Sig P365

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  • Reliability
  • Durability
  • Customization
  • Concealability
4/5Overall Score
Specs
  • Caliber: 9mm & .380ACP
  • Action: Semi-automatic, striker fired
  • Capacity: 10+1
  • Weight: 17.8 oz
Pros
  • Micro compact
  • Chambered in 9mm
Cons
  • Growing Pains on Launch

Some say the Sig P365 opened a new genre in the concealed carry world.

I think it broadened the capability of an already stout lineup of smaller framed handguns. 

Don’t get me wrong, when the Sig P365 was first introduced its near peers were the likes of the Glock 26 and Smith and Wesson Shield. Both these options were significantly larger and heavier and either had the same capacity or less than the new Sig.

Sig has made strides recently to refresh the P365 and has introduced several variations to this lineup.

Model Update Information

Sig Sauer has changed the naming convention of the standard Sig P365 to the P365 Nitron Micro-Compact this gun is the same with the exception of the Nitron coating on the slide.

Our Buy Now boxes all point to the Nitron Micro-Compact version of this gun.

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

Class Defining Features

Modern modularity in an incredibly small package.

There have been several gun manufacturers to make what are essentially copies of the Sig P365. 

Springfield, Smith & Wesson, Ruger and now even FN have entered into the Micro Compact 9mm ring.

Grip

The grip of the Sig P365 is rather small for how much capacity this pistol packs into its frame.

The texture of the grip is very nice, I found it to be the perfect roughness for a concealed-carry handgun.

It isn’t so abrasive that it will wear holes into your garments or give you a rash while rubbing up against your skin all day, but also enough that it plants the pistol firmly in your hand when you go to draw it out of a Harry’s Holster’s Shorty or dirk holster.

The polymer used in the construction of the stock grip feels high quality and durable. 

If you decide you’d like something a little different or something with a little more flair, we will discuss your options a little later.

Magazine

This is where Sig started on the design of this pistol.

sig p365 magazines

The engineers at Sig wanted to bring to market a super slim, high-capacity self-defense handgun.

To do this they engineered the magazine of the P365 to be a hybrid, or something between the traditional single stack and the larger, bulkier double stack that had more capacity.

Sig chose to work with steel mags which saved them a lot of space from being wasted (looking at you, Glock).

This choice also gave them a strong base to begin to build around for the rest of the pistol.

There are a few different mags to choose from. The flush-fitting mag holds ten rounds of your favorite 9x19mm.

This magazine will leave most all adults with a dangling pinky finger below the base plate. For maximum deep concealability, this is probably your best option.

The next magazine has the same capacity as the flush fit, but it has a pinky extension base plate.

I found this magazine had no real purpose in my carry rotation as it is larger, harder to conceal and still held the standard ten rounds. I can see a use for this mag if you are unfortunate enough to live in a state that thinks they can regulate such things as mag capacity. 

The third and my personal favorite of the OEM Sig P365 magazines is the twelve-round extended mag. This magazine offers a comfortable extension along with a plus-two capacity boost. This brings the total round count to thirteen loaded. 

This combination brings the P365 capacity dangerously close to much larger pistols such as the Glock 19

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

Sights

This is where some more options come into play. Sig offers several choices when it comes to sights for the Sig P365.

sig p365 rear sight

My personal Sig has factory night sights. These have somewhat fallen out of favor in the more modern times with pistol red dots taking over almost all aspects of handguns.

Notwithstanding, I still like my tritium night sights and find that in a pistol that is meant for super deep concealability the absence of a few more inches on top of the slide is actually kind of nice. 

sig p365 front sight

Sig has had a rash of the tritium vials used in their night sights going dim before their expectancy, but those issues should be hashed out and corrected by the time of this writing.

If you are to experience any such failure, contact Sig and they should get it taken care of.

Other options available are standard metal sights and of course, any array of pistol optics that you can get your hands on to fit the optic version or you can go the route of having your slide cut to your liking.

Modularity

While not quite the first modern pistol company to have a modular design, Sig is definitely the most mainstream to do so.

Sig’s work on the now-dead P250 and the success of the subsequent P320 line have led their engineers to expand once again to a modular design for the Sig P365.

What this means is you can go to Sig’s website and order the FCU or fire control unit and build out your very own custom P365. This includes the grip module that the FCU sits in.

Legally, the FCU is the registered “firearm” and therefore you can swap out different sizes and or colors of grips.

Sig has recently released the P365 Macro, a .380 version, optics cut and many others.

Controls

Besides using grip modules and an FCU, Sig didn’t depart dramatically from the controls that most American gun owners are familiar with. This means that almost anyone will feel at home quickly when handed a Sig P365.

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

Mag Release

Getting down to the nuts and bolts of the operation of the P365 we come to the mag release.

sig p365 magazine release

Like many modern pistols, Sig Sauer placed the mag release where most people expect it to be, on the grip at the lower portion of the trigger guard. 

The mag release is reversible and has a positive feel and engagement. 

