Range Report: SIG P320 AXG Legion — A Diehard Accuracy Buff’s Dream

I did not warm up to the SIG P320 as quickly as some. My son is a military officer and oversaw his unit’s transition to the M17. Overall, the pistol performed well. However, the M17 isn’t quite a P320. I have fired the P320 in testing with uniformly good results. Personally, I simply had other types in long service.

Recently, I have become more interested in striker-fired, competition-grade pistols. Easily, my favorite among these types is the SIG P320 AXG Legion. Let’s cut to the main attraction, the pistol features an integral, two-port, expansion chamber-type, compensator. After enjoying excellent results with the similar setup on the SIG P365 XMACRO, I looked forward to working out this handgun.

Legion Features

Diehard accuracy buffs, and those engaging in amateur competition, will find the P320 AXG Legion to be a fine choice. As a matter of interest, the pistol’s ports are .24 x .66 inch, with a good portion of the slide being devoted to the compensator. The compensator also adds .9-inch to the muzzle. The weight and recoil damping qualities should add up to an easy-shooting pistol, or so I thought. I was not disappointed.

A key feature of this pistol is its metal frame. The pistol is fitted with an aluminum receiver. The pistol features G10 grip panels — among its best features — and an oversized magazine guide.

The frame may not fit every P320 holster. The accessory rail for combat lights is the same as the polymer-frame P320, while the trigger guard is squared off. The grips and frame texture result in an excellent balance of abrasion and adhesion.

The hand rides high on the frame allowing a shift to a lower bore axis. The pistol is well designed with excellent hand fit. If I don’t have good hand fit, nothing else matters in fast, accurate shooting. The magazines are especially well fitted and finished. Capacity is 21 rounds. These feed devices are not difficult to load.

The P320 trigger is often praised as light, crisp, and clean, breaking with a rapid reset. The Legion’s trigger is wider than a P320 and conducive to good control with clean break. This is a single-action trigger, not a double-action-only like the Glock. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire — not when you think you will fire, but when you fire.

Compression is a light 4.9 pounds and consistent from press to press. Reset is as important as the trigger break in fast shooting. The trigger is well designed for rapid fire and getting hits as quickly and accurately as possible. The slide features well-designed forward and rear cocking serrations.

The P320 Legion features SIG night sights — a nice touch on a 9mm pistol that will double for carry and home defense use. The pistol is optics ready, an option I will cover soon. The P320 uses the very easy to manipulate SIG take down lever. Maintenance is simple. The pistol gets a big ‘R’ for reliability and a little ‘m’ for maintenance.

P320 AXG Legion Specifications

Model: 320AXGF-9-LEGION
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Capacity: (3) 21-round steel magazines
Sights: X-RAY3 day/night sights
Length: 8.2 inches
Width: 1.6 inches
Height: 5.5 inches
Barrel length: 3.9 inches
Weight: 36.1 ounces (unloaded)
Sight radius: 5.9 inches
Frame: Aluminum
Finish: Legion Gray
Sights: SIG XRAY

The magazine release is positive in operation. The pistol features an ambidextrous slide lock. Overall, the Legion gray pistol is an attractive and purposeful handgun that is well balanced. With a 3.9-inch barrel, the P320 Legion is just over 8 inches long and 1.6 inches wide. I was surprised to find the pistol weighs a solid 37 ounces with an unloaded magazine. It feels lighter due to the pistol’s balance.

This weight will limit recoil. I don’t consider the 9mm Luger a difficult cartridge to control. Just the same, when running at high speed and getting hits as quickly as possible, the P320 is a great performer. As for personal-defense shooting, there is a deft dynamism of people in a stressful situation that is cultivated by those who train and practice hard. The P320 Legion will let you be all you can be.

I have fired the pistol with iron sights. It seems appropriate to add a modern red dot sight (RDS) to the test fire. I began at the top of the heap with a Trijicon SRO. The Specialized Reflex Optic features a larger window than most RDS types, as the SRO was designed specifically for handgun use.

The Trijicon is a versatile RDS, with excellent clarity and a wide range of settings. With 8 settings, and an easily adjusted dot, the SRO is a viable RDS for many uses. During the test fire, I drew the pistol from a Galco Belt Slide — the only holster I had on hand for the SIG Legion 9mm. Speed to an accurate first shot hit was excellent.

Trijicon SRO Specifications

• Maker: Trijicon
• Model: SRO (Specialized Reflex Optic)
• Magnification: 1x
• Sight Window: .98 x .89 inch
• Lens: Tempered glass
• Adjustments: 1 click = 1 MOA
• Adjustment Range: 150 MOA total travel
• Dimensions: 2.2×1.3×1.4 inches
• Weight: 1.6 ounces (with battery)
• Illumination Source: LED powered by CR 2032
• Battery Life: Over 3 years of continuous use when used at 70 degrees Fahrenheit and at setting 4 out of 8.
• Brightness Settings: Automatic and adjustable 8 setting

I began at 5 and 7 yards, before progressing to multiple targets at 10 yards. Most of the ammunition expended was American Eagle 124-grain 9mm, with some Blazer 115-grain as well. Speed to an accurate first-shot hit was excellent. Draw, keep both eyes open, and lead the dot to the X-ring as you press the trigger. Speed and accuracy were excellent.

Follow-up shots were particularly quick. The compensator clearly works as intended. While designed as a competetion gun and a range piece, I have carried larger guns concealed. In home defense use, with a combat light added, you’ll have a formidable home defender with a good reserve of ammunition.

A takeover gang with a day pass from Hell may be a formidable threat. The SIG P320 AXG Legion is a good counter strike. I fired the pistol at ranges to as long as 25 yards with excellent results. I slowed down (only a little) at 25 yards and continued to turn in excellent groups.

Accuracy Testing

Handloads

As for absolute accuracy, I am getting used to the trigger that is quite different from most striker-fired guns. I fired the accuracy groups with the dot at its lowest setting, from a solid rest at 25 yards. A one-inch group versus a two-inch group may not mean that the load is twice as accurate as the other load, but it certainly gave a good showing that day.

I enjoy firing for absolute accuracy, although it may not mean that much as far as personal defense goes. However, it shows a lot about the pistol’s fitting and accuracy potential. I think the SIG P320 AXG is in many ways in a class by itself.

What do you think of the SIG P320 AXG Legion? What’s your favorite version of the SIG P320? Share your thoughts in the Comment section.