Sig P365 SAS Review

The Sig Sauer P365 concealed-carry gun is one of the most popular on the market. The new P365 SAS was introduced by the manufacturer to capitalize on this success. This variant differs from the regular P365 in some ways. The controls and sighting system are the most obvious features. However, there are a few minor differences. We will cover every detail to help you decide if the Sig Sauer P365 SAS is the right gun. This is our Sig P365 SAS Review.
Table of contentsRole-Based Off SizeAIWB (Appendix Inside Waistband) CarryPocket CarryFeatures MagwellGrip/ErgonomicsGeneral FeelTexturingSlideSightsGetting A Sight PictureAccuracy Sig P365 SAS ReviewTo Sum It UpControlsMag ReleaseSlide StopTrigger Sig P365 SAS ReviewAftermarketMaintenance Sig P365 SAS ReviewAestheticsSig P365 SAS Review ShootingClosing Thoughts
Role-Based Offsize
The Sig P365 SAS is exactly the same size as the Sig P365. It’s a small 10-round 9mm. It’s compact size makes it easy to carry.
AIWB (Appendix Inside Waistband) Carry
The short slide is a good option if you have a gun appendix. This gun’s short slide is less comfortable if you want to conceal carry. This is because the gun’s short slide will ensure that most of its weight is above your beltline. The gun will then tip out from your body. This will force the muzzle into your groin, creating a hotspot. If you plan to carry an appendix, you will want to choose a gun such as the Sig P365 XL.
Sig P365 SASSigP365 SAS New and Pre Owned
StockGuns.com
Carry in your pocket
The Sig P365 SAS was designed for pocket carrying. The gun has very low profile sights and controls that are designed to prevent snagging. This gun is ideal for this style of carrying as it is designed to be non-snaggy.
It might be too large for most people to carry around. I am 6’4″ tall and 175 lbs. I wear regular-cut jeans. This gun will take up most of my pocket in that pant style. It can work with the right pocket holster. But this is something you should consider. A smaller gun will suit most people better.
Features
The Sig Sauer P365 SAS includes two ten-round magazines. One of them has a pinky extension. This is ridiculous considering the gun was designed for low-profile carry. Instead of offering you the choice of either or, they should have sent it with two flush-fit magazines.
It would have been nice to have shipped the gun with an extra flush fit base plate so that you can run both flush-fit magazines. This gun has a great capacity and you can carry more rounds.
Sig offers both 12- and 15-round extended mags for its Sig P365. The 15-round magazines are too long and not something I recommend carrying, especially with the SAS. However, the 12-round mags might work if you have this gun IWB. Although the 15-round magazines may work, they will add length to the gun’s overall size.
Magwell
We might not need to discuss the magwell on Sig Sauer P365 SAS. This gun is designed for conceal-carry and pocket carry. It’s not one you’ll be reloading very quickly. The Sig P365 SAS is a quick gun to reload if you want to speed reload. The magwell is not super well-designed, but the grip is so small that the magazine fits inside your hand. This allows the gun’s grip to act as a funnel to the magazine.
Reloading a Sig P365 gun like any other Sig P365 will cause the magazine to stop dropping from your hand. To get the magazine out of your gun, you will need to lose your grip. As I stated, this gun is not one I would recommend for reloading at sub-speed.
Grip/Ergonomics
The ergonomics of a firearm can make or break it, and the Sig Sauer P365 SAS is no exception. Below, we’ll go over them in depth and detail.
General Feeling
The overall feel of the Sig P365 SAS feels good. It is small enough to fit comfortably in your hand and will work well with anyone with larger hands. The small circumference of the gun might be a problem if you keep it inside your waistband. It forces you to place more of your hand between the gun and your body, making it slower to draw.
Although this doesn’t seem like a major issue for most people it can be if your hand is trying to draw the gun quickly. This might not be an issue if your hands are smaller, but it could be a problem if you have larger hands.
The grip of the Sig P365 SAS is excellent. It takes me a lot longer to get a grip on the gun if I draw it from the holster, especially if I am comparing it with the Springfield Hellcat’s slightly larger grip.
Texturing
The P365 SAS texturing is superb. It acts as a light sandpaper wrapped 360 degrees around the grip. It does a great job of holding the gun in place and doesn’t move around in your hands.
It’s not too rough and will work well for both experienced shooters with callused hands and newer shooters who don’t have those calluses yet. I think Sig really nailed it on the texture of the P365. This is the same texture they use on the SAS.
Slide
The Sig Sauer P365 SAS has the same slide as the regular P365, but there is one exception: there is no cutout to place a front sight. The slide’s front is completely smooth, with the exception of the slide serrations. The slide serrations won’t snag so that’s a good thing.
Sig P365 SASSig P365 SAS
New and pre-owned
StockGuns.com
It is always nice to have the option of using either the forward or rear slide serrations. The slide’s finish is slightly matte. The slide has a matte finish with a slight texture that gives it a bit more grip than a finished wood.
