Intro
Sig Sauer blew our minds when it dropped the all-new Sig Sauer P365 in 2018. It was the original Micro Compact, and the firearms community was changed forever by the little gun that carried 10 rounds and fit in the palm of your hand.
The P365 laughs in the face of the old compromise between size and capacity. With its innovative design, it comfortably nestles 10+1 rounds into a frame that feels like it’s barely there. The P365 slips into your IWB with the ease of a phone into a pocket. And when it comes to performance, this little giant punches well above its weight class, delivering accuracy and reliability that’s got the competition sweating bullets.
Well it did, after a series of problems almost derailed the P365 in the early days. Primer drag became a phrase as the firing pin dragged laterally when fired, and some of them broke completely. It was a mess, but once Sig Sauer fixed these issues then the P365 was a sales sensation.
Probably the greatest compliment the competition could pay the P365 was to come up with their own versions. Now the 9mm micro compact class is one of the most competitive battle fields in the industry. Before the P365 it really wasn’t a thing, and the diminutive Sig is arguably still the cream of the crop.
It has also evolved into a model line in its own right. There are larger Sig P365 firearms for those with bigger hands, custom Sig P365 handguns with premium finishes and features and there’s a mass of Sig Sauer P365 parts & accessories to mod your gun.
The stock gun comes equipped with Sig Night
You get a 10 round flush fitting magazine and another with a pinky extension. The extended magazine options include a 12-round mag and the much longer 15 rounds. But the flush fit mag is the best for concealed carry.
SIG P365 Specification
- Caliber: 9mm
- Capacity: 10+1, 12+1, &15+1
- Barrel Length: 3.1 inch
- Overall Length: 5.8 inch
- Height: 4.3 inch
- Weight: 1.1lb
- Width: 1 inch
- Trigger: ~ 6 pounds (Single-Action)
- Sights: XRAY3 Day/Night Sights
- Slide: Stainless Steel, Nitron Finish
Our Hands-on Test
The P365’s exceptional balance between size and capacity, offering 10+1 rounds in a remarkably small frame, is still amazing to this day. The pistol’s ergonomic design and smooth trigger pull contribute to its shooting accuracy and comfort.
Inevitably it’s tiny, but the gun fills the hand surprisingly well, especially with the pinky extension magazine that helps you curl that last finger round the gun rather than leave it hanging. A heavily undercut trigger guard helps give you a full grip and yet the beavertail prevents slide bit completely. I’ve put more than 1000 rounds through the P365 and have not been bitten once.
Those sights, too, are amazing. That bright green dot at the front shines bright in all conditions, and the two Tritium filled vials at the rear glow in the dark and low light. That’s a massive help when it comes to rapid target acquisition, and Sig placing the sights as far back as possible on the frame does give the longest possible sight picture. That’s a big deal when it comes to a micro compact pistol with a 3.1 inch barrel and makes this a seriously accurate gun up to 25 yards.
Now the trigger pull is long, perhaps a touch too long, but it is smooth and predictable. The reset is short and crisp and it feels precise and tight in every motion. You can’t really ask for much more.
Nothing is perfect, but in this size, the P365 is close. The only real criticisms, if you can call it that, is the snappy recoil and aggressive grip texture that combine to rough up your hands during extended range shooting sessions. And the small size means reloads can be slightly fiddly.
But then it isn’t designed for that. The P365 is a CCW designed to disappear into an IWB and fire a quick burst of shots when you need it most. It’s really good at that…
Test Scores
1. Price: 3/5
The Sig costs a little more than the competition from Glock and about the same as the Springfield Hellcat. It is competitively priced, but it’s rarely the cheapest on offer and is normally at the higher end of the price band for a micro-compact.
2. Accuracy: 4/5
The long sight picture, precision engineered cold hammer forged barrel and superb form mean the P365 is a seriously accurate pistol that can hold its own with a man sized target up to 25 yards in reasonably proficient hands.
3. Reliability
After those early issues with the polymer firing pins dragging along the primer, the Sig P365 has established a near perfect reputation for reliability. In our test, only the gnarliest steel ammo could provoke a failure to feed. With anything like decent ammo, we had no issues in hundreds of rounds and that holds true to our experience with this pistol over the years.
