Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG More Info

About the Gun

The P220 Elite SAO applies the Elite package of a beavertail frame extension, front slide cocking serrations, and front-strap checkering on the aluminum alloy frame with black hard-coat anodized finish to a single-action-only configuration that includes a manual thumb safety and short-reset trigger. It was produced in a black Nitron slide finish as well as a two-tone version that paired a nickel-plated or stainless slide with the black frame, and both variants commonly featured custom rosewood grips.

Production

Production ran from 2008 through the mid 2010s.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $1,200. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $850–$1,100.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	.45 Automatic
Alias:	.45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP)
More Info

Analysis

The P220 Elite SAO variants offered shooters who preferred a consistent single-action trigger pull and the presence of a manual thumb safety an option within the Elite platform while retaining the beavertail, front-strap checkering, front slide serrations, and short-reset trigger. This setup provided handling closer to a 1911 pattern without changing the locked-breech short-recoil operating system or the aluminum alloy frame construction. The models appeared during the late 2000s and 2010s as SIG Sauer provided multiple trigger and safety configurations on the P220 to suit different preferences before shifting primary focus to the Legion series and polymer striker-fired designs. The black Nitron finish supported durability and low maintenance, while the two-tone configuration with rosewood grips presented a more traditional appearance. These SAO versions remain a specialized branch of the Elite refinements on the secondary market.