Sig Sauer released the P320 in 2004 to an enthusiastic market. The Sig P320 was quickly labeled as the Glock killer by those looking for alternatives to the Glock 19. Its modular design led the military to adopt the Sig P320 as the standard sidearm issued to soldiers replacing the Beretta 92.
The gun feels very comfortable in the hands and it has an amazing trigger compared to other striker fired pistols. One commonly shared issue with the gun is the higher bore axis compared to other pistols but there is little to no felt recoil difference between the Sig and other models.
Sig P320 Drop Safety Issue and Lawsuit Settlement
Shortly after the introduction of the Sig P320 shooters noticed that the gun had a drop safety issue. The gun would discharge if it was dropped at a certain angle. Reports came first from the military but eventually was noticed by the public. Several videos on YouTube showed the drop issue with the gun to be very dangerous.
Sig Sauer responded to the drop safety issue by making changes in the design which included a lighter trigger and other internal changes. They also offered owners of the older design a change to get the same changes make to their guns by creating the Voluntary Upgrade Program.
The company recently settled a lawsuit brought by Sig Sauer owners who had been injured by the gun, some claiming the newer version still had the safety issue.
The internals of the newer Sig fire control module
There have been conflicting stories online about the safety of the newer models and those that have been through the voluntary upgrade program. As an owner of a Sig P320 I wanted to know myself if my gun was safe to carry.
After watching countless hours of videos showing people trying to make the newer guns fire when dropped or by hitting them with a hammer, I decided to take mine apart and see how the internals work myself. Guns are expensive and I didn’t want to risk damaging it by throwing it on the ground or beating it with a hammer as some popular Youtubers have done.
The newer guns and those that have been through the Sig voluntary upgrade program have some clearly defined changes. The first noticeable change is the lighter trigger. One of the suspected causes of the drop safety issue was the weight of the heavier trigger continuing to travel when it is dropped at the right angle.
A lighter trigger is not the only change made to the gun. If you compare the firing pin block safety release to the one in the older model, you will notice that the newer one does not move as freely as the original. The original safety release could be pulled up from the fire control module. The newer one cannot.
Conclusion
After doing a lot of research and studying the internals of the gun myself I personally believe the newer Sig P320 and those that have been through the upgrade program are a safe gun for concealed carry.
However, if anyone still has concerns you might want to choose another option for your self defense firearm. Don’t carry any gun you don’t feel truly confident with. If you don’t trust it, don’t carry it. That is a choice everyone will need to make for themselves.