4. Capacity: 4/5
There were plenty of guns that were close to the Sig in terms of size, but it was the capacity that marked it apart. Others have closed the gap since, but at the launch this was the highest capacity micro compact 9mm in the world by a long margin. It is still super impressive you can stuff that many bullets into a gun that basically disappears into your IWB holster.
5. Weight: 4.5/5
The weight is obviously a result of its size, but these are all positive qualities when it comes to a concealed carry. Yes you can argue the low weight adds to the snappy recoil. But this gun’s main reason to exist is to fade into the background for the 99.999999% of your life that you don’t need a gun, but always be there when you do. So the weight and size are pretty much perfect, and the inherent costs are a price worth paying.
6. Ergonomics: 5/5
It isn’t just a small gun, the Sig is a design masterclass. Every control is to hand, the hard undercut trigger allows you get to get a full grip and yet there’s never any danger from the slide. When it is in your holster, the smooth corners mean it never grabs or even chafes.
This is arguably the best gun for women, or people with smaller hands, simply due to its form. The triangle shape magazine release falls easily to hand and the pinky extension magazine pops out easier. A flush fitting mag can sit on your hand and that kind of rules out fast reloads. But that is something you need to experiment with at the range to make a decision.
7. Features: 4/5
Everything you want is here and you can spend more on a gun with an optics ready slide, or visit the parts & accessories store, there’s a ton of upgrades available for this gun. One very cool feature is that the fire control unit is designed to come out. So you can switch over to a custom grip module or even a larger frame.
You can buy a version with a simple thumb safety, but this gun never had the same drop test dramas as the bigger Sig P320 Compact. And all the features you could reasonably expect in a gun this size are here and on point, right down to the fiber optic night sights.
8. Value: 4/5
Make no mistake, this is a sensational gun and serves as an Everyday Carry gun for millions of Americans. It’s consistently one of the best selling micro compacts in the country, it always features right near the top of our list posts and it is a great gun. Now we have choices, and the Sig pricing tends to count against it, slightly, but it’s still worth every cent of the price tag.
Technical Highlights
The P365 polymer framed pistol gave the micro-compact pistol genre its name, XRay3 day/night sights, and a striker-fired mechanism single action trigger. Its innovative double stack magazine design maximizes capacity without increasing the size.
It was that capacity, weight and barrel length combined that set a new standard for EDC pistols back in the day, and it’s still one of the best guns on the market if you’re looking at concealed carry handguns.
Optional Versions and Specs
The runaway success of the P365 meant one model would never be enough, and over time the P365 has evolved into a model line in its own right. You can get a longer barrel, a bigger frame and a variety of specs, Here are the highlights:
1. Sig P365 XL
This is the longer, bigger compact 9mm pistol based on the brilliant micro-compact. It holds up to 17+1 rounds. It’s a different animal really.
2. Sig P365 XMacro
It’s a bigger frame, more ammo and features like a proper accessory rail, It comes with a longer barrel, its optics ready and you shouldn’t confuse it with the shorter P365X, although that is easy to do…
3. Sig P365 SAS
The Sig Anti Snag is basically the original P365 without sights. Sort of…. Instead of traditional sights up top you get Meprolight sights worked into the frame. It’s like a seriously crude red dot, which is only useful at defensive distances, but it does smooth out the few rough edges on this 9mm pistol.
You can get a Sig P365 Equinox, and you can spend a small fortune on a Sig Sauer P365 Spectre Works as well.
Key Reasons to Buy a Sig P365
- High capacity in a compact frame.
- Excellent build quality and reliability.
- Versatile for both new and experienced shooters.
- Extensive aftermarket support.
- Positive reputation and user feedback.
Key Rivals
The P365 often gets compared to the Glock 43, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus, and the Springfield Hellcat, with discussions usually focusing on capacity, size, and personal preference in ergonomics and trigger feel.
Known Issues and Problems
Early models faced some reliability issues with the firing pin, but Sig Sauer quickly addressed these concerns. Always check for the most current model or any factory updates and you might want to avoid older used guns.
Is it California Legal?
The Sig Sauer P365 is now on California’s roster of handguns certified for sale. It’s a recent development, but yes the Sig P365 is California compliant. Just make sure you buy the CA compliant version and pay attention to mag sizes.
Conclusion
The Sig Sauer P365 remains a top contender in the concealed carry market, offering an unmatched balance of capacity, size, and shootability. Its wide acceptance and continued popularity make it a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable EDC firearm.
