When it comes to semi-autos for bear protection, the Glock G20 has been the king of the hill for quite a spell. Many shooters, including me, gravitated to the G20 when searching for an alternative to carrying a big bore revolver. While a revolver is still a fine choice for a bear gun, semi-autos have many advantages, particularly in light of some of the better bullets that have been introduced of late.
Gun makers abhor a vacuum, and it wasn’t long before other companies sought to chip away at Glock’s dominance. Sig Sauer released the P320 X-Ten Comp in late 2023, which we’ve found to be the softest-shooting 10mm we’ve ever tested.
Sig P320 X-Ten Comp vs. Glock G20
So, naturally, the question arises: How does Sig’s newcomer compare to Glock’s long-established G20 when it comes to bear protection?
In the Sig P320 X-Ten Comp vs. Glock G20 debate it is important to note some essential differences between the two pistols. Foremost, is that the Gen4 G20 I’ve been carrying doesn’t have the feature set the stock Sig P320 X-Ten Comp brings to the table — though the newer Glock G20 Gen 5 is optic-ready. The Sig’s compensator, optic-ready slide, ambidextrous controls, metal (rather than polymer) magazines, and more ergonomic frame give it a decided advantage over the Gen4 G20.
This is reflected in the price of the two pistols as well. The Sig is several hundred dollars more than my Gen4 G20.
In other respects, however, they are quite similar. Both have a 15+1 magazine capacity, polymer frames, use a striker-fired action, and weigh nearly the same.
Leveling the Playing Field Between the Sig and Glock
When I got my G20 a few years ago, I knew I didn’t want to run it as-is out of the box. As you might know there is a large cottage industry consisting of companies and gunsmiths that focus on upgrading Glocks for a variety of applications, whether improving them for personal protection, tuning them up for competition, or making them ready to take on a bear in the backcountry.
I turned to ATEI, which is based in Michigan, and does excellent work with Glock upgrades. They took my stock Gen4 G20 and reworked it into a superlative bear defense gun.
ATEI Glock G20 Mods
These are the modifications that ATEI performed on my Gen4 G20.
· Machined cocking serrations on the front and top of slide
· Modified grip to have 360-degree stippling
· Created stippled contact pads for support-hand thumb
· Thinned trigger guard to allow for better grip
· Cut slide for a red-dot optic
· Added a shim rear sight as a backup in case red-dot fails
· Replaced barrel with KKM Precision drop-in
These upgrades improved the Gen4 G20 dramatically. It was more comfortable and secure in hand. It pointed better and I was able to manage its recoil more easily. The optics cut in the slide allowed me to add an Aimpoint ACRO, which is a closed-emitter red-dot. The cocking serrations on the front of the slide made the pistol easier to operate. And the shim rear sight, which is a simple touch, provides an extra layer of security in the unlikely event the red-dot should fail.
All told, these modifications significantly close the gap between the Glock and the stock Sig P320 X-Ten Comp.
Glock G20 vs. Sig P320 X-Ten Comp at the Range
Both pistols are pleasant to shoot and, by the standards of 10mms, not difficult to control. But they achieve their good handling in different ways.
What the Glock G20 Grip Gets Right
The grip on the G20 is larger in circumference and provides more surface contact between the pistol and my hand. The stippling on it has a “just-right” quality providing a secure purchase on the gun. The finger grooves in the Gen4 stock, a source of much debate, have been smoothed out a bit on my gun and fit my hand really well. And the stippled support-thumb contact pads on either side of the frame augment the gun’s handling too.
The Glock also positions the hand closer to the axis of the bore than the Sig. And, finally, the thinned out trigger guard makes the gun more comfortable.
What the Sig P320 X-Ten Comp Grip Gets Right
The sandpaper texture on the Sig’s stock is a versatile finish that works well for concealed carry (it isn’t too grabby) but also offers good grip under a variety of conditions. The grip has flatter sides than the G20, is less bulky, and will generally work better for shooters with smaller hands. The pistol has a much more pronounced beavertail than the Glock, which helps manage recoil. The trigger reach is shorter on the Sig and the trigger geometry (the Sig has a flatter trigger face), is better than the Glock’s stock trigger. I also like the moderate flare around the Sig’s magwell, which offers support and leverage for the shooting hand.
Running the Glock G20 vs. Sig P320 X-Ten Comp
So both pistols have effective, but different, grip designs. How do these differences, along with the other features of the pistols, play out when they are spitting lead?
Recoil Management: Advantage Sig P320 X-Ten Comp
The Sig P320 X-Ten Comp shoots slightly flatter than the Glock thanks to its compensator. Not all comps on pistols are effective, but the Sig’s certainly is. For a compensator to be useful the round being fired needs to generate sufficient pressure, which the 10mm Auto does. In fact, the hotter the round, the better the compensator will work by directing gasses upwards to counter-act the pistol’s natural muzzle flip.
On paper, the Glock should be the flatter-shooting pistol for two big reasons. One is that the Glock has a longer barrel – 4.6 inches versus 3.8 inches. All things being equal, a longer barrel will have less muzzle flip. Second, the Glock positions the hand closer to the center of the bore than the Sig does, which also mitigates muzzle flip. That the Sig has these two things working against it and still shoots flatter than the Glock shows how effective the compensator is.
Accuracy: Draw.
Both pistols have good accuracy, especially for a close encounter with a bear.
Magazine Design: Advantage Sig P320 X-Ten Comp
The metal construction and more gradual taper on the Sig’s magazines lets them seat more smoothly into the frame than the stubbier polymer magazines on the Glock. Also, the Sig’s mag well has more flare than Gen4 G20, which makes guiding the magazines into the pistol easier.
