Good summary! Looking forward to the next installment!!
Shootout...Coming soon. Stay tuned.
- Thread starter Acmemfg
- Start date
Great so far. I don't know how I missed this one until today.
- Thread starter
- #23
Moving right along....
OVERALL "FEEL"-Or at least what I call it. More polished people might say ergonomics. What we're talking about is just how good the gun feels in your hand. How "comfortable" is it? Especially after firing a couple hundred rounds within a 60 minute time frame?
The P365 is a small pistol, really small. That is one of its claims to fame. And in fact that can be a very good thing. But it can also be somewhat of a disadvantage.
To anyone with large hands (like me) a pistol this diminutive can be difficult to get a good, solid grip on and that can be problematic for obvious reasons. Those with smaller hands may quite possibly not find this to be an issue with the SIG, but I do.
Ah, the Glock 26...Want a hefty chunk of steel and polymer in your mitt that lets you know you have a serious piece of ordnance in your grip? The G26 is what the doctor ordered. Fits good, feels right. Easy on the hands and very capable of minimizing fatigue after shooting a lot of rounds. This is the firearm I use for most of my annual State qualifications.
Now, if I had to hold a gun in my hand (literally) all day, I would look no further than the S&W Shield. A true Goldilocks pistol...everything is not too big, too soft, too small, too hard. It's "just right". The dimensions and mass of the grip and how the backstrap fits in the web of your hand, the overall weight and balance...all the tumblers are lined up here.
The Glock 43X is another really nice fit. It's tad thicker than the Shield but feels more hand filling than its stated dimensions would have you believe it should. In general it has a good overall presence in your hand. Actually it is a "most of the day shooter" like it's big brother G26. Just not good for quite as many rounds.
Advantage...S&W Shield
CONCEALABILITY/COMFORT-
(In the interests of full disclosure I am going to for the most part exclude the Glock 43X from this segment. All other firearms discussed here I have carried for years; the 43X is a fairly new arrival and I don't think it would be totally fair to throw it in the mix. If I HAD to make a comment, I would say it'll carry a lot like a S&W Shield).
10 lbs. of corn in a 5 lb. sack....
How the crew at SIG got a pistol with a 10-12 (+1) ammunition capacity wrapped up in a package this tiny is one step this side of sorcery. As previously mentioned, this gun is really small. By virtue of its size the ability to pack the SIG away in such a fashion that you may lose it somewhere on your person and have a hard time finding it again, is pretty amazing. Very, very seldom do I carry a pistol IWB. When I do, it's a SIG P365 or Ruger LCP II. I even carry the SIG in a R. Grizzle crossdraw holster on occasion.
Simply put,
small weapons hide and carry well. However, small-ish pistols can have a downside (discussed earlier). A proper holster can be utilized to effectively conceal just about any pistol and minimize its perceived presence while carrying it.
I have toted the Glock 26 and S&W Shield for years, using OWB leather holsters by Sam Andrews and Ritchie Leather exclusively. All day carry comfort and concealability have just never been an issue. Because of the extra girth of the G26, I shall suggest any of the other pistols we're talking about here will carry more easily than not in an IWB holster. But I can't really comment on that as I'm just not an IWB sort of guy.
Advantage...SIG P365.
NICE TOUCHES (a.k.a "Good Vibe")-Each of the contestants here offers its owner a little something extra in their packages that I think is worth mentioning. My Cajun friends will call this a "lagniappe". Nothing all that dramatic, just a kind of a bonus.
The S&W Shield chamber loaded indicator is a painfully simple yet extremely well thought out feature. It consists of kind of a small hole milled out at the back of the ejection port so you can just look down at it and see the chambered round. Hardly rocket science, but I like it.
The SIG and Glock 43X slides both have serrations milled into the front sections. Very handy for the occasional press-check among perhaps some additional handling tasks.
The interchangeable back straps on the Glock 26 are great. Any feature which helps fit a pistol to a hand are among some of the most beneficial things to be found on any firearm. The Glock set up is simple and effective. Good job guys!
Advantage...None. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
That just about sums up everything I am going to say about these four fine pistols except for the main (and arguably most important) part of this whole thing....the shooting review. If all goes according to plan I will have that wrapped up by next week.
