In recent months, new versions of existing compact pistols have been introduced with new features and improvements. At least we hope the added expense and modifications are improvements. The trend is toward greater magazine capacity, improved sights, and sometimes a longer slide and barrel while maintaining a subcompact grip style.

The SIG P365 XMacro is perhaps the most modified of any of these new handguns with a compensator, larger grip, and the addition of grip inserts, not to mention a 17-round magazine. Similarly, Taurus took the GX4 and gave it a long slide similar to the SIG P365XL’s treatment. These seem like fitting improvements in shooting performance. Perhaps concealed carry is compromised slightly by longer barrels and magazines. Meanwhile, a custom operation known as Shield Arms has redesigned the magazine catch and magazines of the Glock 43X, offering 14-round steel magazines for the pistol. So to explore these new carry options, we faced off the two factory handguns and the Glock 43X converted to bigger magazines to see who would run.

Do you need the expensive SIG XMacro? Is the slightly longer slide of the Taurus beneficial? Should you simply modify the 43X to a higher capacity? In the end, one pistol answered these questions and stood above the others in combat ability, but another failed to function properly. Here’s what we found.

Gun Tests Grade: A

$800

This is the priciest pistol tested. The P365 XMacro is based on the successful SIG P365 and P365XL handguns. The P365 in original form offers a compact package and a 10-shot magazine. The SIG P365XL is a valid improvement for some, with its longer slide and flat trigger offering a marked improvement in practical accuracy for those who practice. The XL’s larger grip with 12-round magazine is also welcome. The P365 XMacro takes the concept much farther.

The XMacro pistol appears to be a long-slide P365, and it is, and it isn’t. The slide is long because it houses a compensator. The barrel is the same length as the P365, but shorter than the P365XL’s. The extra length of the slide is taken up with an integral dual port compensator, which helps control muzzle flip.

The pistol features SIG night sights, an excellent option. The XMacro has a higher grip frame to accommodate a 17-round magazine. The pistol also offers two grip inserts, one more than what Taurus offers, with the Shield Glock offering none. The new-design grip makes handling recoil much more pleasant. While it is difficult to separate the effect of the compensator from the advantage of the longer handle, the pistol is very pleasant to fire, overall more pleasant and controllable than the other  handguns, in our view. It is also the largest handgun. The compensator is an interesting solution to recoil that not many other concealed handguns have.

The XMacro’s barrel length is 3.1 inches, the same as the P365. The 3.7-inch-barrel SIG P365XL will generate greater velocity than the larger XMacro. However, there was no deficit in velocity compared to the P365 standard model, as often occurs due to gas venting out of the barrel. In sum, there is no advantage over the P365 in velocity, and there was a velocity loss compared to the P365XL.

The slide is optics ready, an option we did not explore in this test. The straight trigger breaks cleanly. In common with many other striker-fired pistols, the action became cleaner and slightly lighter with use. At the end of the test, the trigger breaks at 5.5 pounds, easily the best trigger of the test pistols. The XMacro also features a newly designed light rail that accepts more than just SIG-specific lights.

While the magazines are advertised as 17-round units and are marked for 17 rounds, we loaded the magazines to 16 rounds only with difficulty. This is a common occurrence with compact high-capacity magazines. They are much more difficult to load to full capacity than a Glock 19 magazine, as an example. During the test we loaded the magazines to 15 rounds for convenience. Three loads were used in combat firing. These were the Remington 115-grain FMJ, Black Hills Ammunition 115-grain FMJ, and Federal 124 grain Hydra-Shok JHP. In accuracy testing, we used the Black Hills 124-grain JHP, Federal 124-grain HST, and Remington 115-grain FMJ. All five loads proved reliable in the pistols tested.

In the combat phase, we fired at 5, 7,  and 10 yards, using 100 cartridges in each test pistol. The SIG XMacro came on target quickly from concealed carry and ate the X ring ate out of the target at 7 yards. The SIG pistol is easily the most controllable handgun tested. We had a Glock 19 on hand for comparison. The SIG P365 XMacro is as comfortable to fire as the very comfortable Glock 19-size handgun. The compensator helps and the new grip style helps. All raters commented on the handguns’ good natural point. The SIG clearly outperformed the Shield Arms Glock 43X and Taurus handguns in combat firing.

In accuracy testing, we fired three loads from a solid rest. We considered firing at 15 yards, as we sometimes do with subcompact carry guns. The improvements and role of these handguns, however, put them into a different category, so we fired five-shot groups at 25 yards. The SIG P365 XMacro provided excellent accuracy for a pistol of this size and weight. Its best group was 2.0 inches.

Our Team Said: We found the XMacro to be easily the most effective combat gun and also the most accurate 9mm handgun tested. It is also the priciest. The sole demerit was less velocity than the Taurus long-slide version of the GX4 and slightly less velocity than the Shield Glock 43X. But then the SIG isn’t a long-slide pistol, but is instead a compact handgun with a compensator.

9mm Luger Range Data