For a long time, SIG seemed stuck on the P320 and P365 as far as handguns go, so the release of the P322 was a pleasant surprise. They could have just released some quasi variant of the P320 or P365 but chose to go a different route. Going all original allows them to break from an established pistols design. In my SIG P322 review, I determined that the P322 can be many things and occupies a very versatile position in the world of handguns.
To me, it’s an excellent weapon for training. You can save some cash and train with .22 LR and have a gun that resembles and functions like a modern semi-auto handgun. The SIG P322 certainly looks and feels like a modern striker-fired handgun. It will be a fun plinker and a great way to introduce new shooters to firearms for others. To others, it might be a practical choice for the woods and dealing with pests or hunting small game.
Everyone needs a good .22LR pistol, and the P322 offers you a thoroughly modern example at a reasonably low price.
The P322 Under the Hood
- Barrel Length – 4 inches
- Overall Length – 7 inches
- Height – 5.5 inches
- Width – 1.4 inches
- Weight – 17.1 ounces
The specs show that the P322 swings into the realm of compact pistols like the P320C and Glock 19. It’s not tiny, but not large either. It’s that just-right size for many of us. My hand fits nicely on the grip, and I have plenty of room. My fingers aren’t stuffed together, and I can get that excellent high grip I want on a handgun.
The SIG P322 comes with two 20-round magazines and a magazine load-assist device. It latches onto two little attachment points and helps you pull down the spring and follower for easy loading. Without the device loading, 20 rounds into the magazine get tiresome, and the device is a great addition.
We also got a curved trigger shoe and a flat trigger shoe. Then to round it all out, you get a thread adapter to make tossing on a can easy to do should you so choose. The gun has a Picatinny rail and is optics ready with a Shield RSMc footprint optic like the Holosun 507K.
SIG used the tried and true straight blowback action for the P322. It makes a lot of sense for a little gun like this. The barrel remains fixed for increased accuracy, and the blowback design doesn’t have the typical downfalls for a .22LR. The weapon uses an internal SAO hammer to fire the gun.
Tossing Lead
SIG releasing the P322 at this time must mean they read my LiveJournal. I’ve been in the market for a more modern and traditional semi-auto .22LR. I was leaning heavily towards the FN 502 and Taurus TX22, but, for this SIG P322 review, the P322 slid in right under the wire and hit me with the features I wanted at a price point I wasn’t offended by.
With pricing only going up, I’ve invested heavily into .22 LR and I have a pile of various brands and figured running a few different brands would be the best way to test its reliability. So I fired Winchester bulk pack, Winchester Super-X, Federal AutoMatch, CCI Mini-Mag, Remington Golden Bullet, and Aguila Super Extra hollow points.
After a few magazines of each, the P322 proved it eats almost everything. My Remington ammo provided the most malfunctions, with six in three magazines. However, it should be noted this ammunition is pretty old and came out of the .22 LR drought we had years back. Everything else ran well without any noticeable problems beyond the occasional failure to fire. That’s relatively common with .22LR ammo.
Ringing Steel
For this SIG P322 review I am glad to announce that I want a gun that hits where I aim, and the SIG P322 does that well. The high visibility sights are exceptional and very easy to see and orient. SIG gives us a fully adjustable rear sight, and out of the box, mine was firing a little high. I made a minor adjustment, and bam, I was dead on.
The gun’s accurate, and the sights are incredible, but the trigger leaves something to be desired. The pull is quite stiff, and the trigger is spongy. Luckily the pull is short, and the reset is quick as well. It’s not a great trigger, but it’s good enough.
At 10 yards, I ran a 10-10-10 drill in 6.38 seconds with every round in the black. At 15 yards, I ran my gong rack and went from large to small on a series of gongs. The smallest being 4 inches, the middle being 6 inches, and the largest being 8 inches. I scored all three hits in under 2.5 seconds. The lack of recoil makes it easy to achieve those fast follow-up shots.
At 25 yards, I landed easy shots on the six and 8-inch gong, but the four proved problematic. It’s tough to see beyond the sights, but a red dot will fix that. So my first addition to this gun will be a red dot, likely a Holosun 407K.
The SIG P322 In Hand
The P322 feels excellent in hand and provides a solid experience ergonomically. The grip is right size-wise and has the same texture on the P365. The magazine release is a bit triangle like the P320 and reversible. The manual safety and slide lock/release gives right and lefties a choice when it comes time to go bang.
This is one of the few times my big thumbs don’t pin down the slide lock is with the P322. The slide locks back, placed a little further forward to accommodate the safety. That safety mounts to the frame and is easily activated or deactivated by the thumb.
Firing the thing is an absolute joy. It doesn’t move. Recoil is nil as you’d expect, and it’s so much fun to shoot. After 50 rounds of 9mm, you’ll feel fatigued. After 500 rounds of 22LR, you’ll still feel fresh. Keeping it on target is super easy, making it a solid first gun or trainer for a new shooter.
Drills like the failure to stop, box drill, and even the El Pres are easy. The two magazines mean you can practice those reloads, and I did just that. The SIG P322 has a built-in magwell that makes those mag swaps speedy.
The .22 LR For All
It is clear to see from my SIG P322 review that this gun gives the world a .22 LR pistol that everyone can use. It’s great for plinking, training, instructing, or competing in steel challenges. The little gun can do it all. In terms of holsters, SIG has one, but it also fits the Phalanx Defense Stealth Operator, so you have an affordable and available option.
I think SIG has a real winner with the P322. It’s reliable, accurate, ergonomic, and a fair bit of fun. For 400 bucks, it’s a lot of gun.
About the Author:
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor. is the world’s Okayest firearm instructor, and a simplicisist when it comes to talking about himself in the 3rd person. Hit him up on Instagram, @travis.l.pike, with story ideas.