Hope so far y'all have found this exercise at least a little entertaining, informative, and somewhat fun. If/when the time comes you are in the market for a new firearm, perhaps some of the "stuff" discussed here may prove helpful.
Coming up...A day at the Range with four small 9mm pistols and a lot of nasty Russian ammunition.
OVERALL "FEEL"-Or at least what I call it. More polished people might say ergonomics. What we're talking about is just how good the gun feels in your hand. How "comfortable" is it? Especially after firing a couple hundred rounds within a 60 minute time frame?
The P365 is a small pistol, really small. That is one of its claims to fame. And in fact that can be a very good thing. But it can also be somewhat of a disadvantage.
To anyone with large hands (like me) a pistol this diminutive can be difficult to get a good, solid grip on and that can be problematic for obvious reasons. Those with smaller hands may quite possibly not find this to be an issue with the SIG, but I do.
Ah, the Glock 26...Want a hefty chunk of steel and polymer in your mitt that lets you know you have a serious piece of ordnance in your grip? The G26 is what the doctor ordered. Fits good, feels right. Easy on the hands and very capable of minimizing fatigue after shooting a lot of rounds. This is the firearm I use for most of my annual State qualifications.
Now, if I had to hold a gun in my hand (literally) all day, I would look no further than the S&W Shield. A true Goldilocks pistol...everything is not too big, too soft, too small, too hard. It's "just right". The dimensions and mass of the grip and how the backstrap fits in the web of your hand, the overall weight and balance...all the tumblers are lined up here.
The Glock 43X is another really nice fit. It's tad thicker than the Shield but feels more hand filling than its stated dimensions would have you believe it should. In general it has a good overall presence in your hand. Actually it is a "most of the day shooter" like it's big brother G26. Just not good for quite as many rounds.
Advantage...S&W Shield
CONCEALABILITY/COMFORT-
(In the interests of full disclosure I am going to for the most part exclude the Glock 43X from this segment. All other firearms discussed here I have carried for years; the 43X is a fairly new arrival and I don't think it would be totally fair to throw it in the mix. If I HAD to make a comment, I would say it'll carry a lot like a S&W Shield).
10 lbs. of corn in a 5 lb. sack....
How the crew at SIG got a pistol with a 10-12 (+1) ammunition capacity wrapped up in a package this tiny is one step this side of sorcery. As previously mentioned, this gun is really small. By virtue of its size the ability to pack the SIG away in such a fashion that you may lose it somewhere on your person and have a hard time finding it again, is pretty amazing. Very, very seldom do I carry a pistol IWB. When I do, it's a SIG P365 or Ruger LCP II. I even carry the SIG in a R. Grizzle crossdraw holster on occasion.
Simply put,
small weapons hide and carry well. However, small-ish pistols can have a downside (discussed earlier). A proper holster can be utilized to effectively conceal just about any pistol and minimize its perceived presence while carrying it.
I have toted the Glock 26 and S&W Shield for years, using OWB leather holsters by Sam Andrews and Ritchie Leather exclusively. All day carry comfort and concealability have just never been an issue. Because of the extra girth of the G26, I shall suggest any of the other pistols we're talking about here will carry more easily than not in an IWB holster. But I can't really comment on that as I'm just not an IWB sort of guy.
Advantage...SIG P365.
NICE TOUCHES (a.k.a "Good Vibe")-Each of the contestants here offers its owner a little something extra in their packages that I think is worth mentioning. My Cajun friends will call this a "lagniappe". Nothing all that dramatic, just a kind of a bonus.
The S&W Shield chamber loaded indicator is a painfully simple yet extremely well thought out feature. It consists of kind of a small hole milled out at the back of the ejection port so you can just look down at it and see the chambered round. Hardly rocket science, but I like it.
The SIG and Glock 43X slides both have serrations milled into the front sections. Very handy for the occasional press-check among perhaps some additional handling tasks.
The interchangeable back straps on the Glock 26 are great. Any feature which helps fit a pistol to a hand are among some of the most beneficial things to be found on any firearm. The Glock set up is simple and effective. Good job guys!
Advantage...None. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
That just about sums up everything I am going to say about these four fine pistols except for the main (and arguably most important) part of this whole thing....the shooting review. If all goes according to plan I will have that wrapped up by next week.
