Beautiful pistol!!!!! Hang onto that Robar. I hear he's closed down.

Hit me up if you don't want that P232 any more.

In reading all these post and thinking for a moment about what you are asking....

you know there is a simple answer... buy a P365 and just see.... what I mean by this is there is no reason not to have both.

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
If you're committed to 380ACP, then consider a Ruger LCP Max or soon to be release P365 in 380ACP.

Not to hijack the thread too hard, but what do we know so far about the P365 .380? Will parts interchange, like grip modules?

quote:

Originally posted by toivo:

quote:

Originally posted by iron chef:
If you're committed to 380ACP, then consider a Ruger LCP Max or soon to be release P365 in 380ACP.

Not to hijack the thread too hard, but what do we know so far about the P365 .380? Will parts interchange, like grip modules?

The whole gun is not available. SIG's website doesn't have it on their P365 page. But, the P365 FCU I saw listed for sale online has the factory box label saying it's "9/.380". Everything else, who knows.

I’m with the masses on the P365X being a better choice, but I also believe if something isn’t broken why fix it?

If you like the p232 and you’ve already fine tuned it with everything you want then why go change it?

Personally I would keep the p232 and maybe add the p365x to the arsenal to at least run it for a while before you ditch your current gun… obviously this is assuming budget allows to keep both for a while at least…

I love the 232 and owned 2 of them. I have a 365 and would choose it everyday of the week over a 232. To me it's no comparison.

9x19 over 9x17 each and every time for me. But that's only part of it.

I own a stainless P232 and it's a quantifiable classic for sure, but any P365 variant is what I would choose to protect my life with in this head to head showdown. It's primarily about the caliber, but also my preference includes the relative shootability of the guns as well. My poly P365s are for me considerably more pleasant, pain-free and faster to shoot up against that P232 of mine. It's rather ironic to me that the weaker .380 fired from an all-steel P232 should create considerably more stinging sharp in felt recoil than either of my 9mm Para P365s (or my Glock 43, for that matter). I suppose that it just goes to show how effective a locking breech action in a polymer frame is in dissipating and dampening out recoil energy than a direct blowback design.

Frankly if you find that the P232 is a cinch to handle, the P365X will be the proverbial piece of cake.

Yup, this is simple. If you want nostalgia use your 232. If you actually want the better gun for purpose get a 365. Better caliber, more capacity, better shootability, I would guess lighter, just as small (never put my PPK/Sagaibst a 365 so I’m guessing).

This is a unfair comparison unless sentimentality is a voting measure. Which it can be. That PPK/S was a special gift from my folks upon getting my Navy Wings. It’s not a great shooting gun but I will always keep it. It’s sentimental. If I knew I might need a gun to protect myself and these were my two options then the choice would make itself. It’s only a “choice” because because we allow ourselves to think it won’t really happen to us so we are ok ok with a flawed choice.

I have been playing around with Magguts. My original 10 rounders are now 12 in the same 365 footprint. That’s a small, shootable gun with 13 rounds on board. Night sights, easy to shoot fast and well, high capacity, tiny. I’ll say it again. Gun of the decade. Easy.

Ironically I am carrying my West German P230SL today as it made it out of the safe for mass yesterday. Picked up years ago from a retired LEO. Still one of my favorite carry pistols and easy to conceal, and I have never had issues with slide bite. Its a beautiful pistol and one of the last I would part with. However the size/capacity/caliber of the P365 are hard to overlook, and while I am not a fan of striker fired pistols, I probably carry my P365 the most.

Thank you everyone very much. I appreciate the time everyone took to think about it. I actually found a local shop that gave me one heck of a deal on a P365X today so I came home with it. I have short fingers (no comments please ) and the 365 actually gives me more of a reach for the trigger than the 232. But, side by side, as many have said, the 232 is just dang sexy!!! hahaha
Anyone have concerns with a plastic mag follower and plastic mag release? Just wonderin'.

The P230 is the only gun I’ve bought because of how it looks. But it is outclassed these days. The P230/232 is almost 4 decades old.

The P365 is:
Smaller
Lighter
More potent round
Less felt recoil
Easier to shoot (striker vs DA/SA)
More capacity
More options/some modularity

I'll split and say neither, get a 365XL.

The extra little bit of slide is NOT that difficult to conceal unless you're trying to carry the gun in a pocket, and the 365 X grip is the same length...which I feel is too much for a pocket anyway. (But then a standard 365 is just a shade big for me for pockets anyway).

Not to mention...in addition to the slight little bit of barrel for velocity and slide for sight radius, that extra weight on that slide calms the guns down a heck of a lot over the P365. I have had two of the 365s, a regular model and manual safety, and barrel hood wear tells me both guns' slides are MOVING.

My XLs show no worrisome wear issues and are calmer in the hand at minimal (or in my case, no) concealability cost over a P365X.

Between that and a 232, I would pick the XL, for all the reasons that BuddyChryst mentioned. Unless the 232 is your happy place, by just about every metric I can think of beyond Cool Factor, the P365XL is the superior firearm.

Congrats on your new Pistol. I think you'll like it.

my thoughts on the question below.

BLUF: If you were buying new, I'd take the P365 over the P232. It's a more modern design, more common cartridge (debatable) and a really nice trigger (IMHO) Given that you already own a P232, you need to try a P365 and see how it shoots. Also, you have to ask if the 365 brings more value than a comparable amount of ammo for your P232.

Find a 365 you can rent and shoot it. See what It does for you. I carry one as dose my brother and several of my Coworkers (.MIL). While it works good for me and I can get acceptable hits on a qual target at distances I expect to encounter, your mileage may vary.

Look at the weights of the P365 loaded and unloaded and compare it to your P232. Hint, 10 rounds of 9mm is not lighter than 7 or 8 rounds of .32 or .380. Width is about the same. 10 round mag capacity briefs well, but look at Greg Ellifritz's articles on the number of rounds used in armed encounters. Also, do your homework on attacks in your area, that will help determine how many rounds you should plan on needing. I look at lethality as a function of shot placement, then penetration, expansion etc. Meaning, if you shoot your current caliber better then 9mm, stick with what you have. That said, .32 and .380 aren't service rounds in North America for a reason.