Sig P220 Legion SAO Review

[Sensei]

My P220 Legion SAO arrived today. This is my third Legion and will complement my P229 and P226 SAO Legions (both in 9mm) which have been flawless after about 1500 rounds each.

The gun ships with 3 Mec-Gar magazines and sports Sig’s X-ray sights, a beaver tail grip, PVD finish, and a SRT-equipped flat trigger. Fit and finish were perfect out of the box. In fact, none of my Legions had the finish issues that others have suffered.

The trigger is just a hair heavier at 5lbs on the P220 than the 4.5lbs on my P226. Reset is about 3mm.

The grips and checkering a aggressive compared to the classic P-series or the E2.

I shot 50 rounds of 230 grain AE without malfunction. I then moved on the 230 grain HST. After 16 rounds I stopped as the groups started to open up due to a loose front sight in the dovetail. A quick phone call to Sig CS and an RMA was issued for the slide to be returned. Turn around is estimated at 4 weeks.

Here are the pics:

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[Balisong]

My P220 Legion SAO arrived today. This is my third Legion and will complement my P229 and P226 SAO Legions (both in 9mm) which have been flawless after about 1500 rounds each.

The gun ships with 3 Mec-Gar magazines and sports Sig’s X-ray sights, a beaver tail grip, PVD finish, and a SRT-equipped flat trigger. Fit and finish were perfect out of the box. In fact, none of my Legions had the finish issues that others have suffered.

The trigger is just a hair heavier at 5lbs on the P220 than the 4.5lbs on my P226. Reset is about 3mm.

The grips and checkering a aggressive compared to the classic P-series or the E2.

I shot 50 rounds of 230 grain AE without malfunction. I then moved on the 230 grain HST. After 16 rounds I stopped as the groups started to open up due to a loose front sight in the dovetail. A quick phone call to Sig CS and an RMA was issued for the slide to be returned. Turn around is estimated at 4 weeks.

Here are the pics:

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*sigh* modern day Sig QC at work. Damn shame, cuz that's a sweet looking piece. Love my 226 SAO Legion and was looking forward to the 220 SAO legion until I swore off Sig.

Definitely interested in reading more of your experience after getting it back. Should be pretty damn accurate when the sights don't do a break dancing routine.

[HCM]

SIG’s current QC is so inconsistent I would never buy one of their guns without examining it in person.

I just picked up. 320 X carry. Very nice. The same LGS which sold me the X carry just got three Legions, a 226 SAO, a 226 RX and 229 RX.

Both 226’s have gritty heavy triggers, not only inferior to prior Legions but worse than other P series I’ve tried. The 229 RX was even worse, I think it is the worst P series trigger I ve ever felt. DA pull was heavy and gritty - felt like 30lbs. It was greater than the 20lb limit on the shop’s trigger pull gauge.

[LSP552]

Sucks. For me, nothing worse than a new gun that I have to send back to the factory. The last 226 I bought (4 -5 years or so) had the rear sight installed in the dovetail at a 45 degree angle and was missing some front strap serrations. They skipped some lines. SIG sent me a return label and correctly installed the rear sight correctly. They refused to do anything about the frame serrations.

Wish I had kept the pics. Sold the gun for a loss and swore to never buy another SIG that I couldn’t hand inspect first. Now that I think about it, that was the last SIG I bought.

[Jared]

SIG’s current QC is so inconsistent I would never buy one of their guns without examining it in person.

I just picked up. 320 X carry. Very nice. The same LGS which sold me the X carry just got three Legions, a 226 SAO, a 226 RX and 229 RX.

Both 226’s have gritty heavy triggers, not only inferior to prior Legions but worse than other P series I’ve tried. The 229 RX was even worse, I think it is the worst P series trigger I ve ever felt. DA pull was heavy and gritty - felt like 30lbs. It was greater than the 20lb limit on the shop’s trigger pull gauge.

I have a friend with a pair of 226 Legions, a SAO and a TDA, that he let me shoot. I actually really, really like the Legion features in spite of the stupid marketing that SiG used with the gun. So I went on the hunt for a 229 Legion and found one. Holeee shit that DA was awful. That was the end of my Legion hunting, and then the 320 "event" made me swear off Sig until Cohen is gone.

[HCM]

I have a friend with a pair of 226 Legions, a SAO and a TDA, that he let me shoot. I actually really, really like the Legion features in spite of the stupid marketing that SiG used with the gun. So I went on the hunt for a 229 Legion and found one. Holeee shit that DA was awful. That was the end of my Legion hunting, and then the 320 "event" made me swear off Sig until Cohen is gone.

