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Old February 15, 2016, 07:56 PM   #1
Jumping_Jehosaphat
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Sig Sauer P320 Carry 9mm Review

This is my first time to review anything but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in because I haven't seen a whole lot on this pistol yet and thought I'd give people who are possibly looking into getting one my initial impressions. I've put 300 rounds through it the past 2 days and each day I've shot it better and better.

Overall impressions for those wanting the Cliff Notes:

YOU WILL NOT GO WRONG BUYING THIS GUN!!! If you want a little more on how I feel about each aspect of the gun feel free to read further. I'm not going to tell you that it's better than a Glock, M&P, FNS, or XD because I think they're all fantastic striker fired weapons. What I will tell you is that I feel like Sig has done a good job with R&D and it looks like they've taken the good of all of the listed guns and put it into one gun.

Initial ergonomics:

I love the way the medium grip feels. For those of you that don't know what the carry model is, it has the compact slide with the full sized grip. It reminds me of the way my M&P fits in my hand with more aggressive texturing. I typically put Hogue Grips on all of my hand guns but I found that my accuracy was effected with the addition of the Hogue Wrap Around Grip. This has not been the case with my FNX, FNS, Glock and M&P.

I am a fan of the grip angle. It's not over-bearing and fairly straight. To me grip angle really isn't that big of a deal. I do think it gives a more natural point when you rapid fire with follow up shots. I've shot Glocks just as well as I have other brands out there and won't complain about any of their grip angles but I'm digging the 320's grip angle

Features that I think are worth noting:

I went ahead and got the factory night sights. They absolutely pop in the daylight and in dim settings. I had night sights on my FNS and was somewhat disappointed because after a few range trips they became dull even after cleaning them.

I think Sig is onto something with the ability to remove the internals and put them into another frame so that you can either have a sub-compact, compact or full-size gun. The down side to this is that if you want another caliber you're going to spend as much as you would if you buy a used M&P, XD, or FN. The positive is if you're in a place that has to register guns I would assume you just have to register the internals because that's where the serial number is. You can also use the P250 mags and P250 frames with the P320 so I would also say that's a plus.

I've heard mixed reviews on the mag well because it does have a small cut out on both sides. I personally think it's a good thing because if you are in a situation where the doo-doo hits the fan and the mag isn't dropping you can get a good enough grip on it to rip the mag out.

Concealability:

I've been carrying my P320 Carry in a Tagua IWB Holster that's designed for the Glock 30 with absolutely zero problems. I was afraid with the full-sized handle there was going to be a bit of an issue with extra printing but it's not. It's very comfortable to wear and with the smaller beaver tail the gun doesn't get in the way like a full size M&P does.

Even with all the rounds in the magazine and a crappy belt I've had no issues with weight of the gun. I would seriously compare it to a Glock 19 in this respect (I don't even know the weights and really don't care...I'm just trying to give people a rough comparison of what the weight felt like to me).

Shooting the Beast:

I'm attaching a picture of my 1st trip to the range at 10 yards with my 320 Carry and the 1st 3 mags ran through it for some sort of visual. I didn't have a chance to get a pic of my rapid fire groupings this afternoon but out of 6 magazines shot at 7 yards they all hit critical mass on the silhouette.

The recoil is very manageable on the 320. I've only shot the 9mm so I can't speak on the 45, 357, or 40. Once the gun was good and warmed up today it almost felt like a 1911 in the fact that once you hit the sweet spot on a 1911 you can feel the internal mechanics working like a well-oiled machine. I typically don't feel it in a striker fired gun but I swear I felt it today from round 75 to the end of my range session.

I love the trigger. I'll use a line from Hickock45 here: "you can dry fire a trigger but it still won't feel quite the same as when you're actually shooting the (firearm)." I was first introduced to striker fired weapons with a Glock 23 and learned that the reset isn't at the end of the trigger. For those of you accustomed to Glocks you know how boringly predictable (I mean that as an extremely positive compliment) their triggers are and so far my Sig has been the same. To me trigger preference is all relative with the weapon and preference. For some reason I believe the Glock trigger "has" to be the way it is because of grip angle and I feel the same about the 320. I do find it more pleasant that my Glock triggers but this is my personal opinion. I will tell you out of the box I think it's better than the newer M&Ps, XDs, and FNSs.

