Sig’s Problems Just Got Far Worse
BY Herschel Smith
1 month, 2 weeks ago
This is probably what’s happening to the P320. By the way, I don’t have a single pistol in my locker named Sig, and I don’t have a single pistol in my locker that has the tolerance issues between the slide and frame that the P320 does.
For those of you that say, “Well, he’s using a screw,” you’re missing the point. Watch the whole video before commenting or I’ll delete the comment. It’s getting hung on the sear if pre-tension has been applied as pointed out in the FBI report. Or there are manufacturing tolerance issues that could do the same thing.
Either way, this is a horrid, awful, terrible design. I would be ashamed to have my name on it. But not Sig, who has sued in court to block Washington’s police academy ban on P320s.
On July 28, 2025 at 12:31 am, Bill Buppert said:
Did you know that Ron Cohen, CEO of Sig, (former CEO of Kimber, left for Sig in 2005) has a suspended 22 month prison sentence and fines topping $1 million in Germany for what is essentially arms trafficking when they took guns built in Germany to ship 40k guns to Columbia between 2009 and 2011 by sending to the US and then shipping to Columbia to avoid a ban on guns from Germany to Columbia (2019)?
In 2009, Sig Sauer signed a deal worth up to $300 million to deliver weapons to the National Police Force of Colombia.
Cohen plea deal in Germany: https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2019-02-28/reports-sig-sauer-ceo-takes-plea-deal-in-german-arms-case
On July 28, 2025 at 2:45 am, Robert Landwehr said:
Modern two hand grip technique with pistols is being taught that both thumbs are on the same side of the slide, on atop the other. Ostensibly, neither actually contacts the slide. However, I have considerable first hand experience observing students ignoring instruction from their instructor. Even experienced, military trained persons do things contrary to instruction.
To wit, conduct the same case loaded magazine, chambered primed case setup, with the less than one mm travel. However, assume the grip, and determine if thumb pressure laterally on the slide will produce a primer strike.
On July 28, 2025 at 8:04 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Robert,
That’s a curious prescription. Hold the slide stationary with the grip rather than press down on the front of the slide (as if it was being jostled around by movement or reholstering) so that the failure doesn’t occur.
Not sure what the point of such a test would be. The failure occurs with slide movement. Stopping the slide movement is contrary to the design of the gun. It’s not the job of the shooter to prevent a failure mode with his grip.
The P320 is a crappy, dangerous design.
On July 28, 2025 at 9:09 am, george 1 said:
How many of them have this set of issues? We know it is not just one or two. If I owned a gun store I would test every P320 in a similar manner before I sold any. Better yet just send all of them back to Sig. Owners of these pistols should discontinue use and have the weapon undergo a technical inspection at the minimum. Sig should recall all of them immediately.
However I think at least in some cases it is worse than shown here. There is plenty of documentation of these pistols going off in Safariland holsters. Not likely any trigger take up is possible while the weapon is in such a holster. How is it possible that a company with the resources of Sig Sauer, in this day and age, can design, engineer and produce a pistol with a flaw like this?
On July 28, 2025 at 10:02 am, Dirk Williams said:
Can anybody tell me if this issue impacts the 365 micro?
Dirk
On July 28, 2025 at 10:28 am, Herschel Smith said:
@Dirk,
I don’t think so. I think this is unique to the P320.
On July 28, 2025 at 11:17 am, Tony M said:
I have been trying this with a full size, a compact and a sub compact (all in 9mm) for about two and a half hours and have not been able to duplicate this. Mags, holsters, even banged the slides on the table with the take up taken up (tried the screw and a rubber band). NOT saying he’s wrong. I’m just baffled honestly. He makes a very compelling case.
I did succeed in pissing off the wife and scaring the dog though.
On July 28, 2025 at 11:24 am, Herschel Smith said:
That’s funny. I don’t think there’s any claim that this happens with every Sig. Just Sigs.
On July 28, 2025 at 1:19 pm, Tony M said:
I agree but it does have me worried. I’d sure love to find out if there is a way to see if yours has the problem or does not. Or even a ‘go have your gunsmith do this’. It’s not exactly in the budget to replace three primary carry firearms right now. And I agree, Sig needs to get off their collective behinds and find a way to at least make a sound determination.
On July 28, 2025 at 1:53 pm, Herschel Smith said:
I simply cannot fathom multiple components inside the housing + slide assy that cause the fire control system to actuate. It seems to me the worst design one could come up with.
I also cannot fathom keeping a gun that has that much slop between the housing and slide. I had one firearm like that once, a S&W M&P, and got rid of it because of that very reason. If I can press the front of the slide and make it contact the frame because it doesn’t already touch the frame, I’m not keeping that gun.
Unless what I heard is true, i.e., this was originally supposed to be a hammer-fired system and the Army said, “But we want a striker. We want a striker. Give us a striker.”
So Sig redesigned it to be a striker fired gun.
On July 28, 2025 at 6:24 pm, Steady Steve said:
I’ve owned a Sig 229 for years. Originally bought in 40 S&W, I bought the barrel/recoil spring for .357 Sig and have both shot and carried it in both calibers. With over 5000 rounds through it and a spring kit at 4000 rounds, it’s been a reliable and accurate pistol. It baffles me as to why they suddenly produced a plastic gun with crap quality and dangerous issues. Maybe should have stuck to what they were good at.
On July 29, 2025 at 9:40 am, Matt said:
Watching that video absolutely stunned me. The play between the slide and housing was ridiculous. And alarming.
On July 29, 2025 at 2:23 pm, Don't mind me. said:
Quality control simply cannot go out the window when manufacturing precisely engineered tools.
This will probably, and should, relegate Sig to the realm of the Taurus and HiPoints of yesteryear.
On July 29, 2025 at 8:22 pm, X said:
“Did you know that Ron Cohen, CEO of Sig”
Cohen, eh?
I’d never have guessed…
On July 30, 2025 at 1:24 am, Robert Landwehr said:
@Herschel Smith. My point and purpose of the procedure I outlined was NOT to stabilize the slide. The theory is that incorrect technique putting pressure against the side of the slide, whilst in a firing grip, may cause a discharge, even though the trigger was only “staged”. Hopefully, that clarified things.
As stated, there are great numbers of shooters who have problems induced by their failure to follow teachings.
On July 30, 2025 at 8:47 am, Herschel Smith said:
And what I’m saying above is that improper grip technique may be the root cause of inaccuracy, or it may not. But it should NEVER, EVER be the root cause of discharges.
The gun design sucks.
On July 30, 2025 at 9:18 am, Wes said:
Just providing a link to another story about how the DoD agencies are looking at this, and which have declared an outright prohibition after the death of an Airman at Warren AFB.
Article appeared in my DoD Early Bird feed this AM. Another of God’s mercies that I’m retired.
https://www.twz.com/land/sig-m18-pistol-restrictions-expand-to-usaf-air-combat-command-units?utm_campaign=dfn-ebb&utm_medium=email&utm_source=sailthru