Sig Sauer P320 Review and Range Report (Warning: LOTS of Images!)

[mannus]

I bought The carry w/NS a few months ago and just today took it to the range. Over 300 rounds of cheap 124gr monarch HP, 124gr HPR XTP, WWB 124gr NATO, Winchester 115gr HP,115gr Hornady Zombie max, Samson 115gr NATO ball, Wolf PolyPerformance 115gr steel case, Winchester Train 147gr, Federal 124gr hydra-shok and HST, and finally Remingtom UMC ball. Not one failure of any kind. She is a soft shooter. All the shooting was done at 7 yards(+~2 ft) since this was my break-in assessment. At the end I shot 4 groups of 10 rounds each slow fire.
View attachment 35425

 

[Cool Breeze]

I got a subcompact (no, not the compact) in 9mm at the beginning of the year. I am very impressed with it. The trigger is phenomenal, and it has been 100% so far. I've shot Winchester 147gr HP, Tula Brassmaxx, and Federal aluminum case. It is very easy to shoot, very accurate, and I can hit my gong (18" square) at 100yds with no problem.

 

[cbhausen]

Update: I've owned my P320 fullsize for just over a year now. It has performed absolutely flawlessly with nearly 1,200 rounds down the pipe and not a hint of a stoppage or malfunction of any kind. The pistol was completely stock until a few days ago when I decided to install TruGlo TFX sights. I had Jeff McHenry (J.M. Gunsmithing, Greenwood, IN) push out the SigLight night sights and I had intended for him to install the TFXs a few days later when they came in (I sold the SigLights in the meantime).

Upon receiving the TFX sights I test-fitted them and they fit very well, almost halfway home with only hand pushing. So I drifted them in the rest of the way myself rather than make the 1-1/2 hour round trip. A wooden workbench, polypropylene block, and a hammer did the trick with ease. Being the OCD type I am, I used our shop's surface plate and digital height gauge to get both sights centered on the slide within .002". A laser boresighter confirmed the windage was correct. I will update with a range report once I shoot with these sights. They seem like a nice upgrade but are pricey ($120 plus gunsmithing fees).

On to other observations: The trigger is still terrific, everything I could hope for. The exterior finish of the slide is wearing well; the inside where the barrel rides against it shows what I would call normal wear. The barrel itself has no visible wear near the muzzle and on the ejection side of the locking block. The locking block opposite the ejection port probably shows the most wear, concentrated on the edges and corners. The "expendable" lower (grip module) is harder and more brittle than a Glock or M&P lower and shows every little scuff and scrape but the molded-in gripping surfaces have kept a nice edge.

Really, my biggest complaint regarding the P320 is not with the firearm itself but rather with its ecosystem (or lack thereof). I'd like to be able to get a Safariland ALS 7378 holster for it (although the P250's ALS 6378 works well enough) and I'd like to be able to fit a guide rod laser but LaserMax doesn't have one for this model (yet?).

Here are a few images. No captions necessary, these are self-explanatory:



I don't baby this pistol. It's an EDC, carried openly almost exclusively. I knock it around, bang it into things, and don't keep it meticulously maintained but I know I can stake my life or the life of a loved one on it if the need arises.

 

[TLHelmer]

Hey CB,

When you say "I'd like to be able to get a Safariland ALS 7378 holster for it (although the P250's ALS 6378 works well enough)", what does that mean. I was thinking about ordering one, but am a little hesitant.

 

[cbhausen]

Hey CB,

When you say "I'd like to be able to get a Safariland ALS 7378 holster for it (although the P250's ALS 6378 works well enough)", what does that mean. I was thinking about ordering one, but am a little hesitant.

The 7378 is injection molded and a bit less bulky where the 6378 is thermo formed from sheet and more bulky. The P320's slide is flat on the sides and slightly wider than the P250's so the pistol does not drop right in. The slide drags on the suede lining but makes its own clearance after awhile. Retention is fine.

 

[shootersix]

i picked mine up on monday,its a compact, medium frame 9mm, i paid a whopping 20 bucks for it(thanks nra gun raffle!) i've fondled one or two in the past and was even thinking about trading my glock 19 for it, but since i won one, i guess im going to keep the glock, but the glock has been moved to the back of the safe!

i was somewhat concerned tho, i have a friend who bought one in 357 sig, he called me and told me it was shooting a foot low, and that he was thinking about sending it back to be checked out, he took it out again and said it shot fine, he used a different ammo the second time.

cb after picking mine up on monday and i saw that it had the high contrast sights, and not night sights, i remembered seeing your ad here, and thought hum i could use a set...and looked back 3 pages...then i saw the ad locked! dammit...too late!...then i rembmbered somebody had listed 3 mags too....DAMMIT add locked! missed that one too! (25 bucks each!)

so if i decide to go for night sights, i think i'll go for the truglow tfx sights.

till i find something, i'll just use the holster that came with the gun....now i just have to go shoot the damn thing!

last sunday a friend invited me to redbrush to go shooting(i'm on the waiting list), and we were at the 100 yard line, i'd never shot a pistol at 100 yards, i aimed my m11a1 fired the first shot and rang the gong!, then 9 more shots, and 9 more rings!...all i could think was damn i cant wait to try that with my p320!

