The Queen Of The World and I went shooting last weekend because we had this little beauty to break in:
The problem with Florida is that you don't often get a chance to wear a jacket, so a big 1911 isn't always the easiest to conceal handgun. This pistol is tiny, and so can pretty much go anywhere with you. Surprisingly (to me), it's chambered in 9mm (rather than .380 ACP) and can even handle +P loadings. Even more surprising (to me) is that the recoil is very manageable. It's actually fun to shoot despite its diminutive size. SIG claims that the P354 has the lowest bore-axis ratio of any handgun currently manufactured. I haven't checked this claim, but this pistol is not at all "snappy" in its recoil.
Maybe this was why it was the best selling handgun in America a couple years back.
So to the basics: Polymer? Check. Striker fired? Check. Double stack 10 round magazine? Check. Tritium sights? Check. All standard.
We did a couple of upgrades. The grip is really short, and so I ordered some 15 round magazines which add about another inch to the length of the grip. They didn't arrive in time for this review, so the shorter grip doesn't hurt shootability.
We also bought the SIG laser for this pistol. You see that at the bottom of the picture here, right in front of the trigger guard. It's pretty slick - it snapped right in and there's an activation button right where your hands go around the grip. Grab the pistol and the laser comes on; put it down and it goes off. Got to love SIG engineering.
This picture is a little off-center so you can see the laser dot. The laser comes with an Allen Wrench that lets you adjust elevation and windage. I got it mostly dialed in but need to take it back to the range to get it dead on at 7 yards.
Accuracy is fine - this is more accurate than I am. There are some flyers from other targets on the page; all of the SIG's were on the color. Heck, they'd better be with a laser and all. The trigger is great, crisp break.
So what didn't I like? Well, the magazines have really stiff springs - like I-could-only-load-5-rounds stiff. This will work itself out over time.
The grip is really short. The extended 15-round magazines should fix that.
And I'd like a manual safety. That's personal preference, SIG actually makes a variant with one to comply with Massachusetts regulations (spit) - the P365-MS.
Lastly, I do not look forward to the arguments with The Queen Of The World about whose gun this will be. Alas, I think I know how that will play out ...
All in all, I can see why this is such a popular pistol. The component systems are all mature: the striker system from P320, the recoil locking system dates to 1975 (!), and the Fire Control Unit is an updated version of the one from the P320. These components have all been combined by engineers who kept an eye on the overall system, and blend together beautifully.
I'm not any kind of gun or shooting expert. I like shooting, and shoot a fair number of different guns, but I'm really a dilettante. Your mileage may vary, void where prohibited, do not remove tag under penalty of law.
I don't do scientific, repeatable tests. There's no checklist, although that's not a bad idea. I write about what I like and don't like, but it's pretty much stream of consciousness. Opinion, we got opinion here. Step right up.
I'm not a shooting teacher, although I do like to introduce people to shooting.Maybe some day I'll take the NRA teaching class, but until then, you get a dilettante's view. You'll get opinion here, but if you get serious about shooting, you'll want to get someone who knows what he's doing to give you some pointers. It can help.
And oh yeah, shooting things is fun.
10 comments:
Had the same problem with loading the mags in my Springfield XD. Definitely get yourself one of those magazine assist loader thingies. The cheap metal ones work, but after a while will start hurting your fingers. The nicer plastic Magpul ones really work great. Get a couple, keep one in the range bag, keep one in the gun bag if you've got a separate bag for the gun, get one for the ammo box.
They are well worth it. And help you not jab your fingers on the mag lips and the individual rounds won't feel like someone is putting your fingers in a vice.
(First time I shot my XD, did over 150 rounds without the mag loader and my thumb hated me for a week. Next time I shot, did about 200 and the cheesy metal one the other XD came with made loading so darned easy, and I could get all 12 rounds in instead of 8...)
Nice HONEST AAR, and nice to see one that isn't a product advert!!!
dilettante "often used in a disparaging sense"
"History and Etymology for dilettante"
"Italian, from present participle of dilettare to delight, from Latin dilectare — more at delight"
"An admirer or lover of the fine arts, science, or letters; an amateur; one who pursues an art or literature desultorily and for amusement: often used in a disparaging sense for a superficial and affected dabbler in literature or art."
Your interest in things that shoot should not be taken in the disparaging sense that you imply in your review. Au contraire, mon ami. Your insights and observations are useful and helpful to all.
As mentioned above, yes get a Mag Lula device to load magazines, all magazines are difficult to load without one. Why should it become easier as you bust your thumbs getting the rounds in the magazine? Get a pink Mag Lula that you may find it easier to find in your shooting kit. See our friends at Amazon. It is a marvelous invention.
Nothing wrong with having more than one SIG 365 in the family, by the way.
I have the SAS for carry with a laser and shortly after I bought it we got one for the missus. End argument :-) Agree the extended mag is a good thing for grip space. Your group is better than ours, but we both have physical issues and go with the "anywhere on a pie plate is good" theory. Nice to see your real world non-pro-pushing-product experience so we can compare.
I have a P365XL that I'm trying to get spun up on. I have lasers on a lot of my carry guns, but this time I went with a red dot (Sig Romeo Zero). It's being an interesting transition.
Thanks for the review. I have a couple buds with the '365 .. and couple with the smith Shield 2.0. I opted for the Shield Plus because (1) capacity and (2) trigger felt better than Sig's trigger, at least to me and (3) felt/perceived recoil on the Shield 2.0 felt better than the Sig, at least in my hands.
I wanted to like the Sig .. I really did .. but alas, I was lucky to "try before you buy" and am solid w/ my decision.
Lastly, I do not look forward to the arguments with The Queen Of The World about whose gun this will be. Alas, I think I know how that will play out ...
When I bought my SIG P238, after the first day at the range, I thought I had to get one for Mrs. Graybeard. She's going to love it. I did. She did. For the 99% of the year when we don't need a jacket, they're EDC.
And definitely UpLULA (and I had to check the manufacturer to see how they write it). The only drawback to the UpLULA is that in a class I took, it ended up wandering to several other students during breaks to refilling magazines. I've never met anyone that doesn't love them.
I’m with Graybeard. If I were a man of wealth and taste like you… I would have done the his and hers thing with the guns.
I say this based upon my position as a gun expert. (Self proclaimed; I will tolerate no dissension on this issue!😆👍)
As someone (Tam?) mentioned: get the pink version of the loader. Easier to find, and much less likely to wander off while at the range/class,etc.
If I feel an urge to replace my Shield, I may get one.
Post a Comment