When people hear the term, “self-defense firearm,” most probably get an image of a handgun in their head. However, as responsibility for personal protection increases, a long gun becomes more likely. These are common considerations for both men and women. While SIG SAUER offers multiple options in both categories, let’s focus on SIG’s ROSE program.
Market forces are aligning with manufacturers offering products designed to appeal to women. Why? The answer is multifold. Female gun owners are considered the fastest-growing demographic in the gun market. According to the Pew Research Center, between 2005 and 2020, the number of female gun owners nearly doubled from 13% to 25%. Women accounted for 40% of gun purchases in 2020.
However, female gun ownership looks different than that of men, according to Pew Research Center factoids. On average, women opt for guns later in life. On average, women buy their first gun around age 27. In contrast, the average age for a man’s first gun is 19. Self-defense is the most cited reason for gun ownership for both sexes, though men typically list recreation, competition, or hunting alongside defense as additional reasons for purchasing firearms.
A Rose by Any Other Name
SIG created the ROSE program to help, encourage, and inspire women who have taken on the responsibility of their own safety through education, training, and community involvement, and to offer firearms and ammo suited to the needs of female shooters.
The ROSE program is all about mutual encouragement. Team SIG shooter Lena Miculek, a 10-time World Champion (and counting), and who many consider the best all-around female shooter alive, lends her significant clout to the ROSE program, with the goal of providing women the benefits of Miculek’s extensive experience and training in a welcoming, comfortable setting.
The SIG ROSE program, which started in 2023 with the P365 ROSE handgun in .380 ACP, has now expanded to include a rifle option: the new SIG SAUER M400 ROSE AR rifle is explicitly built for female shooters.
There is more substance to a ROSE firearm than mere aesthetic flourishes; each arrives as a “kit” including additional support items. For example, the P365 ROSE includes a Vaultek pistol safe, dummy rounds for dry-fire and loading practice, and quick start QR code access, with Miculek inviting female shooters to join the ROSE community.
The new M400 ROSE includes the same QR access code along with a custom ROSE Savior rifle case, ROSE Gold combination lock, 3-5.56MM dummy rounds, and two 30-round magazines.
The QR code leads to a website containing a video series demonstrating basic operation techniques as well as shooting drills demonstrated by Miculek to get female owners of any experience level familiar with their SIG ROSEs. You also get access to the ROSE Facebook community with thousands of ROSE owners sharing their experiences and journey.
Following the ROSE Gold Path
I have a personal connection to SIG’s ROSE program. One day, in passing, my wife Jackie commented about one of her friends getting a P365 ROSE and what a nice-looking handgun it was the special edition had worked its charm. After 30-plus years together, coming up with a worthy Christmas gift can be challenging. The SIG ROSE gave me a rare opportunity.
I’d gotten her a standard P365 in 9mm for a past Christmas gift, and discovered that a gun that’s handy to carry isn’t necessarily a gun that’s comfortable to shoot for everyone.
After a few range sessions, she found that larger-frame 9mm handguns were easier for her to shoot more accurately — no surprise there, as the 9mm can have a pretty snappy recoil in light, small handguns. It was a shame, because she loved the P365’s size and how convenient it was to carry. For many, a subcompact .380 is preferable to a 9mm, especially if a person simply shoots a .380 better.
The opportunity to surprise her for Christmas, along with giving her another option with the P365 ROSE in .380 seemed to be preordained.
My wife immediately noticed the rose-colored manual safety lever as an obvious difference compared to her standard version of the gun. I said she could just ignore it, but fortunately, she liked it. She liked it so much that her first range session with it was the day after Christmas; it’s always nice when your gift is well received.
SIG SAUER P365 at the Range
The ROSE P365 has an optics-ready slide that arrives with XRAY3 Day/Night sights installed, and the gun ships with two 10-round, flush-fit magazines with an optional 12-round magazine also available. While the 9mm mags for the P365 are dimensionally the same as the 9mm version, SIG has installed a small spacer at the rear of the .380 magazine follower to better accommodate the slightly shorter cartridges.
The slide is easy to rack: Front and rear serrations provide good purchase on the diminutive slide. My only criticism gleaned from our range experience would be that magazines are stiff and not easy to get fully loaded, but that should lessen as they are broken in.
The gun itself needed a bit of a break-in period. The slide release was stiff to operate, and sometimes, when chambering the first round of a fresh mag, the slide needed a little tap to get it into battery, but all that cleared up after a few mags were through the gun.