The original Sig P365 SAS top was ported to control recoil. Some claim that this caused the gun to lose some velocity. With a 9mm barrel, this could pose a problem for ballistics. I haven’t had the opportunity to shoot one of these guns, nor did I put it through a chronograph.
Sig Sauer is currently manufacturing the P365 SAS with the ported barrel removed. This allows you to get full velocity and doesn’t cause any problems for your vision at night. As I said, I have not had the opportunity to shoot these guns, nor did I shoot them in low-light conditions. I cannot therefore verify that the slide’s porting would cause problems with night vision. However, this was a concern that many others had.
Sights
The sights on the Sig P365 SAS gun are the real centerpiece. The sights use a system called the Meprolight Bullseye sight, which was introduced by Meprolight two years ago. The sight is quite unique. It contains fiber optics and is also charged with Tritium. So during daylight, you will see a bright bullseye circle with a front sight, followed by a ring around the ring that is charged with the fiber-optic. The Tritium charges the optic at night, theoretically.
One thing I will mention is that Sig uses Meprolight as their supplier. Meprolight sights are generally not the most reliable. I’ve seen many of their Tritium vials stop glowing and lose gas. I have seen more SigNight sight dead than any other brand when they arrived at the shop. This was the issue that I encountered with my first Sig P365 SAS, so it is something you might want to remember, especially in low-light conditions.
The charging of the night-sight itself is the only way to see it. You can test the sight in your store by covering it with your hand and seeing if it glows. Even on working sight, it doesn’t glow very strongly so make sure you have some ambient light to charge the fiber optics.
Take a Sight Picture
Many people believe that the bullseye-style sight works like a red dot. This means that you pull the gun up and aim at the target, then place the sight on it. This comparison is not accurate for me. The red-dot allows you to focus on two planes when you use it. One is the target, and the other is the red-dot. Traditional sights have three planes: the target, the front and rear sights. The bullseye-style setup looks more like that.
It all boils down to how you focus on the target and how you intend to do it when you shoot. It can be difficult to pick up the bullseye sight. It’s similar to a red-dot, in that you need to learn a technique. You can target focus and it’s not the easiest sight system to pick up.
Depending on the lighting conditions, I have also experienced issues with the rear lenses reflecting in a certain location and allowing a little too much light to one side or another. It is possible to see this issue if you are in very specific lighting conditions. If you view the rear lens as a tunnel, reflections will be visible on one or both sides depending on the position of the sun in the sky. This is not something that you will notice when handling the gun indoors or in a gun shop.
Accuracy Sig P365 SAS Review
Also, accuracy with the bullseye sights can be a concern. The bullseye-style sights aren’t the most precise in the world. They also don’t show precise movements. They won’t leave you second-guessing too much. They won’t be able to tell you if you are significantly off-target. This is not an issue if you are shooting within seven yards, as you would in most self defense scenarios. However, if you get out further than that, it will likely make it more difficult to shoot.
Sig P365 SASSig P365 SAS
Pre-Owned and New
StockGuns.com
They don’t focus as well as a red spot with your eye when it is about the planes. This makes it much more difficult to focus on the target with only a minimal sight image than with a red spot. It’s slightly more difficult than it would be with traditional iron sights.
I don’t see any advantages to this system if you are carrying the gun IWB. A snag-proof system might make sense if you carry it in your pocket.
It’s all in one place.
These sights are a bit of an abomination, but I do like the idea. It’s very interesting and reminds of the ASP pistol which was the first concealed-carry firearm that was custom-built for defense. It was also quite unusual at the time. It was cool, it had an eclectic feel, and that’s exactly what this SAS variant is.
There are many people who really believe the firearm is superior to standard iron sights. If you want a gun that is easy to use with gross motor skills, you might be better off buying a standard Sig P365. They are easier to learn and less difficult to practice. They won’t be as precise as normal iron sights. Personally, I prefer big dots over normal iron sights. However, if speed is an issue, big dots will be easier to pick up than this style.
This gun is not for you if you don’t practice a lot. It will be difficult to learn the sights. You can train with them if you do a lot of practice. However, traditional iron sights or a RED dot are what I recommend overall.
Controls
When it comes to controls, the Sig Sauer P365 SAS is a bit different from the regular Sig P365. To keep things low-profile, they’ve done a lot differently with this gun.
Mag Release
The magazine release on Sig P365 SAS was disappointingly not different from the regular P365. The magazine release on the Sig P365 frame was not reduced to any degree. However, a heel-style magazine release would have made more sense for this gun. You probably think I am crazy if you read this in 2021.
