For some great film of Johnny reviewing and shoot the Sig Sauer P365 SAS, check this out – don’t forget to subscribe to the Pew Pew Tactical channel!
Sig Sauer is at it again with another edition to their P365 line of micro-compact CCW pistols with their SAS model.
Johnny got the new SAS in-hand for testing so you know what exactly is different and which P365 is best for you.
In a nutshell…if you’ve ever wanted to pocket carry the P365, then the SAS model might be perfect for you!
Table of Contents
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What Is The P365 SAS?
If you’ve used the P365, you’re already familiar with 99% of the P365 SAS. SAS stands for Sig Anti-Snag System (missed opportunity to name it the SASS if you ask me…).
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Effectively, everything about the P365 has been slimmed down, streamlined, and made so that nothing on the gun can catch on anything.
This won’t make much difference if you draw from a holster, but it makes a huge difference if you draw from any kind of pocket.
It also has two major changes, a ported barrel to reduce the snap of the gun, and brand new flush-mounted FT Bullseye Fiber-Tritium Night Sights. But more on these later!
The P365 SAS also retains all of the magic that the P365 has including the 10+1 standard magazines, good trigger, easy to use, accurate, rated for 9mm +P ammo, and the ultra-durable black Nitron finish on the slide.
Oh, and it takes standard or extended P365 magazines – so no worries on that front!
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Range Report
We’ve reviewed the P365 in multiple forms a bunch now and every time we’ve gotten our hands on a new one, it’s always the same — perfection.
Zero malfunctions, good accuracy, no issues. If these guns weren’t so good to handle, it would get boring testing them!
The P365 SAS does mix things up a bit though.
Ported Barrel
One honest complaint about the P365 is that it can be a snappy gun. This is really something that basically all micro- and sub-compact pistols have when you put 9mm and especially 9mm +P in such a small package, you get some snap.
The SAS version of the P365 helps solve that with a ported barrel and it really does make a difference. It’s still a little snappy, but it has been smoothed out noticeably as compared to the standard P365.
If you’re looking to carry +P ammo in your P365 SAS, then the ported barrel will be a huge improvement for you!
There is some debate about the accuracy effects that a ported barrel can have on a gun. While we can’t speak to the effects it has on long range precision match grand firearms… It really doesn’t matter on a 3″ barreled CCW gun.
Keep in mind that the whole P365 series of pistols are designed to be a self-defense gun, not a match or combat pistol. When you’re trying to hit minute of man at 15 yards the P365 SAS has more than enough accuracy to do the job.
Drilling a 12″ plate during testing was simple, and made even easier with the reduction in snap!
Bullseye Fiber-Tritium Night Sights
If there is anything to question about the SAS, it’s the sights. Don’t get us wrong — they work. Really well in fact.
But they are so different from what most of us are used to that it will definitely take some training and drills before you’re comfortable with these new sights.
Sitting flush in the slide, there is no front post and rear sights to align. There is a tube lite with tritium and fiber optic that when correctly aligned, lights up very bright.
Place the bull’s eye on the target, pull the trigger. It’s that simple. Plus, these are super easy to see even in low-light.
They aren’t perfect though. Since these sit flush in the slide, you tend to have a much more obscured sight picture than with traditional sights. This isn’t a problem when you’re shooting self-defense range targets, but it is a different feeling to the shooter.
Bottom line is that the sights work. But even after testing we’re on the fence on if we like them or not. However, how much do you really need to like them? They work, they work well, and with some training, you can get really good with them.
And that’s what is actually important.
High Speed, No Drag Controls
Part of what makes the SAS so nicely streamlined and easy to draw without snagging is that both the slide stop and take-down lever are now recessed into the frame.
While this does make for a smooth profile, it also means that you don’t really have access to these controls anymore.
Instead of the awesome classic Sig ease of field stripping, you’ll now need a small tool.
If you’re a slide-stop slide release kind of person, you’ll have to get used to sling-shotting your slide.
