Something about a full-size P226 makes you want to shoot it more. The weight sits low, the slide runs flat, and the 9mm Luger round leaves the 4.4 inch barrel with very little muzzle rise. The Elite model comes with 15 rounds in the magazine.

The finish is black, and the pistol is new. The P226 has been a service pistol for many years and has a place in the history of armed forces and police work. That record is the reason serious shooters keep returning to it, even with so many newer designs on the market. Shoot a couple of magazines of your chosen ammunition before you trust it with anything important.

Like most P226 pistols, this one is a double-action, single-action design. Learn the long first pull and the short pull that follows, and the gun becomes very consistent. A decocker lowers the hammer without a risk of an accidental discharge.

If you are building a collection, the P226 is a good anchor. If you need a duty-size pistol for the nightstand or the range bag, it does that job too. It ships to your FFL dealer, where the background check is completed.