I think I found it (Sig p226)

So, my Holy Grail gun, for carry, has been a nebulous series of features and sizes relative to my hands.

I want a good SAO trigger, double stack capacity, and appropriate dimensions/weight for me to be able to CCW.

I've tried almost all the options over the years and more or less consigned myself to waiting to afford a Wilson EDC X9, even if I had to buy it sight unseen (I hate buying a gun without shooting it first). Most guns have been close; 1911s are great but too few bullets, CZs were nice but the safety location doesnt work, Sig SAO were very nice but the grip never meshed with my grip.

Until now.

The announcement of the SIG 229 legion made me finally decide to look at the Legion Sigs, which i had written off because most sigs just dont fit. I couldn't rent a Legion SAO but on two trips I rented a DA/SA 226 legion and wouldnt you know it, the undercut and beavertail fit perfect.

So, I took the plunge and bought a 226 Legion SAO and ran it through most of 500 rounds today and earned a big grin and a few blisters.

I love it, it might have solved my search for my perfect CCW. The trigger is very nice, beautiful short reset smooth light. It's no 1911 or tuned CZ but it is close enough for me. It certainly took some getting used to as I've been shooting almost exclusively Glock since March. The safety is in the right place and fits my 1911 muscle memory perfect, and the size fits for my CCW needs, a Vedder and a tshirt and it vanishes.

Accuracy was great*, and it fed everything I tossed at it, including a whole box of HST.

*caviat: I started with some factory loads and some of my hotter 124 grain handloads. They, plus HST, were dead on. The bulk of the ammo I had loaded is a weaker 147 grain FMJ and the 226 ran that at a six o clock sight picture that was harder for me to remember my holdover. I'll have to load my next batch hotter and see if I cant get the POI/POA where I like em.

Couple pics of a 7 yard dot torture, a ben stoeger 6 circle and 10 rounds at 25, offhand (the tighter 5 round group is where I got my holdunder dialed in).

TL/DR: i got a Sig P226 Legion SAO and I love it. Sorry Glock 19X, kitchen gun duty for you now.

paulsj said:

Nice gun, but quite a lump to tote EDC.

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Eh, it's not noticeably heavier than my usual Glock 17 turned 19X, and I've carried 1911s plenty. Notably it is very close in size to a commander length 1911, just a bit thicker.

It conceals well enough under any garments I would leave the house in, gun or not. Sure I have tighter tshirts, but I'm not a tight tshirt in public kinda guy, self conscious about my (shrinking) gut I guess.

bannockburn said:

JR24

Great choice! I had a very early production P226 and while it was a decent gun ergonomically I always felt it was a bit too large in the grip for my smaller size hand. Enter the P228 (my brother had one that he let me use), and a much better fit overall. Finally found the just right balance of size and shape with a P229R with the E2 grips. Works perfectly as my home defense gun and does a nice job in the CCW role.

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I also have a 229R with the E2 grips and SRT trigger (which is pretty much mandatory for SIG guns, I think. At least once you have it one) and it is a decent carry piece. Despite 2 years and a few thousand rounds of careful practice I could just never get my first DA shot to hit where I wanted, plus the standard SIG grip (including base model 320) just doesnt work for my high grip, I keep trying to get my web right at the top of the beavertail/hump, too many years with Glock/1911s I guess.

Plus my wife decided my P229 is the only autoloader of mine she likes, so its hers now.

JDR said:

My classic Sig P guns are apples and my Glocks including my own 19X are oranges and I like fruit salad!

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I still probably shoot my 19X or 17 a little better, but they have thousands more rounds down range. But with only 600ish through, the 226 is showing it will surpass them once I get fully comfortable with the "close but not quite a 1911" trigger.

Been carrying the 226 for a few days and CCW is definately not an issue for me in a Vedder light tuck. Carries much like my 19X or 229 and is no issue all day even under a tshirt. Somehow the barrel length or maybe just the width makes it feel smaller than the Glock 17 IWB, even though it is longer overall.

Either way, still happy.

This weekend I'm going to try some hotter handloads as it doesnt seem to like my RMR 147 grain over 3.9 of CFE as much as my Glock does, shoots a little high where the Glocks shoot POA.

shafter said:

Nice gun, but wouldn't the 229 be a better concealed carry gun?

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In my opinion, not really. The beefier frame of the 229-1 doesnt make it really any lighter and the grip is only minimally smaller.

The shorter barrel is certainly more comfortable IWB and does bulge a little less when I have a tucked shirt (I carry at about 2 oclock IWB). Comparing it to my own 229, with my favored CCW rig/belt (Vedder light tuck, RDR EDC belt) I dont notice any difference in feel or concealment. Plus, the 226 with mec gar mags holds 18+1.

Of course, that's just me. YMMV, naturally.

Old Dog said:

The trigger is that good. First three rounds I ever fired from the SAO Legion at 7 yards went into a hole you could cover with a dime. Of course, I was so impressed with myself, I then promptly threw the next round about two inches away ...

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Mine is nice, but in comparison to a good 1911 it's not THAT nice. Proved it again this weekend with some shooting along side my dads Wilson and my VBob. Then again at about 10-12 yards I shot 4 rounds in the same cloverleaf and the 5th 1/2" away with my VBob. Yep, it shoots, put it away right then before I embarrassed it.

In my hands the SIG held up well with my dads 9mm Wilson, but to be fair I dont shoot the Wilson as well as any of MY 1911s (which are all .45, so maybe its that. Or more likely the many thousands more trigger pulls) and I still am real pleased with the 226.

It also liked a bit more oomph from my handloads when I juiced them up a bit, seeming to like 4.2 gr of CFE and Unique under a RMR 147 grain flat nose. I only had a few loaded to test, but have 200 more ready to go for next weekend, if the weather holds and the range isnt too busy.

I do REALLY like the SRT in this one though, even more so than my 229 for rapid strings and expect after some more work this will be right there with my VBob as my best and favorite shooter.

Well, it's been 4 months almost since I got the 226, figure I'd give an update.

I hit 1300 ish rounds today with a quick 100 rounds after working on some rifle handloads. My grand plan of 100 rounds a week on it was derailed by weather, holidays and both my kids being sick, but I managed to sneak away today and get a bit of shooting it.

My rifle tinkering went long so my pistol time was compressed so I decided to just shoot fast, running doubles and triples from the holster while transitioning 3 targets at 10 yards as fast as I could get good sight picture/hits and focusing a bit more on grip strength and recoil management. A pile of brass later I had an average split time of .25 seconds and 3 misses out of 100 on 8" plates. Pretty workable for a CCW gun.

So, so I still like it? YES! I've been carrying it every day since mid Sepember and find it easy to carry even under a tshirt with a Vedder Light Tuck. The weight and size dont bother me and the grips more rounded profile conceals better than my old CCW Glock 17 (and briefly 19X), though not as well as my svelte VBob.

The finish is finally showing a few spots of wear, most notably on the trigger guard and 2 spots on the right side. Pretty good for 4 months in a kydex holster and thousands of draws. I dont mind in any event, I like holster wear on a working gun.

At this point I could cheerfully sell off all my other autoloaders other than my VBob and 226, should I need to (thankfully I dont need to!).

TL/DR: 1300 rounds later I still love my Legion 226 as a shooter and CCW.

It's a little to get used to if your expecting something like a 1911 trigger, which it is NOT. It's got a bit more of a roll instead of a wall and break, but the reset is super smooth and it can run real fast.

Few weeks back I took it out for a few mags with my dad (and his wilson) and my very first shot at 12 yards was center of the X bullseye. I should have stopped immediately, but still shot well.