Statement of Facts
Today I come before you as an unrepentant Sigo-phant. By that I mean that I have been a big fan of the P-Series of pistols for as far back as I can remember. In one form or another I have carried a P pistol for almost twenty-five years now. Including today’s subject, the Sig Sauer P320 X5 Legion.
Sharing this perspective is only to clarify that I have a bit of a bias on today’s review. So keep that in mind as you read for the next few minutes.
Having said that, let’s get started. The P320 came to market nearly a decade ago, a cutting edge design many would say. This because of the P320’s ability to morph into any number of configurations.
At it’s heart, the P320 is a striker fired semi-automatic pistol. But there is more to the P320 inside, its serialized fire control unit (FCU) holds the trigger and sear mechanism. This allows the FCU to be swapped between different grip modules and used with what has become a plethora of different slide, caliber and barrel combinations.
All this modularity has resulted in an exhausting list of P320 options, including recently adopted military designated models.
P320 X5 Legion Specifications
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Capacity | 17 +1 (3 mags included) |
| Sights | Dawson precision |
| Red Dot footprint | PRO (DeltaPoint Pro) |
| Length | 8.5 in [216 mm] |
| Width | 1.6 in [41 mm] |
| Height | 5.8 in (147 mm) |
| Weight | 43.5 oz (1.2 kg) |
| Sight Radius | 6.8 in (173 mm) |
| Barrel Material | Carbon steel |
| Finish | Legion Gray Cerakote |
Like all Legion series pistols, the P320 X5 Legion uses most of the popular features available. It is optics ready, though it often will require the use of Springer Precision mounting plates. An accessory picatinny rail under the slide fits all your weapon light options. And things like a flared magwell and skeletonized flat-shoe trigger add to the ensemble.
As the flagship of the P320 line of pistols, Sig has added some sexy slide cuts and balanced the pistol by adding weight to the grip frame. The tungsten infused polymer grip frame feels like its made from metal, which in my opinion adds to the quality feel.
The X5 comes with two recoil springs and a solid steel op rod, to allow shooters to customize the operation of the pistol. All the customization is part of the P320 family.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Modular design allows customization
- Great trigger
- Optics ready
- Dawson Precision sights
- 17+1 Capacity (comes with 3mags)
- Accessory Rail
- Flared Magwell
- Ambi slide release
- It’s a Sig Sauer FFS!
Cons
- Not lightweight
- Limited holster options
First Impressions
Opening the box I knew exactly what I was getting, but I was excited none the less. The Legion came with all the traditional stuff in the box, including two extra mags which I thought was nice.
I lifted the pistol from the box and was immediately stirred by the feel of it. It reminded me of the P226 that I always loved. Excellent weight and balance let you know this thing was meant to shoot particularly hard.
Drawing the slide seemed easier than expected, probably due to the weight of the slide. Pressing the trigger proved to seal the deal for me, everything about this pistol felt as I had hoped it would.
Time to Accessorize
Wasting no time, I had pre ordered several great accessories for the X5. Because that is the American thing to do. Selecting a good holster for it from Safariland’s holster finder was easy enough, though I was a bit let down by how few options there were. Mainly due to the longer barrel configuration, but I ended up with a Safariland SLS holster that fit perfectly. Most P320 models have an incredible assortment of holster options.
Weapon lights are a must-have, and I ordered the holster to fit a Surefire X300. There are many great light options, but I went with a mainstream choice because it works and has history.
Even breaking out the credit card to order a custom threaded match barrel from Armory Craft wasn’t out of order. I wanted the ability to shoot the X5 suppressed, and the boys at Armory Craft know the P320 as well as anybody.
For a suppressor I usually shoot either my Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N2.0 or the Yankee Hill Machine R9.
Extra magazines are always nice, so I bought a few of those as well because you can never have too many. Topping off the slide with a US Optics DRS 2.0 Enhanced red dot made shooting the gun even more fun.
Field Testing the P320 X5 Legion
Traditionally I do reviews fairly early with new guns, but today I am writing this after having shot and carried this pistol for more than a year. So I can cut to the chase a little bit here. After thousands of rounds, weeks and months of carry, I am quite confident in the function and performance of the X5.
After all this time, it still feels fantastic in my hand. And having shot it countless times with very satisfying results keeps me sleeping very tight at night. And regardless of shooting the pistol suppressed or otherwise, I can’t remember much in the way of malfunctions. I have no doubt there have been some, but I can’t remember them.
Accuracy with the P320 X5 Legion has been fantastic, shooting better than I thought I could shoot. Once adding a red dot it seemed like I could hit anything a pistol would be shot at.
Breaking the trigger feels even better now, the ease of reloads and hitting the magazine just right every time. Its enough to make me feel like one of those hot chicks in the Taran Tactical videos. I’ve shot everything from steel and paper targets to charging badgers, and this X5 is just hot shit, I love it.
Score Card
Reliability (9-10)
As I just mentioned, I can’t even remember any significant malfunctions with the P320 X5 Legion. Though I think I had an occasional failure to lock back. For the most part it runs like a typewriter. Everybody laughs about the history of P320’s going off unexpectedly, but it appears that issue has been put to bed.
Ergonomics (8.5-10)
The standard X5 Legion grip module fits my hand perfectly. So I don’t really have any complaints, though I’d like it if there was an adjustable backstrap. The controls are in all the right spots, and it flows just right as you operate every function.
Customization (9-10)
I’ve already mentioned all the custom options with the P320 family of pistols. The incredible aftermarket support allows you to do near anything with this pistol.
Appearance (9-10)
Again, remember I am biased. But this is one of the best looking mainstream pistols out there in my opinion. Everything about it looks good; cuts in all the right places, the textures, and finish all look fantastic.
Value (8.5-10)
For the $1000 street price, the X5 Legion is not out of reach for serious pistol fanatics. Sure I wouldn’t call it cheap, but there is more value to be found over the lifetime of the pistol.
Final Thoughts on the X5
Like I said from the beginning, I am a registered Sigo-phile. But with experiences like Ive had with the P320 X5 Legion you can’t blame me. The pistol just shoots!
Its handsome and functional while bringing an incredible array of customization and aftermarket part options. If you too love the feel of P-series pistols, the X5 Legion will surely fit your fancy as well. As long as you keep in mind this isn’t a carry pistol, it’s a serious range gun. Or I suppose if you are a security or law enforcement professional it would also fit in nicely. Surely it won’t be long before I add another P320 to the family, stay tuned until then…
-CBM