The P320-AXG is the latest in SIG’s LEGION lineup. The 320 half of that moniker is from the increasingly ubiquitous P320 series. The second half, AXG, stands for the company’s proprietary Aluminum X-Series Grip (module), which the company avers will provide a 30% reduction in felt recoil and an “…ultra-premium shooting experience.”
SIG Sauer P320-AXG Legion
The P320-AXG Legion is a striker-fired gun with a ported slide and optic-ready upper plate. Unlike many of its striker-fire competitors, it is all metal rather than polymer. A number of other things set this pistol apart. The most significant is arguably its patent-pending integrated 2-port expansion chamber.
Two-Port Expansion Chamber
This differs slightly from a gun that has just been ported. Ports are just holes in the barrel, designed and sited to reduce recoil by bleeding off some of the gas generated by burning gunpowder. Usually, ports are placed to vent such gases upward. This induces reciprocal force downward, which mitigates muzzle rise.
A compensator(comp) uses expansion chambers with baffle plates and expansion chambers to trap and deflect gas. Some of that gas pushes forward against the expansion chamber, which slows the barrel as it moves rearward. This, combined with the weight of the comp, weakens the rearward movement in turn. It’s more complicated than a port feature, but fundamentally both do the same thing—redirect hot gas to provide better control of the gun.
When it comes to reducing muzzle climb, a comp often has the advantage because it not only adds weight to the forward end of the pistol but also extends the overall length of the barrel. However, the need for lighter recoil springs or a lighter slide often balances this. Ported barrels are less expensive, simpler to install and maintain, frequently easier to conceal, and often provide recoil reduction that is only fractionally less than a comp.
The P320-AXG Legion 2-port expansion chamber differs from a more traditional compensator, which typically threads onto the barrel, because it’s organic, i.e., built into the slide.
Some other features to note are:
- Embossed G10 grip panels. These are as much an aesthetic improvement as they are a gun-handling upgrade.
- Skeletonized trigger. This removes a very small amount of weight (function) with a corresponding cool look (form).
- Optics ready plate. Although it comes with XRAY3 day/night sights, the slide is designed to accept SIG Sauer Electro-Optics and others that utilize the same footprint.
The P320-AXG Legion ships with (3) 21-round steel magazines or (3) 10-round magazines for compliant states.
