Get a SIG P229 Enhanced Elite now or hope for a Legion?

[Garbcollector]

The should drop the shark fin and replace it with a m18 style of lci

[highpower]

I don't have a Legion, but I do have a M11-A1/P229. I don't know how the Commiefornia version of a P229 works verses a free state gun, but I can say that I love the way my M11 shoots.

Skyhawk makes a good point and if the LCI is causing issues, I would avoid using one as my primary defense weapon.

[pzbike]

HOPE is a really, really bad word.

[Cal Lefty]

The LCI has been documented to cause reliability issues

I've never thought about the possibility that the LCI might diminish reliability, so I appreciate the prompting. I did a reasonable Google search, and honestly, I wasn't able to find any firm documentation of unreliability. One guy reported that he had a jam because the tip of his LCI snapped off and must have gotten trapped in the rails. I don't see any manufacturer recall notice or article discussing issues with LCI and reliability. There have been many guns produced with LCIs, and those are not the only parts subject to wear and failure. Firing pin retention pins can snap, firing pins can break, springs can lose power, magazines can fail, etc.

I acknowledge that I'm not some kind of operator who is using their pistol to the max during wartime. I can see why someone like that might be frustrated having any extra parts that could possibly break in the field. I can say from my limited experience, my p229 is better than my Glock 17 regarding malfunctions.

Magazine disconnects I have read reports of users having their guns disabled when the mechanism failed. And when I personally examined how the magazine disconnects work in my guns, they do not seem as robust and failure tolerant as I would hope. In my individual opinion, the benefit is not worth the risk of having it. It is also my own personal assessment that guns from which I have personally removed the magazine disconnect function as reliably as as a gun variant that never had them.

Normally, having extractor stick out is all you need for tactile determination of whether a round is chambered, if that's your preference. But you should use protocols that don't rely upon LCI/CLI anyways.

Yes, I totally agree with this. I'm pretty old school, and I will just do a little press check to verify a round in the chamber. I do this even on my Glock, Sig, or Ruger. And of course I always clear the gun by removing the magazine, racking the slide, verifying visually (I don't always touch with my finger) that the chamber is empty. To me it's like blind spot monitoring on my car. I always look over my shoulder before changing lanes. I never just go off of the blind spot monitor. And I almost always know that there is a car there without the blind spot monitor telling me. It doesn't detract from safety for me, it sometimes adds safety. So for me I don't mind the LCI. I wouldn't pay more money to get it. I wouldn't pay a lot more to avoid it. I'm optimistic that OP will love the p229 Enhanced Elite with or without the LCI.

What do I not like about the LCI? It gets dirty and is a pain to clean. It's one more part to disassemble when doing a deep clean of the slide. On my Ruger, you have to disassemble the LCI in order to access pins necessary to remove the firing pin. I can't remember on my Sig.

Those are just my opinions not meaning to offend.

Cheers.

[tomrkba]

I have both and the Elite is better. I pulled off the grips and put cheesy P229 plastic grips on it. The Legion has thicker grips. I dunno?maybe I would like the Legion better with the cheesy grips.

[tomrkba]

I did install the SIG Armorer?s strut. It makes a little difference in these upgraded guns. The trigger pull is a bit smoother and lighter. The hammer no longer smacks a pin with every trigger pull.

[Tere_Hanges]

If it was a duty gun I sure as heck would not be carrying a nanny-state, neutered Pelosi gun. Which means I would move heaven and earth to get a Legion or any free state P229.

It's a whole lot easier than "moving heaven and earth" to de-kalifornicate a CA P229. Not necessarily cheap but stupid easy. You just need to replace the slide, barrel and locking insert. I did it to mine and now it's indistinguishable from a free state P229. I didn't have any concerns with the CLI as far as functionality. The MDM was more concerning to me. Sell the CA slide and barrel to recoup some of the cost to de-kalifornicate or keep it as a spare.

You can get the locking insert for $30. Add it to an order on Optics Planet that totals over $49 and you get free shipping. You can also get an optic cut slide and barrel from Optics Planet.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/sig-sauer-locking-insert-229-phosphated.html

Mine looks like this now.

[Tere_Hanges]

I don't even like the finish on the Legion. I'd cerakote mine in nickel, titanium, bronze, or coyote.

I like the longer beavertail on the elite vs the shorter beavertail on the Legion.

And I don't think the Legion comes optic ready.

OP, you can find CA P229 Elites used for around $900. Don't pay retail for a new one.

I really wanted a stainless elite. So if I ever refinish mine I'm going for this look:

[Barang]

The P226/P229 CA-style shark fins have been documented to cause feeding issues. Normally, having extractor stick out is all you need for tactile determination of whether a round is chambered, if that's your preference. But you should use protocols that don't rely upon LCI/CLI anyways.

For a duty gun I would overpay in the marketplace

I've never thought about the possibility that the LCI might diminish reliability, so I appreciate the prompting. I did a reasonable Google search, and honestly, I wasn't able to find any firm documentation of unreliability. One guy reported that he had a jam because the tip of his LCI snapped off and must have gotten trapped in the rails. I don't see any manufacturer recall notice or article discussing issues with LCI and reliability. There have been many guns produced with LCIs, and those are not the only parts subject to wear and failure. Firing pin retention pins can snap, firing pins can break, springs can lose power, magazines can fail, etc.

