This is one of those guns that I hate to love. It is too small to be comfortable shooting it for long range sessions and can be challenging for me to get my support hand onto in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, the thing shoots like a significantly larger gun, which makes me want to carry it to enjoy the small package and lightweight. Because I might carry it, I then want to practice with it…You can see what I mean.
The truth is that for 150 rounds or so in a range session, the gun is great. It isn’t as fun as shooting a full size 9mm pistol but the performance out of the small package makes it enjoyable enough. There are a bunch of sharp edges in the design of the grip tang and the trigger guard is narrow, so you feel that as a sharp edge too. It really feels to me like shooting a 1911 with an A1 grip safety that hasn’t been de-horned, though the 365 tang is certainly wider than that.
Upon getting my first P365XL, I immediately bought a Wilson Combat grip module for it and liked it better than the OEM module. It added a bit of girth to the grip but I still could not get the base of my support hand wedged in between my fingertips and the base of my firing hand. I also have to deal with shooting Glocks for work and the grip angle caused me issues when transitioning from one brand to the other. My next move was to get a Boresight Custom grip module with the Razorback mod. For me, this points the nose of the gun slightly higher (sort of like a Glock) and adds enough real estate front to rear on the grip that I can now get the base of my support hand into the excellent texturing on the grip.
The next issue I had was the thumb safety. I spent my formative years as a shooter on 1911s and I have always felt comfortable with that manual of arms. Unfortunately, the P365’s little thumb safety is too narrow and too short to work well for my medium/ large hands. Armory Craft has designed an aftermarket safety that is just large enough to work.
To demonstrate how well this gun shoots, I compared it to my off duty Glock 19 using Bill Wilson’s 5×5 Skills Test. I shot the Glock 19 on one day and a week later, I shot the P365XL. I scored a 17.35 with 1 shot an inch out of the 8 inch circle at 9 o’clock for an 18.35 total score with the G19.
With the P365XL, I shot an 18.12, again, with one an inch out of the 8″ circle, though it was down and left, as seen in the picture below. The 19.12 total score isn’t going to impress anyone who shoots IDPA but I felt pretty good about how it compared to the G19, both shot from closed front garments.
I followed this test with Tom Givens’ Rangemaster Master Handgun Qualification Course. I shot a 248 out of 250 on the 50 round course dropping two shots into the 10″ circle, one of them at 15 yards and one at 25 yards.
I further shot Justin Dyal’s Prep Time, though on a 3″ circle rather than the normal 3″ square. I squeaked a 10 of 10 on that, the second time I have done that with the P365XL and something I don’t do every time with full size Glocks. Interestingly, that round that is furthest out to the right was the last round fired. The red dot disappeared between the 1st and 2nd shot from the holster on the last stage. I had to go to the irons, with the practice gun only having the tiny rear notch on the Holosun 507K. When I looked at it after the drill, I saw that I had not kept an eye on the battery tray screw and I suffered the same ignominy that so many others have while I picked up the battery tray and battery off the range deck. I then did the walk of shame to where I had some battery tray screws so that I could put it back in service. The Phillip’s head on the battery tray screw is an indication that McMaster Carr has rescued those who fail to do proper maintenance.
The P365XL is only 4.8″ tall, which is the dimension I have the hardest time hiding. They have a 3.7″ barrel, are 6.6″ in length, and only 1.1″ wide. There is a 12 round magazine flush fit with the bottom of the gun. I can get all of my fingers on the gun and the 20.7 ounce unloaded weight is noticeably lighter and thinner in the waistband than a Glock 26, which is about the same height and length dimensions with a 12 round magazine.
I have had no stoppages with the 3 guns I have. One has 3500 rounds on it, with only a recoil spring change. The other two have between 500 and 1000 rounds on them.
The ability to change the grip module is very useful. My wife’s gun has a Wilson module, while I use the Boresight ones. It is almost like sizing a K-frame Smith by changing stocks or using grip adapters to fit all sizes of hands.
I prefer the newer guns that leave the rear sight in place when the optic is mounted but others prefer the older style. The extractor pin can be accessed on the older style without removing the optic. I use that one as a practice gun, since it will certainly need maintenance before the lower round count carry gun.
I am not always enamored with how the new Sig Sauer does business. However, they are in business to make money and they seem to be doing that well. The 365 series had some issues early but Sig fixed them immediately and it is probably the one series of their guns that I have complete faith in at this time.
I have twice had the magazine come out of the gun when drawing. Both times at the end of the day when I was cleaning out the pockets and such. It was carried in a good holster, so I have not determined how it happened. I have also missed the safety and/ or my grip on the gun if I have not spent considerable time in practice with it. I must drive my hand down onto the middle of the backstrap and then let it slide up under the tang just like I do with a non-beavertail Hi Power or 1911. If I miss hitting the grip correctly, I will end up with the web of my hand over the tang. I think I could avoid this if I did not carry Glocks most of the time but until I retire, the P365XL will have to remain something I dabble with and not something I can strap on and go to town without several days of immersion practice.
I will follow this up, later, with some information on the X-Macro grip module. Some have found that cutting it down to accept 12 round magazines makes a nice grip for larger hands. The Fuse is out, now, though I would need to mate the slide with an X-Macro grip to get the thumb safety.
The P365XL with Boresight Razorback modified grip module is more capable than its size would lead you to believe. It is a little gun that shoots big.
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