The earlier Legion 229s had awesome triggers. I'm kinda kicking my self for not picking one up at the time. The LGS I mentioned just has a used Legion 226 SAO with an Awesome trigger.

Bruce gray was involved with the early Legion guns, I'm wondering if SIG changed something to cut costs or if it's just a bad batch. The whole idea of the Legion is a premium gun to compete with things like the Brig Tac, though in fairness, as mentioned elsewhere on PF I have seen one bad brigtac at another LGS which they had to send back.

[vcdgrips]

The concept of an uber reliable .45 acp SAO pistol under 1500.00 all day long is extremely intriguing. It is a shame that the QC at Sig makes their SAOs unsat. It seems to me that the SW M&P with the FMS and FSS Apex parts is the intersection of trigger/price/reliability.

[Jared]

The earlier Legion 229s had awesome triggers. I'm kinda kicking my self for not picking one up at the time. The LGS I mentioned just has a used Legion 226 SAO with an Awesome trigger.

Bruce gray was involved with the early Legion guns, I'm wondering if SIG changed something to cut costs or if it's just a bad batch. The whole idea of the Legion is a premium gun to compete with things like the Brig Tac, though in fairness, as mentioned elsewhere on PF I have seen one bad brigtac at another LGS which they had to send back.

True BrigTac story. I got mine used at the same shop I handled that Legion 229 in. I couldn't believe they had a used BrigTac. And the DA in it was Awful! I actually handed it back to them, it stacked so bad at the end I could not make a clean DA press with it. Then I went home, did some reading, ordered a new trigger bar for like 8 bucks, and ended up buying the BrigTac praying the trigger bar would do the trick. It did. Actually, that gun has an awesome enough DA that I wonder if the previous owner didn't have Wilson do an action tune on it.

My friends Legions both have very very nice DA and SA triggers, and he did jump on them early in the Legion series availability. So maybe Sig did change something in a cost cutting move.

[AJD21]

I have a recent(2017)Legion P226 DA/SA. Trigger is 4lbs SA, 9lb DA after break-in. Very smooth. Both Legions I’ve downed dropped 1-1.5 lbs in DA after shooting and dry firing them a bunch. To be honest unless your using a lighter hammer spring most stock 92 DA triggers are mediocre. Comparing stock to stock I would take a Legion over a 92 and it wouldn’t even be close.

[Sensei]

I have a recent(2017)Legion P226 DA/SA. Trigger is 4lbs SA, 9lb DA after break-in. Very smooth. Both Legions I’ve downed dropped 1-1.5 lbs in DA after shooting and dry firing them a bunch. To be honest unless your using a lighter hammer spring most stock 92 DA triggers are mediocre. Comparing stock to stock I would take a Legion over a 92 and it wouldn’t even be close.

That was my experience with my P229 Legion - 10/5 lb that became 9/4.5 lb after 500-1000 rounds and dry fire.

I’m keeping this sight issue in perspective. It’s not a fatal flaw with the design or mechanical operation.

[HCM]

I have a recent(2017)Legion P226 DA/SA. Trigger is 4lbs SA, 9lb DA after break-in. Very smooth. Both Legions I’ve downed dropped 1-1.5 lbs in DA after shooting and dry firing them a bunch. To be honest unless your using a lighter hammer spring most stock 92 DA triggers are mediocre. Comparing stock to stock I would take a Legion over a 92 and it wouldn’t even be close.

But a Legion is not a comprable to a stock 92. You are comparing a $1100 gun to a $550 gun.

I am not a P series hater. I"ve carried both the P220 and P229 as duty guns. However, Legion is supposed to be a premium gun equivalent to a Brig tac or a 92GSD maybe a 92A3.

That aside, the issue isn't that there is anything wrong with SIG P series guns when properly executed, but rather, that a gun in the $1k -$1500 price range should not be a crap shoot. Any Legion should have the good trigger yours has. This is not a design problem, it is an execution and QV problem on SIG's part.

[AJD21]

Any stock Sig P-Series gun has an edge to a stock 92 DA trigger wise. Does literally ANYONE run a 20 lb hammer spring in their 92 on this forum? The Wilson and M9a3 guns have stock triggers with no enhancement. It’s just a $6 D spring. At least the Legion guns have the “super finish” on the action parts, the overtravel adjustments and the SRT trigger. For every complaint t on the Legion trigger I’ve seen 10 people rave about them. And I can find Legions all day long for $200-$300 less than a Wilson 92 with the action tune.