Is either of these a real problem? We didn’t think so.
As a CCW pistol there really shouldn’t be a need to field strip it in the field unless you’re on a square range, so the tool for the lever isn’t an issue for us.
Sling shotting your pistol to chamber a round is really the better method since it puts less wear on your slide stop. So if you weren’t doing that before, this is a good time to learn it.
The benefits of having an ultra-smooth profile clearly outweigh the minor inconveniences that these changes bring with them.
Sig Sauer P365 SAS Gun Deals
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Accessories
While some parts are different on the Sig 365 SAS, such as the sights, aren’t interchangeable — important stuff like holsters, magazines, and lights are the same!
We still love the Streamlight TLR-6 for the SAS, it’s compact, smooth, and bright. It’s really pretty perfect for the SAS!
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Holsters are a little different though since the SAS is designed more for pocket carries — we like the Blackhawk TecGrip for our go-to pocket holster.
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If you wanting a real holster for the SAS though, you can use a standard P365 holster. We like the CrossBreed hybrid holster!
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Ammo
Every type of ammo we’ve run in a P365 has worked flawlessly, every time. We do have some favorites and recommendations though.
For training we normally go with FMJ that is reasonably cheap, so we can train more, and Federal American Eagle is normally the good stuff. Brass cased, 115gr, FMJ, reliable, clean, and cheap!
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Defensive ammo is a personal choice, we huge a wide range between all of us but one that we agree on as being great is the Federal HST 124gr.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Sig Sauer also has their own line of optimized P365 ammo. Both FMJ training ammo and HP defensive ammo that closely mimick the other’s recoil and performance.
This makes training cheaper and more effective since it is designed to match your defensive ammo.
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By The Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
The platform runs.
Ergonomics: 3/5
The P365SAS is designed to conceal, not enjoy at the range. And like I’ve mentioned 5 times already, the side controls are funky.
Accuracy: 3.5/5
The 3-inch ported barrel won’t win you any sniper awards, but for an emergency gun at real-life distances, you’ll be able to get shots on target.
Customization: 1/5
There are few options for dialing in this one further. Sig makes a flat trigger, and the options get thin after that. We’ll see what the market offers down the road.
Value: 4/5
Night sights, two mags, and a beefy warranty. Solid value.
Overall: 4/5
This gun fits a niche market, but it fits that market perfectly.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Conclusion
The Sig P365 SAS retains the high-capacity, great trigger, and reliability of the regular P365 but by going snag-free it loses standard sights, a useful slide lock, and tool-less disassembly.
For the role it plays, it’s a great option.
Is it the best option for you? You’ll have to judge that yourself.
Rating score
One more time if you haven’t seen the video yet…
The only thing we would recommend before you buy is to make sure you have the time and budget to train with these new sights. While they aren’t hard to get used to it is important that you do.
It’s great to see an industry leader making more options for a wider market.
If you want a bigger gun the P365XL is there for you, or if you want the perfect pocket carry the P365 SAS is ready to roll, and, of course, the classic P365 is still a great choice.
Need to clean the gun? Check out our guide to breaking down the Sig P365 below.
What P365 do you like best? Thinking of switching to the SAS? Let us know in the comments! If you’re looking to maximize your P365, take a look at the Best P365 Upgrades!
35 Leave a Reply
SIG now offers a retro safety lever assembly that fits the factory provision incorporated into the trigger module. Slight alteration to the polymer grip may be necessary. It was designed in from the beginning for restrictive states and is available as an accessory.
Great review, thank you! I am thinking of adding a P365 SAS to my collection!
Currently pistols are hard to get where I live, the local gun store has this model available, but for my personal preference I would like to upgrade the barrel. Would the upgraded barrels for the strandard P365 fit into the SAS?
Hello, do you know of any issues cleaning the slide with a Hornady Sonic Cleaner? I'm curious if this will somehow affect/damage the FT Bullseye sight. Thanks for your time!
