Sig P365 9MM - First Range Trip

A post from yesterday in another thread. Previous to shooting it. (New somewhat better pic):

"I called Academy this mid AM and they said they got two in this morning. Turns out they will not take the trigger lock off for you to look at it, making it tough to get a feel for the grip, much less the trigger pull. It will go against the Shield I have (Which I like a lot) very soon.

Jeb Stuart said:

Not too sure about the big ass take down lever on the gun. Trying to understand why Sig did this on a CCW. Hardly snag free.

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In person it isn't that "big", and doesn't want to catch on stuff. Could be thinner, but not an issue IMHO. Doesn't stick out any more than the slide catch and tapered so it's thin and rounded on the front/back edges. YMMV of course.

Where the Shield is long in the grip front to back, especially compared to how thin it is, the P-365 is a little wider and is short front to back. Big difference there. If you have long hands/fingers it may be an issue. My hands are wide/medium length. Almost all "large" gloves are too small and many "XL" gloves are tight on me. Grip is manageable dry firing. I could stand the grip to be longer, I definitely won't be carrying the flush fit mag, but have not been using the short mag on the Shield either.

Trigger is lighter/shorter, reset is shorter. Nice.

Sights? Yet to be decided. Need target time. Night sights are a plus (Unless you don't want them), but at $500 you do pay for them. The white dot on the front sight of the Shield is easier to pick up with bad eyes and no glasses inside, dunno about outside.

With the Shield and the P-365 mags fully loaded (8 & 10) with nothing in the chamber the overall weights are too close to tell without a scale. The Shield is front (Slide) heavy and the P-365 is grip heavy, making the Sig "feel" lighter in the hand.

Jeb Stuart said:

Regardless, there are quite a few great sub-compacts out there.

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No doubt about it compared to a few years ago."


Comparison Pic with the Shield.

Today I took the P-365 to the range with various ammo to test the functionality, see how I liked the sights, and see how it shot for me. I shot the Shield with the same ammo for a recoil comparison.

I brought some "full power" 90 Gr JHPs ("Little Lasers"), some factory RG 95 Gr JSPs, some plated 124 Gr "plinkers", some "full power" 125 Gr JHPs (RMR MPR), some "full power" 125 Gr JSPs, and some Factory 124 Gr HSTs.

I liked the green circle around the tritium insert out in the daylight even more than I expected after seeing it only inside. In low light under the awning it tends to look black, but out in the sunlight it is bright and easy to pick up with old eyes that need readers to see sights clearly. I did all my shooting today without glasses. The green front was easy to pick up and aim using only it or the rear as well. I also did a little bit of point shooting also, not using the sights at all.



I shot 10 rounds of each load, not including the Fed HSTs, through the P-365 and then a couple of the same thing through the Shield for a recoil comparison. (10 yards to the berm) Recoil is similar, but I give a very small edge in comfort to the P-365. I figure it is because there is more weight in the grip and the grip is wider and flatter in the rear.

After the first ten rounds of each load and the comparison shots in the Shield I loaded up 10 of each load again and shot them fairly rapid fire. All of the shooting so far was at a plastic insert from a 50 round ammo box on the berm at 10 yards. Even though most shooting wasn't carefully aimed it was much worse for wear at the end of it all.

Then I picked out two of each of the loads, except for the Factory HSTs, fumbled them around in my hand, then loaded that 10 rounds into the mag in no particular order. I did this three times for a total of 30 rounds. I did this firing one handed.

The loaded chamber indicator on the P-365 is very large and it made it easy to see the round inside. I like that a lot. Too bad they don't put 9MM on the barrel like the Shield has. I like that too.


All done with that part of the testing.

Then I went back to the table in the shade, set up the chrono, and got some numbers.

All with 3" P-365. 73 Degrees 35% Relative Humidity. Sunny with some clouds.

90 Gr JHP. (RMR) ("Little Lasers") ("Full Power") 1.065 +/- .001 OAL
Hi=1297
Lo=1235
Avg=1268 (3" EMP (Fast Barrel) did 1313 at an earlier date)
ES=62
SD=24

95 Gr JSP. (RG Factory) 1.060 +/- OAL
Hi=1174
Lo=1139
Avg=1155
ES=33
SD=15

124 Gr Plated Plinker 1.060 +/- OAL
Hi=930
Lo=913
Avg=920 (3.1" Shield did 885 at an earlier date)
ES=17
SD=6

125 Gr JSP (Master Match) ("Full Power") 1.125 +/- .001 OAL
Hi=1121
Lo=1101
Avg=1110 (3.1" Shield did 1099 at an earlier date)
ES=20
SD=8

124 Gr JHP (RMR MPR) ("Full Power") 1.070 to 1.075 OAL
Hi=1035
Lo=1013
Avg=1025 (3.1" Shield did 1021 at an earlier date)
ES=22
SD=9

124 Gr HST (#P9HST1) 1.100 +/- OAL
Hi=1076
Lo=1048
Avg=1062
ES=28
SD=11

After the chrono testing I loaded it up with 10 rounds of the factory HSTs twice and shot them at the plastic insert which was still at the berm, but now 40+ yards away. made it dance.

