I can still remember reading the specs for the SIG P365 when the press release hit prior to the 2018 SHOT Show. The pictures gave no sense of scale, so I got a ruler and made a 3D rep with folded paper. I was stunned. The gun killed the single-stack 9mm handgun and quickly created a new genre of micro-compact pistols.
And SIG didn’t rest on their laurels after that. They quickly released an XL Model, a SAS model, and the XMACRO.
The XMACRO series aims to take on the compact realm; The XMACRO is a lion, and the Glock 19 is the gazelle it’s chasing down.
Using the same technology and magazine design as the original P365, the XMACRO aims to be bigger, better, and more competitive among the heavy hitters of the compact firearms market.
The XMACRO COMP: A Tactical Beast
Let’s start with the three features that make the XMACRO Comp stand out.
The Magazine
SIG designed what’s affectionately been called a 1.5 stack. It’s partially a double stack and partially a single stack. This allows you to fit a lot of ammo in a small grip. The XMACRO uses that same technology but makes it a little longer. Instead of 10 or 12 rounds, we get 17.
I did Math For Marines, and I know that most compact handguns hold 15 rounds, and 17 is two more than 15. Not a bad stash, and the grip is only 1.1 inches wide. That is thinner than most other compacts, which tend to be 1.2 to 1.25 inches wide on the modern market.
Integrated Compensator
The compensator is part of the slide, and the 3.1-inch barrel stops short of the two-port compensator. The frame still sits flush with the slide, and the gun doesn’t break out of the compact mold. That frame also has a standard Picatinny rail, not SIG’s proprietary rail, so normal lights mount with ease.
Optic Cut
The third big feature is the presence of an optic cut. It uses the RMSc optics cut, which has become the standard for compact pistols. Many different optics utilize the RMSc cut, and I have a Swampfox mounted to my XMACRO. If optics aren’t for you, SIG Lite night sights are an option.
Quick Specs
The gun is not a micro-compact, and it’s not quite a compact — it’s somewhere in between.
- Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
- Overall Length: 6.6 inches
- Width: 1.1 inches
- Weight: 21.5 ounces
- Caliber: 9mm
- Capacity: 17
The XMACRO Comp and Recoil Reduction
Integrated compensators are becoming more and more common. Why? To answer that, we have to examine what a compensator does: reduce muzzle rise.
A recoil impulse has two distinct movements: rearward and upward. The comp beats the upward motion, which is the motion that slows you down when shooting.
The XMACRO Comp’s integrated compensator has a few benefits, namely that it’s perfectly timed and won’t detach. Other compensator designs involve threaded barrels and screw-on designs. The integrated option requires zero user maintenance. It won’t loosen up, it won’t spin even slightly, and it won’t create issues with reliability.
The recoil from a 9mm isn’t all that bad, but every reduction allows you to shoot faster, and shooting faster is always beneficial. The XMACRO compensator delivers damn fine performance for such a small comp. The two ports do a helluva job of resisting muzzle rise and keeping the gun flat while shooting.
Right off the bat, I scored quicker splits and significantly reduced the time between shots without losing accuracy. The XMACRO Comp handled like a much larger gun. It’s not recoil-free, but it handles more like a Glock 17 than a P365. The compensator does a great job of keeping the gun low and on target.
I also had no reliability problems. I shot a lot of cheap 115-grain range ammo and had no reliability problems. It handled like a champ, and the gun cycled through everything I put through it. You don’t see a significant reduction in muzzle rise with the 115-grain stuff, but add in some 124-grain JHPs, or 147-grain ammo, and you notice a massive difference.
XMacro Performance
We know the XMACRO handles like a sports car, but what about the rest of the gun?
Users of the P365 will recognize and appreciate the trigger. From the factory, it’s flat-faced, and there is a fair bit of takeup before you hit the wall. The wall is short but decently heavy. All around, it’s nice for a factory trigger.
The accuracy is quite good at 25 and even 50 yards. At 50 yards, the XMACRO and I can put plenty of holes into the chest of an FBI Q Target. It might not be tight groups, but it works. Up close, within 15 yards, the compensator makes this thing a beast at close range. Putting a single ragged hole into a target isn’t hard at 15 yards.
Ergonomically, the XMACRO holds up really well. The grip fits my hand just perfectly. My pinky doesn’t pin in the magazine. The grip shape feels fantastic, and the aggressive texture keeps the gun in my hand during the recoil impulse.
My only real complaint about the gun’s ergonomics is the slide lock and release. It’s super small. It’s easy to pin under a thumb and tough to use to send the slide back forward. You are better suited using the slingshot method to get the gun up and running than using the slide release.
Toting the XMACRO
One thing I like about the XMACRO Comp is the gun’s size. It’s just perfect for AIWB. Too long gets irritating, and too short tends to bulge outward.
The XMACRO is just right when combined with a good appendix holster. The Incog X works perfectly with the XMACRO and allows it to disappear inside my waistband.
The size of the gun makes it well-suited for a multitude of roles. It’s perfect for concealed carry, well suited for home defense, and could even be a competition option. The only thing it would ever suffer at is pocket carry, but I don’t think anyone intended this to be a pocket gun.
Standard compact handguns might be quaking in their boots. The XMACRO is coming for them!
