Sig Sauer has been on a roll the past few years, and the new P320 XCompact is a prime example of the company’s popularity and success. Built on the modular P320 platform, the XCompact brings a few extra features to the series to distinguish it as a top-tier carry gun.
One of my favorite features is the X-RAY3 day/night front sight, which has a high-visibility green halo around the tritium insert. I’ve got that sight on a couple of other pistols and am continually impressed by how fast it is to acquire and how well I shoot with it. The rear sight has a plain black profile, with tritium inserts, and is part of the optics plate assembly, which means that irons will not be available when a reflex sight is installed. The XCompact will accept Sig’s new ROMEO1PRO as well as the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro.
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The XCompact also has the flat X-Series trigger for a 90-degree break, which many people like, including myself. However, the biggest selling point for me is the relief cut in the frontstrap behind the triggerguard. That completely changes the feel and ergonomics of the pistol compared with standard P320s, and it just melted into my hand.
Though it’s a striker-fired pistol, the XCompact has the relatively high bore axis associated more with hammer-fired pistols. And as much as I like the feel of the XCompact, it does not shoot quite as flat as others in the group. Even so, the weight soaks up the recoil, and when everything is lined up correctly, it’s exceptionally reliable and absurdly accurate. Terrill and I agreed about the gap in the target-style rear sight. For a defensive pistol, it’s just too narrow for fast alignment.
Terrill also likes the flat trigger, though he wasn’t impressed with the “sproingy” trigger break. I could live with the break, but the pre-travel had a grating sensation, hinting that there is a lot going on inside. Also, while firing the pistol, my thumb bumped against the slide catch a couple of times, accidentally locking the slide open. Sig narrowed the XCompact’s frame near where it meets the slide, and as a result the slide catch protrudes more.
Overall, the P320 XCompact is an exceptional pistol that has all the trimmings a lot of shooters love. In the grand scheme of things, our concerns are relatively minor, since it performed flawlessly for us. But for its relatively high MSRP of $728, it would be nice if it were a couple steps closer to perfection.