Hope so far y'all have found this exercise at least a little entertaining, informative, and somewhat fun. If/when the time comes you are in the market for a new firearm, perhaps some of the "stuff" discussed here may prove helpful.
Coming up...A day at the Range with four small 9mm pistols and a lot of nasty Russian ammunition.
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Great comparison/ review! While I love my P365 and can shoot it pretty well, I will admit that shooting 200 rounds in a short period of time gets somewhat fatiguing. I need to dig out and dust off my Glock 27 and put a bunch of rounds through it, since it is .40 S&W, not really an even comparison, but a great little gun!
I carry IWB Ruger LC9s Pro everyday. I picked it because whatever parts touch me are nice and rounded. I know you don't carry IWB as much but am curious to hear from others in here more about the carry comfort of the contestants. Some of them look fairly edgy. If you had to pick one for against the skin feel which one would win out?
Hey when you get out there please check for primer swipes that have been reported with the P365.
Hey when you get out there please check for primer swipes that have been reported with the P365.
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The base of the P365 12 rnd. magazine is a bit "edgy" for IWB magazine holder carry. I rounded the edges slightly of the base pad with a Dremel.
Cool depending on how the shootout progresses I may go for one of those. I like small and would feel better with more than the 7 rounds in my LC9. Did you get that NRA Model with the Coyote Tan?
I don’t own any of these guns. I’m enjoying this shootout a lot.
No, just basic black. I saw one at the range though, looks nice if you're into tan guns. And as far as edgy goes, carrying the pistol IWB raises no edgy problems for me, only the spare mag, may be the design of my homemade IWB mag carrier. Also, I carry the gun with the flush 10 round magazine, no finger extension and carry the 12 round mag as a reload. Pistol comes with two 10 round magazines, one with an extension, one without.
DIY IWB Kydex for SIG 365 - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/diy-iwb-kydex-for-sig-365.564598/page-2
See post # 26 of my DIY mag carrier.
I should probably craft an OWB mag carrier instead.
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- Thread starter
- #30
MISCELLANEOUS-While we are waiting to get over to the pistol range, I thought I would throw out some additional useful information...
Warranties should always be a consideration. Ironically Glock, which has perhaps the hands down best reputation for durability and reliability, has the weakest official warranty of the group-One year. S&W and Sig Sauer offer lifetime warranties. Glock's customer service is regarded (from what I hear) as really good, so I think the warranty thing is probably a non-issue.
Figured it would nice to get a look at the holsters used here. The Glocks are in Saddle Holsters by Andrews Custom Leather, St. Augustine FL. The SIG and S&W are shown in CQ-QR Holsters made in Buffalo NY by Ritchie Leather. All are reasonably priced and are perfectly made to fit the weapon. Wait time for an Andrews holster can be more than a tad long.
Not shown here but another great holster maker and well worth considering is R. Grizzle Leather just over the mountain in Dahlonega GA. Excellent stuff I use very often. Long-ish lead time but also worth the wait.
Also shown again are all four pistols in a group picture which may help give a perspective of the size of each weapon compared to the others...
Close to showtime...Later
Warranties should always be a consideration. Ironically Glock, which has perhaps the hands down best reputation for durability and reliability, has the weakest official warranty of the group-One year. S&W and Sig Sauer offer lifetime warranties. Glock's customer service is regarded (from what I hear) as really good, so I think the warranty thing is probably a non-issue.
Figured it would nice to get a look at the holsters used here. The Glocks are in Saddle Holsters by Andrews Custom Leather, St. Augustine FL. The SIG and S&W are shown in CQ-QR Holsters made in Buffalo NY by Ritchie Leather. All are reasonably priced and are perfectly made to fit the weapon. Wait time for an Andrews holster can be more than a tad long.
Not shown here but another great holster maker and well worth considering is R. Grizzle Leather just over the mountain in Dahlonega GA. Excellent stuff I use very often. Long-ish lead time but also worth the wait.
Also shown again are all four pistols in a group picture which may help give a perspective of the size of each weapon compared to the others...