I'm interested in the p365 sas for pocket carry, however, there is no manual safety available. What do you recommend if you want a snag free pocket gun ready to rock without stressing about accidentally shooting yourself in the leg or worse?
I would recommend the P365 SAS with a pocket holster.
I own only Sig handguns. My EDC is the 365 SAS in an Urban Carry lock leather IWB holster. I love this gun. I have small hands so it is perfect for me. I especially love the foot at the base of the magazines. My pinkie fits on it perfectly. Also, the sights and accuracy are not a problem as this gun is very accurate. I also own a P320 and a Spartan 1911. Sig baby!!!!
With a viridian Reactor green laser, this might be the perfect gun for my wife's purse. The pocket in the end is a little tight for her Performance Center Shield 9mm. Her Shield (with Viridian Reactor green laser) also has a 3.1 inch barrel and ported barrel. While I don't know how much the ports help keeping the muzzle down, we have never had any noticeable flash from them, using Federal HST, Underwood Extreme Defender, and many other ammos.
SIG P365 SAS bulls eye sight
I just purchased a SIG P365 SAS pistol and have discovered the following about the Bulls eye sight.
The sight is bright and easy to acquire in normal daylight conditions. If your eyes have become accustomed to dark conditions the sight is bright enough to be useable. However if you come from bright sunlight to a darkened room the sight is almost useless. (Regular night sights have the same problem.)
I have old eyes that no longer focus at close distances without reading glasses, consequentially the bull’s eye sight appears to be a green blob inside a fuzzy circle with regular shooting glasses on. I consistently shoot left and low about 6” at 50 feet. When I put my reading glasses on the sight becomes clear with a well-defined ring and dot, and the target is out of focus. With my reading glasses on I shoot a 4” group dead on to my point of aim at 50 feet. ( I can keep all shots in the down zero ring of a PPC target.) This is about the same as my laser equipped 1911, so for this tiny micro 9mm I find it to be an excellent self-defense pistol.
Recoil is acceptable shooting everything from 147G ball ammo to 65G ARX self-defense loads. The muzzle blast and report is mother in law loud. I find the ported barrel reduces muzzle flip and unless you load your own using slow burning powder the flash is not bothersome.
My favorite defense load is a 65G ARX bullet on top of 7.1G of CFE pistol powder, light recoil, little flash, clean and very accurate. The most muzzle flash was using Power Pistol, Unique, and Blue Dot.
as for tearing it down in the field you just use a bullet to move the take down lever. no tool is needed to field clean it.
Exactly
Yesterday I traded my Glock 42 for the 365 SAS (the G42 had FTE and FTL issues, something I never could get resolved). Bottom line, I couldn't "trust" the G42 to perform regardless of ammo used, hand position, etc. and since it was a carry weapon was maybe just an expensive rock.
1. Loading the mags. Unless I'm missing something, the mags are EXTREMELY difficult to insert cartridges into. Maybe they will get easier over time but I wasn't able to get 12 rds into the extra mag I bought, or 10 into the mags that came w/ the gun and I have strong hands.
Any ideas here?
2. Takedown screw vs the old lever system. This is going to take a bit of practice.
3. The sight - I'll let you know. Off to the range this weekend.
Load as much as you can and let it set for a couple days to break in the magazine. Hope this helps!
I found loading the factory magazines difficult too, and it resulted in some sore fingers for me.
There are inexpensive loading devices available to help. I found at least two on Amazon, and bought one of each. They fit over the top of the magazine, and have little "fingers" that extend into the magazine to press the existing rounds down enough to make space for another one. It's somewhat tedious, but saves the fingers.
I don't understand ported barrels for a defensive gun. The best sights made don't mean a thing if your gun flashes upwards at night. Given that all P365s come with some form of night sights I assume that being able to see well at night is important.