Other than my Glock and 320 there are times I find myself stumbling with the reset on my striker fired guns. I know some people will say that I'm not getting enough training with that trigger or I shouldn't shoot different guns because of that but after 1,000 plus rounds in all of them I would think my muscle memory would kick in at some point. The past 2 days I have had zero issues hitting the reset on my 320. Call me crazy but the reset is hitting at around the same distance the recoil is felt. If that doesn't make sense let me put it this way...I found myself more often than not leaving my finger where it was after the trigger break instead of having to move my finger forward to feel the reset.

The 320 hits where you put it like a tuned in 1911. I initially had issues with my Glock and M&P until I hit the 200-300 round mark. I was shooting low with both of them. I haven't had that issue with the 320 at all. Rapid firing the 320 is also a breeze but you have to get used to the higher bore axis. Once you've had some practice I would really compare it to either the full size M&P 9 or the Glock 17/19.

Things that I don't like about it:

As do all Sigs it comes with a cheap feeling/looking holster and the holster is designed for the full size 320/250. If you can't get another holster for the 320 then it's a viable option but for the quality of the weapon itself I'm a little disappointed in the holster (then again if you buy the gun the holster is probably the least of your worries).

It's still relatively new and there aren't a whole lot of "goodies" for it out right now. I got off the phone with Alien Gear earlier and they're in the process of making a shell for the carry model but they do have one for the full size, compact, and sub compact.

For some reason I have had a hard time thinking of this as a down-right dirty, "working man's" gun and here's what I mean by that: when I think about "combat" weapons I think about the Glock, M&P, and FN's. Are the Sigs service weapons? Absolutely! Look at all the police departments that use them! I just don't know if I had something that was subliminally planted in my brain somewhere when I was younger or not but that's one of the reasons I haven't gone with a Sig until now.

I hope this helps you out. If you want a good 1st time CCW that's built with quality and shoots smooth then I feel like the Sig Sauer P320 is a great choice. If you don't want to spend the $100 or so then you definitely will not go wrong with any of the other brands out there.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20160214_115359-1.jpg (28.9 KB, 222 views)

Last edited by Jumping_Jehosaphat; February 15, 2016 at 09:53 PM.
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Old February 15, 2016, 08:43 PM   #2
JDBerg
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Your evaluation is spot on. I like the fact that the P320 points like my P228 and my M11-A1. As a longtime Sig fan and owner of Sig firearms, I think they have a real winner here!
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Old February 15, 2016, 09:43 PM   #3
Jumping_Jehosaphat
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I'm telling you, it's great. The only other gun I was this excited about was my FNX 45. I even let a friend of mine run a magazine today and he was hitting a tighter grouping than with his XD Mod 2.
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Old February 16, 2016, 08:25 AM   #4
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Nice write up. Funny because the trigger pull is almost always heavier than most people think but it is extremely smooth and does have a fantastic reset. Very easy to shoot and have found that the recoil gives it a very "soft" shooting experience. (I have the sc so it would be more noticeable). Ergo's I think surprise many because it feels so good in the hand without having the obvious engineering on the grip (PPQ, VP9, etc). This is a top notch option out of the box where there is no need to add anything, unlike so many other firearms, where so many have to change out their triggers, connectors, polishing, and night sights. Congrats on you new firearm.
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Old February 16, 2016, 08:51 AM   #5
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Congrats. Good review. I have also fallen in love with the platform over the past year and several thousand rounds.

With the new flat take-down lever and updated, minimal slide stop, the gun is finally fully squared away I feel like.

