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Almost as if inspired by the Maskas Precision/Icarus Precision build, Sig has now released its own full size P365. This new addition to the lineup offers a 4.3" barrel for proper 9mm ammunition performance and 10, 17, or 21-round capacity while maintaining the slim 1.1" width that made the P365 so popular for carry.
What is it? The Sig P365 Fuse is a full-sized handgun based on the P365 FCU. By using an X-Macro-sized grip 17 round and now 21-round magazines can be used and the new slide stretched the barrel out to 4.3" for true 9mm performance. Sig has also dropped the propietary rail for 1913 rail which means a wider variety of accessories can be attached.
Who's it For? This might be one of the most versatile firearm of late. While the on-paper specs of a longer barrel and higher capacity make it sound like a hip anchor, the slimness of the 365 means this could also be concealed by many. The great potential with the Sig P365 Fuse is to have a single firearm that can be good on the range, carried, or as a home defense option.
Take a look at the P365 Fuse in the tabletop video below. Note: This was a media sample sent in advance and so contents may be different from final-production.
Specifications:
(Pricing will be updated as models show up in retail.
Retail price expected to be around $750)
This new size format is an excellent option for those smartly wanting full-size performance, but who have smaller hands and as a result have been stuck with smaller handguns. The width of the original P365 has been preserved, but now there's ballistics and ammunition capacity.
The new Romeo-X Enclosed ($479.99 direct from Sig) red dot is an enclosed emitter; something I think any dot intended for anything other than range use should be. It also sits low enough to permit co-witness with the Dawson Precision sights; an additional feature I would require before carrying a pistol equipped with a dot.
When first trying the Maskas Precision XXL slide the longer sight radius, slower-moving slide, and extra muzzle energy were all greatly enjoyed. With the P365 Fuse we've now gone even further, plus the use of a longer recoil assembly means the recoil impulse might be even smoother. Of course the only fair way to review a firearm and feel for those changes is to follow the same protocol used on pervious models. For GBGuns that includes:
Cold Shots: Truly the first rounds through the gun. No warm up, no practice.
Full Magazine +1: Suprisingly some modern guns still struggle with this. It's a test of how much play is in the magazine as well as how the slide cycles with pressure. This is also when I do my best to learn the trigger.
What's For Dinner™: A test to see what ammunition the gun will eat. Does the gun feed the round from slide lock, will it cycle and feed another round of the same type, does the slide lock to the rear on empty, and is there any notable point of impact change with different loads.
For this gun we used the following ammunition:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
65gr Norma Frangible
70gr Federal Frangible $31.99 / 50 direct from Federal
115gr Winchester Silver Tip $16.56 / 20 at Firearms Depot
115gr Speer Gold Dot $26.59 / 20 at Sportsman's Guide
115gr Hornady American Gunner $18.35 / 25 at Global Ordnance
115gr Blazer Aluminum-cased FMJ $11.99 / 50 at True Shot
124gr Federal Premium Tactical HST $39.99 / 50 at Target Sports USA
130gr Federal Syntech PCC $28.99 / 50 direct from Federal
147gr PPU Defense Line JHP $23.74 / 50 at Sportsman's Guide
165gr AMMO, Inc /stelTH $24.99 / 50 at Palmetto State Armory
Range Ammo was Browning 115gr FMJ $115 / 500 at Ammunition Depot
Sights & Trigger Control: on a 6" spinner target at a distance of 12 yards. We got this from Titan Great Outdoors and use it to gauge how learnable the trigger is and usable the sights are for forced, timed, precise shots.
Practical Accuracy: Five shots from a distance of seven yards at a one inch target. This isn't so much about printing a tight group as it is a culmination of our shooting experience and time for us to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
The entire process for the Sig P365 Fuse w/ Romeo-X Enclosed can be seen in the Shooting Impressions video below.
Ammunition seen in our Shooting Impressions video was made possible by our Patrons and supporters of our ammunition savings account through Ammo Squared.
On the Range both Teya and I were impressed with how nicely the P365 Fuse shot. We expected the longer grip to work well for us as it did once we changed backstraps, but what we did not know was how much of a difference that longer recoil assembly would make. The smoother recoil impulse makes me wonder about other guns that have used the same recoil spring with different length slides and what they might have missed out on.
We had spectacular accuracy with multiple loads and overall a great time with what I think can be the "do all" gun for those who have been looking for something slimmer that still offers full 9mm ammunition capabilities and higher capacity. On the topic of capacity we had one 21-round magazine that did not want to take a 21st round, but this may break in over time.
Another note of learning was in getting better with the P365 trigger. The trigger is not known for being great and some might dislike the length of stroke and weight of it, but, when shot with the "modern" (returning to revolver skills from decades ago) style of simply stroking through the pull for each shot rather than prepping and breaking, we had no issues putting up good groups or firing when we needed to in the Sights & Trigger Control segment.
As we've shown, a similar build can be done aftermarket if you already have a P365 FCU, but this pistol shot differently. I suspect slide mass and recoil assembly made the difference. While the P365 Fuse is still a thin gun, it was very comfortable to shoot and not one I'd be afraid to attend a course with once I've got enough magazines.
