Sig Sauer Rejects P320 Safety Concerns, Says ICE Re-Upped Contract as National Competition Bans Gun’s Use

One of many world’s hottest gun makers is firing again at critics after an escalating sequence of unfavourable tales surrounding its best-selling pistol.

On Wednesday, Sig Sauer launched an announcement responding to a rash of reviews that navy models, police coaching services, and personal competitors or coaching packages have quickly barred folks from utilizing the P320 or M18 pistol over considerations it will possibly hearth by itself. It doubled and tripled down on the gun’s security, definitively declaring it cannot hearth with out the set off being pulled.

“The P320 CANNOT, underneath any circumstances, discharge with out the set off first being moved to the rear,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement posted to its web site. “This has been verified by way of exhaustive testing by SIG SAUER engineers, the U.S. Army, a number of main federal and state legislation enforcement businesses, and unbiased laboratories.”

The assertion follows quite a few earlier makes an attempt by Sig over the previous decade to defend the gun’s fame and reassure the general public about its security, going as far as to accuse its critics of grifting their audiences in a March assertion. It comes after a deadly incident involving the M18 at Warren Air Drive Base prompted the World Strike Command to cease use of the firearm pending the outcomes of an investigation.

“Air Drive World Strike Command has paused use of the M18 Modular Handgun System, efficient July 21, 2025, till additional discover,” an Air Drive World Strike spokesperson instructed The Reload final week. “This determination was made following a tragic incident at F.E. Warren AFB, WY, on July 20, 2025, which resulted within the dying of a Safety Forces Airman.”

Sig has confronted dozens of lawsuits claiming the P320 can hearth with out the set off being pulled since its introduction a few decade in the past. Juries in Georgia and Pennsylvania have awarded hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in damages over two of these fits. Moreover, a number of civilian and legislation enforcement coaching organizations have barred the gun’s use for the foreseeable future after quite a few movies of the P320 showing to fireside uncommanded started circulating on-line.

On Thursday, the Worldwide Defensive Pistol Affiliation (IDPA), one of many largest sport capturing governing our bodies within the nation, barred the P320 from any of its capturing competitions.

“IDPA is dedicated to sustaining a good, aggressive, and inclusive setting for all shooters,’ Joyce Wilson, the group’s president, mentioned in an announcement. ‘Banning a selected firearm is the very last thing we ever need to do as a corporation, however the security of our members and potential spectators has to come back first.”

Sig blamed the backlash on misinformation in regards to the gun’s design.

“Following a number of of those inaccurate reviews, numerous ranges, coaching suppliers, and coaching services made the reactionary determination to ban the P320 and its use of their services,” it wrote. “We’re actively working to offer these people with correct info together with an in depth understanding of the P320 and its security options.”

Quite a few shops reported earlier this month that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had barred brokers from carrying the P320 regardless of having a contract with Sig to make use of the firearms. Nevertheless, Sig claimed on Wednesday that ICE had prolonged its P320 contract.

“SIG SAUER is honored to proceed supporting ICE of their obligation to guard America and protect nationwide safety and public security,” Steve Rose, the corporate’s Govt Vice President of Protection Methods, mentioned in an announcement. “ICE brokers work tirelessly to safeguard our nation and deserve probably the most examined and confirmed sidearm by their aspect – we firmly imagine that’s the P320.”

ICE didn’t reply to a number of requests for touch upon its use of the P320. Sig Sauer famous ICE’s lack of public touch upon the scenario and known as on the company to launch its P320 testing knowledge.

“Since DHS has but to remark publicly correcting their improperly leaked memo, or any statements questioning the security of the P320, we are actually urging ICE to launch all info on P320 testing,” it wrote.

As for the Warren Air Drive Base incident, Sig mentioned the World Strike Command’s pause of M18 use is a traditional response to the incident. The corporate mentioned it’s cooperating with the investigation into what occurred, and famous the M18 stays in service throughout many of the navy–one thing Job & Objective confirmed this week.

“This cautionary step is customary process,” it wrote. “We proactively supplied help to the U.S. navy as they examine the incident. Opposite to a number of on-line reviews, (P320 based mostly) M17 and M18 pistols stay on energetic obligation with all branches of the U.S. Army, together with the U.S. Air Drive, defending freedom all over the world. We’ve absolute confidence within the U.S. Army’s means to conduct a radical investigation and report their findings.”

The corporate additionally addressed an August 2024 report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Ballistic Analysis Facility, first revealed by YouTuber Protraband, on an M18 {that a} Michigan State Police officer claimed fired uncommanded. The report didn’t draw a tough conclusion on whether or not the gun had fired with out the set off being pulled. Nevertheless, it did decide it was potential to disable a key security mechanism with out pulling the set off first.

“[T]esting did point out with actions representing these widespread to a legislation enforcement officer it’s potential to render the Striker Security Lock inoperable and ineffective at stopping the striker from impacting a chambered spherical if full sear engagement is misplaced,” the report mentioned. “It is very important observe that the Striker Security Lock, by design, is the final security in line to stop an unintended discharge as it’s in place to guard in opposition to a secondary sear notch override.”

The federal company urged additional investigation of the weapon’s design.

“Whereas examination of the topic weapon didn’t independently present proof of an uncommanded discharge it does point out that it could be potential if sear engagement is misplaced,” the report mentioned. “The disabling of the striker security lock by way of motion and friction creates a situation which deserves additional exploration to completely assess potential threat.”

Sig claimed the FBI has already finished follow-up testing with the corporate’s assist and was unable to supply any uncommanded discharges.

“Finally, the FBI carried out a extra detailed, repeatable, and complete battery of testing utilizing appropriate gear,” the corporate wrote. “The following testing resulted in zero cases of failures and the Michigan State Police are actually confidently issuing officers P320 based mostly pistols.”

It known as on the company to “launch a full and full testing and analysis report on their up to date P320 security testing” whereas standing behind the security of the gun’s design.

Nonetheless, the corporate mentioned it respects “the general public’s concern” and finally mentioned it’s “actively working to offer as a lot info as potential” on security investigations into the pistol.