A magazine release in the heel-style style is something that was very common on European pistols around the turn of this century (meaning 1899-1901, not 1999-2000). It was a common design on older pistols and it would make sense with this gun. This gun is intended for pocket carry and situations where speed reloads are not likely to be an issue. This would have made the gun very cool and unique, but it is also what makes me a gun nerd. It wouldn’t have been the best sales choice for Sig, but it would have made this gun better overall.
Sig P365 SASSig P365 SAS
Pre-Owned and New
StockGuns.com
Alex, the manager of my gun shop, was the one who pointed this out to me. He’s actually inspired me to 3D-print a frame to fit the P365 SAS and add an adjustable heel release. Although it sounds strange, I think the gun would look great with this feature. It would also tie everything together.
Slide Stop
This gun’s slide stop is almost non-existent. Although technically there is a stop, it will not function as a slide release. You could press down with your fingernail if you had to. But it won’t work unless you have strong nails. This gun is best operated with the slide. To get the gun to work, you will need to reload the gun.
Side note: They also removed the P365’s take-down lever and replaced it by a flathead screw. The entire section is now flush with the gun. The slide release and take-down lever are now lower-profile. However, this doesn’t reduce snag hazards. It is a nice touch that makes the gun seem more sophisticated.
It almost seems pointless without a heel-style magazine release. The regular release is just as likely to snag the gun as the slide stop or take down lever. They could have switched to the bullseye sighting and called it snag free.
Trigger Sig P365 SAS Review
The trigger on the Sig Sauer P365 SAS trigger is a standard P365 trigger. It starts with a light take up, then you reach a wall where creep will set in, followed by a rolling break. The rolling break and creep will trigger the reset. It’s a great trigger and is ideal for defensive use.
I can shoot this gun at silhouette distances of up to 100 yards with a normal set iron sights. Although I doubt I could do it with the bullseye-style sights I believe I can. This gun is difficult to shoot beyond seven yards without extreme concentration, if you want extreme accuracy.
Aftermarket
There are many aftermarket options available for the Sig Sauer P365 series, and most of them will work with P365 SAS. Although you won’t be mounting standard iron sights on the gun, any accessory compatible with the Sig P365 will work. You can mount an XL frame or swap out any internals, triggers, barrels, and so forth.
Some companies have adapter plates that allow one to remove the bullseye-style sighting system from the mount and mount a red dots. This was a big deal when the SAS variant first came out. Sig Sauer didn’t offer a factory red dot cut Sig P365. But now they have the Sig P365 X with an XL frame and a P365 slide. It’s probably a better idea to buy the gun and then add a P365 frame, but you always have the option to remove the bullseye system and mount a red dot using an adapter plate.
Maintenance Sig SAS Review
The Sig P365 SAS is going be a little more difficult than others because you won’t be able to use a regular lever to take down the gun. Instead, you will need to lock the slide back and then use a drill to take it down. It’s easy to rotate the lever 90° with the screwdriver. Once the slide is removed, you can easily take the gun apart like any other standard firearm.
Aesthetics
This gun is very attractive from an aesthetic standpoint. Its slimline appearance makes it look great. I also like it from the right-hand side. The magazine release on the left-hand side of the firearm just bothers me. It doesn’t look right next to the slimline slideblock and take-down lever. It would have been great if they had made the heel magazine release. (I know you’re tired of hearing me talk heel magazines, but it would have tied the entire gun together.
Sig P365 SAS Review Shooting
Shooting the Sig P365 SAS can be very similar to shooting a regular P365. It’s a small gun with a great recoil impulse and is very easy to shoot. The sights are the real problem. One thing I will mention is that the majority of the P365 SAS sights don’t come zeroed from factory and that there is no way to adjust them. They are naturally slightly off-center. This is a problem because there is no way to adjust their style of sight.
Sig P365 SASSig P365 SAS
New and pre-owned
StockGuns.com
This sighting system is, as I mentioned before, cool in theory but difficult to use in practice. It is impossible to get the windage right-to-left correct, and then calculate your elevation. This style of sighting system is difficult to manufacture.
This means that they must be much tighter than is possible for a gun of this price. Meprolight and Sig also have to meet their manufacturing tolerances. To get the guns to fire properly, you rely on two companies for perfect quality control.
Closing Thoughts
I have to give Sig credit for their innovation and their idea of bringing this product to market. But they did not succeed on a few points. The sight itself should have some form of user adjustment. This would allow for user error as well as to account for manufacturing tolerances. I can’t help but harp on the heel magazine release. A heel magazine release would have made the gun a true enthusiast’s gun, and given it a new perspective for many shooters.
I hope that Sig will offer this option, or someone will develop it on the aftermarket. It would be much easier than one would think. Although this is a great gun, it’s probably best to buy a standard Sig P365 or one its other variants. Although the sighting system is great, it’s probably better to have something else. If you are looking for a comprehensive, easy-to-use sighting tool, I recommend a Sig P365 equipped with a red dot and a Sig P365 equipped with big dots.
Similar Articles
Like this:Like loading…