During this year's SIG NEXT event, held on September 22, American SIG Sauer unveiled its new family of modular semi-automatic pistols, the P385, as well as the advanced XRAY5 red dot sight. The P385 family comprises five variants differing, among other things, in barrel length and recoil-mitigation systems. The XRAY5, meanwhile, uses a fixed 225-point matrix that allows the point of aim to be adjusted digitally, without mechanically moving the emitter.
The P385 is a new platform developed from the ground up rather than another configuration of the P320. The pistol is chambered in 9 × 19 mm and uses a striker-fired mechanism without an external hammer. At the heart of the design is a Fire Control Unit developed specifically for the P385 and bearing its own serial number. This removable assembly contains the essential components of the fire-control and striker mechanism, similar to the solution used in the P320. This design allows interchangeable slides and barrels to be used and the pistol's configuration to be changed without replacing the FCU.
One of the main goals of the new design was to reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise. The P385 has a low bore axis and a new SIG Recoil Dampening System (SRDS). The SRDS is integrated into the grip module and, according to the manufacturer, absorbs some of the vibrations generated during the firearm's operating cycle. It is designed to work in conjunction with the low bore axis, reducing pistol movement and helping the sights return to the target. SIG Sauer states that, depending on the P385 variant, the systems used reduce muzzle rise by at least 20 percent.
The P385 also features a new Trigger Block system. Unlike typical safeties that protrude from the center of the trigger, the block sits almost flush with the front surface of the trigger and moves together with it. The manufacturer describes it as an additional, redundant safety mechanism designed to prevent an unintended discharge following a drop. SIG Sauer also states that the P385 is designed to meet or exceed industry drop-test requirements even without the Trigger Block system.
The modularity of the P385 is not limited to replacing slide-related components. The new MagStrap system allows the grip circumference and length, as well as the distance between the trigger and the shooter's hand, to be adjusted. The same polymer grip module can therefore be configured as a full-size grip or shortened to a configuration using a 15-round magazine that sits flush with the bottom of the grip. Different MagStrap sizes are also available, while the grip surface features a ReActive texture designed to improve grip without using an excessively aggressive texture.
Despite using its own FCU, the manufacturer has retained limited compatibility with earlier designs. The P385 uses P320 magazines. When using older magazines with the original rounded baseplate, SIG requires the P385 magazine funnel to be removed. The new platform is also compatible with the P320 AXG funnel and P-Series iron sights using the appropriate dovetail mounting system. The remaining major components are specific to the P385, meaning the new design should not be regarded as a P320 variant enclosed in a different grip module.
The P385 features fully ambidextrous controls, including the slide stop and magazine release. Variants equipped with a thumb-operated manual safety will also be available. The SIG-LOC PRO system is used for mounting red dot sights, allowing optics compatible with standards including Trijicon RMR and Leupold DeltaPoint Pro to be mounted directly without an additional adapter plate. The pistols will be offered in black and Coyote Brown.
The P385 family consists of five basic configurations. The P385-CARRY uses a 4-inch barrel, while the P385-FULL features a 4.7-inch barrel. The P385-COMPACT retains the 4-inch barrel but uses a shorter MagStrap grip configuration and two 15-round magazines. The P385-COMP also has a 4-inch barrel, with its slide featuring an integrated compensator. The lineup is completed by the P385-MACH3D with a 4-inch barrel and MACH3D compensator.
The arrival of the P385 does not mean that the P320 is being discontinued. SIG Sauer states that the existing family will remain in the lineup along with its variants, including the M17 and M18. The manufacturer also says that the P385 has been in development for several years and was not created in response to discussions surrounding the P320. The new family is scheduled to enter the market gradually during the fall and early winter of 2026.
The second major launch at SIG NEXT 2026 was the XRAY5 Advanced Red Dot Sight. This enclosed reflex sight offers 1× magnification and a 24 mm optical aperture, and uses an architecture described by the American manufacturer as solid-state. Instead of a conventional emitter that is mechanically moved during adjustment, it uses a fixed 15 × 15 matrix containing 225 possible dot positions. Vertical or horizontal adjustments are made by activating the appropriate point in the matrix, while the emitter assembly itself remains stationary.
This solution forms the basis of the Digital Zero function, which provides digital zeroing of the sight. Adjustments can be made using two buttons on the XRAY5 housing or through the app, so a phone is not required for basic operation. The app also allows multiple zero profiles to be saved and recalled. The XRAY5 additionally offers a Round Counter function that uses a built-in accelerometer to record the number of shots fired. The MOTAC system automatically activates the illumination when movement is detected, while the MAGNETAC system can switch the optic off when the firearm is placed in a compatible holster and reactivate it when the firearm is drawn.
The XRAY5 also differs from typical reflex sights in the design of its optical system. In the Zero Distortion Optical system, the collimating lens has been moved to the upper part of the housing, outside the shooter's direct line of sight. The dot is projected onto a flat front lens through which the user looks when aiming. As a result, there is no curved collimating lens in the field of view, as is typical of many conventional reflex sights.
The sight uses a 3.5 MOA red dot and offers 15 brightness settings, 13 of which are intended for daytime use and two for use with night vision devices. The adjustment range is 80 MOA in elevation and 80 MOA in windage. Power is supplied by a side-mounted CR2032 battery, for which SIG Sauer claims a battery life of up to 10,000 hours. The enclosed optical system is argon-purged, while the sight has an IPX8 water-resistance rating and can be submerged to a depth of up to 40 m. The housing is made of 7075 aluminum, while the upper lens guard is made of Grade 5 titanium.
One of the device's most interesting features is LightFight, which enables the XRAY5 to communicate wirelessly with a compatible FOXTROT2R LightFight weapon light. When the light is activated, the sight can automatically increase the dot brightness so that it remains visible against a brightly illuminated target. This is not, however, a conventional system that automatically measures ambient light levels. The manufacturer notes that the function responds to activation of the paired weapon light.
The XRAY5 will be offered in four versions, differing mainly in their mounting systems. The XRAY5 PRO uses a mount compatible with the DeltaPoint Pro standard, while the XRAY5 COMPACT is designed for the Shield RMSc standard. The two remaining variants use proprietary SIG-LOC systems. The XRAY5 SIG-LOC PRO is intended, among other applications, for the new P385 and P211 pistols as well as selected P320 and P226X variants, while the XRAY5 SIG-LOC COMPACT is intended for appropriately configured P365 models.
SIG Sauer strongly emphasizes the durability of the new optic. According to the manufacturer, test units fired more than 100,000 consecutive rounds without failure or loss of zero, were submerged to a depth equivalent to approximately 40 m, and were repeatedly dropped from a height of approximately 2.4 m directly onto concrete. These are, however, results of the manufacturer's internal testing rather than independently verified trials.
The P385 and XRAY5 represent two different directions in the development of SIG Sauer's product lineup. With the pistol, the manufacturer has focused on a new modular platform with its own FCU, systems designed to reduce muzzle rise, and extensive grip-adjustment options. The XRAY5, meanwhile, advances the electronics and adjustment method of the sight, replacing conventional mechanical zeroing with a fixed matrix and digital dot positioning. In both cases, SIG has gone beyond simply refreshing its existing products, introducing several new design and functional solutions.
Photos: SIG Sauer