[LSP552]

Ive owned a dozen + SIGs, carried a 226 and 220 as duty guns, and instructed in an agency that issued about 1,200 P series guns. I only own two Berettas, a Wilson BT and a regular 92C. I’ve yet to find a 226 with a trigger that matches my 92 Compact with D spring. I’m including my Gray Guns worked (duty) 226 with a 19 lb spring in that statement.

I’m not a SIG hater, still have a bunch. I’ve done some of my best shooting with P226s and P220s. I’ve recently handled a couple of Legions that had HK level of suck DA triggers. It’s not the design, it’s poor quality control.

[AJD21]

I guess I’m buying my 92’s from Friday afternoon. Having owned a dozen P-Series to half a dozen 92’s the Sigs are usually much nicer. Had a Wilson tuned gun and it was worse than either Legion I owned.
The best 92 trigger was easily an Allegenhy Gun Works 92F Compact.
And my Px4’s with competition trigger kits and 12lb hammer springs smoke all of them.

Probably just preference.

[LSP552]

Preferences and luck. And still relatively small numbers, statistically speaking. I learned a long time ago that different experiences are just that, different with their own validity.

And I really want a PC4CC!

[HCM]

Any stock Sig P-Series gun has an edge to a stock 92 DA trigger wise. Does literally ANYONE run a 20 lb hammer spring in their 92 on this forum? The Wilson and M9a3 guns have stock triggers with no enhancement. It’s just a $6 D spring. At least the Legion guns have the “super finish” on the action parts, the overtravel adjustments and the SRT trigger. For every complaint t on the Legion trigger I’ve seen 10 people rave about them. And I can find Legions all day long for $200-$300 less than a Wilson 92 with the action tune.

I have a ton of support gear for p229Rs - hence my interest in the Legion. I have 8 SIGs in the safe right now and my Agency has fielded about 15,000 229s and 239s over the past decade.

As LSP 552 said, the issue is is inconsistency. It is just sad that I cant't have any confidence buying what is supposed to be premium gun without putting hands on it.

When I buy a blue label Glock I go to a dealer with a buch of them and pick the one with the best trigger and the least vertical slop in the slide to frame fit. It’s a reality of a $400 gun but I expect better of a premium model.

[Jared]

I guess I’m buying my 92’s from Friday afternoon. Having owned a dozen P-Series to half a dozen 92’s the Sigs are usually much nicer. Had a Wilson tuned gun and it was worse than either Legion I owned.
The best 92 trigger was easily an Allegenhy Gun Works 92F Compact.
And my Px4’s with competition trigger kits and 12lb hammer springs smoke all of them.

Probably just preference.

Oh, a lot of it is preference. I've owned a few P series Sig's over the years and more 92's than I care to admit, plus the PX4's and a couple of the Sig SP2022 models.

I really like the old P Series Sigs. But the weird thing is, my two favorite Sig pistols are actually the SP2022 and the P239.....which are the ones that the real Sig fans seem to look down their noses at a bit. If Sig would fire Cohen tomorrow, I'd have another of each of those models by next weekend...

Personally, I get better results with a 92 or PX4 than any Sig, at least my targets and timer tell me I do. I remember when the Legion models came out, I thought the marketing was dumb but the features were great. That's still my view on them, I just wish the QC was there to back the feature set up. And even though the M9A3 and the Wilson Berettas just have a $6 spring in them, comparing side by side with the 226 Legion I did shoot that belongs to my friend, the Beretta triggers were every bit the equal of the SIG's near as I could tell

[Sensei]

My slide arrived back from Sig today with a new front sight. Turn around was just under 2 weeks. Today, I shot 50 more rounds of 230 grain AE and the remaining 34 round of HST from the box that was prematurely aborted when the front sight broke on my first outing. No malfunctions and accuracy is outstanding.

[Sensei]

Another 100 rounds of Federal AE went down range today. No issues. It’s accuracy is on par with my CQB Elite, SA PROs, and LBC Thunder Ranch.

[Sensei]

Sig is releasing a limited run of the SAO P220 Legion Carry.

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2020/9/16/first-look-sig-sauer-p220-legion-carry-sao/

https://youtu.be/DeM4ewAZrR8

[feudist]

Sig is releasing a limited run of the SAO P220 Legion Carry.

https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2020/9/16/first-look-sig-sauer-p220-legion-carry-sao/

https://youtu.be/DeM4ewAZrR8

Do you have any long term thoughts about your set of SAO Legions?

[Sensei]

Do you have any long term thoughts about your set of SAO Legions?

