[DHart]

It was a two-fer Tuesday for me. I've been dancing around the idea of going with P320s for a while now and today it happened.

Cabelas has the P320 with Night Sights on sale right now for $549. That clinched the deal for me. They didn't have a Carry but did have a Compact and, especially, the full-size that I really wanted. The lowest price I've found for these is $580 on GB and local shops, and a couple of local dealers are actually asking $680 for these!!! (Go figure???) So $549 looked really good.

I wanted a full size 40 (14+1) and a Compact 9 (15+1), so that's what came home with me. These both have what looks to me like the latest, updated versions of take-down lever (slimmer) and slide stop (lower profile). I will pick up a Carry frame in 9 to bring the Compact up to being a "Carry" (17+1) .

Right now, the M&P40 is my EDC, but I think that may give way to the full size P320 in .40S&W. I like to carry full-size pistols due to the ease-of-shooting well, higher capacity, quicker return-to-target, bump in terminal ballistics (longer barrel), and the sheer pleasure of practicing with them at the range!

I'm really looking forward to getting these to the range tomorrow.

 

[Bigsteve113]

Congrats! Never shot one, heard good stuff though.

 

[DHart]

Thank you, Bigsteve. :smile:

 

[kmanick]

Waiting for them to hit the Mass stores. One store had them in on Thursday....sold out on Friday.
the 320 Compact will most likely take the place of my M&P 9C, I like it I don't love it. I love my shield
so something a little bigger but still concealable needs to come this way
Congrats! Me very jelly

 

[DHart]

Waiting for them to hit the Mass stores. One store had them in on Thursday....sold out on Friday.
the 320 Compact will most likely take the place of my M&P 9C, I like it I don't love it. I love my shield
so something a little bigger but still concealable needs to come this way
Congrats! Me very jelly

kmanick... The P320 Full Size .40 is quite likely to replace my M&P40 as every day CCW. I really like the M&P40 very much. But I like the feel-in-the-hand and the trigger of the P320 much more! The P320 weighs almost 2 oz. more and feels a bit front heavy, which I think will make for softening recoil and quicker return to target.

The P320 Compact 9 will take the place of my M&P40C, which always rides in my "man bag". Some days I switch what's on the hip for what's in the bag - that's the usual rotation, anyway. With a Commander in .45acp thrown in from time to time just for interest sake.

I still haven't fired these yet, but from all the research I've done, I have high expectations. They really fit and feel awesome in my hand. The shape of the grip is the best of any pistol I've held, aside from a Browning HiPower with Pachmyr rubber grips. And I love the triggers. Mags are loaded and waiting for the first trip to the range tomorrow. :danceban:

 

[Bolt_308]

Very nice! That updated slide stop creates a challenge, as apparently Sig does not differentiate between the two different styles of grip frame in regards to parts numbers, so it is a crapshoot as to which one you get when you order new frames. As you know, my P320 came with the old style larger slide stop, which is easily swapped out with the new one, but the problem is that all the frames I have ordered so far (all from MidwayUSA, all in the last week FWIW) were the old style. I suppose eventually all the old style frames will get sold off and only the new style will remain, but creates a bit of a challenge. The slimmer takedown lever is great too, although interesting- I carry in a Comptac MTAC holster, and the replacement shell for the P320 has a pretty thick/wide channel to accommodate the old style lever.

 

[DHart]

Very nice! That updated slide stop creates a challenge, as apparently Sig does not differentiate between the two different styles of grip frame in regards to parts numbers, so it is a crapshoot as to which one you get when you order new frames. As you know, my P320 came with the old style larger slide stop, which is easily swapped out with the new one, but the problem is that all the frames I have ordered so far (all from MidwayUSA, all in the last week FWIW) were the old style. I suppose eventually all the old style frames will get sold off and only the new style will remain, but creates a bit of a challenge. The slimmer takedown lever is great too, although interesting- I carry in a Comptac MTAC holster, and the replacement shell for the P320 has a pretty thick/wide channel to accommodate the old style lever.

Very good information to know. Thank you. I was going to use my 20% SIG Store discount to order a couple of ODG grip frames, so I will be sure to ask them if the frames are for the new style slide lock or not.

I'm planning to use High Noon Bare Asset holsters, which are a minimal format, pliable leather with 15 degree forward cant. I totally love these holsters and especially love that they're always in stock for $29, and then a discount off of that.

Bare Asset holster with a Colt Government Series 70:

 

[Eric357]

Those 320's look nice.

 

[OD*]

Well done, Dan. :hand10:

 

[Eric357]

I may have to go out and hold one. If I'm correct the use the same frame as the Sig 250. The 250 I looked at a few years ago and almost bought one. I really liked the way it felt in the hand. I don't need a new gun but..... Folks that I heard that owned those (320's) seem to really like them.