 

[TLHelmer]

Thanks for your response!

 

[Hohn]

CB-- based in no small part on your review and the advice of a Glock 19-owning friend who said that the p320 and ppq should top my list of compact 9mms, I went hunting for a p320 compact to look at.

Imagine my impossibly good fortune to walk into Plainfield shooting supply and see a *used* p320 compact! At first grab, I grew weak. When he instantly came down $50, I decided my g20 had to go.

i shot my first two boxes last Sunday. I'm already shooting this better than any other pistol I've fired. It's everything I wanted in a G19, but with better ergonomics-- especially sights and triggers.

I'm so happy with this gun, i can't believe how much I like it.

 

[cbhausen]

...and the P320 is in the running for the MHS contract:

The Top Three Contenders For The U.S. Military's XM17 Modular Handgun System Contract - Bearing Arms - APX, Beretta, Detonics Defense, Modular Handgun System, P320 MHS, Sig Sauer, STI

 

[Expat]

I have been carrying my 320c in one of those Mitch Rosen holsters, I bought from the Sig store.

http://youtu.be/IyBfrf7iitA

 

[Hohn]

...and the P320 is in the running for the MHS contract:

The Top Three Contenders For The U.S. Military's XM17 Modular Handgun System Contract - Bearing Arms - APX, Beretta, Detonics Defense, Modular Handgun System, P320 MHS, Sig Sauer, STI

great, just what we need-- trying to compete with Uncle Sam for parts availability!

 

[cbhausen]

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has selected the P320... This platform is steadily gaining momentum:

https://www.sigsauer.com/AboutUs/FancyBoxNews.aspx?newsid=138

 

[T-DOGG]

CB-- based in no small part on your review and the advice of a Glock 19-owning friend who said that the p320 and ppq should top my list of compact 9mms, I went hunting for a p320 compact to look at.

Imagine my impossibly good fortune to walk into Plainfield shooting supply and see a *used* p320 compact! At first grab, I grew weak. When he instantly came down $50, I decided my g20 had to go.

i shot my first two boxes last Sunday. I'm already shooting this better than any other pistol I've fired. It's everything I wanted in a G19, but with better ergonomics-- especially sights and triggers.

I'm so happy with this gun, i can't believe how much I like it.

 

[T-DOGG]

I have owned, fondled, and fired a serious amount of handguns over the last 5 years. The P320 is hands down the best handgun for me. I have not found a single thing to complain about. It takes everything a Glock 19 has to offer and does it better.

Here's my FDE in 9mm:

 

[Fordtough25]

I read something on facebook yesterday about the FBI and the P320, maybe it's leading the list for their new pistol? I haven't held one yet, I shoot my Glock's and M&P's ok. I love Sig's but don't want to get into a bunch of new stuff, yet again lol. I'm sure I will play with one at my LGS at some point though, only a matter of time.

 

[Expat]

I read something on facebook yesterday about the FBI and the P320, maybe it's leading the list for their new pistol? I haven't held one yet, I shoot my Glock's and M&P's ok. I love Sig's but don't want to get into a bunch of new stuff, yet again lol. I'm sure I will play with one at my LGS at some point though, only a matter of time.

Yeah, apparently the FBI specs eliminate almost every other gun except the P320 so the other gun makers are getting ticked and filing objections.

 

[bjenkins]

T-DOGG you were right! I finally was able to take the 320 to the range yesterday and it is awesome!

 

[T-DOGG]

T-DOGG you were right! I finally was able to take the 320 to the range yesterday and it is awesome!

Everyone praised it at the last CZ shoot also. It does not disappoint. I really need to have my wife shoot it, to try and persuade her to get off her Glock high horse.

 

[mammynun]

I go to ranges and rent guns when I'm traveling out of town. I few months ago I was in Phoenix and rented a Sig 320 and an HK VP9. I liked the 320 a lot more than the VP9, and it may be the next compact I buy, though an M&P9c (with an Apex trigger) is still in the running solely for holster compatibility.

 

[Fordtough25]

Sounds like the P320 is coming along nicely! There's no rental ranges around here so it's buy and play or nada. If I were wanting a new striker fired pistol it would probably be between this and the FNS 9. Alas I have no fun $$$ so my choice is easy. Lol