For ammo, we ran SIG’s own 90-grain V-Crown ammo, Hornady 90-grain FTX ammo, Black Hills 90-grain JHP ammo, and 60-grain Honey Badger loads, along with Winchester 95-grain PDX1 ammo, through the P365 ROSE. R
Our range evaluation consisted of establishing reliability first, then getting into combat accuracy and handling on steel and plate racks. We went through a few hundred rounds during our first range session, and while .380 ACP pistols have a reputation for being finicky with the ammo they like to eat, the SIG P365 ROSE handled every type of ammo without issue.
Recent advances in ammunition technology have greatly benefited the .380 ACP round. The Hornady Critical Defense 90-grain FTX .380 ACP is a great example of this. Hornady utilizes propellants that minimize muzzle flash while maximizing velocity. The FTX bullet is the result of much research into what a self-defense bullet should be: The bullet profile ensures reliable feeding, and the polymer nose guarantees proper expansion no matter the medium the FTX passes through.
The Black Hills Ammunition 60-grain HoneyBadger load is another premium defense .380 ACP option. The HoneyBadger is a solid copper, non-deforming, non-fragmenting projectile with wide, sharp flutes. It is designed to penetrate through barriers that cause other hollow points to fail. Testing has proven that the fluted solid copper round penetrates deeper and generates greater wound channel width. This is important in a self-defense pistol round.
The SIG P365 380’s ergonomic design produced minimal felt recoil and ease of getting multiple shots off quickly, even with the handgun's lightweight and dwarfish footprint. The P365 ROSE’s superior ergonomics, trigger, and sights are an asset in producing better-than-expected performance and accuracy.
So Many Pros, no Cons
The SIG P365 ROSE’s strong suits are its lightweight and compact dimensions. With this pistol, you don’t have the feeling you are compromising on performance the way you often do with micro-compacts. It has a good trigger, good sights, and a respectable ammo capacity are all present.
Speaking of capacity, the P365 380’s 10-round flush fit magazine is a significant improvement over most other micro-compacts on the market that offer 6 rounds. It rivals some full-size models when the optional 12-round magazine is used.
The handy nature of the P365 ROSE makes it indispensable and not likely to leave the house without it, which is exactly what I wanted for my wife. In hindsight, if this gun had been available at the time, I would have purchased it for my wife.
SIG P365 380 ROSE: Specs
Caliber: .380 ACP
Magazine Capacity: Arrives with 2-10 round magazines
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 5.8 inches
Sight Radius: 5.1 inches
Height: 4.2 inches
Width: 1.1 inches
Weight Empty: 15.7 ounces
SIG P365 380 ROSE - Performance
| Ammo | Avg. Velocity (fps) | Avg. Group @ 15 yards |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hills 60gr HoneyBadger | 1,094 | 1.25 |
| Winchester 95gr PDX1 | 821 | 1.5 |
| Black Hills 90gr JHP | 903 | 1.75 |
| Hornady 90gr FTX | 886 | 1.33 |
| SIG SAUER 90gr V-Crown | 934 | 1 |
Enter the SIG SAUER M400 ROSE
Fast forward to 2025, and I find myself in the same situation, wondering what to buy my wife this Christmas. Good ole SIG stepped up here again with the addition of a rifle in the ROSE family: the M400 ROSE. SIG and Miculek’s thought process with the M400 ROSE was to create a lightweight, intuitive-to-operate 5.56 AR rifle.
The M400 ROSE design resulted from direct requests from ROSE program members who wished to extend their firearm journey into the world of AR rifles.
This rifle has a 5.56 / .223 chamber and a 16-inch chrome/moly barrel with a 1:7 twist. A distinguishing feature of the M400 — besides its matte rose gold colored controls including an ambidextrous safety and magazine release, bolt release lever, forward assist “plunger,” hybrid compensator/flash hider, SIG 2-Stage Matchlite Duo trigger — is the 10-inch free-floating M-LOK handguard with a ROSE engraving on the side.
Miculek wanted to keep the M400 ROSE as light as possible at 7 pounds. A low-profile gas block feeds the mid-length gas operating system, which generates a smooth impulse when fired. AR pistol grip with ROSE engraving and 6-position Magpul MOE-SL stock complete the furniture details.
All M400 ROSE features are intended for maximizing effectiveness during realistic training or personal defense situations. A return to AR basics, such as lightweight, great handling, with potent firepower, is the answer for most defensive situations. First off, the key component of a personal defense rifle is reliability.
