Squat Squad, this one is a look back to SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. I had to stop by a booth we’ve done quite a bit of work with and that you guys apparently love: Sharps Bros. Most of you know them for AK and AR parts and, more recently, the Heatseeker chassis, which is still my favorite chassis for the Ruger American. But while I was going through the SHOT Show media planner, something popped up on their new products page that I totally didn’t expect: an aluminum grip module for the Sig P365.
Quick note: this is a booth walkthrough with John from Sharps Bros at SHOT Show 2023, not a SlavGuns range test and evaluation. I got to handle it, not shoot it.
TL;DR
- Same metal as their AR receivers: machined from the same 7075 aluminum Sharps Bros uses for its AR lowers, then mil-spec anodized.
- Wood, made in house: Brazilian cherry grip panels machined by Sharps Bros themselves.
- One module, any slide: works with any P365 slide, from the standard P365 and SAS to the X, XL and X-Macro.
- A little wider, a little heavier: 1.3 in wide with the wood versus 1.1 in for the stock Sig module, and roughly 3 to 3.5 oz heavier.
- Built for control: undercuts for your hand and integrated gas pedals to help manage recoil.
Why a metal grip module for the P365?
The P365 is one of the most popular carry guns out there, and the reason a product like this can exist at all is Sig’s modularity. The serialized part is the fire control unit, so the grip module is just a housing you can swap. Sig made modularity a lot more prominent, and that’s what gives companies like Sharps Bros the opportunity to build something like this.
So why would a P365 owner upgrade? According to John, you get a much more rigid platform than a polymer frame, plus ergonomic touches you won’t find on the factory module. And honestly, it’s beautiful. That was my first chance to play with one, and as soon as I picked it up it just felt natural in the hand.
If you’re still deciding which P365 to build on, here’s my take on the Sig P365 Fuse.
How it’s made
The module is cut from the same block of 7075 aluminum Sharps Bros uses for its AR receivers. It then gets a mil-spec anodize, and the Brazilian cherry grip panels are machined in house. Even though it starts as a big block of aluminum, what’s left is a very thin shell. John said some people have picked it up and thought it was polymer.
One grip module, every P365 slide
This was the part that surprised me most. The module shown at the booth works with really any P365 slide:
- Shorter slides: P365, P365 SAS and P365X.
- Longer slides: P365XL and X-Macro. The gun at the booth was wearing an X-Macro slide.
As they were getting the module out the door, Sig announced the X-Macro. One of the first things Sharps Bros did was buy some X-Macros and make a base plate adapter for the 17-round X-Macro magazine so it also fits in this grip module. So these can look like very different guns in different sizes, all built on the same module. You can run a Macro slide or a Macro mag if you want, with no separate Macro module required for that setup.
Ergonomics: undercuts and gas pedals
Sharps Bros put undercuts where your hand sits and integrated gas pedals, which give your support hand thumb something to push on to help mitigate recoil. They also spent time shaping the grip so it fills your hand. The stock Sig module is 1.1 in wide; with the Brazilian cherry panels this one is 1.3 in. It’s slightly wider, but I think most people will feel it fits their hand better.
The weight question
It adds about 3 to 3.5 oz over the stock module. My assumption, and John agreed that’s the idea, is that the extra weight plus the gas pedals should make it a little more pleasant to shoot. You’re not going to notice 3.5 oz in an appendix holster, but in practice you have a bit more mass to counterbalance the action.
More panel options from VZ Grips
Of course I had to ask about colors. The owner of VZ Grips is a friend of the Sharps Bros crew, and back then VZ was already making G10 panels for these modules in something like seven or eight colors, from white to black and everything in between. Today VZ has a whole section of VZ G10 panels for Sharps Bros grip modules. Match the panel to your exact module and generation before you order.
Where it stands now
At the show, John told me they had already started shipping, with the machines spun up and producing more. They were selling direct, dealers could get them through distribution, and retailers like Rainier Arms and MidwayUSA were picking them up.
Fast forward to today: Sharps Bros now lists a third-generation (G3) P365 lineup. Per sharpsbros.com, the G3 modules are billet 7075-T6 aluminum with a steel lug insert, ambidextrous thumb ledges, an M1913 Picatinny rail, a flared magazine well and the same 1.3 in grip width. There are separate versions for manual-safety FCUs and for the X-Macro, and the FCU and magazine release are not included. Sharps Bros also notes most existing Kydex holsters will need minor reforming because of the thumb ledges. For the standard P365 with Brazilian cherry, you can find the Sharps Bros Gen 3 P365 grip module (SBGM19-G3) at Ammunition Depot.
Bottom line
If you have a P365 and want to improve it just a little bit, take a look at the Sharps Bros grip module. It’s a more rigid metal frame, it adds a few ounces right where they help, and it looks a lot better than polymer. If you like what Sharps Bros does with metal, check out my Sharps Bros Heatseeker chassis for the Ruger American article. And if you’re going to be swapping P365 parts, my look at the Fix It Sticks Sig pistol and master armorer kits is worth a read.
The gear I actually run on the range is in my Amazon picks, and you can find precision rifle upgrades at Anarchy Outdoors.
Want more booth walkthroughs and behind-the-scenes from SHOT Show? Join the channel.
Keep squatting.
Would you trade your P365’s polymer frame for aluminum and wood, or keep it light? Tell me in the comments.
Some links are affiliates.
Comments