Review of the SIG Sauer P365

OK, I’ll admit it – I’m a SIG fan.  I own a number of SIG products which I used both for self-defense and competition.  I’ve spent an entire week at the SIG Academy doing firearms training.  I’m also a SIG P320 and SIG MCX Certified Armorer.  For much of the year, I carry a modified P320 Compact as my concealed carry firearm.  But during the summertime, as well as those times I just don’t want to take the time to strap on a holster before I leave the house, I pocket carry a firearm.  I’m actually a big fan of pocket carry, and for years I’ve wondered when SIG would make a “pocketable” striker fired 9mm.  Sure, SIG has the P238, and I have pocket carried it (and still do from time to time), but it’s essentially a shrunken down 1911 that’s chambered in .380 and really isn’t my first choice for the task.  So for several years, I’ve carried a well-modified M&P Shield as my pocket carry pistol of choice (See?  I’m not entirely a SIG fanboy.).  And I like it a lot.  But at the 2018 SHOT Show, SIG unveiled their new SIG P365 – so named because it’s a gun you’ll want to carry 365 days a year.  It’s smaller in dimensions than my M&P Shield AND has greater magazine capacity.  Yes please.

It took me a couple of months after SHOT Show to get a SIG P365 as demand was initially incredible for the gun (and it’s still hard to find in some regions).  I’ve been testing and carrying the gun since March of 2018, so I’ve got 6 months time and over 1000 rounds fired as the basis behind my thoughts and opinions for this review.

The first thing that I noticed with the SIG P365 is just how much they got right with this gun.  I couldn’t help but compare and contrast the P365 to my own M&P Shield.  Yes, the retail price of $599.00 is more than the $449.00 MSRP of the M&P Shield.  But I’ve never run into anyone who has an M&P Shield that they haven’t done SOMETHING to by way of modifications to overcome some of the guns shortcomings (slick grip, lousy trigger, etc.).  I’ve easily spent over $400.00 on my own M&P Shield on stippling, new sights, a trigger job, and magazine springs to increase capacity.  The SIG P365 however is perhaps the first gun I’ve ever owned that I thought was perfect right out of the box.  The P365 trigger may be the best out of the box trigger on any weapon intended for concealed carry I’ve tried.  Most references I consulted list the P365 trigger as having a pull weight of between 5.5lbs. and 6.5lbs.  My example of the P365 has over 1000 rounds fired, and it and measured just a tad under 5.5lbs. on my Lyman trigger gauge:

That’s a near-perfect pull weight for CCW.  I’ve personally carried guns with triggers that pull at 4lbs. and even 3 lbs. – my philosophy is that that if you have good trigger finger discipline, the trigger pull weight is a non-issue, and if you don’t have good trigger finger discipline, a heavier trigger won’t prevent a problem.  But many people in the CCW community really won’t carry a weapon below 4 lbs. in trigger pull weight, so the P365 will have broader appeal from this perspective.  Of course, trigger pull weight is only one aspect of a good trigger.  The P365 has a very clean, smooth pull with little take up and a distinct, audible and tactile reset.  The combination of these attributes makes it good enough that I just don’t feel a need to make any modifications to the trigger.  I’ve shot it from 25yds./75ft. (about as far as I would shoot such a small gun with iron sights) and it shot surprising well from that distance, and I attribute that largely to the fantastic stock trigger.

 

I’m also extremely impressed with the SIG X-Ray sights on the P365.  The front sight is outstanding with excellent visibility and contrast in all lighting conditions (SIG X-Ray sights have a luminous coating which makes them glow in the dark).  As someone who normally shoots with a red dot pistol optic, that bright green front sight is almost as good.

The size of the grip on the P365 is absolutely perfect for me, even with the factory 10-round magazine (pictured above), and the grip texturing is fantastic.  I haven’t exactly figured out why, but the P365 grip texture provides even more grip/traction than what’s found on the P320.  If you have larger hands, you may find it necessary to use the 12-round magazines, which lengthen the grip of the P365.  I carry mine with the 10-round magazine in the gun, and a 12-round magazine in my back pocket.  With 10 rounds (plus one in the chamber), and 12 in my spare magazine, I have 23 round available to me in a gun that I can comfortably carry in my pocket.  That’s mind-blowing to me.

Despite its diminutive size, the P365 is a genuine pleasure to shoot.  I was expecting quite a bit of “snap” be the P365 was very controllable with a number of different bullet weights I’ve tested.  This should make the P365 as popular with woman as it is with men.

Whether you use the SIG Sauer P365 as a primary defensive pistol for concealed carry, or a backup to your primary weapon, the P365 is a fantastic weapon with a multitude of possible uses.  It has quickly and easily replaced my S&W M&P Shield as my pocket carry pistol of choice – no easy task.  Between the smaller size, the greater ammunition capacity, and how well the gun feels and shoots, it was an easy decision.

As a supplement to this written photo review, I’ve also recorded a video supplement: