Series handguns will be measuring the desire of gun owners to possess an upgraded high dollar, all metal handgun, that appears to be marketed more as an exclusive club firearm.

From Sig Sauer:

The SIG P226® and P229® are the two most prevalent SIG SAUER® platforms in service use today. Now these masterful firearms are receiving a series of enhancements based on the needs and wants of professionals. The most highly regarded firearms in the professional community are receiving a serious upgrade. For those who demand the best, now we have something even better.

Sig Sauer P226 DA/SA Legion has impressive features.

Sig Sauer P226 Legion Specifications:

• Caliber – 9mm, .357 Sig. .40 S&W
• Frame Material – Alloy
• Slide Material – Stainless steel
• Grips – Custom G10
• Action – DA/SA
• Trigger Pull – (DA) 10.0 pounds/(SA) 4.4 pounds
• Overall Length – 7.7 inches
• Barrel Length – 4.4 inches
• Height – 5.5 inches
• Width – 1.5 inches
• Weight – 34 ounces (with magazine)
• Sight Radius – 6.3 inches
• Sights -X-RAY™ Day/Night Sights
• MSRP – $1428.00.

The SIG SAUER® Electro-optics X-RAY™ High Visibility Day/Night Sights come standard on all Legion models.

Sig Sauer P226 Legion Features:

• Reduced and Contoured Elite BeavertailFrame
• Relieved Under Trigger Guard
• Legion Gray PVD Finish on Slide and Frame
• Custom High Checkered G-10 Grips
• Grayguns Intermediate Reach Adjustable Trigger
• Enhanced Action with SRT
• Low Profile Slide Catch and Decocking Levers
• Solid Steel Guide Rod
• SIG SAUER® Electro-optics X-RAY™ High Visibility Day/Night Sights
• Enhanced Checkering on Front Strap and Under Trigger Guard
• Three magazines.

The Sig Sauer P226 SAO is the largest handgun in the series, and comes with the Master Shop Super Match Flat Trigger.

Sig Sauer P226 SAO Legion Specifications:

• Caliber – 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W
• Frame Material – Alloy
• Slide Material – Stainless Steel
• Grips – Custom G10
• Action – SAO
• Trigger Pull – 5.0 pounds
• Overall Length – 8.2 inches
• Barrel Length – 4.4 inches
• Height – 5.5 inches
• Width – 1.73 inches
• Weight – 34.4 ounces (with magazine)
• Sight Radius – 6.3 inches
• Sights -X-RAY™ Day/Night Sights
• MSRP – $1420.00.

Sig Sauer P226 SAO Legion Features:

The SAO features will be the same as the DA/SA P226 except for the trigger, which will be:

• Master Shop Super Match Flat Trigger.

Like other P229 models, the Legion P229 is the most compact model in the series.

Sig Sauer P229 Legion Specifications:

• Caliber – 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W
• Frame Material – Alloy
• Slide Material – Stainless Steel
• Grips –
• Action – DA/SA
• Trigger Pull – (DA) 10.0 pounds/(SA) 4.4 pounds
• Overall Length – 7.1 inches
• Barrel Length – 3.9 inches
• Height – 5.4 inches
• Width – 1.5 inches
• Weight – 29.6 ounces (with magazine)
• Sight Radius – 5.7 inches
• Sights – X-RAY™ Day/Night Sights
• MSRP – $1428.00.

Sig Sauer P229 Legion Features:

• Reduced and Contoured Elite Beavertail
• Frame Relieved Under Trigger Guard
• Legion Gray PVD Finish on Slide and Frame
• Custom High Checkered G-10 Grips
• Grayguns Intermediate Reach Adjustable Trigger
• Enhanced Action with SRT
• Low Profile Slide Catch and Decocking Levers
• Solid Steel Guide Rod
• SIG SAUER® Electro-optics X-RAY™ High Visibility Day/Night Sights
• Enhanced Checkering on Front Strap and Under Trigger Guard
• Three magazines.

Legion Accessories

Sig Sauer is marketing the Legion Series handguns almost as the entrance into an exclusive club. In addition to the enhanced features on the pistols themselves, the Legion Series comes with a host of accessories marketed towards the lifestyle of the shooter as well.

Legion is marketed towards an exclusive club.

Accessories of the club are emphasized in marketing.

Accessories also include knives, and challenge coins.

Final Thoughts

I have no doubt that the Legion Series handguns will live up to the Sig Sauer name and perform exceptionally. I appreciate several of the enhanced features that should make the Legion series pistols shoot well and feel good doing so. However, I wonder if the “club” marketing tactic is really enough to get shooters to buy in. These are after all $1400 pistols! Perhaps there are a few thousand rich gun owners that will throw down cash like cheap brass, and buy into this concept, but it seems to me to be a questionable

Sig Sauer pistols shoot very well, but the standard models can be purchased for hundreds of dollars less than the gimmicky and trendy Legion series models that appear to be marketed as much for the “club” as they are their features. Going back to an all-metal design is contrary to the market that has forcefully embraced the lighter polymer, striker-fired handguns. I cannot see CCW desiring to carry an all-metal frame pistol around.

The Legion series handguns also come with a burdensome 10.0 pound double action trigger pull, that drops to 4.4 pounds on the SA pull. Many handgun shooters and instructors have realized the detriment of having a long, heavy trigger pull on the first shot and then transitioning to a much shorter and lighter pull on following shots. It is common to see a misplaced shot on the first DA pull, before the shooter can dial in when firing the consistent SA pull thereafter.

In life and death situations the shooter should be able to squeeze the trigger the same way every time. That first shot may be the only one, or the most critical one. Though the Sig Sauer Legion Series pistols look nice, and have some nice features, I just don’t see the need to drop nearly $1500 on a “cool kids club” handgun.