SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size Handgun ~ Gun Review

by Michael Cumming
Michael gives us his review and range results of the SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size Handgun.

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- About a month ago, I got an opportunity to get a really good deal on a few pistols. I have all the major brand striker fire pistols and I really wanted to take an opportunity to see what the hype over the Sig Sauer P320 X-Five Full Size Handgun is about.

SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size Handgun

Is the SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size pistol as different as they say it is? Being a 9 mm, is it really that much smoother shooting compared to any other stock striker fire pistol on the market? I had to find out.

I received my pistol through a Federal Firearms License transfer. When I opened the box I was definitely excited. There sat a brand new bull barreled, factory flat triggered, slide lightened, Sig Legion-esque gripped pistol with four 21 round magazines, fully adjustable LPA Dawson Precision sights, and a gun safety lock. It also has an extended beavertail and the groove for the slide lock is gone.

Looking closely at the slide, I noticed the Dawson Sights are removable and RMR Adaptor Plate can be attached. The base is made for a Sig Sauer Romeo 1 Mini-Reflex Sight to slide in without modification. Neatly socked away were extra filaments in red and green for the Dawson Sights. It also comes with a removable mag well and a grip weight to balance out this striker fired beast.

Note: It does not come with an allen key to remove the magwell.

In preparation for sighting in the SIG P320 X5 and the test, I took some time to get to know her. That included a thorough cleaning to remove the preservation grease Sig Sauer puts in their pistols, lubing, and dry-fire exercises with some 9mm Snap Caps. This allowed me to get to know the P320 X5 trigger before it was game on. The take up is minimal, and the break was crisp. The reset was very clearly audible with a very distinct feel that said, “Ready to go!” The pull weight was 4.6 lbs from the factory, which is one pound less than the stock P320. The other major difference between the X5 and stock P320s is the reach to the trigger. The P320 X5 seems to have a slightly longer reset, which will take some time to get used to.

Ahh, my favorite part of the review – range time!

I took some time to adjust the rear sights and put about 200 rounds through the pistol to confirm functionality. Shooter beware- this gun was designed for competition and is not zeroed from the factory. The LPA Dawson Precision rear sight was set dead center on the lowest vertical setting. To sight it in, I used 50 rounds at a slow pace to get used to the feel of the gun. Then I used three 5 shot groups at 7 yards with support. The pistol was 3 inches high, and I adjusted elevation from there. Knowing the pistol was dead center before we ran the test, which consisted of 100 rounds being fired at a relatively high rate of speed, the slide was lubed to manufacturer’s specifications. The gun ran and without any issues. There was one failure to fire, but the ammunition appeared to be the culprit, as the primer was depressed. I was using Aguila 124 grain 9mm ammunition.

Is the Sig Sauer P320 X5 the softest shooting, lowest recoil production striker fired pistol on the market? The answer is a very solid yes.

It is also the flattest shooting production pistol I have ever shot. Sig Sauer must have a wizard in their design department. The balance is impeccable, resulting in a shooter experience that is very tame. With those qualities, I believe this would be a great pistol for someone to be taught to shoot with. That being said, this will be the first pistol my daughter will shoot when she is old enough.

So after running the SIG Sauer P320 X5 through some of its paces, what critiques did I have? My biggest critique is Sig Sauer should make sure to recheck that the pistol has all of its listed components. I was missing the grip weight on the P320 X5. I called the SIG Sauer and their customer service fixed the issue very quickly. I didn’t have the gun on hand to give them my serial number, but the agent sent me an e-mail and I was able to respond in a timely fashion. Within 3 hours of my response, the parts were shipped.

There are a few things that I do need to note. The compatibility throughout the 320 line is solid. The old 17 round mags will not work if you take off the magwell. The ears on the magwell are too thick to seat properly. SIG Sauer has made an adjustment to their new mag based plates to allow cross compatibility throughout the whole line. The grip will work with the generation one and generation two fire control units. The new FCU fits and all the previous grips and will also work with previous generations slides. This cross compatibility shows a lot of forward thinking on the part of SIG Sauer.

The SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size is definitely designed for the IPSC and IDPA shooters. The P320 X5 can be carried but not very practical. It will not fit in a standard P320 full-size holster unless it has an open bottom, or the holster is made for the gun. There are few companies that offer holsters for the P320-X5. For IDPA and concealed carry, the guys over at Rekkr Custom Kydex have it taken care of. For the ISPC/ USPSA side, Red Hill Tactical is your company to make your holster.

SIG SAUER P320 X-Five Full Size Pistol Review Parts List:

• SIG Sauer P320 stock holster
• Slip 2000 EWL lube
• Breakthrough Clean
• Aguila 124g 9mm
• Rekkr Custom Kydex Holster
• Red Hill Tactical Holster

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About Michael Cummings

The author, Michael Cummings, is a middle school educator residing in Virginia. He has a passion for all things that are loud, need cleaned on a regular basis, and/ or use belts, bolts, or magazines to be fed.