PMCI - April 2018

FIRST LOOK
When first opening the grey plastic SIG branded box, the Legion
229 is buried under a mountain of lawyer proof paperwork,
warnings, user guides and Legion advertising. Once removing
the pistol from the box, it’s very clear this is far from a polymer
striker fired gun most are used to. Using a tradition double
action, hammer fired action the model 229 gives the shooter the
confidence in having a high-quality tool at their disposal.
Holding the SIG Legion 229, the grip felt higher in line
with the barrel via a deeper undercut in the trigger guard than
previous model 229 pistols I have handled. The web of my hand
seated tightly up to a reduced and beautifully contoured beaver
tail that fit into my hand like a glove. The more aggressive
checkering with the Legion pistol offered a much more secure
hold than previous models. The new Legion grips were a nice
departure from standard plastic or wood panels. Constructed from
G10 material, these two-piece grips offered a firm purchase on
the pistol regardless if the gun was wet or if the shooter was
wearing gloves. To top off the grips with a clean and professional
look, a Legion medallion was embedded on each side. From this
grip, I could easily reach the reduced slide release and de-cock
lever to reduce snagging when carried concealed. The entire
frame and slide were finished in SIG’s new proprietary Legion
gray PVD coating to provide the metal protection from the harsh
environments elite operators tend to regularly tread.
CARRY OPTIONS
As with most pistols I receive for review, I decided to carry the
Legion 229 for a month as my daily concealed carry firearm. To do
that, I needed to consider a couple of carry options for personal
use. When I teach on the range and the days I wear my shirts
not tucked in and over my belt, I like to carry on the belt. Other
days, I resort back to a inside the waistband carry with my shirt
tucked over it. Lucky for me, I already had to fantastic rigs ready
to go from two masters of their craft. The on the belt carry was
well taken care of by David Burns of Greystone Leather (www.
greystoneleather.com). When David learned about our upcoming
projects with SIG Sauer’s Legion series, he built a beautiful belt,
magazine carrier and holster combo to contribute. Finished in
black American Alligator, this rig looked like it belonged in a
museum while being tough enough to work a cattle ranch. Being
cut for the SIG 226, the 229 fit like a glove with only the extra 1”
of barrel coverage to spare. The holster combo was too beautiful
to have covered up in public but conceals well under a long shirt tail.
For my fast, on the go inside the waist band holster, I reached
out to my friend and trusted Kydex holster maker, John Phillips
of Survivor Creek Tactical (www.survivorcreek.com). Touted as
Jacksonville, Florida’s “King of Kydex”, John has been providing
customers and our media group top notch custom holsters for
any pistols, knife or accessory imaginable. This rig rides very low
in the waist and can even been worn in a pinch without a belt
thanks to the tight belt clip provided with the holster.
FIREARMS: SIG LEGION 229
pmcimagazine.com