Pointability: Advantage Sig P320 X-Ten Comp
The grip angle on Glocks is one of the perennial criticisms of the platform. Compared with most other pistols, it is shallower, often causing shooters to aim slightly high when driving the gun toward the target. This can be overcome by practice and repetition, but if you switch to a gun with a more typical grip angle you will notice a hiccup in your presentation as your body adjusts.
The angle on the Sig is more vertical and points more naturally than the Glock, giving it the upper hand in this category.
Reliability: Advantage Glock G20
Glock has built its reputation on its utter reliability and my G20 lives up to that expectation. I’ve had no issues with the Sig so far, but I know the Glock won’t ever let me down.
Slide Lock: Advantage Glock G20
At first blush you’d think the Sig would do better here, as it has ambidextrous slide lock tabs, compared to the Gen4 G20’s single tab on the left side of the gun. But the slide locks on the Sig flare out significantly, and grind into the shooters hand under recoil. The slide lock on the Glock sits more flush to the pistol, making it more comfortable to shoot.
If you like to drop the slide with the side lock, the Sig is the better choice, as those tabs are easy to reach and press down. But I’m more old school and like to drop the slide by racking it back with my hand, which can be a tad slower but is a more reliable way to charge a pistol.
Note that Gen5 Glocks do have ambidextrous slide locks, giving shooters the best of both worlds.
Magazine Release: Draw
This is an interesting category to rate these pistols on. The Sig has a reversible mag catch that sits fairly high above the grip. The Gen4 Glock’s mag release is left side only and doesn’t protrude as much.
I shoot pistols left-handed, but because so many pistols are righty-only I’ve grown used to dropping the mag with my trigger finger. I can run a gun with a mag release on the right side, but I’ve come to prefer manipulating the mag release with the index finger on my left hand.
Because the Sig’s mag release sits so high, I sometimes end up dropping the magazine while shooting the gun. When squeezing the gun tight with my support hand (which you’re supposed to do) it presses the middle finger of my trigger hand into the magazine release and dumping the mag. Needless to say that would be sub-optimal while trying to deal with a bear.
While the Glock’s mag release is not as elegant, it is more secure, which to me is more important than the Sig’s slick operation. In a backcountry encounter, reliability trumps fast reloads.
I suspect that other shooters might prefer the Sig here, so that’s why I rate this a draw.
Trigger: Draw
Neither of these pistols has a tuned-up competition trigger, nor should they. For backcountry carry you don’t want a light trigger. You want a trigger with a reasonable pull weight that you won’t accidentally fire when it is cold and wet or when you’re wearing gloves.
The stock triggers on both pistols are reasonable. My Sig has an average trigger pull weight of 5 pounds, 13 ounces, while my G20 averages 6 pounds, 13 ounces. The Sig has a shorter trigger reach than the Glock, but its trigger is mushier compared to the G20, which has a crisper break. There are also aftermarket upgrades available for both models.
Rail: Advantage Sig P320 X-Ten Comp
The Sig has a three-slot Picatinny rail up front compared to the Glock’s single slot, which makes the Sig more versatile when it comes to mounting lights or lasers.
Optics: Advantage Glock G20
The Sig is optics compatible out of the box, where my Gen4 wasn’t. But the modification that ATEI made to the Glock’s slide elevated it above the Sig.
The reason why is that the cut in the G20’s slide is deeper than that on the Sig. This lets the ACRO sit much lower on the Glock, compared to the Leupold Delta Point I have on the Sig.
Because it is so low I can see the Glock’s front sight through the ACRO. With the addition of the shim rear sight that ATEI put on the Glock I have a backup sighting system, which the Sig doesn’t.
Portability: Draw
The Glock is slightly lighter than the Sig — by about 2.5 ounces — while the Sig is a touch more compact. Neither outshines the other in this respect.
Glock G20 Gen4 vs Gen5
I get that comparing the Sig to the Glock G20 Gen4 isn’t the fairest comparison as the G20 Gen5 MOS has a feature set that is closer to the P320 X-Ten Comp.
The Gen5 has a reversible magazine catch, ambidextrous slide lock lever, interchangeable backstraps to tune the in-hand fit, and is optics-ready thanks to Glock’s MOS system.
But the Gen4 is what I have, and with the mods from ATEI holds its own against the newer Sig.
Final Thoughts on the Sig P320 X-Ten Comp vs Glock G20 Gen4
I’ve been very happy with my modified Glock G20 Gen4. It is a workhorse gun with the right upgrades to make it a reliable backcountry companion.
I’m a big fan of the enclosed emitter ACRO it wears, as that offers more protection against the mud, snow, and debris I’m likely to encounter in the mountains during hunting season.
The Sig P320 X-Ten Comp is cut for a Leupold Delta Point which, as I mentioned, is mounted on mine. That’s a fine red-dot, with a wide window that makes picking up the dot a snap, and it is faster than the ACRO. But since it isn’t enclosed, it is more vulnerable to the elements.
I’ve grown used to the Glock over the years, but the flatter-shooting Sig has a lot of appeal. With a couple tweaks, I think it would be an upgrade over my G20.
Read Next: Best Bear Defense Handguns
If I could get the slide lock tabs to sit tighter against the frame and improve the Sig’s mushy trigger pull with something like KGM’s Sig P320 upgrade, I think the Sig is a stronger choice out of the box. That said, an upgraded Gen4 G20, or a stock Gen5 G20 will continue to be a solid option for backcountry carry too.
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