SIG V-Crown – Has SIG Reinvented the Wheel?

This is a guest post by Andrew Betts

Since its introduction, the SIG V-Crown has attracted significant attention. It is a line defense ammunition which is available in several calibers and loaded with a jacketed hollow point projectile manufactured by Sierra. The brass is nickel plated and head stamped “SIG”. On the surface it looks to be just like every other premium defense ammo line. The market is full of JHP defense ammo, though, so what makes this any different?

One thing that makes the V-Crown a bit different is that it is actually available in 10mm. This is likely in support of the recently announced and greatly anticipated 10mm P220. 10mm aficionados are likely to welcome any new pistol chambered in 10mm but a P220 is particularly exciting. Likewise, 10mm fans are excited to hear of any new 10mm factory offering. It makes perfect business sense for SIG to release a line of defense oriented ammunition in this caliber to help pique interest in its new pistol and vice versa, but how does the new ammo perform?

Manufacturers tend to be reluctant to produce 10mm ammunition that takes full advantage of the potential of the cartridge so it is refreshing to see such a healthy velocity as measured in this test. The 10mm V-Crown, while not “nuke it from orbit” powerful, it is firmly in real 10mm territory, not FBI lite. It also managed to produce respectable expansion and retained weight figures, especially considering the bullet is a traditional cup and core and is not bonded.

Its performance in other calibers is similar. As seen in the 9mm test below, the retained weight and expansion figures are decent, but the penetration result is a little on the high side.

Now, it is true that the penetration might be a bit more than some users would prefer, but otherwise, the performance seems to leave little to be desired and other users may prefer deeper penetration. While there is nothing wrong with SIG’s new load, there also seems to be little that sets it apart. With so many great defense loads available, what reason do we have to purchase V-Crown over other offerings? It is certainly good to have more options, though.

Increased competition drives innovation and lowers cost for consumers. SIG’s new offering is no exception. It is welcome, of course, but one wonders how much business benefit there really is to SIG to reinvent the wheel.

 

Andrew Betts served with the Arizona National Guard for over 12 years, including a tour to Afghanistan. Visit his YouTube Channel for more great shooting information.

Photo credit – Andrew Betts