The P320 Compact has become my EDC and the full size is my night stand gun. Though I do have a new IWB holster for the full size on order so I can carry that occasionally, too.

I also plan on getting the P320RX when it's available.
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Old February 16, 2016, 09:31 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jumping_Jehosaphat
This is my first time to review anything but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in...
I'd like to compliment you on an excellent review. I'm not looking for a pistol right now but I'm definitely going to look up a P320 at the next gun show after your review!
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Old February 16, 2016, 10:12 AM   #7
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I actually bought the full size p320 9mm on sunday and cant wait to pick it up. I have heard nothing but good things about it! Thanks for the reassurance.
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Old February 16, 2016, 10:21 AM   #8
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Good review I like my P320 fullsized 45 ACP. It was an impulse purchase. Here is my write up on it. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=568467

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Old February 16, 2016, 10:58 AM   #9
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I too have the full-size P320 .45 ACP and have shot a full-size P320 ,40 S&W. They both handle recoil extremely well.

Many have observed that the P320 trigger feels much better in live fire than dry fire. Both of the pistols I shot had a very positive reset that was easy to feel and find. The pistols point very naturally and are extremely accurate.

The medium full-length grip module fits my hand very comfortably as well. Obviously, this may not be the case for all. Glocks have always felt bad to terrible in my hand. The Gen 4 is a little better but still much less comfortable than the P320. Furthermore, I bought a NIB P320 .45 with night sights and two magazines for less than $500 delivered. A new Gen 4 Glock 19 with plastic sights (but three mags) would have cost me about the same or a little more.

The SIG P320 has already made quite an impact. Accessory options may be somewhat limited at present but I would expect that to change soon. Many feel that the SIG P320 is high in the running for the FBI's choice of new 9mm service pistol as well as being a leading candidate for the US Army's new modular handgun system.
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Old February 21, 2016, 03:16 PM   #10
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May I congratulate you on an excellent review, sir.

I've had my 320 carry for almost a year now, and have run well over a thousand rounds through it. (Mostly Federal factory 115 grain +P+) but handloads as well.

My experiences with the sidearm mirror yours.
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Old February 21, 2016, 04:55 PM   #11
AVG
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Here is what I think of the Sig P320.



I also have it in 45acp...........The picture 9mm & 40s&w, compact in 9mm
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Old February 21, 2016, 05:18 PM   #12
Uncle Malice
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Quote:
I also have it in 45acp...........The picture 9mm & 40s&w, sub-compact in 9mm
Good looking trio!
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Old February 22, 2016, 07:26 AM   #13
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Any holster that will fit a compact will fit a carry model.
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Old June 16, 2017, 12:13 PM   #14
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i just pulled the trigger and ordered the full size 320 from cheaper than dirt. I looked and handled a lot of different weapons, but this one just felt right.
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Old June 16, 2017, 07:11 PM   #15
rcollier
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Nice, honest review. I have a carry 320 9mm and absolutely love it. I had a Glock 19, SR9c and the Sig just fits me better. The trigger is hands down the seller for me, not that the Ruger or Glock are bad the Sig just fits like an old pair of jeans.
I am looking at a Sig .357 conversion kit for mine.
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Old June 16, 2017, 07:33 PM   #16
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Thanks OP. I was looking to get the exact same model. Picking out a pistol can get mind numbing with all the good models out there. When the military picked the pistol it helped narrow it down to a few select pistols. With these detailed reviews it makes the decision easier.
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Old June 17, 2017, 03:31 PM   #17
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I've had a full sized 9mm for a few weeks. It has operated well enough but I can't say I am bowled over by it. The trigger on my particular example is pretty heavy. Of three that I dry fired on the day I bought it, mine is the heaviest by a noticeable margin. A full sized .45 was VERY nice while a 9mm compact carry with safety was in between. The trigger will probably improve or I'll help it out if need be.