 

[LuketheDrifter]

You took some very nice pictures there. Congrats on the pick up. I got one a few weeks ago and love it. Let us know how you like it after you take it to the range.

 

[BWest67]

Congrats! I own the P320c in 9mm and I couldn't be happier with it. It has been very reliable through ~2000 rounds of factory and reloads. My favorite load so far is the 147g xtreme bullet over WSF. Very soft shooting and accurate.

 

[Dismas316]

Congrats. Love the 320. Got rid of my PPQ and any other striker fired guns (except my g19, all other glocks are gone). Just an excellent soft shooter. (9mm)

 

[DHart]

Congrats. Love the 320. Got rid of my PPQ and any other striker fired guns (except my g19, all other glocks are gone). Just an excellent soft shooter. (9mm)

I've liked GLocks quite a bit over the years. But the M&P40C, M&P40, and M&P45 have basically relegated my Glocks to becoming safe queens. Glocks are excellent guns, but just don't appeal to me much anymore. Not after feeling how the P320 models feel in-the-hand!

And now, it seems the P320 line may send my M&Ps off to join company with the Glocks. If these P320F 40 and P320C 9 please me as much as I think they will, then a P320F 45 will likely join the ranks and could retire both my G21SF and M&P45.

 

[DHart]

I may have to go out and hold one. If I'm correct the use the same frame as the Sig 250. The 250 I looked at a few years ago and almost bought one. I really liked the way it felt in the hand. I don't need a new gun but..... Folks that I heard that owned those (320's) seem to really like them.

Eric... The feel in the hand is what really inspired me. Nothing else feels like such a superb fit to me, and that's important. Glocks, M&Ps, VP, PPQ - none of them offer a great a fit and feel in my hand. THe P320 grip fills the hand fully, sticks without slipping around, and feels really good. I think the grip shape and texture allows great control of the pistol. I don't think I will need Talon traction accessories with them, either.

I certainly didn't need any new guns, but decided to thin the herd of my unused guns safe queens a bit and move to trying the P320s.

Once vetted, and if they live up to the expectations I have for them, I can see them being my #1 guns for quite some time to come.

 

[DHart]

Just got back from the range!

My objectives from today's session were primarily to function test, evaluate their "shoot ability" relative to my M&P40 and Glocks, and to achieve a "break in" (if such was even needed). Most of my range time is spent with rapid fire, as one would do in a defensive situation. I was working to push a good number of rounds through each pistol. If I can shoot a pistol pretty well in that mode, then I'm comfortable with it as a carry gun. I don't do much slow, precision shooting.



This was what the P320s saw today:
P320 Full .40S&W
fired 136 rounds of 180 gr. American Eagle FMJ and 12 rounds of 180 gr. Gold Dot.

P320 Compact 9
fired 151 rounds of a mix of 115 gr. and 124 gr. American Eagle FMJ. I started out shooting a bit low with this pistol, but once I figured out the "hold" with it, my hits were pretty well centered.

No bobbles, or failures of any kind with either pistol. They were both very enjoyable to shoot. And when I took my time, I could squeeze excellent accuracy out of them.

As compared to my M&P40, the P320 Full size forty was very close. I like them both very much and would be equally comfortable using either in a defensive situation. They were on par with each other in terms of comfort to shoot, accuracy, and reliability. The trigger in my M&P40 is excellent, as is the trigger in the P320. The full size P320 in .40S&W is a bit nose heavy, which I like. It helps keep the front end down during recoil. The M&P40 is more balanced, but has a shorter barrel/slide. P320 full size has a 4.7" barrel. M&P40 full size has a 4.25" barrel. That extra 1/2" of slide and barrel is noticeable. Some may not like that, but I do. I like a slightly front heavy pistol.

The P320 Compact nine was quite noticeably softer shooting than the .40S&W, as one would expect. I didn't shoot it back to back with any of my Glock nines, but I can say even without doing so, I like Glock nines, but the P320 is definitely a step up in how it feels to shoot it. Reliability was flawless; accuracy very good. Trigger definitely better than Glocks.

So far, it's looking like this pair of P320s are going to dominate my carry gun rotation. One or two more range sessions, and after hitting 300 rounds or so of "vetting", and this pair of P320s will be my carry guns.

 

[OD*]

Nicely done! :hand10:

 

[Gabill]

Got 2, nice. Congrats.

 

[DHart]

Thank you guys for stopping by and for your comments. :smile: I haven't had this level of enthusiasm for a pistol in a very long time. Can't wait to get back to the range with them again. I think the P320 line is destined for widespread popularity. The design is great, the quality is great, and the price is great.

 

[scratchy wilson]

How much difference in frame length between the compact and full size?


PS: You skinny bastage!