FOG HORN
December 2019 Twobirds Flying Publications
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact
Copyright 2019, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm MicroCompact By: Sal Palma
I have to confess that I’ve been a SIG fanboy for years, at least as far back as the German P6 which remains one of the best 9mm pistols made, to date. Its only shortcoming was the miserly 8+1 capacity. Having made that disclosure, I now feel lily pure and free from any bias. I’ve carried a KelTec P3AT for years, but only as a backup. That decision has nothing to do with the fact that it is chambered in 9mm kurz (.380 ACP). I’ve simply never considered it a viable standalone CCW choice because of its tiny size which does not provide a suitable purchase especially in my chunky hands.
2019
Having no previous hands-on experience with the original P365, I was somewhat apprehensive when SIG announced the microcompact P365 SAS (SIG Anti Snag). I had a nagging question about the company’s latest addition to the P365 family that needed answering. Would it prove to be an effective and reliable CCW platform? One of the salient issues with the traditional CCW compact and semi compact designs is their potential for snagging on clothing as you draw the weapon from a pocket or holster. During the draw, the pistol’s external sights, hammer or other control surfaces could catch on a garment, a concern that can be laid to rest with the SAS. It’s a striker fired pistol and on visual inspection all sharp edges and corners have been eliminated; SIG has gone through great pains to eliminate any possibility of a snag. The SAS has no external safeties, no external sights and all controls, like the slide lock and takedown lever, are recessed.
Starting with the controls, SIG replaces the traditional takedown lever with a flat head screw and recesses the slide lock which is located directly behind the takedown screw. Locking the slide open is straight forward and can be done with the thumb of the strong hand. However, you can forget releasing the slide on
Copyright 2019, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact an empty magazine, or a full magazine for that matter. To chamber a round, you’ll have to slingshot the slide. Field stripping the P365 SAS is a bit more cumbersome due to SIG’s implementation of the slide lock and takedown screw, but it’s accomplished using the customary procedure: 1. Remove the magazine and clear the weapon. 2. Lock the slide back. 3. Rotate the takedown screw clockwise so that the slot is horizontal to the frame.
a. An issue I brought to SIG’s attention is the lack of a tool to operate the takedown lever, so you’ll need a coin or other device to rotate the takedown screw, not a huge deal, but not having a tool may result in surface scratches on the pistol’s polymer frame. 4. Release the slide and pull it off the frame.
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One of the things you’ll notice immediately when handling the SAS pistol is the porting on its 3.1 inch barrel. Barrel porting attempts to mitigate one of the more frequent complaints about subcompact or micro-compact pistols which are their muzzle flip, and to a lesser extent their punchy recoil. But, physics can at times be ruthless and the reduced mass of the micro-compact platform translates to a heavier recoil impulse and consequent muzzle flip. Porting of the barrel reduces muzzle climb so the shooter can stay on target more easily.
Beyond slide serrations and grip texturing, both of which enhances ergonomics, the single most significant design decision made by SIG was eliminating the traditional external sights substituting them instead with what SIG describes as the FlushMounted FT Bullseye Fiber-Tritium Night Sight, a sight made by MEPROLIGHT USA. The sight’s fiber-optic / tritium combination produces an extremely bright sight picture in daylight and in lowlight the tritium insert takes
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact
2019
over. Like a reflex sight, this is an extremely fast sight.
Most subcompact pistols are limited to an 8+1 or 6+1 capacity. SIG ships the P365 SAS with two 10 round magazines giving shooters a snag free 10+11 micro-compact CCW pistol. One magazine ships with a pinky extension the other with a flush floor plate. SIG also has a 12 round magazine available for the P365.
Size matters and no pistol will perform well if you can’t control it. SIG’s P365 SAS falls somewhere between the venerable KelTec P3AT and the Glock 43.
The SAS with an overall length of 5.82 inches and a height of 4.06 is only slightly larger than KelTec’s P3AT with a length of 5.2 inches and a height of 3.5 inches.
The P365 SAS with its “double stack” 9mm magazine is certainly wider than the single stack P3AT.
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SIG SAUER also offers a 12 round magazine for the P365 Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact
2019
The Glock 43 is a bit larger than the P365 SAS with an overall length of 6.26 inches and height of 4.25 inches with a magazine capacity of 6 +1 has a slimmer grip compared to the SAS 10+1.
