SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE Semi-Automatic Handgun Review

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The SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE is a pistol that’s backed by a community of women. And that community is led by passionate competitive shooter Lena Miculek.

Women learn differently than men.

As a rifle and pistol instructor and a woman, I’ve seen firsthand what a difference talking woman-to-woman can make for female students. To be clear, I am not knocking on male instructors or teachers. I have learned to shoot almost exclusively from men with great success.  

Yet, many women simply connect better with other women, and for those SIG SAUER has launched the ROSE program. ROSE isn’t just a special edition of a P365—it’s a system and community led by competitive shooter Lena Miculek. The idea behind the ROSE is to give women everything they need to get started shooting while supporting them with free online training and a digital community where all questions are welcome.      

Each ROSE pistol comes in a specially embossed box containing a ROSE-branded Vaultek Lifepod safe, a magazine loader, five dummy rounds in a translucent drawstring pouch, an empty chamber indicator, and two 12-round magazines.

Miculek’s passion for this program is shown in the first segment of the ROSE video series, free online education focused on the ROSE pistols. Her voice quivers as she expresses her motivation and the reason behind ROSE: “to support, inspire, and encourage women along their firearms ownership journey.”

SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE Review

I joined the ROSE Facebook group the day ROSE launched and watched as the women’s-only community grew to over 5,000 members in a little over a month. While I find the ROSE kit a great option for those new to shooting, what I didn’t anticipate was the number of female firearm enthusiasts who would embrace the program beyond the gun, asking questions online about different firearms they own or have used and sharing photos of Rose-colored everything. 

SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE Basics

ROSE’s current line includes two pistols: a P365 .380 ACP and a P365-XL Comp 9mm. According to SIG SAUER, these two models were selected for their mild recoil. Both pistols also feature a manual safety and special ROSE styling and engraving. 

I tested the 9mm P365-XL Comp. This pistol, no surprise, handled like a traditional SIG P365. It was comfortable to hold and manipulate with slide serrations and a stippled ROSE-pattern grip. I especially appreciated the size of the safety and slide catch/release. They were smooth to operate, with enough area for easy use, but slim enough not to snag on clothing, etc. A beavertail prevented slide bite. The X-Ray3 Day/Night sights were quick to acquire in light and dark environments and the gun arrived optics-ready.

What I found especially interesting were the features of the various P365 models SIG and Miculek selected for the ROSE edition. First, a manual safety wasn’t a choice; it is standard on both ROSE models. This is ideal for newer shooters and adds an extra level of security, which many newcomers are especially concerned about.

Testing the SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE

The 9MM ROSE model also has an integrated compensator to reduce felt recoil. To test this, I fired rounds of SIG SAUER 9mm 124-grain Elite Ball FMJ target ammo and SIG SAUER 9mm 124-grain Elite V-Crown JHP through both my personal SIG SAUER P365X (no comp) and the 9mm ROSE (with integrated comp). Shooting the same ammunition through each gun in succession, I did notice the felt recoil seemed slightly less on the ROSE. The difference was not drastic, and I was able to shoot both guns accurately.

My test model seemed to prefer the SIG SAUER Elite Ball target ammo over the JHP. My best five-shot group measured 1.16 inches by 0.65 inches measured center to center. This group was fired from seven yards, offhand. I also shot the ROSE at 10- and 15-yards offhand.

At typical self-defense distances, the ROSE is more than accurate enough with both types of ammo tested to neutralize a threat. In this case, the limiting factor was the shooter. When I did my job, it wasn’t surprising to see shots touching or within a quarter inch of one another with both types of ammunition.

SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE’s Aesthetic

Rather than “shrinking and pinking it” like the industry has done for so long, SIG and Miculek added feminine accents to legitimate concealed carry firearms and packaged them with all the resources, physical and digital, women need to succeed as new and lifelong gun owners and shooters.

Specifications: SIG SAUER P365-XL Comp ROSE 9mm Semi-Automatic

Action: Striker-Fired
Chambering: 9mm
Slide: Stainless Steel with Nitron finish
Frame: Stainless Steel with LXG Laser Engraved Polymer Grip
Barrel: Carbon Steel, Unthreaded
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Magazines: (2) 12 Round Steel Magazines
Sights: X-RAY3 Day/Night Sights
Trigger: XSeries Straight Trigger
Height: 4.8 inches
Width: 1.1 inches
Length: 6.6 inches
Weight: 20.7 oz.  
Accessories: ROSE Kit, w/Vaultek Lifepod, Five Dummy Rounds, and Mag Loader
MSRP: $979.99

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