In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of talk about the SIG P320 failing “drop tests” by firing when dropped from heights beyond U.S. standards for safety. Fans and critics alike have had a field day on the Internet, and SIG responded on August 8 with a short press release:
The P320 meets U.S. standards for safety, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / Sporting Arms Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI®), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), as well as rigorous testing protocols for global military and law enforcement agencies.
The design of the SIG SAUER P320 overcomes the most significant safety concern in striker-fired pistols today: the practice of pressing the trigger for disassembly. This can be performed with a round in the chamber which has resulted in numerous incidents of property damage, physical injury, and death. The disassembly process of the P320, however, uses a take-down lever rather than pressing the trigger, eliminating the possibility of discharge during the disassembly process.
Recent events indicate that dropping the P320 beyond U.S. standards for safety may cause an unintentional discharge.
As a result of input from law enforcement, government and military customers, SIG has developed a number of enhancements in function, reliability, and overall safety including drop performance. SIG SAUER is offering these enhancements to its customers. Details of this program will be available at sigsauer.com on Monday, August 14, 2017.
The M17 variant of the P320, selected by the U.S. government as the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS), is not affected by the Voluntary Upgrade.
“SIG SAUER is committed to our approach on innovation, optimization, and performance, ensuring we produce the finest possible products,” said Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER. “Durability, reliability and safety, as well as end-user confidence in the SIG SAUER brand are the priorities for our team.”
We followed up with SIG, and a company representative confirmed that they’ve done their own tests. “Through additional testing, above and beyond standard SAAMI, TOP, FBI and NIJ protocols, we have confirmed that a very specific set of drop test angles may result in a potential discharge of the firearm when dropped,” says Jordan Hunter, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for SIG SAUER. “Although it is a rare occurrence with very specific conditions, SIG SAUER is offering an upgrade to the new and enhanced trigger system for all of its current P320 owners that would vastly reduce the potential for an ignition at this specific angle and height. SIG SAUER is committed to not only meeting but exceeding our customers’ expectations.”
Now the promised details of how P320 owners can claim their upgrade have been released. According to SIG’s website, the upgrade will include “an alternate design that reduces the physical weight of the trigger, sear and striker while additional adding a mechanical disconnector.” You should not notice a difference in trigger pull after the upgrade.
To upgrade your P320 (all calibers, sizes and current serial number ranges), go online to https://www.sigsauer.com/support/p320-voluntary-upgrade-program/ and fill out the Voluntary Upgrade Sign-up Form. Have your serial number handy. Once you submit the form, SIG says they will contact you regarding the best method for you to get your P320 to them — and they’ll pay for the shipping. Once SIG receives your P320, they’ll apply the upgrade, test it and return it to you free of charge. Right now, they’re anticipating it might take “several weeks” to contact you once they receive your form, and they estimate a 4- to 6-week turnaround time from the time they receive your pistol to the time you get it back.
SIG stresses that this upgrade is voluntary and says that the P320 is safe in its current condition, meeting and exceeding all US safety standards.