I am less pleased with the takedown on the pistol. The lever was extremely stiff from the start but some pistols start that way so I didn't think too much of it. Figured it would limber up. Then I ran into another issue. After re-assembly (not the first) my trigger was dead and a mag would not insert into the well. Off to the internet to figure this out. Apparently I failed to lock the slide back when disassembling and this is the result due to some safety interlocks. OK, my bad and easily avoided with this knowledge in hand.

But while searching this out, I learned more about the stiff takedown lever. It is abnormal but not uncommon. Wiggling the recoil spring guide rod around will free up the lever to where it operates normally. Yes, it really works. Not sure what the defect is but one fellow returned his pistol and the takedown lever was replaced fixing the issue. Sounds easy enough but how does such a gun leave the factory?

I'd rather avoid the hassle of returning it so I'll bear with it for a while and see if there is an easy fix. This is just a range gun for the most part so less critical than a SD gun.

In firing, the gun has been reliable and accurate although the heavy trigger does not make accurate fire any easier. It's a lot like an M&P trigger only several pounds heavier so perhaps it is a good workout for using the S&W.
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Old June 24, 2017, 06:00 AM   #18
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Took possession of my new 320 full size last Tuesday. Several hundred rounds later, and i could not be more happy with my purchase. I am already planning on purchasing a carry model, and equipping the full size with a light for house protection duty
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Old June 24, 2017, 06:05 PM   #19
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Great review. Makes me want to buy a third P320.
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Old June 24, 2017, 07:22 PM   #20
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Great review! You can't go wrong with a P320 or any Sig for that fact!
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Old June 26, 2017, 06:16 PM   #21
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P 320 Carry 9mm

I bought a new P 320 carry on June 26th.. accurate, yes. 6 failures in the first 80 rounds. The pistol would fire, extract the case,chamber the next round, and "click".. not fire. I called Sig, They informed me that I wasn't letting the trigger all the way forward to fully reset. I have to get use to this pistol, I have never had a pistol that had this type of issue. I then Googled this problem on the internet and found several references to this problem. I have several pistols and have been shooting for over 30 years. I do not know if it is a keeper yet.
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Old June 28, 2017, 01:13 AM   #22
IMightBeWrong
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I think you got a lemon. I would send it in for warranty service. There's no reason for those failures and you should know if you reset the trigger or not. My 320 has not had any issue with the reset. It's very tactile and obvious.
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Old July 24, 2017, 05:56 PM   #23
sdrnavy91
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P 320 Carry 9mm

I finally got my P320 back last week. It took 3 weeks to get it back.. Sig paid for the shipping, and it was held up in 4th of July holiday Fed Ex traffic...anyway,,..Sig had stated on the report that they replaced the trigger bar. I then took it to the range Saturday, the 22nd of July. 200 rounds fired, and no malfunctions ! I am now pleased with my P320, I have seen some hits on You Tube about trigger reset failures, but Sig fixed mine. They paid for shipping too. Can't argue,.. even top of the line car manufacturers have problems every now and then,.

Last edited by sdrnavy91; July 24, 2017 at 06:14 PM.
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Old July 25, 2017, 11:08 AM   #24
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I have been reading about the P320 since its release by SIG and own two. I have come across about a dozen accounts of genuine failure of trigger reset in live fire. In all cases, it sounds as if SIG either replaced or revised the trigger bar.

Both of my P320 triggers manifest the "double click" phenomenon, and if I am careful during dry fire, I can arrest the trigger pull after striker release (first click) but before sear reset (second click) which would result in a failure to fire in live fire. I have tried duplicating this failure in live fire and have been unable to do so.

As far as I am aware, all those who experienced FTF in live fire due to this phenomenon had new P320s. I don't recall reading about a P320 that initially functioned normally that developed this problem later.
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Old July 25, 2017, 11:52 AM   #25
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I had a P320 in the first year they came out and then two in later years, with one just this past December. I never had nor experienced the whole double click phenomenon in the first pistol, but I have in the later pistols. I have found that after 1000 rds it seems to become less pronounced, in that I have to work the trigger even slower to be able to feel it.
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