No matter how accurate or powerful chambering a rifle is, if it does not work 100% of the time, it is a liability. The selection of a fighting rifle is as personal as it gets. The M400 ROSE is intended for serious practitioners who plan to focus on becoming proficient in its use.
The M400 ROSE package includes a ROMEO5 GenII red dot, also with a ROSE logo and matte rose gold battery cap and objective housing. A red dot sight is accepted as a great way to enhance on-target performance, especially with new shooters. With a red dot, a user can now do as nature intends: focus on the target/threat.
Moreover, because the indexing of a red dot is far easier than multiple pieces of steel/plastic, shooters find they can perform beyond what was considered possible with iron sights.
SIG SAUER M400 ROSE at the Range
I combined sighting in the ROMEO5 GenII with chronographing loads using a Garmin Xero C1 and ammunition from Federal, American Eagle, Hornady, SIG, and Black Hills. The 16-inch M400 ROSE barrel produced high-2,900 fps to low-3,000 fps muzzle velocities with 55-grain and 62-grain loads. A 50-yard zero was chosen, considering a non-magnified red dot was being used. One-inch clusters at 50 yards were the norm.
Range evaluation commenced with a functionality test, which involved rapidly firing multiple magazines at several targets once the sights were verified using Magpul and Duramag AR-15 mags. The six-position Magpul stock allowed my wife to fit the M400 ROSE to her liking. Once the M400 ROSE proved its reliability, we ran it through various rifle courses set up for an upcoming law enforcement shooting competition at our range.
We started with static drills and then transitioned into moving between barriers to engage designated targets, incorporating magazine changes, and adaptive shooting positions to put the M400 ROSE through its paces.
Arrays of dastardly clay pigeons strung out on the EVTC berms were frequent targets. The rifle with its mid-length gas setup and hybrid brake/flash hider, along with AR ergonomics, was definitely validated. The ROSE aesthetics combined with M400 ROSE performance quickly worked its charm on both of us.
Jackie was able to maneuver the lightweight rifle easily around different barriers, whether standing unsupported or kneeling. The M400 ROSE’s factory-installed barrier hand stop is a thoughtful addition, certainly one of Miculek’s suggestions. After becoming familiar with the included hand stop, Jackie quickly adapted to it. It helps maintain the same hand position while firing and serves as a forward limit to prevent you from overreaching and accidentally touching the hot barrel.
The hand stop can also be utilized as either a push or pull leverage point, depending on your shooting style. You can pin it against a barrier to enhance the stability of your firearm. Regardless of your skill level, the barrier hand stop is one of the quickest and simplest ways to improve your accuracy.
My only minor critique of the M400 ROSE involves the charging handle. Arriving with an extended ambidextrous charging handle would have been warranted, offering more leverage by increasing the area for the hand to grasp, especially for users with smaller hands and less overall grip strength.
While this is something easily rectified with the plethora of aftermarket options, considering the M400 ROSE’s overall objective, arriving with one would also have been appropriate.
SIG M400 ROSE: Specs
Caliber: 5.56mm
Barrel: 16-inch 1:7 RH twist with hybrid compensator flash hider muzzle device
Weight: 7 pounds
Length: 33.25 to 36.5 inches, depending on stock position
Sights: Flattop Picatinny with ROMEO5 GenII
Action: Mid-length Direct Impingement
Capacity: 2-30-round Magpul magazines arrive with M400 ROSE
SIG SAUER M400 ROSE Performance
| Ammo | Avg. Velocity (fps) | Avg. Group (inches) |
|---|---|---|
| Hornady 55 grain VMax | 3,019 | 0.75 |
| Black Hills 69 grain OTM | 2,735 | 0.75 |
| Black Hills 77 grain Match | 2,688 | 0.875 |
| American Eagle 62grain FMJ | 2,911 | 1.25 |
Groups were shot at a distance of 50 yards.
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SIG has done a good job of differentiating the P365 380 and M400 ROSEs as something special for women users without turning it into a flippant gesture. Yes, the matte ROSE Gold accents and engraving controls are eye-catching. However, none of this takes away from its purpose as a serious tool of personal defense.
The ROSE program’s welcoming nature and educational resources, with Lena Miculek’s videos answering almost every imaginable question, are a strong incentive for any woman considering a personal defense firearm. The non-condescending advisory tone used is refreshing while providing solid guidance.
If you have ever envisioned responding to an unexpected personal defense scenario by having to grab a rifle or a handgun, the SIG P365 380 or SIG M400 ROSE are more than worthy.
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