TL;DR: Guy who kept buying not-so-great striker fired handguns gets a 226, really likes it, and wants to yap about it on 2/26 day. 

What is it: A Sig Sauer P226 Elite, purchased towards the end of February 2025. It has been upgraded, shot, upgraded, shot, and shot a little more to the tune of 4k rounds, the majority of which were 124gr loads. It has trucked on without a single mechanical failure for every one of those 4k rounds through 2-Gun matches, USPSA style matches, range days, and concealed carry. 

Where is it: Always nearby, if I can help it. Carried appendix, riding on my gun belt, or within arm’s reach. It is also in my heart, which gave the X-ray tech a real fright. 

How will it affect me: Maybe you’ll decide you want to give hammer-fired a try, or see something you might like for your own 226. Perhaps I’ll even achieve that highest of honors - being someone’s bathroom break reading.   

PROS: 

\- As mentioned above, \*complete\* and utter reliability. I’ve encountered nary a break-in period, failure to feed, pickiness with ammo, or just general bad behavior. 4k rounds isn’t necessarily a lot, and I haven’t abused it, but this performance \*is\* unlike two other “duty-grade” handguns I have owned - the M17 and the CZ SP-01. The M17 could get picky about going into battery when its magazines got dusty, and the SP-01 needed touch-ups in a few spots to feed reliably and not have a bad nose-up jam, despite many saying their CZ’s “eat everything”. The only time I have ever had an issue with the 226 was getting a bad grip while forcing my thumb to the gas pedal causing my palm to press the decocker. That was early on in using the gas pedal, and I have since corrected that bad technique by just getting a proper grip and letting my thumb \*end up\* on the gas pedal as a reinforcement of having formed a proper grip.

\- Out of the box the gun has adequate features, though it isn’t perfect. The trigger, in both DA and SA, was at least comparable to a 226 Legion my friends and I had on-hand for a range day. The SIG Short Reset Trigger (SRT) kit was good, the E2 grips had good traction, it comes with night sights, and while it can feel a little “flippy” thanks to the slide size, it returns to point of aim fantastically. The Romeo X Enclosed Pro (shoutout u/arax) went right on, and has not moved thanks to proper torque and vibratite. The factory optic cut supports RMR, DPP, and can take RMSc with filler plates so you’ve got plenty of options for optics of all shapes and sizes. In its factory state it was noticeably more accurate and more shootable than the M17 I had. I have never had issues engaging small and close / moving targets, or targets at a distance. It wasn’t perfect, but it was more than a good enough starting point and... 

\- It’s not a Legion. The P226 Elite is effectively a halfway house between the Nitron and Legion models. It has performance features not found on the Nitron such as the Legion frame and Sig’s SRT kit, and comes optics-ready as of 2024. It doesn’t come with the Legion branding, Legion cerakote, Legion G10 grip panels, Gray Guns trigger, Legion low-profile controls, or suppressor height sights. In my opinion, this is a plus. The Legion branding is a bit much and, with the money that you save not paying for those add-ons, you can instead get exactly what \*you\* want after putting some time in on the handgun. I was able to install the trigger shoe grips that \*I\* preferred and didn’t have to feel “bad” about replacing expensive ones I’d already paid for. I was also able to go ahead and buy an optic up front with the price difference between my Elite and a Legion.

\- This pistol has been exceedingly easy to work on, and the aftermarket is substantial. For the former, even a detail strip and reassembly of the frame is more about technique and order of operations than it is about dexterity. I have done all the upgrades myself and each time it’s been maybe an hour job at max. For the latter, just take a look at the pictures. Magwells, sights, magazine releases, triggers, internal parts, grips, magazines, basepads…there’s a wide variety of parts available to set up your 226 precisely how you want it. To top it all off, it even works in Safariland 6000 and 7000 series P320 light-bearing retention holsters plus a number of concealment or match holster offerings. 

\- It’s a 226. I can’t help it, 226s are just cool. One of the last big hurrahs of duty-issued hammer guns. I know a couple police officers who even today are a little sore about having to give up their 226s. 

CONS

\- Price. The 226 Elite, even though I got it on a “deal”, still came in over $1k, and buying it does feel a little bit like getting spit on by Sig. It came with two 15-round magazines (Mec-gar fits 18 into the same size body), a dinky pistol box and…that’s it. The E2 grips are good for smaller hands/shorter fingers and as I mentioned already have decent texture, but IMO they make you hold the gun wrong and they’re not profiled the best around the slide release, which can get a little pinchy depending on hand shape. I also think the magazine release could be a touch longer. The factory state of the handgun \*is\* adequate, like I said above, but comparing the total package to some others you can get for $1k can leave you feeling like you came up a little short. 

\- It’s a Sig Sauer product. Even if we ignore any and all discourse on the 320, Sig Sauer has had some egg on their faces as of late. Crashing out last year (it didn’t END TODAY), barrel/handguard issues with the Spear LT, those same issues AND MORE with the Spear/M7, and before that when they outright DENIED drop safety issues with the 320 even when there was video evidence. It’s a little like having a really good friend with parents you need to apologize for, or enjoying an Activision/Blizzard game. 

\- I don’t think this pistol is ambi-friendly. I’m not a left handed pistol shooter, and you \*can\* swap which side the magazine release is on. But with where the slide release sits and the decocker, it doesn’t seem like it would be the most comfortable for a lefty. Not a con for \*me\*, but it’s worth mentioning. 

There you have it. I have found the P226 Elite, especially once it’s been upgraded to my tastes, to be an excellent all-around handgun. I have been easily able to make it exactly what I want and solve any issues I felt it had. I trust it to work whether it’s something as low-stakes as spending the money and time to travel to a match, or stop at an interstate exit Waffle House at 1 AM. 

Upgrades 

\-Armory Craft Steel Magwell + polymer hammer strut seat

\- Hogue Classic Contour Inverse Piranha G-10 grips

Sig Armorer Super Strut

\- Gray Guns Sig P-series modern classic hammer

\- Gray Guns SRT Kit (and 19-lb mainspring)

\- Armory Craft Slightly Curved, Dual adjustable trigger

\- Armory Craft type 2 P226 Takedown lever

\- Sprinco Recoil Management Guiderod system 

\- Romeo X Enclosed Pro

2/26 Day 4K Round P226 Review - Rock the DA/SA