The Sig Sauer P365 Fuse: Bridging the IWB/OWB Gap

Back in the late 1970s, Stretch Armstrong was a massive hit with kids like me. The goo-filled rubber wrestler could be stretched out to ridiculous lengths. Actually, that was Stretch Armstrong’s only trick. Someone at Sig Sauer may have had one of these as a kid, as I can clearly see the influence in the latest evolution (and longest version yet) of Sig’s P365 family: The P365 Fuse.

The Sig Sauer P365 (3.1″) was a true micro-compact with solid capacity. The XL lengthened the slide (which allowed for built-in comps or slightly longer barrels: 3.7″). Then, the P365 Macro added length to the grip (and a potential for increased flush-fit capacity). Now, the P365 Fuse takes the barrel and slide lengths even further.

With a barrel length of 4.3″, the P365 Fuse bridges the gap between micro-compact and compact pistols, positioning the Fuse as a solid EDC gun with roots in concealed carry but aspirations as an OWB handgun, too.

The Appeal of a Small Gun for LEOs

When I’m not waxing poetic about stretchy dolls, I work for Safariland. We’re hearing almost constant requests for retention-rated holsters for the P365 family. While the smallest of those, the P365, is a bit minimalistic for outside-the-waistband carry, the XL, Macro, and Fuse are not.

These guns appeal to those with small hands. The guns are smaller, which makes them more appealing to smaller shooters or those with small hands. Women, we’re told, have been gravitating to the Macro for use on duty.

I think this might be a cover of sorts, and not just because I have larger hands. Many departments and agencies are facing pressure from political voices in their communities to present a less militaristic facade. This pressure has some questioning the full-sized duty guns. A gun like the Macro or Fuse will have a smaller footprint.

Are they really that much smaller?

They are, but not how you are thinking. These guns are more narrow. The grip size, too, doesn’t feel as boxy as that of a true double stack (like the P320). There’s marginally less mass, too.

Shorter, lighter guns tend to have a more pronounced recoil impulse. That’s true for this family, too. I’ve owned all four basic sizes (P365, XL, Macro, and now Fuse), and each one is just a bit easier to manipulate and shoot fast. The Macro had been my absolute favorite. Now, the Fuse is showing the potential to unseat it.

Just remember that small is relative. Twenty years ago, most companies took one basic gun and chopped the length off the slide and grip, hoping it would make a gun more appealing for those who wanted something easily concealed. Now, we have an entire continuum of sizes that make it easy to find the precise gun fit, size, and caliber for whatever singular application you might have in mind.

Or maybe this is a one-and-done-sized gun?

While I gravitate toward a dedicated concealed carry gun and a different SHTF duty-sized gun, the Fuse may be a single gun solution for some. As soon as the solid holster makers catch up with the OWB side, Fuse will be a gun that is equally adept at official duty applications, EDC, and concealed carry. Unless you wanted a different caliber, this one pistol seems like a solid choice for doing many jobs.

In other words, if you could only have one pistol, this might be it.

Shooting the Fuse

If you don’t hold this gun down, the muzzle flip (up and to the right) will catch you off guard. Like many in this size range, it is jumpy. That doesn’t mean you can’t hold it down. You can, but it will fight back.

Accuracy is solid. The foundation of this comes from the P365 FCU’s trigger. I’ve been working with Sig guns for almost 20 years and have yet to find a Sig trigger that I like better than that of my P226. The P365 trigger feels distinctly different. The trigger on this would be described as abysmal if we were talking about a 1911 or even a P226.

It isn’t either of those, though, and the P365 family, all of them, are still focused on a style of shooting that doesn’t require short take-ups and glass-like breaks. And the P365 trigger is so much better than any of the P320s I’ve run across. In short, I’m not wild about it. I’m also not so frustrated by it that I’d make it a deal-breaker.

P365 Magazines

Magazines, of course, are important. The P365 family introduced a mid-sized magazine. It isn’t a single-stack, but it isn’t a true double-stack, either. The rounds stagger in the mag body, and only line up as they near the top. This wouldn’t be enough to keep these guns concealable, but the designers whittled away inside the frame until the grip was really thin where it surrounded the magazine.

With the Macro and now the Fuse, these micro-compacts are eclipsing simple, compact capacity and taking on full-sized guns that have been seen as the standard for capacity.

The appeal is easy to see for smaller guns with a higher capacity. The Fuse ships with three mags (capacity varies depending on the package, but it is usually 21, 21, 17). Macro mags will fit it, too. Either way, three mags is the absolute minimum, and I think you will want and need more Sig P365 magazines.

Ergonomics on the P365 Fuse

The Fuse has moved away from the grip pattern of the Macro. There’s an oddly honeycombed texture across the grip. It is both easy to hold and not overtly aggressive.

There’s one odd element to the design. With an empty mag in the gun and the slide locked back, it is difficult to drop the slide with the slide-stop lever. It is seriously stiff. You’ll need to bump the mag out of place, then drop the slide.

If you are are a tinkerer, there are many ways to modify the gun. All of the aftermarket parts for the P365 family work, and there will be grip modules out soon from Icarus and others, if you want even more from that part than the stock module provides.

Begin with the mag release button. Then maybe the slide stop. The Fuse has its own mag well extension. I could see putting a threaded barrel on it, too.

The sights on this, as is, are my favorite of all of the P365 guns. The front blade is thin. This is odd; most of the EDC guns out there now make the front sight big and bright so it is easily seen as the gun is moving toward the target. The Fuse’s front sight is not hard to pick up from a draw but allows a lot of daylight on either side, which allows you to fine-tune the accuracy when it matters.

What else does the P365 Fuse need to be ready to carry?

Every carry gun needs a couple of basic additions. I’ve been developing astigmatism that makes red dots look like wild fireworks in the reticle, so I keep bouncing back and forth between using dots and irons. But the red dot is still faster. The Fuse is cut for the Shield RMS-C, but adapters are available.

The short rail accepts universal mount lights, like the Streamlight TLR-7.

I’d pick up a couple of holsters. The OWB side is just getting started, but the IWB options are readily available. The Incog X from Haley Strategic Partners and Safariland is ideal. Whichever you go with, make sure it fits the Fuse, too. Anything with an open bottom should work.

Final Thoughts

The Fuse is selling for just under $700, which is in the neighborhood of the other P365s. For those of us who grew up playing with the original Stretch Armstrong, this invokes some sticker shock. For years, a rock-solid duty gun was $500 or under, but it is easy to see that the Sig Fuse offers more—and it ships with three mags, too, which gets you a leg up on being ready to carry.