The SIG SAUER P320 is the military’s new sidekick, but it still has many debates surrounding it.
For many marines, the new sidearm was a disappointing welcome. While for many other shooters the polymer framed handgun is all the rage.
Nevertheless, is the weapon as bad as many want you to believe? To find out read the SIG Sauer P320 review—and decide for yourself if it is a below the average firearm or not.
SIG Sauer P320 Specifications at a Glance
The P320 is a striker-fired version of the Sig Sauer P250 with single and double action modular design. The latter has the same barrel, grip, and magazine.
You can purchase it in a 9mm or .40 S&W version, and Sig has recently already released the .356 Sig platforms as well. The construction of the frame makes the P320 a highly customizable gun.
Inside the grip module made of polymer, it has a stainless steel chassis frame. On the right side of the grip, you find a window with the serial number.
Both the compact and full-size grips you can get in small, medium, to large versions. Therefore, you can exchange the chassis out between the different models available.
Further, it is one of the best defense pistols, and you can quickly shoot out to 50-yards with it. Alternatively, it is accurate enough for competitions as the large trigger blades curved deep.
On the other hand, the high-bore axis makes it feel like a ray gun and the polymer construction stays warm against the skin in cold weather. The trigger is a striker-fired model, and the weight of 29.5 ounces (depending on the model you use) is decent. The barrel length is 4.7 inches while the compact version has a 3.9-inch barrel.
The overall length is 8-inches. Furthermore, it has a width of 1.3-inches with a height of 5.5-inches. In the 9mm model, the ammunition capacity is 17+1, and in the .40, it is 14+1. You get two Mec-Gar magazines and the 9mm fires plinking and hollow point ammunition.
For safety, it comes with a trigger bar, firing pin and single piece trigger found in no other striker-fired pistol. To enhance the safety it works with a three-point takedown. You remove the magazine and slide the lock down to the rear before you disassemble it.
To appreciate the Sig Sauer P320, you need to hold it in your hand.
Best Features of the Sig Sauer P320
The first and foremost feature is the semi-auto handgun feels slick in your hand. While it feels comfortable there is more to this defense pistol as you can see here:
- The gun has a Nitron finish found on the slide giving it a satin-smooth feeling in your hand. Even the overall design is appealing and departed from the regular Sig-y look. The construction is a more modern Sig Sauer handgun that looks fabulous.
- While polymer handguns feel more like a toy, the P320 comprises a brick house and firing it is solid with the all-metal structure. The recoil is similar to other 9mm firearms and the sights identical to the P226 that is slim yet useful.
- The grip angle takes something to get used to, but once you are acquainted with it, you get a natural feeling and the edges closer. Furthermore, the most prominent characteristic is the fact that it is highly customizable to convert it from a long slide competition pistol to a compact self-defense gun in 30 seconds.
- The metallic magazine makes for a great addition and the magazine release button and night sights placed conveniently. Alternatively, you get a full-length Picatinny rail at the front of the firearm for attachments.
What Makes the SIG Sauer P320 UNIQUE?
The basis of the firearm is metal, but the chassis molded into the frame forming metal and plastic pistol. What’s more, the platforms built on the earlier P250 version. For the military, this is an excellent option as there is no need for buying multiple handguns to accommodate different sectors in the marine core.
Furthermore, it makes for the best pistol dedicated to the Modular Handgun System competition. You can change every significant feature in the gun. You can disassemble it in seconds, and the entire metal chassis slides free of the frame. Moreover, the chassis made to fit into the grips of the P250.
Therefore, you do not need to buy a different pistol for your big hands and one for your small-handed wife. You only need to get a smaller frame for less the cost of a new handgun. As a result, if you want to make your 9mm into a 45ACP, all you need is the conversion kit to make it possible.
Alternatively, if you want to make it compact, you only need a new barrel and grip. What’s more, the most significant benefit for competitors is you can decide on your trigger group, once tweaking and polishing it to perfection without issues. The metallic bits remove with ease for cleaning.
Then again, you can mount one of the best red dot sights on it for balancing and handling with the Picatinny style rail.
Why Should You Buy the Sig Sauer P320?
Are you interested in purchasing the P320 handgun to add to your firearm collection? We can give you many reasons why you should. However, the self-defense pistol also comes with some flaws.
Pros:
- The grip designs excellent and more rounded on the sides compared to other guns and fits comfortably in your hand
- Offers you a removable and serialized trigger group to swap out with different frames in the Sig range
- Has a fantastic trigger for striker-fired pistols and feels more like a light double-action trigger and perfect for competitions
- Comes with a metal night sight that is better than others found on most handguns and you can swap it out for a better one
Cons:
- The bore axis is higher as the frames built to accommodate it and can cause more recoil
- As a carry gun it is a bit bulky and on the broad side but for home defense and competitions the bulk will not matter
Which one is better the Sig P320 or Glock 19
While the Sig Sauer P320 is, the best striker pistol now to buy, you may still be wondering if it is better than the Glock 19. The truth is both handguns offer you a solid choice to use as a service handgun. Depending on the model Sig you buy both are worthy contenders for daily carrying.
With the Sig, you can carry two more rounds depending on the model you have. The Glock 19 is lighter in weight for transportation and weighs 23.65 ounces unloaded with a trigger pull of 5.5 pounds. With the Sig P320, weighs 25.8 ounces (all depending on the model you have) unloaded and the trigger pull is 6.5 pounds.
However, the P320 does have a muzzle rise with ergonomic feel in your hand. The Glock on the other side gives you an aggressive rasp feeling on the grip that is uncomfortable for some shooters.
Both the guns offer a lot when it comes to concealing subcompact pistols and choosing one comes down to personal choice.
Final Thoughts
The Sig Sauer P320 is a truly adaptable handgun that functions well. For the shooter looking for a striker-fired pistol it remains the ideal choice even with its minor gripes. Compared to the Glock it is still one of the best service handguns for military and civilian shooters.
The firearm is reliable and comfortable to shoot and performs well with any shooting. Furthermore, the weapons packed with fantastic features. Why miss a great deal if the Department of Defense made an excellent choice? So if you need a new pistol to use in any purpose make sure to the gun out.
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Triggers are very good out of box and accuracy is top notch. They point well instinctively too. They are way to slippery and I have done a grip stippling job on all 5 of mine. When I buy a Glock I’ve already planned in my head what parts I’m replacing, with a 320 it really needs nothing but a grip stippling. I had a Winchester white box 9mm case head separation a couple weeks ago in one of mine. Blew extractor out of gun and surprised me but that was it aside from a really stinging hand. Replaced factory MIM extractor with a machined Alpha Wolf and back in business. As far as I’m concerned the 320 series is the future. “Marines” btw….it should be capitalized.
357 Sig as well. Not 356 like you have printed. I got a compact and a full size in 357 Sig. Great cartridge, plenty of thump. I can push a 125 HP up to 1500 fps with new Starline brass and Power Pistol. Full 357 mag power. My 357 Sig load matches Hornady Critical Defense 357 magnum ballistics and you get 14 of them instead of 6.