So all in all I shot nearly 200 rounds of various power levels, types, and OAls through the P-365. Most two handed, but some one handed (the mix and match loaded mags)

No special preparation, I just took it out of the case, looked to see that it was sufficiently oiled from the factory, had no obvious issues, the bore was clean and free of trash, and just loaded it and shot it.

There were no failures of any kind. I'll take that.

I like this pistol a great deal. if it had another 1/4" of grip length I would absolutely love it. My pinky barely hangs on the extension on the 10 round mag. Another 1/8" would be nice, and another 1/4" would be awesome.

I am not sure how you compare it to the Shield, as they are two different sizes. I like both, I like the P-365 a little bit better in some ways, and I shoot it better "point" shooting. (It did really well for me here.)

Is it worth another $200 over the Shield? They are both very nice pistols, and $200 is a lot for night sights. Which would I recommend? Both, and shoot them both to see which you like better.

Am I happy I bought it? Yes, I am ( Very pleased and relived, $500 isn't pocket change.)

Is it worth the $200 over the Shield, saving up longer, or doing without longer to catch up after buying it? I have to say that for me the answer is yes, it is, and will be. Pricey? It surely isn't cheap. I paid $300 for the Shield which I was very happy with.

Two pics in my hand for comparison.


I guess I should have laid a ruler across it.

The trigger. Hmm. Great for self defense and fast shooting (IMHO, I am no guru), a bit like a DA revolver but shorter and smooth throughout. The "break"? Kind of just lets go. I like it, but it isn't the kind you bring just to the point of breaking and then edge past it when you are ready. Just a nice smooth take up until it lets go. Then when it lets go it keeps some pressure on so it doesn't want to jump like some do when they "break"/release the mechanism. I did not take any targets, but it obviously shot well. I wore that plastic insert out, poor little thing.

Walkalong said:

I guess I should have laid a ruler across it.

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From the tip of the muzzle to the tip of the the back of the frame it is almost exactly 5.8".

From the top of the slide to the bottom of the tip of the mag extension it is almost exactly a hair under 4.5".

bannockburn said:

The trigger sounds a bit like the one on my Kahr CM9

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On the Kahr I had the issue with the trigger for me was how far back I had to pull it, plus the fact that it was rotating up some at that point. My finger was so scrunched up trying to finish the trigger pull it made it tough to shoot well. No issue like that with this Sig.

Fiv3r said:

If they ever drop to around $400, I will be hard pressed not to buy one.

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Hopefully we will see that, surely they have some wiggle room in there.

Maybe a longer grip size Sig? Hmmm.....

I have discovered the 12 round mag for the P-365.


Looks like the additional 1/8" plus I would like.

Atlantic Tactical had the lowest price I saw and actually had them in stock. Stuck me on shipping ($9), but I ordered one.

Yea, but changes it from a micro compact "pocket gun", albeit a large pocket, to a sub compact that will fit in far fewer pockets. I did not envision it as a pocket gun though. Like the Shield has been doing, it will stay on a magnet under the dash to the right side of the steering column in easy reach while driving, then slipped in my waistband when I get out.

I have a NAA .22 Mag and a .32 Seecamp for pocket guns. My wife's father gave her a Pico which is a neat little pocket gun, and the Nano looks interesting as one as well. I am way behind the times with my all steel Seecamp.

The first steel plate (10") is at 17 yards from the front edge of the deck. I can stand on the deck and can keep all the rounds from my Shield on it if I am careful, and that will be one of the tests for the P-365, with the 10 round mag. But I mainly need to be able to pull it and put rounds center of mass at 5 to 10 yards relatively quickly. I will practice that of course. I need to finally break down and get an IDPA full sized silhouette steel target so I can do that without having to go the the gun club.

And why I still don't have one. But I am thinking 1/4" @ 10 yards should be fine for this (thoughts?). No doubt 3/8" would be better.