At SIG NEXT, I sat down with Eric McKenzie, SIG Sauer’s Director of Commercial Product Management, to dig into the technical details of the new P385. Instead of covering the basic specs again, I pulled questions directly from YouTube comments, Reddit threads, GunsAmerica, and other discussions where shooters were asking things SIG had not really addressed yet.
We get into how the P385 differs from the P320 and P365, the new FCU and striker system, drop safety, recoil reduction, reliability testing, round counts, accuracy standards, ammo compatibility, compensators, suppressor use, and whether the P320 is going away. There is a lot of technical information here that has not been widely discussed elsewhere.
If there is something we missed, leave your question in the comments. We are planning a Part 2 and will take the best questions back to SIG for answers.
As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does.
Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.
I really wish you would have the option to read or watch. I have little desire to sit and listen to all the typical rhetoric of a video. 95% of the time is there isn’t a read option I just mosey on by.
Heard, RS. Some of us read faster than anybody talks. I’m passing this one to the editors, and when Part 2 runs I want a written version sitting right next to the video.
i would happily buy a 385 (and a 211 for that matter) if sig would make me whole on my 320. i’d even eat the mags, extensions, etc. i’ve got over a $1000.00 in a gun my range or my competition entity won’t let me use. i’m willing to eat the mosquito i have in my safe, but not the x5.
Question re: SIG’s line of 1911s: Why does SIG ‘no longer support’ its Compact models? I have an absolutely wonderful Ultra Compact 1911 .45acp. I hope to pass it on. To insure my heir gets a ‘working gun’ I like having spare parts, especially those that may wear out. I can’t do that with this model because SIG not only discontinued it, but spare parts for it, too.
Jim, that’s the worst part of owning a gun SIG stopped making. The gun still runs, the parts bin dries up. It’s a little off the P385 path, but we’re taking the best reader questions back to SIG for Part 2, and support for the Compact and Ultra Compact 1911s goes on that list. Until then, SIG customer service is the one to call about what’s still on the shelf.
Respectfully, it is a 1911. There will be quality gunsmiths working on them, for another hundred years.
No argument there. The 1911 will outlive all of us, and so will the smiths who know them. Jim’s worry is the short guns, though. A good smith can fit a lot, but he still has to find the part first. That’s why it’s going on the list for SIG.
I do understand that. My point is only that all 1911 parts require fitting, so it is not a big deal if a barrel or a bushing needs shortened or modified to fit.