I’ve been pleased - especially with the P226 and P229. The P229 had an issue with the recoil spring which was easily remedied with a spring swap. They are far more reliable with JHP ammo than any of my semi-custom 9mm 1911s. If you want a metal frame, SAO 9mm, these are damn hard to beat. This is especially true if you are like me and have tons of P-series magazines from decades of shooting the platform. From an accuracy stand point, they hold their own against my Wilsons.

I like the SAO P220, but in this case I’m not sure what a SAO P220 offers that can’t be had with a similarly priced 45ACP 1911 which has a 100+ year history of reliably cycling 45ACP ammo. The P220 magazines are less ubiquitous than P226/229 and there is no capacity advantage. However, if you love the feel of the P220 and want a SAO, then the Legion is reasonable.

[MattyD380]

I’ve been pleased - especially with the P226 and P229. The P229 had an issue with the recoil spring which was easily remedied with a spring swap. They are far more reliable with JHP ammo than any of my semi-custom 9mm 1911s. If you want a metal frame, SAO 9mm, these are damn hard to beat. This is especially true if you are like me and have tons of P-series magazines from decades of shooting the platform. From an accuracy stand point, they hold their own against my Wilsons.

I like the SAO P220, but in this case I’m not sure what a SAO P220 offers that can’t be had with a similarly priced 45ACP 1911 which has a 100+ year history of reliably cycling 45ACP ammo. The P220 magazines are less ubiquitous than P226/229 and there is no capacity advantage. However, if you love the feel of the P220 and want a SAO, then the Legion is reasonable.

What are you using for P229 recoil springs? There's been back and forth lately on Sigtalk about what's up with the springs: the US-made braided springs (apparently) fit too tightly on the guide rod and are prone to fray; the German braided springs are gone; and I guess now there's flat-wire P229 springs floating around?

Also, the above might only apply to .40/.357 P229s (which is what I've got).

[taadski]

I’ve been using Wolff gunsprings in the P series Sigs for a long time. Both in work/carry guns and in my match pistols. They’re very much GTG. Here’s a link to their compact model (225/228/229) offerings:

https://www.gunsprings.com/SIG-SAUER%20(SIGARMS)/P225,%20P228,%20P229/cID1/mID4/dID253#293

[MattyD380]

I’ve been using Wolff gunsprings in the P series Sigs for a long time. Both in work/carry guns and in my match pistols. They’re very much GTG. Here’s a link to their compact model (225/228/229) offerings:

https://www.gunsprings.com/SIG-SAUER%20(SIGARMS)/P225,%20P228,%20P229/cID1/mID4/dID253#293

Awesome! Thanks for the insight.

[Sensei]

What are you using for P229 recoil springs? There's been back and forth lately on Sigtalk about what's up with the springs: the US-made braided springs (apparently) fit too tightly on the guide rod and are prone to fray; the German braided springs are gone; and I guess now there's flat-wire P229 springs floating around?

Also, the above might only apply to .40/.357 P229s (which is what I've got).

I use the factory “white” (SPRING-26 / RSS-2299) for the 9mm P229/M11-A1.

The .40/357 is the “blue” (SPRING-28 / RSS-2294).

[TOTS]

This thread drift is timely; I’m just over 6K in the current spring in my 229.

Does anyone know if Sprinco USA makes springs for 9mm P229s? Or if they are GTG if they do? Apparently they are the bees knees for 1911s and I need some of them as well.

[Sensei]

In an earlier post a few years ago (time flies), I speculated that the P220 SAO has very little to offer over a similarly priced 1911. That has changed as RDO technology has advanced.

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I got a RPX slide for around $300 on sale with free shipping. This is perhaps the most economical means to get a RDO capable and reliable single-stack, SAO, 45 ACP pistol.

[Timbonez]

The P220 is my favorite SIG pistol. I picked up a P220 Legion DA/SA almost 2 years ago. It has SIG’s optics cut and I recently added their Romeo-X Pro. It’s a neat optic and paired with the P220 they work in concert as a laser beam. I also like that I can cowitness with SIGs XRAY3 sights.

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[Sensei]

Timbonez, what holster are you running?

[Timbonez]

That’s a T.Rex Arms Ragnarok for a P320 w/TLR1. Works just fine with the legacy P22X guns. I also have a Safariland ALS for it as well.

[Sensei]

50 rounds of 230 grain S&B and 10 rounds of 230 grain HST. No failures with the Romeo2 mounted. When shooting this gun next to my DW Specialist, it has noticeably more recoil thanks to the lighter, aluminum alloy frame. The trigger is very good, but not on the same level as the DW or a SAO X-Five.

Only about 310 rounds so far.