Zev Technologies is all about taking a solid product and making it even better, and that’s just what they did with the Z365 Octane. Using Sig’s P365 platform, the folks at ZEV Technologies only made a few upgrades, but boy did those upgrades make a difference. The biggest upgrade is the Titanium Gray, custom slide manufactured by ZEV Technologies. In addition to the visually appealing machining such as the serrations on top and on the sides, there’s an optics-ready slide cut for popular red-dots like the Shield RMSC and the Holosun HS407K. Sig Sauer doesn’t offer that option currently for the P365.
Additionally, ZEV Technologies threw in a different sight package that features a small fiber-optic pipe up front and a blacked-out and serrated rear sight that stays in place when an optic is installed. Another perk of the custom slide is its reduced weight, which translates to flatter shooting and less muzzle flip, helping the shooter stay on target for follow-up shots. ZEV Technologies also replaced the factory barrel with the Z365 Pro barrel that sports a DLC finish. Everything else, including the trigger, remained the same.
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While these changes may not sound like much, all of the testers commented on how much better the Z365 Octane shot than the P365X RZ we had on hand. Addison and Dave complimented the reduced muzzle flip, and Brad was impressed by the improved accuracy of the Z365 Pro barrel. A few of them mentioned that the magazines were stiff and a little tough to load but they were Sig factory magazines, so not really a ding on ZEV Technologies.
While I concurred with the guys’ opinions about the improved shootability, I had a tough time with the very tiny fiber-optic sight up front. I wish the company would make the fiber-optic piece at least a little bigger to make it easier to pick up quickly. There was a bit of a debate about whether the upgrades were worth the MSRP of $1,154, and the consensus was that ZEV Technologies should have included an upgraded trigger at that price. However, there was no question that the Z365 Octane was a significant step up from the standard P365 and it’s well worth a look if you want something a little different and you want to squeeze every drop of performance you can out of the P365 platform.
