Sig Sauer P226 Elite 9mm
Model: E26R-9-BSE-R2
Sig Sauer P226 Elite 9mm
Model: E26R-9-BSE-R2
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Sig Sauer P226 Elite is a full-size hammer-fired 9mm built for duty use. Sig keeps it in the line beside the Legion version, and the P226 under it is carried by the US Navy SEALs, federal agents and state agencies including the Texas Rangers and the Michigan State Police. This version leaves the factory with SIGLITE night sights and a slide cut for a red dot, so neither is a later purchase.
The first shot is a long double-action pull and the rest are single action, with a decocking lever to drop the hammer before it goes back in a holster. There is no manual safety. Sig covers that with an automatic firing pin safety lock that it says allows safe carrying without working a lever. The grip is a one-piece textured E2 polymer wrap with nothing to swap for a smaller hand, and the rail is Sig's own pattern, so a light has to be built for it.
If you're cross-shopping, the Sig Sauer P226 Legion holds the same 15 rounds at 8.0 inches overall against the Elite's 7.7, with a Grayguns trigger and G10 grips. The CZ 75 B has an MSRP of $899 and holds 16 rounds in a 35.2 oz steel frame, with no optic cut in its slide, so a dot there is a gunsmith job.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The alloy frame is black hard-coat anodized and the stainless slide wears a Nitron finish.
- Sig builds the same pistol with a single-action trigger for anyone who does not want a double-action first shot.
- Two steel-bodied 15-round magazines come in the box.
- With no manual safety, the pistol rides in a holster hammer down on a live round, which is a carry condition some owners will not accept.
- The E2 grip is one piece, so a short finger cannot be brought closer to the double-action trigger with a thinner backstrap.
- A third magazine for a duty rotation is an added purchase, where the Legion version of the same pistol ships with three.
Category Rankings
How the Sig Sauer P226 Elite 9mm ranks among full-size 9mm Luger handguns.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the slide cut for a specific optic footprint?
Sig lists the Elite as optic ready, with the sights sitting in dovetails front and rear.
What does the E2 grip change?
It replaces the two-piece side panels of the original P226 with a single wrap-around piece of textured polymer.
Can it be carried cocked and locked?
No. There is no thumb safety to set, and the decocking lever exists to put the hammer down.
What are the frame and slide made of?
An aluminum alloy frame with a stainless steel slide and a carbon steel barrel.