Close to showtime...Later
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- Thread starter
- #31
And here is the part you have all been waiting for. There is more narrative to follow a little later, but I see no need to keep y'all hanging.
All rounds were fired in about 12 seconds, 5 yards. Between 8-12 rounds each volley, depending on magazine capacity. Each target is labeled.
All rounds were fired in about 12 seconds, 5 yards. Between 8-12 rounds each volley, depending on magazine capacity. Each target is labeled.
Interesting. The Glock 26 is the most favored backup pistol and the one favored by undercover officers of our local department.
Dang that Shield is FLAT! May be the angle but it makes the Glock and Sig look fat.
- Thread starter
- #34
Well.
That's pretty much a wrap
Each gun had its pros and cons. One however emerged clearly as what I think is the superior weapon. For the record: any of these pistols is an excellent choice for EDC and defensive purposes. To paraphrase Orwell's "Animal Farm"
"All animals are equal. Just some are more equal than others". That being said...
4th place-SIG P365. Small and ridiculously easy to carry. Handling can be compromised because of its size. Example: a quick, tactical reload can be problematic because the magazine often will not drop free; it'll hit your hand. Probably my least favorite handgun of the lot to shoot. Again, small can wear on you.
3rd place-S&W Shield. Ergonomically a nearly perfect handgun. Its diminutive width makes it a joy to carry for extended periods. The way it fits in one's hand is more comfortable than my old recliner. The 8 round magazine may find disfavor with some, but mag extensions are readily available. Very attractive price too.
2nd place-Glock 43X. It just works. It has more to grab onto than either the Shield or P365 and the Glock's sights come on target much better than those of the two aforementioned pistols. Very point-able. Nice gun.
.....and Number One......
Glock 26-Accurate, well balanced, easy to shoot and as cozy to carry as any of the competition here...with the proper holster.
This one to me is top of the heap!
Of course opinions will vary.
Thanks for reading. Happy trails.......
That's pretty much a wrap
Each gun had its pros and cons. One however emerged clearly as what I think is the superior weapon. For the record: any of these pistols is an excellent choice for EDC and defensive purposes. To paraphrase Orwell's "Animal Farm"
"All animals are equal. Just some are more equal than others". That being said...
4th place-SIG P365. Small and ridiculously easy to carry. Handling can be compromised because of its size. Example: a quick, tactical reload can be problematic because the magazine often will not drop free; it'll hit your hand. Probably my least favorite handgun of the lot to shoot. Again, small can wear on you.
3rd place-S&W Shield. Ergonomically a nearly perfect handgun. Its diminutive width makes it a joy to carry for extended periods. The way it fits in one's hand is more comfortable than my old recliner. The 8 round magazine may find disfavor with some, but mag extensions are readily available. Very attractive price too.
2nd place-Glock 43X. It just works. It has more to grab onto than either the Shield or P365 and the Glock's sights come on target much better than those of the two aforementioned pistols. Very point-able. Nice gun.
.....and Number One......
Glock 26-Accurate, well balanced, easy to shoot and as cozy to carry as any of the competition here...with the proper holster.
This one to me is top of the heap!
Of course opinions will vary.
Thanks for reading. Happy trails.......
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Thanks very much for the review! The 26 is now on my want list. I read about the XGrip addon which works with the Pmag 17 round magazines nice and snug. Sounds like a good combo and you can get that pinky finger on there for a better grip.
My birthday is tomorrow. Maybe I will go for it.
My birthday is tomorrow. Maybe I will go for it.
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Nice work, Tim.
- Thread starter
- #37
Here is an X Grip set up on a Glock 30S.
they work pretty well
- Thread starter
- #38
And here is a G26 set up with an X Grip and Glock 17 magazine. Also shown a Sam Andrews Saddle Holster. Good stuff.
+1 Great reviews. I enjoyed this thread very much. I swore I thought I seen a S&W Shield on sale the other day for $249. Hard not to go pick one up for that price.
Very thorough and well thought out review, thanks for taking the effort! I certainly can't fault your top pick. I will point out that your preference for OWB might sway your choice a bit, as opposed to my preference for IWB carry. While your's and Rob's critique of the SIG P365's shortcoming of a problematic speed reload is certainly a valid one, I value its enhanced conceal-ability and ease of IWB carry.
