P365 - The YL and the Extended Mag Release

[alfsauve]

I've become a real Sig P365 fan of late.    For those catching up the P365 is a modular system, like the P320 and the AR.  You can buy the Fire Control Group separately and mate it with 3rd party grips, barrel and slides.  Or you can have one FCU and change it up as you see fit.

-Sig intro'd the P365 with a 3.1" barrel and flush 10rd mag.  Of course you can get a pinky extension and then there are 12rd and 15rd mags that also fit. 

-Then we get the XL version with a 3.8" barrel and a grip that holds a flush 12rd mag.  The 15rd mag can also be used.

-Now we have the X version which mates the shorter 3.1" Barrel/slide with the 12rd mag grip.

-and a number of variations of sights and triggers also included in these variations.

I think they're missing the boat.   I want the shorter grip, for concealability, with the longer barrel/slide.

So TA-DA.    The P365 YL  (or XYL)  (ham radio buffs get the reference)



Shoots well even with just a 2 finger grip.  Saves 3/4" sticking out and printing when CCW.  The longer, heavier barrel/slide make it a joy to shoot.  Ran 34 rounds through it yesterday.  My only problem is I don't have 10 rd mags, yet.  I can of course continue to carry it with the 12rd mag until then.  My LGS had a 20% of Sig Mags, but that discount expried... for now.


Now I have enjoyed shooting it in competition except that the mag release is, well, spartan.  Almost flush with the grip.   I understand why that's so for EDC, but for competition it's a decided pain-in-the-patoote.  Another gunner on SigTalk showed how he used heat shrink around the mag release to form a mold.  Then he stuffed the small cavity with JB Weld and made the mag release taller.   I tried it and worked great.  Did a thorough de-grease first then roughed up the top with file and sandpaper.  Let the putty cure for 24hr.  It didn't adhere to the heat shrink, so just cut it away and then filed it to shape.   IDPA say the mag release can't be more than 0.2" above the grip at its rear.   I've got to measure and adjust, but there are pictures of my initial fitting.  Works great.   Also notice the one picture of the gun in the Comp-Tac holster.  Guess what?  Comp-tac has a cutout where the mag release is so it will still fit in the holster no matter how high it is.  The opposite side fits over the release so you can't push it accidently if you wanted to.   Now all I have to do is swap the FCU and slide between grips to have an EDC and a competition version of the gun. 



So now that it's rough shape and fitted.   I'll measure and do final shaping, re-blue the metal, paint the new part and I'm ready to go.

[Rastus]

Nice review.  I like the idea of that putty modification.  Let us know how it holds up.

[alfsauve]

Nice review.  I like the idea of that putty modification.  Let us know how it holds up.

The putty has held up to an hour of dry fire and a four stage IDPA match.   Worked great for the match didn't have to 2-hand the release.  Had to change it back to the stock mag release for the SIG match.  I discovered, don't know what SIG recommends but everybody else says, that a paper clip is the perfect tool to change the mag release.  And they're right.  A punch small enough would be too brittle.

Here it is after I touched up the blue of the metal and painted the putty.  It's not as tall as it appears measuring right at the IDPA approved 0.2" above the grip measured at the rear.

[alfsauve]

Now that SIG EDC is behind me, I've configured my P365XL with the smaller, 10 round grip for CCW.  Yesterday and today are the first days out with it.  Fit's nicely IWB.  Really feel it significantly reduces printing. 

Also getting real good a moving the FCU and at changing out the mag release.  Who knew the "official" Sig tool for changing the mag release is a paper clip.  Says so right there in the manual.  Cleaver design to allow for left or right hand release.

Will take it out and sight it in at 50yards, partially for the fun of it and partially to see how well I can actually shoot it at that distance.

[Frank07]

I have it and it is very good, that's a real beauty.

[Sponsor]

[Big Frank]

Nice review.  I like the idea of that putty modification.  Let us know how it holds up.

People have used J-B Weld to fix car engines among other things and it held up. I think it will be okay.

Good job, Alf. It looks great. And if you need more than 10 rounds for your EDC there's a 50-round drum made for it. It looks like you're going to need a bigger pocket.

A long time ago I saw in a magazine some Browning Hi-Power pistols that had the grips and mags shortened, really short for concealment, but they still had the full size barrel and slide. It looked like a 2 finger grip at most, and perhaps a bit less.