The German company “Sig Sauer” has suspended the production of the semi-automatic pistol “P320”, and a safety warning with the gun is advised. Why is this, and have the sold pistols been recalled? Now we will be seeing about Sig Sauer P320 recall reasons in this article.
Sig Sauer is a name various brother companies work and brand their product under. The company, which deals in the production and distribution of firearms, was initially called Schweizerische Waggon-Fabrik underwent several changes and sell-offs over the years finally leaving the name to several companies. The P320 semi-automatic pistol was created in 2014 by the American branch of Sig Sauer Inc.
The pistol was designed for easy wielding on both hands, with a standard full-size weighing 833 grams, a length of 203 millimetres, a barrel length of 120 millimetres, a width of 35.5 millimetres, and a height of 140 millimetres. The calibre has a 9×19 millimetres Parabellum with a short recoil-operated system breach, a muzzle velocity of 1198 feet per second, and a feed system that allows up to 17 rounds.
The gun has a catch lever on either side; the modular pistol also has an exciting feature that allows it to be disarmed by people with the right know-how to prevent individuals from indiscriminately discharging it. The gun was designed to be an improvement from its “P250” predecessor, but allegations against the firearm have proven other was.
What was the problem with the P320?
In February 2020, a lawsuit was filed against Sig Sauer( three years after an earlier lawsuit; which accused the company of infringing on the patent of their P320 handgun removable chassis was dismissed after the court found the company not guilty of infringement) by a former U.S Marine claiming his Sig P320 pistol had discharged a bullet into his leg while still being in its holster. He stated that the weapon had fired when he placed his hand on the grip to remove it from its holster. Complaints like this had undoubtedly been recurring with the military due to the fact that Sig Sauer had received a contract to produce the M17 and M18 versions of the gun for use by the U.S military.
This is one of the many cases filed against the company; another lawsuit was filed against them the year before in March. They were required to reimburse individuals who had paid to have their P320 models fixed due to the safety glitches happening with numerous models of the gun.
There had been reports of close to thirty incidents where the pistol would discharge bullets without the trigger being pulled, most of them involving older models from before 2017 that did not possess the disconnector feature of newer models, and in many of those reports, individuals suffered injuries as a result.
In some of these reports, it is said that the gun only had to fall and hit a hard surface for it to discharge its bullet.
In light of the many complaints against Sig Sauer, the company has moved to suspend the production of the gun ultimately.
Are the Sig Sauer P320 guns getting recalled?
No, not all the guns are being recalled. For example, the M17 guns that dealt with the 2017 lawsuit, whereas Sig Sauer won the case, are not being called back.
The company doesn’t even regard what is being done now as a recall. Instead, they term it a “Voluntary Upgrade Program” in which owners of P320 pistols send the guns back to the company using the gun serial number and their home address. Sig Sauer P320 will then make the trigger sear and striker lighter while adding a mechanical disconnector, and with some time, they will be returning it even though it was recall.
The company’s website claims that the gun maintains a safe configuration despite all the claims against it, even going as far as to speculate that those individuals involved in accidental discharges may have handled the gun carelessly.
With close to 500,000 guns being disbursed and some still to be given to the U.S military. It would be an understatement to call the task of recalling and upgrading each pistol Herculean, nearly impossible would be most suited.
The “Safety glitch”, as many would like to term the defect of the Sig Sauer “P320” model, is a case where the well-known firearm company has made a significant error was made recall with the model but tried to save face and remain adamant about their product being in perfect condition despite so many opinions that say otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sig P320 safe?
The company would lead you to believe that the versions before 2017 are still safe but harmful if handled carelessly, but many opinions from veterans and individuals knowledgeable in firearms(even forensic animations) suggest that the use of this gun should be discontinued till they can be sent back to the factory but versions after 2017 that have the mechanical disconnector and lightened trigger streaks can be used safely.
I have a Sig P320. How do I send it back for an upgrade?
It’s simple. Just go to Sig Sauer’s website and go to the voluntary upgrade program. Enter your gun’s serial number and wait for a message that indicates if it’s upgraded or not. If it isn’t, reach out to their customer service, and they’ll have a representative over to pick up your gun. Ensure you have your serial number and home address ready to give to the representative so your gun can be returned after the upgrade.