I acknowledge that I'm not some kind of operator who is using their pistol to the max during wartime. I can see why someone like that might be frustrated having any extra parts that could possibly break in the field. I can say from my limited experience, my p229 is better than my Glock 17 regarding malfunctions.

Magazine disconnects I have read reports of users having their guns disabled when the mechanism failed. And when I personally examined how the magazine disconnects work in my guns, they do not seem as robust and failure tolerant as I would hope. In my individual opinion, the benefit is not worth the risk of having it. It is also my own personal assessment that guns from which I have personally removed the magazine disconnect function as reliably as as a gun variant that never had them.



Yes, I totally agree with this. I'm pretty old school, and I will just do a little press check to verify a round in the chamber. I do this even on my Glock, Sig, or Ruger. And of course I always clear the gun by removing the magazine, racking the slide, verifying visually (I don't always touch with my finger) that the chamber is empty. To me it's like blind spot monitoring on my car. I always look over my shoulder before changing lanes. I never just go off of the blind spot monitor. And I almost always know that there is a car there without the blind spot monitor telling me. It doesn't detract from safety for me, it sometimes adds safety. So for me I don't mind the LCI. I wouldn't pay more money to get it. I wouldn't pay a lot more to avoid it. I'm optimistic that OP will love the p229 Enhanced Elite with or without the LCI.

What do I not like about the LCI? It gets dirty and is a pain to clean. It's one more part to disassemble when doing a deep clean of the slide. On my Ruger, you have to disassemble the LCI in order to access pins necessary to remove the firing pin. I can't remember on my Sig.

Those are just my opinions not meaning to offend.

Cheers.

my wife's mk25 kali-version is 10k+ rounds old and zero issue with lci. the only problem it had was the mag-disco at 4k+ rounds when it broke. removed the broken part/s and it's been golden since.

[SkyHawk]

It's a whole lot easier than "moving heaven and earth" to de-kalifornicate a CA P229. Not necessarily cheap but stupid easy.

But I am not sure it is wise or even allowed for an armed security guard in CA to be modifying factory safety features on their carry gun. That is why I said go to the extreme. Buying an off roster version may be cheaper in the long run if God forbid you ever have to use it.

[Tere_Hanges]

But I am not sure it is wise or even allowed for an armed security guard in CA to be modifying factory safety features on their carry gun. That is why I said go to the extreme. Buying an off roster version may be cheaper in the long run if God forbid you ever have to use it.

Gotcha. I missed that part. The replacement parts are so non-trivial and standard though. Literally the same exact parts as an off roster gun. Only difference is they weren't "installed" at the factory. Installing the slide and barrel is the same procedure as field stripping and reassembling just with the other slide and barrel. But i see your point.

[Reno-Kid]

I don't even like the finish on the Legion. I'd cerakote mine in nickel, titanium, bronze, or coyote.

I like the longer beavertail on the elite vs the shorter beavertail on the Legion.

And I don't think the Legion comes optic ready.

OP, you can find CA P229 Elites used for around $900. Don't pay retail for a new one.

I really wanted a stainless elite. So if I ever refinish mine I'm going for this look:

One of the LGS in Reno had a SS P229 Elite, it wasn't cheap ~ $1300 and it sold quickly. I would not be surprised if its higher now.

[xblax619]

One of the LGS in Reno had a SS P229 Elite, it wasn't cheap ~ $1300 and it sold quickly. I would not be surprised if its higher now.

Ya for an off roster Sig $1300 would be considered a great price. But ppl in Reno don?t have to deal with the same bs.

[SkyHawk]

Gotcha. I missed that part. The replacement parts are so non-trivial and standard though. Literally the same exact parts as an off roster gun. Only difference is they weren't "installed" at the factory. Installing the slide and barrel is the same procedure as field stripping and reassembling just with the other slide and barrel. But i see your point.

Yes, luckily a typical Sig can be reverted/converted to free state mode pretty easy and completely, albeit a bit spendy.

The thing about reverting an Elite though is the P229 Elite slide with forward serrations is not generally available, Sig does not sell them. So you would have to get a standard P229 slide or something else like a RXP slide. In the end, you would end up having some type of hybrid.

This is one reason free state Elites command a respectable premium in CA.

[Tere_Hanges]

The thing about reverting an Elite though is the P229 Elite slide with forward serrations is not generally available, Sig does not sell them. So you would have to get a standard P229 slide or something else like a RXP slide. In the end, you would end up having some type of hybrid.

I picked up an RX slide that came with the Romeo1 Pro installed from Optics Planet when it was on sale. It's exactly the same as an elite slide with the forward serrations, except it's even better because it comes with an optic cut which IMHO should be the a standard feature now. I don't really consider mine a hybrid because except for the factory optic cut it's exactly the same as a free state P229 elite.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/sig-sauer-rx-slide-p229-assemblies.html