The SAS has a slide width of 0.91 inches compared to the Glock 43’s 0.87 inches. In spite of its micro-compact size the P365 SAS has excellent ergonomics and does not feel like a micro-compact pistol in the hand. The grip angle and grip texture, which are very well done contribute to an excellent purchase. The SAS sits low in the hand due to its slimmed down beavertail area and a generous trigger guard undercut. Generally speaking, a pistol with a lower bore axis exhibits better recoil management and reduced muzzle flip.
At the range, the P365 SAS performed flawlessly. It digested bulk 115 grain, 9mm ball with zero failures to feed, fire or eject. The barrel porting does an excellent job of taming the customary snappiness of a pistol in the SAS size and weight. Moving on to Creedmoor’s 9mm, 124 grain, XTP +P, the felt recoil was a bit more noticeable but not bad at all. I have to confess liking the SAS dragon like discharge from its barrel porting. It has a Harry Potter like quality that attracted other shooter’s attention. But, even with Creedmoor’s very hot 9mm load, the SAS, once more, performed flawlessly. Of 150 rounds fired not a single hiccup from a pistol that was straight out of the box.
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact
The FT Bullseye sight is clear and visible but they do take a bit of getting use to. However, if I can get you to overlook my two fliers out of a 10 round group, the results were impressive. The P365 SAS is not a target pistol and unless you like pointless challenges, I would forget 25 yard targets, but at 5, 7, 10 or 15 yards, you own it. The FT Bullseye sight is fast and an excellent combat sight. In low light conditions the tritium insert does its job; in daylight, the fiber optics kicks in and you’ll think you’re looking into a Buick’s headlight. Micro-compact CCW pistols are not range guns so most shooters practice very little with their firearm, which is contrary to what they should be doing; SIG’s P365 SAS will change that because it’s such a joy to shoot. One final comment or best said interesting observation.
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will tell you, defensive shooting is a close quarter engagement; therefore, there’s a high probability that your weapon’s muzzle will contact the assailant’s body. With many of the semi-automatic pistols on the market, that muzzle contact unlocks the breach and the pistol will not fire. Whether by accident or design, the P365 SAS will fire even if the slide moves slightly rearward during body contact. The key word here is slightly. I’ve also heard several comments suggesting that the SAS shooter is at risk of being burnt by escaping gases from the barrel porting. At no time did I feel at risk, nor did I feel anything other than normal temperature gradients. If you burn your support hand thumb is only because you’re distracted and if you are distracted you shouldn’t be behind a firearm. But, if you’re still worried about your support hand thumb, try accessorizing your SAS with Streamlight’s outstanding TLR6.
The P365 SAS was designed from the ground up to be a defensive pistol, and as most trainers Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
SIG SAUER P365 SAS 9mm Micro-Compact Not only will you get tactical illumination with a laser aiming pointer, you’ll also give your support hand thumb something useful to do. In closing, referring to SIG SAUER’s P365 SAS as a Glock 43 killer constitutes poor analysis as one is an apple and the other an orange. SIG has taken the P365 micro-compact pistol and perfected it for deep concealment. The SAS can be carried holstered or in cloth, like trouser pockets, coat pockets or virtually any garment you can think of. The SIG P365 SAS is the ultimate defensive deep concealment pistol; it’s an effective and reliable platform, and with its 10+1 capacity of +P 9mm stopping power you’ll want to own one. -SP
2019
Manufacturer Specification CALIBER 9mm Luger ACTION TYPE Semi-Auto GRIP TYPE Blk Polymer GRIP COLOR Black FRAME SIZE Micro-Compact FRAME MATERIAL Polymer SLIDE FINISH Nitron SLIDE MATERIAL Stainless Steel BARREL MATERIAL Carbon Steel ACCESSORY RAIL N/A TRIGGER Striker TRIGGER TYPE Standard BARREL LENGTH 3.1 in (78 mm) OVERALL LENGTH (IN) 5.8 in (148 mm) OVERALL WIDTH 1.0 in (27 mm) HEIGHT 4.1 in (104 mm) WEIGHT (OZ) 17.8 oz. (500 g)
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved