Sig P365 SAS Review : Another P365 Variant?

I recently had the privilege to get my hands on Sig’s newest model to their line of SAS (Sig Anti Snag) firearms–the P365 SAS. Sig took their successful P365 platform and made some significant changes to make it even better for CCW folks. Did they succeed? Let’s find out…

At first glance, I had my reservations. Some of the new features just seemed too gimmicky. But after firing off a few rounds… I could absolutely see the potential of this gun. And after a few more, I fell in love with one feature, like some other features, and could do without a final feature (but it may be what you’re looking for).

Let’s jump into some of the newest features of the P365 and see why it’s going to shake up the CCW world.

What is the P365 SAS?

It’s no secret that we love the Sig P365 series of handguns – they have genuinely re-defined what a concealed carry (CCW) pistol can be. Super tiny pistols with super high capacity!

Recently Sig has announced two additional models of the P365 handgun line: the P365 XL and now the P365 SAS.

This new “SAS” model of the P365 is the “Sig Anti Snag (SAS)” model and it features a “melted slide” and recessed controls to make the exterior of the pistol smooth and snag free.This new P365 SAS from Sig is an interesting evolution of the 365 pistol platform. They’ve offered various other pistols in their line-up SAS (anti-snag) models. 

But this new anti -snag P365 comes with a feature that we love (but at first thought we’d hate) and a feature that we aren’t too keen on.   The P365 SAS is a normal P365 with “melted”/de-horned corners and features, a really cool sighting system, and a ported barrel/slide.

Read on to find out what we thought.

P365 SAS Features Review

1 Slide & Barrel Changes

The slide has been changed to a “melted” configuration to allow for more anti-snag capabilities. Both the slide and barrel have been ported resulting in 30% less muzzle flip and zero front sight fouling (which makes sense because there is no front sight)

2 Slide Embedded FT Bullseye Fiber Tritium Night Sight

This new sight is amazing! It’s actually embedded into the slide so it keeps the overall figure of the gun flush and smooth. Simply align the green dot where you want to hit and squeeze the trigger.

3 Flat Controls

Flat and flush button controls keep the sides of the gun completely smooth to remove all snag points.

4 (1) 10 Round Flush & (1) 10 Round Extened Mag Included

The P365 SAS allows for 10 rounds out of a gun that looks like it should only hold 6. This is due to its double stack magazine design.

Sig P365 SAS Review – Our Take

Overall, we think the Sig P365 SAS is an awesome offering by Sig and a logical extension of the P365 line.

Sig invited Gun University up to their factory to test this new P365 SAS out earlier this year (along with the P365 XL) and both guns ran great!

We ended up really liking the SAS 365 but we’ve got to admit that we weren’t too keen on it when they first brought it out. After spending some range time with it, however, there’s one feature on the new P365 SAS that we’d like to put on all of our carry guns and one feature that I could do without (but many folks will really like).

What we loved about the Sig P365 SAS

 The most obvious thing that we loved about the P365 SAS is that it is a P365! Of course, you can go read my review of the P365 but you can also gather my thoughts with this: the P365 is my daily CCW.

It has an awesome trigger, it feels great in my hand, and I can carry 12+1 9mm in a firearm that isn’t just a compromise CCW pistol, it can handle full-fledged use.

So is it easy and fun to shoot on the P365 platform? Check!

The Sight!

The feature that really blew us away (and which we thought we wouldn’t like) is the sight!

In their effort to make the P365 an anti-snag option by rounding the corners and removing any parts that stick up or out, Sig removed the sights too! I sure hope it was intentional or there must have been a tense conversation on the factory floor after someone accidentally took the sights off. 

Instead of traditional iron sights, Sig took a Meprolight Bullseye sight and “melted” it down into the slide. Again, we’d like to re-emphasize how gimmicky we thought the sight was. We’d also like to point out how wrong we were.

How much did we love it? I’m looking to have the Meprolight Bullseye mounted on other firearms.

The clear trend in pistols is slide-mounted red dot sights. Once you get used to them, they are much faster and easier to shoot. However, they stick up a fair amount on the slide (definitely not anti-snag), their lenses can get dirty, they’re electronic so they can fail easily, and they have a limited battery life.

The sight on the P365 SAS, on the other hand, does not stick up (at all), it is fairly immune to getting dirty, and with no moving parts/electronics, it isn’t prone to failure/dead batteries.

The P365 SAS’s sight is a tritium/fiber optic illuminated sight with a small bubble window at the rear with a green border and a green dot that moves around with the orientation of the pistol. Center the dot in the ring for proper alignment, or for fast shooting, just put the dot on the target (regardless of its relative position in the circle) and shoot.

Because you can’t see “through” the sight anyway, Sig was very smart to melt the sight down into the slide. Also, it gives you a whole new feeling while shooting – it makes it feel like an extremely low bore axis and it works!

After taking the pistol to the range and acquiring, and shooting, the first target, it was obvious that the SAS sight is AWESOME. So awesome, I think I’d rather have it on a carry gun instead of a red dot.

After Sig’s polymer handgun product manager, THE Phil Strader, saw how much I was gushing over the sight (and he saw how much ammo I was burning through), he mentioned that it was indeed a very fast acquired sight, however, he didn’t think it was useful for any significant distance. 

So, naturally, I said, “let’s go find out” and we walked back to the 50 yard line and started shooting, and repeatedly hitting the 1/3 IPSC plates.

What We Are Not Crazy About the P365 SAS

Now, on to what I’m not crazy about – very likely because I have such an obnoxiously hand-forward grip on a pistol…. The ported slide/barrel. It clearly reduces recoil/muzzle flip. So, why am I not crazy about it? Within the first two shots I took at the 50 yard line, I burned my support hand’s thumb.

Perhaps I grabbed it weird while trying to take my time and be accurate? It wasn’t a bad burn but it was enough to sting for a while. My hands are big enough and my grip is wonky enough that I need to pay attention to not have my left thumb cover the port.

Because I’m not looking for lower recoil (nor do I want the extra flash at night), I’d prefer a Sig P365 SAS without the porting. However, it is clearly a benefit to many shooters and may be exactly what you want/need.

Sig also minimized the controls on the side of the SAS. The slide release (yeah, I call it a slide release) and the take down lever are both flattened to go along with the no snag design. This is one of those features that didn’t matter much to me. I liked it because they really went after this SAS project but I didn’t like it because it was a little more difficult to operate. However, it was still possible. This goes into the “meh” category for me. Cool they did it, but not necessary nor is it really a benefit in my book.

My Dream P365 Configuration

Here’s my wish for a dream P365 (Sig, PLEASE give us this): The grip housing from the P365 XL with the action from an X-series P365, the slide from this new P365 SAS, and a regular barrel (no ports). This would give me the grip I love, the trigger that’s better than anything else on the market, the snag-free slide with the super cool melted Bullseye sight, and no porting.

This gun is really cool. If I was going to upgrade my standard 365 pistol to either the P365 XL or this P365 SAS, I’d pick this one. The XL’s slide is longer than I’d like and the one negative I had for this pistol, the porting, isn’t really that bad and it is a benefit to many shooters. Also, the melted sight really is so awesome that I don’t want a red dot for CCW anymore.

P365 SAS Pros and Cons

If you already own the P365 SAS or your getting one, there’s a couple of things I recommend getting with your gun. Some of this you might already have, but if you don’t then I would seriously consider picking a few of these items up.

• EXTRA MAG: Sig P365 SAS Micro compact 9mm 10 rd
• AMMO:
  • Self Defense – Barnes 9mm 115 GR Ammo
  • Range/Training – MagTech 9mm 115GR FMJ Ammo
• GUN CLEANING KIT: Gloryfire Universal Cleaning Kit on Amazon
• EYE & EAR PRO- See our Best Eye/Ear pro Review
• GUN SAFE – Vaultek Biometric Gun Safe on Amazon

Below are a few more options to upgrade your P365 SAS. Here is a quick list of those standard upgrades:

Best Holster for the Sig P365 SAS

To maintain good control and conceal a CCW, you will need a holster . Here’s a few thoughts I think about when I choose a holster. First, I think along the lines of being practical, so I don’t get anything fancy. I get something that’s going to be comfortable and won’t cause issues drawing my firearm. Second, I’ll always get a holster that will actually conceal my firearm. It drives me crazy when I see individuals trying to conceal, but because of their bulky holster it doesn’t really work. I am not going to go into all my reasons for why concealing properly is important, but trust me when I say, “you need to choose a holster that will fully conceal your firearm,”

Sig P365 SAS Appendix Holster

Check Amazon Price

EDITORS CHOICE: This holster was designed by Sig and we have recommended this holster before. I’m a big fan of appendix holsters ,and second it is good to evenly distribute the weight of the gun using your belt and pants. I’m not a fan of holsters that only use the pants to hold the weight of a firearm. Check Amazon Price

This IWB holster is best resting on your hip or the small of your back. It’s easily adjusted for a tighter or looser fit, but it fully conceals and holds your firearm. This receives our Best Value award.

Check Amazon Price

Other Sub-Compacts of its Class to Check Out

There are 3 multiple options in the CCW class, so how do you choose the best one? We like the options below because of the similar pros and cons. With the reviews, you might find one you like just as much as the P365 SAS.

I really like the Hellcat and how it handles all around. There are few small drawbacks, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this gun to anyone. Springfield Armory did a great job. If you want to see our take… READ HERE

The Glock 43X is the best of the Glock 48 and the Glock 43. Glock outdid themselves by creating its own version of the P365. However, I think there are some interesting pros and cons when compared to the P365. Take a closer look at our review… READ HERE

How to Care Your P365 SAS

The most important thing we can do for our firearm is keep it clean and maintain it. The P365 SAS, along with all the P365 versions, are outstanding firearms, so it’s important to take care of it and keep it operational. Keeping up with the maintenance will make it last a lifetime! To help you do this, here is a video on field stripping and cleaning ANY Sig P365 model.

If you’d like to get started cleaning your gun, here is our recommended cleaning kit for the P365 SAS:

• GUN CLEANING KIT: Gloryfire Universal Cleaning Kit on Amazon 

Important Links And Manuals For Your SIG P365 SAS

• Sig P365 SAS Website
• Sig 365 SAS Videos
• Sig Sauer P365 SAS Operators Manual