It took a little while to get the new SIG Sauer P365 because it was the talk of this year’s SHOT Show and among the sales staff at Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio. Every time I was in the shop, someone would ask me, “Have you tested the new P365 yet?” And I was met with the same dejected look every time I had to say, “No.” Well, I have one now, and I see what all the excitement was about.

The Sig Sauer P365

The P365 is high-capacity micro-pistol that has exterior dimensions similar to those of the ultra-popular single-stack handguns, but the standard magazine holds 10 rounds of 9mm, and the extended magazine holds 12 rounds. This is a pretty remarkable accomplishment. The P365 is so named because it is designed to be carried comfortably and close to the body 365 days a year. The dimensions and construction of the P365 make this a distinct possibility.

The P365 is a striker-fired, recoil-operated semi-automatic pistol with a polymer frame. Unloaded weight is a very reasonable 17.8 ounces. It’s lightweight enough for everyday carry but has enough weight to absorb the recoil from standard or +P loads. The frame has just the right amount of texturing on the front, rear and sides of the grip in addition to subtle finger grooves at the front of the frame. The P365 comes with two 10-round magazines: one with a flush frame and the other with a slight extension to accommodate the pinky finger without hindering concealment. If you need more room for your pinky, the 12-round magazine should do nicely with very little compromise to concealability. It adds only another quarter inch in length over the extended 10-round magazine. The P365 also includes a proprietary rail which allows the user to attach SIG’s rail-mounted Foxtrot light and Lima laser sight. It has a proprietary rail because the frame isn’t long enough in front to accommodate a light or laser that utilizes the Picatinny rail system.

Barrel

The P365’s barrel is 3.1 inches long, and the overall length is only 5.8 inches. Overall width is only one inch. Overall height with the standard magazine is only 4.3 inches, making the P365 a true full-power, high-capacity micro-pistol.

Operating Controls

The operating controls are as simple as they get. The magazine release is on the left side in the standard position. The slide release is small, but it has enough of a lip for the thumb of the shooting hand to get plenty of leverage. The only other control is the takedown latch.

Outstanding Trigger

The trigger is outstanding. There is no safety lever or articulating safety mechanism built into the trigger.  It has a smooth, comfortable face. After ¼ inch of take-up comes an extremely light and crisp let-off.  The P365’s trigger is the closest to a true single-action let-off on any pistol of this type that I have tested.  It has to be felt to be appreciated.

Slide and Barrel

As the name states, the stainless-steel slide and barrel are coated with Nitron for the ultimate corrosion resistance. The P365 is an outstanding gun to carry inside the waistband in high-humidity climates. The slide has both front and rear grasping grooves. The viewing port at the rear of the chamber indicates that a round is chambered.

Sights

The XRAY3 Day/Night sights are excellent as well. The drift-adjustable rear sight contains two tritium dots on either side, and the rear face is grooved to reduce glare. The front sight is the eye-catcher. Surrounding the tritium dot is a bright green ring that draws the eye to it in either daylight, dim light or indoor lighting conditions. The prominent green ring clearly differentiates the front tritium sight from the rear tritium sights so that there is no possible confusion as one might find with traditional 3-dot sights.

Testing the Sig P365 at the Gun Range

I took the P365 to the gun range with SIG’s new 147-grain 9mm V-Crown Elite jacketed hollow-point ammo. This is a new bullet weight which was recently added to the V-Crown 9mm lineup.

The 147-grain SIG V-Crown load is a standard-pressure load. Factory velocity is listed on the box as 985 feet per second, delivering 317 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. The standard-pressure 124-grain V-Crown delivers 1,165 feet per second of muzzle velocity and 374 foot-pounds of energy. Both are good defensive loads, but the heavier 147-grain load is likely to deliver deeper penetration. If I were packing a 9mm as a trail gun, the 147-grain SIG V-Crown would be my load of choice.

I ran several magazines of the V-Crowns through the P365. As expected, reliability was flawless. The accuracy of the P365 was excellent. I did my test-fire at 25 feet from an unsupported two-handed position. Group size averaged 2 inches. Recoil with the 147-grain bullet was a bit heavier than the 115- and 124-grain loads, but it was certainly controllable. All rounds hit the point of aim.

SIG’s published ammunition velocities have always been very close to my measured velocities — sometimes registering a bit higher. I wanted to see what the velocity loss would be from the P365’s 3.1-inch barrel. When I ran the 147-grain V-Crown load across the chronograph, I was surprised to see that it still managed 948 feet per second — a loss of only 37 feet per second. Muzzle energy at that speed was 293 foot-pounds.

SIG’s New Kydex IWB Holster

SIG included its new Kydex IWB holster with belt clips for my test. Their holster isn’t just some piece of cheap giveaway gear. It is made for SIG by Blackpoint Tactical in Georgia and is stamped with the SIG emblem. The quality is excellent. You can bet your life on this holster, and it’s one you should consider purchasing if you choose IWB carry.

Conclusion on This Micro Defensive Pistol

The SIG P365 is a welcome addition to a crowded field of micro defensive pistols — welcome because it can provide up to a 13-round capacity in a package that normally holds only eight rounds. If you are looking for the best of both the single-stack and high-capacity worlds, then the P365 is the pistol you are looking for. The MSRP is only $599.99.

More info at: www.sigsauer.com