Posts
Posted for prosperity. I got an email from SIG the other day.
P320 Safety Information
Recently, there have been a number of reports and claims regarding the safety of the P320 pistol and its use by the U.S. Military and law enforcement agencies. We understand you may have questions. We want to address your concerns and provide you with full, complete, and accurate information.
SIG SAUER has ALWAYS and will continue to put the safety and security of the U.S. Military, the law enforcement community, our consumers, and the public first. To this end, we want to be sure concerned citizens have access to complete facts.
The P320 pistol is one of the safest, most advanced pistols in the world -meeting and exceeding all industry safety standards. Its design has been thoroughly tested and validated by the U.S. Military and law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels. In addition, the P320 has been rigorously tested, and is currently in use by militaries and law enforcement agencies around the world.
FBI Testing and Report
A recently publicized internal report from the FBI’s Ballistic Research Facility (BRF) created some confusion and raised questions about the safety of the P320. The FBI prepared this report for the Michigan State Police after an officer was involved in an accidental discharge. SIG SAUER engineers met with the FBI and Michigan State Police on several occasions to review the report and the incident. Ultimately, the FBI conducted a more detailed, repeatable, and comprehensive battery of testing using compatible equipment. The subsequent testing resulted in zero instances of failures and the Michigan State Police are now confidently issuing officers P320 based pistols. The FBI BRF have yet to make any official claims or statements regarding the safety of the P320 pistol or any of its variants. However, we are urging the FBI BRF and FBI Director Kash Patel to release a full and complete testing and evaluation report on their updated P320 safety testing.
Department of Homeland Security
An internal memo from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was recently posted online stating the agency was halting its use of the P320. Many online media outlets immediately sought to attribute this to the above referenced FBI BRF report, which is incorrect. DHS has never raised any safety concerns about the P320 and ICE has since extended their existing contract with SIG SAUER another two years. Since DHS has yet to comment publicly correcting their improperly leaked memo, or any statements questioning the safety of the P320, we are now urging ICE to release all information on P320 testing. SIG SAUER is honored to continue aiding ICE in their mission to protect America.
U.S. Air Force M18
There was a recent tragic incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming which resulted in the death of an Airman. Because the incident involved the discharge of a (P320 based) M18 pistol, the Air Force is actively conducting an evaluation of M18 pistols within the specific Command where the incident happened. This cautionary step is standard procedure. We proactively offered assistance to the U.S. military as they investigate the incident. Contrary to several online reports, (P320 based) M17 and M18 pistols remain on active duty with all branches of the U.S. Military, including the U.S. Air Force, defending freedom around the world. We have absolute confidence in the U.S. Military’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation and report their findings. As we learn more information about the investigation, we will continue to provide updated information.
P320 Range and Training Bans
Following several of these inaccurate reports, a number of ranges, training providers, and training facilities made the reactionary decision to ban the P320 and its use in their facilities. We are actively working to provide these individuals with accurate information along with a detailed understanding of the P320 and its safety features. If you are impacted by a P320 range or a training provider ban, we urge you to reach out to SIG CUSTOMER SERVICE: 603-610-3000 Option 1 or send a message here so we can clarify any misinformation and provide the truth.
The P320 CANNOT, under any circumstances, discharge without the trigger first being moved to the rear. This has been verified through exhaustive testing by SIG SAUER engineers, the U.S. Military, several major federal and state law enforcement agencies, and independent laboratories. This video provides a detailed view into all of the various safety features of the P320 and provides a detailed explanation of how the safety system works; for further information on the P320 please visit here.
As with any gun, the P320 will discharge if the trigger is pulled to the rear. Accordingly, SIG SAUER continues to remind its customers, employees, and the public to employ all safe gun-handling practices as spelled out in detail in our product manuals. The SIG SAUER Academy remains a resource to customers, employees, and the public in offering various firearms safety courses.
