Guns and Gear

Full Performance Test With the SIG P365-Fuse

I’ve tested or owned every iteration of SIG’s P365 since its inception to include the .380, and even version with the flush-mounted FT Bullseye Fiber-Tritium Night Sight, the SAS. While not every version has been a must for me, a few were. The XL, with it’s excellent size and uber-easy carry manners, has accompanied me here and there for a number of years, only retired by the Macro X, which absolutely blew my socks off with its shootability. I happily replaced that with the AGX Legion after reviewing one, with no doubt it would be my ideal carry pistol. And even though there is this odd 7% decrease in its concealability, a trait of the Macro line in general, it is still the one for this guy. So why would I find any interest in the new SIG P365-Fuse? Well, the size of course.

TESTED: SIG Sauer P365-Fuse

Yes, I realize the Fuse is bigger, well, longer than the AXG Legion by over half an inch. That’s just it. Typically the extra length will give you added performance in the handling arena. It delivers more weight and a longer sight radius (if you use iron sights). In essence, closer to a full size without being so—full size. The Fuse retains the ultra thin profile of the P365 lineup, so it will carry just as well. In essence, it’s a longer slide set atop a standard P365 Macro frame.

Much To Like

What undoubtedly makes the P365 Macro so good are a couple of things. One being the grip, which is effortlessly comfortable. It simply feels right. Couple that with the insane 17+1 capacity and you’re left to wonder how they did it. There is another piece though, and as of right now that’s lacking on the Fuse—the compensator. This was the one factor that made me question how good the Fuse would or wouldn’t be. I mean, it’a light gun, thin, with polymer frame. That doesn’t communicate  “soft shooting” on paper. I remember the Macro shooting very well, and while it’s polymer too, the comp likely made all the difference. I can tell you my AXG is simply amazing with the full metal construction.

Up top, the P365 fuse has a 4.3-inch barrel length compared to the 3.1 inches of the Macro. SIG spiced the slide up with some nice visual cuts along with some useful and very aggressive serrations up front. They carry over to the rear of the pistol, but they aren’t as aggressive back there. Overall its a nice looking pistol. The version I received has SIG’s new Romeo-X compact with enclosed emitter. It mounts low in the slide, giving the entire gun an “all business” appearance. Front sight is a green fiber-optic type, while the rear is a blacked out notch, and they align nicely with the Romeo-X enclosed.

Macro-X Frame

As stated, the frame is the Macro-X version with an excellent Laser Stippled X-grip, or LXG for short. Inside is a stainless steel FCU that provides the striker-fired functionality of the pistol. The trigger is flat-faced and nickel-plated. While it’s not an X-type trigger, it still feels good with a solid mechanical feel and deadened break at the tail end. I wasn’t initially convinced of this type of trigger, but now I’ve grown quite accustomed to it.

It has standard goods, including a pic rail up front and a flared magwell attachment that not only eases mag insertion but also completes the entire look of the pistol. With the 17-round magazine inserted, it fits nearly flush with the magwell, keeping things nice and clean. The Fuse comes with another two magazines, each 21-round capacity. They stick out nearly 1.25 inches from the bottom of the magwell. These are mostly a no-go for concealment as the primary mag, but are ample for the extra, in case you need more rounds. The trigger guard gets a good undercut as well.

On Your Person

In an effort to find out how well it performs as a carry piece, I reached out to Black Point Tactical, and they sent out they DualPoint for the P365-Fuse. This holster is quite slick and can be worn IWB or OWB. It’s adjustable for cant and ride height as well. I dig this holster very much. It is comfortable and gives the user options. The extra mag pouch is connected to the holster via a couple of screws. I didn’t know if I’d like this but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. I carried the Fuse for a couple of days without any issues other than my choice of wardrobe, which didn’t lend for the best concealment I’ve ever executed.

Work Out

I was eager to work the the Fuse on the range for some shooting impressions. I took my AXG along as a loose point of comparison. These pistols shoot worlds apart in my mind. The Fuse feels light and shoots as such, being a bit more lively than I’d hoped for. The comfortable grip helped keep it manageable. Now, understand that this pistol does not have a comp and the frame is polymer, so I did not expect it to shoot just like the AXG Legion. That said, once a comped version of this slide is available, it will likely change dramatically. And if you put the slide on a metal frame you’ll likely have a different outcome.

Various drills were shot, and I came to the conclusion that if you start with the Fuse as your initial foray into the P365 world, it’s a very likable shooter. But if you have the AXG or even the regular X-Macro, it will be a hard switch to the Fuse in my opinion. They’re just different beasts.

Final Shots

Its a very accurate pistol. Fifteen-yard groups were rather impressive for a gun that I had never shot prior to this outing. Supported, standing shots from a tripod and sandbags saw a best group of .89 inches using Hornady 115-grain FTX. I’m always amazed by how much easier it is to get great groupings thanks to red dot optics like the Romeo-X.

The Fuse adds more options to the SIG FCU Universe. It’s becoming this complete line of pistols that will likely fit any need, leaving potential customers no reason to look elsewhere. It’s definitely an accurate gun. I’m thinking the perfect version of it is a TXG (tungsten filled) frame much like the one for the P320 X and a heavier compensated slide, while keeping the width of the Fuse. When that happens I’ll be up for another P365.

For more info, visit sigsauer.com.

Sig Sauer P365-Fuse Specs

  • Type: Semi-Auto
  • Action: Striker-Fired
  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Overall Length: 7.2 inches
  • Overall Weight: 23.1 ounces
  • Overall Width 1.1 inches
  • Barrel Length: 4.3 inches
  • Trigger:Nickel-Plated Flat-Faced
  • Grip Material: Polymer
  • Grips:LXG (Laser-Stippled X-Grip)
  • Sights: Fiber-Optic Front, Black Rear
  • Capacity: 17+1/ 21+1

SIG P365-Fuse Performance

Load Group Size (inches)
Federal Syntek 138-grain HP 1.14
SIG Sauer 124-grain JHP 1.5
Hornady 115-grain FTX .89
*Groups shot at 15 yards, sandbag supported

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