It's to minimize muzzle-flip, as I understand things. But if the gun isn't ported, the same "flash" is going to come out the muzzle, right? Point being, eliminating the ports doesn't eliminate flash.
I'm with you, Joe. No porting on a carry pistol. I was almost ready to buy one of these when I noticed the ports. I wonder whether you could build a customized model around the Sig FCU with the same length slide without the ports? How much would that drive up the price? I would also prefer the straight trigger. Sig has this weird thing about ports. They put them on the Xmacro and then waited a year before releasing an unported model. Ports are fine at the range but I don't want the flash and debris in my face if firing from retention mode.
Was excited to add the new SAS to my existing P365 collection. As soon as I got it home I noticed the sight is completely dark in low/ no light. I feel like someone forgot to install the tritium vial. Not sure if this another quality control issue or intended design, but Sig has been doing everything in their power to push me away from them.
In my researching the p365 SAS, I'm surprised no one really seems to mention the value of having flush levers in regard to proper grip. I've had a standard P365 for about a year now, and though I generally love the gun, I have some significant problems with my thumb knocking against the slide release when it recoils, causing jams. This doesn't happen with other guns, so I suppose my hands must be just the right size to cause this on the p365, but either way, the SAS sounds like a must-have for me. Because if I can solve the problem of my grip causing jams, I'll learn to shoot down the flat steel of the slide if I have to.
Ported barrel, so you can't / shouldn't fire it from inside a car. No sights, so you can't one-hand rack the slide if you are wounded or one arm doesn't work. From the videos I saw it even looks like the flush slide release is hard to operate. Why get this when you can get a VP9SK?
I think they should have gone with Sig P365 ASS.
Ported barrels on a defensive pistol are dangerous. In any situation where you don’t have your arm fully extended directly in front of you, you have the opportunity to blast yourself with the hot gases shooting out of the ports. Imagine if you are defending against a carjacker. You would point the pistol at the window, under your face, and the ports are pointed right at your head.
I've shot both and bought the standard p365. Recoil isn't that much difference and while the sas sights are cool in theory you really need to do some serious muscle memory training to present it perfectly every time to see the green dot. Further more even trying to place accurate shots is much harder with the sas. The standard p365 with the standard sights is so boringly accurate it's almost to easy and it's like I'm not even trying. The sas requires to much work for any type of precision shot say like a hostage shit. SAS is definitely good for snag free personal distances were point and shoot not sights would be used. That said if never had a snag problem on any of my carry firearms including the standard p365. My advise get the standard p365 unless you like the cool factor of the sas and want to do some extra training with it
I'd try one out, I carry my shield in my front pocket with a drawclip
You wouldn’t want to cal it the SASS. Some people might think it’s for the Single Action Shooting Society.
I’ll stay with my p365 but could be interested in a ported slide and barrel for the current one at a reasonable price.
Imagine firing it inside a vehicle at a carjacker. The ports could be pointed right at your face.
Do a SIG P365XL vs Sig P365 sas vs SIG P365 vs Glock 43X vs Glock 19 GEN5 vs Springfield Armory Hellcat. It would be a very educational video for people looking it CCW.
Is it possible to buy the new slide to fit my current 365?
I'd try one out, I carry my shield in my front pocket with a drawclip
What would you gain, given that your current 365 has no ports in its barrel?
My Grandma would have loved this gun. She carried a small .32 in her apron. The flush sights are in keeping with a snagless pistol, as are the flush take down and slide lock. They should have added a small tool in the handgrip for the takedown, like the toothpick in a Swiss Army knife. The ports help tame the snap...OK. I look at this as a great gun for a woman or a guy in tight pants. Otherwise, a great niche gun
Imagine firing it inside a vehicle at a carjacker. The ports could be pointed right at your face.
Shooterpatbob, you may want to think about moving to a better neighborhood. You sound like you have a run in with a car jacker every time you borrow your moms ride. Plus living in the basement has to be old by now.
I am waiting for the XL with a thumb safety.