Slide Stop

The slide stop is also located where you would expect to find it, on the left side of the slide. The slide stop is not ambidextrous and is part of the FCU of the P365.

sig p365 slide stop

Its size and shape are small enough to keep accidental engagement next to null, but easily accessible when you need to manually lock the slide to the rear or send the slide home.

Trigger

The trigger is also part of the FCU. Depending on which version of the Sig P365 you have will determine what trigger you have

sig p365 trigger

On the plane Jane P365 you will have a “standard” curved trigger. The trigger is made of metal and feels like quality. There is no built-in dingus for safety found here.

If you choose one of the other various P365’s you may have a flat-faced trigger. The flat-faced trigger helps with trigger control and gives you a smoother cleaner break. I for one can not discern this difference on a self-defense handgun though.

Take Down

Like many of Sig’s polymer pistol offerings, the takedown lever is located forward of the slide release/stop on the left-hand side of the slide. 

Sig P365 Taken down and exploded view

To take the P365 down first make sure the magazine is removed and the chamber empty.

Then lock the slide to the rear and rotate the takedown pin to approximately the 6 o’clock position. Next you will ride the slide forward and off the pistol. There is no need to pull the trigger to disassemble the P365.

From that point, you will have the slide components and frame separated. To further field strip the P365 simply remove the recoil spring assembly and barrel. This is as far as the field strip goes, but you can remove the FCU for cleaning.

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

Styling & Design

Overall the design of the P365 is an instant classic. It has great lines and feels great in the hand. 

It stands out from its competitors, but yet still looks like it would fit right in with any of them in someone’s CCW rotation.

Grip Modules

The aftermarket has really taken hold here with the Sig P365.

There are entire Instagram pages dedicated to custom-made grip modules made out of all types of material, including polymer, aluminum, and some even with wood panels.

sig p365 grip

If you want colors you have options too. 

If you like stippling, you’re covered.

If you can imagine it (and pay for it), it can probably be done to a grip module for the P365.

I absolutely love that this is becoming more commonplace, as it allows the end user to customize the feel of the P365 to their liking.

This should translate to shooting the pistol more (reps) which should translate to becoming more proficient with the manipulation.

The only drawback I can see is those that would modify the operation of the P365 to the point that reliability might become an issue.

However, I also feel that stuff like that would be more than likely done by the end-user and not bought from a third party anyway.

Accessories

Accessories for the Sig P365 are a dime a dozen and growing daily for the P365 platform.

sig p365 rail

SIG Lights

This is one of my marks against the P365. Although I do understand it is a super compact pistol, the decision to not include the industry standard pic rail under the barrel on the dust cover is a real bummer.

This means that companies such as Streamlight have to make mounts specifically for the slot rail that they did include. 

The Streamlight TLR6 is a good choice if you have one of the non-pic railed versions of the P365. While the light output is limited, Streamlight has packed all it can into this light’s tiny footprint.

The other main choice would be the Sig P365 Foxtrot. If you’re interested in just a laser then you can check out the P365 Lima.

SIG Barrels

Just as with the grip modules, there is a multitude of barrels available for the Sig P365.

If you are interested in turning your standard P365 into one of the other models you can even do that with all factory parts from Sig.

You can also create whatever kind of colorful monstrosity you’d like with a ported rainbow-colored barrel and all.

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

Optics

Pistol optics have been a hot subject for some time now. 

As stated, Sig offers OEM slides with an optic cut for the P365. You can also pick up any number of aftermarket slides cut for just about whatever optic can fit on top of the slim P365.

Sig makes its own optic, the Romeo Zero. It is decently small and looks right at home on the P365. 

Other companies also make micro red dots that can be fitted to the P365. Some of these offerings are from Holosun, Trijicon, and Vortex.

As long as you choose to use a relatively well-known brand, it’s hard to go wrong with a CCW optic.

SIG P365 Ammo

As it turns out, Sig likes to have its fingers in everything. They even make ammunition now.

Sigs offerings for 9mm range from 115 GR practice ball ammo all the way up to 147 GR Elite V-Crown Defensive ammo.

If you are one of those people who are super brand loyal, you can have it all from Sig.

Overall

Sig has successfully taken the high points of their P320 program and shrunk them down and modified it so that it created a new niche in the gun community. 

All the major competitors have since designed and released their own versions of this iconic pistol.

Gone are the days of having to choose between maximum concealability and maximum capacity. The Sig P365 is a powerhouse and is here to stay.

sig p365

Sig P365

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 17.8 oz

FAQ

What caliber is the P365?

The P365 is chambered in 9mm, and is now offered in .380 for certain models

Is the P365 good for concealing?

The Sig P365 is designed from the ground up to be concealed easily.

Can you put a light on the P365?

Yes, different models have different ways of mounting so make sure you get the right solution for the model you have.

If you liked our review we would appreciate a share!
Bradley
Bradley

Brad is a Lynx Defense content creator and heads up our social media engagement. He has fifteen years of experience as a local law enforcement officer and is an active member of both GOA and FPC. As a staunch lifetime supporter of the 2A, he enjoys every aspect of firearm ownership and shooting. Brad enjoys sharing his knowledge with others and educating people about their God-given right to bear arms.

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