We respect the public’s concern and are actively working to provide as much information as possible. We sincerely thank you for your continued support of SIG SAUER and urge anyone with additional questions or concerns regarding the P320 and/or safe firearms handling to reach out to our customer service team.
This is some very carefully phrased stuff.
Personally, I don't think all that many guns are affected by whatever the problem is, but it's the behavior of SIG over it that's the real issue.
I've watched S&W and Ruger deal with possible safety problems far better than this. Even Kel Tec was more proactive.
SIG is acting like a company that's fully aware of an issue they know cannot be fixed.
It's starting to look, to me, like they know it's an inherent problem with the design and can't be solved and are trying to "wait it out" until the military contracts are done.
If I'm wrong, it's kind of in their court to convince us otherwise.
The "It ends today" press release and this email are not doing that.
I think you meant "posterity".
ReplyDeleteIt's a deliberate affectation, not a misspelling.
Delete"The P320 CANNOT, under any circumstances, discharge without the trigger first being moved to the rear."
ReplyDeletePay no attention to Airman Brayden Lovan, who apparently died of a bullet to the chest when something unpossible happened with the firearm in question still secured in its holster.
SiG could not buy all the negative attention they're getting absolutely free, simply by gaslighting reality.
It's bad enough that they're manifestly lying, but killing people in support of the lie, while denying they're lying, is simply unconscionable. They deserve the 9-figure lawsuits coming their way, in spades. I hope the airman's family gets the first $100M. The line of lawyers willing to take that case on contingency probably only stretches from here to Switzerland.
"When you're in a hole, stop digging." - Will Rogers
"Pay no attention to Airman Brayden Lovan, who apparently died of a bullet to the chest when something unpossible happened with the firearm in question still secured in its holster."
DeleteAirman Lovan is a local boy. According to reports here, he placed the loaded pistol on top his locker, removed his body armour , then reached for the pistol. It discharged, striking him in the chest. Not in his holster and the bullet did not defy the laws of physics by traveling 1800 degrees when fired.
He was a well liked kid who played basketball for Taylor County and graduated last year. A tragedy no matter what the cause.
Better have a link to a report that says the pistol was outside the holster.
DeleteWhat I've seen says that he removed the holster and weapon together and placed them on... a surface because I've read anything from a desk to a shelf at this point. Removing the weapon and holster together is in accordance with procedure, as I understand, because it reduces administrative gun handling and improves safety.
At this point it's safe to say we here in teh internets don't have the full, complete, accurate story.
But incidences keep adding up. Remington is under new ownership because of many fewer such instances and vastly fewer injuries and deaths.
Agreed on the lack of proof. My question why wasn't the pistol cleared first thing before any other activity? As a SO I have seen people rack then drop the magazine. They are always surprised they just loaded the weapon. Has the USAF done away with the dreaded clearing barrels?
DeleteThere were clearing barrels scattered randomly around MacDill last air show I attended there. But that was a while ago.
DeleteIf you don't take it out of the holster, you wouldn't think to be needing a clearing barrel. It's supposed to be as safe as a gun with a round in the chamber can be.
Barrels are for "Are you *SURE* you unloaded your gun? Better check and be sure."
Apparently the problem is cheap manufacturing methods, stamped steel instead of milled steel, and lack of extensive points of contact between the slide and the frame.
ReplyDeleteHi-Point makes a better and safer pistol.
I bought a 220 and 226 last weekend. Before they shipped out I cancelled the sale. Disturbing behavior from a very big company. And the new 80,000 psi battle rifle? Something is amiss.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping my 1991 made 220. I'm still toying with the idea of getting an M18, but just to have not to carry or shoot much.
DeleteIan from Forgotten =Weapons has had a good series of measured and rational videos on the P320, and the latest one concludes thay do have an issue and the company's handling of the issue has entered them into "point of no return territory". Me, I'll stick with my classic P series pistols that were either made in Germany or made before Cohen took over. -JKing.
ReplyDelete