Sig Sauer's Elite Performance Ammunition: Review

Sig Sauer has just introduced a new line of premium defensive handgun ammunition in five calibers with one bullet weight per caliber: .380 ACP (90 grains), 9mm (124 grains), .357 SIG (125 grains), .40 S&W (165 grains), and .45ACP (200 grains). Additional bullet weights and rifle calibers will be offered in the future.

Every round is visually inspected for fit and finish, and Sig Sauer Academy has tested and found reliable the ammo’s performance in ballistic gelatin shielded by heavy clothing, 0.75-inch plywood and 0.5-inch drywall board.

Sig’s Elite Performance ammunition features a dual-cavity, jacketed-hollow-point bullet called the “V-Crown.” The design has a main “V-shaped” cavity with multiple serrations cut at different depths into the exposed lead alloy cavity to create uniform, controlled expansion, as well as a secondary, narrow, deep cavity that projects about halfway into the bullet. The copper-brass-alloy jacket wraps entirely around the base of the bullet. V-Crown bullets are not bonded, but instead use a cannelure to lock the proprietary lead alloy core with the jacket to ensure the weight retention necessary for adequate penetration.

The published muzzle velocity of the 124-grain 9mm load is 1,189 feet per second (fps) from a 4-inch-long barrel. It’s a result that practically matched my chronographed velocity of 1,169 fps, which is unusual, since most published velocities use test barrels and are significantly higher than actual tests with typical firearms.

Sig’s Elite Performance is sold in 20-round boxes. MSRP is $22.17 to $29.45.