New 2 July 2020 SIG P320 Lawsuit and P320 Concerns

[lwt16]

I was able to obtain our pistol that was related to our ND/AD and I took it down to the individual parts......which I had never done and this pistol was factory fresh with a build date of 10/2017. I entered the s/n into Sig's website "upgrade" checker and it came up good to go per Sig.

However.......



Dual sear springs were crossed and not putting correct pressure up on the foot of the striker



For lack of a better term, apparently this is an older style sear that lacks the nipples or posts that the springs slip over to keep them aligned.



It has dimples instead....and apparently, whoever assembled this thing in 10/17 did so in a hurry.



This is the spring that Sig no longer installs in recent builds. I feel certain that I now know why.

This little spring, which is the spring that retracts the lever that lifts the striker block, was a little hosed up. My thoughts are that the striker block lever was "stuck" in the upward position, with a striker foot not held by proper dual spring tension, and when our guy holstered, when his pistol clicked down and seated, the striker slipped from the sear and fell forward....discharging the HST round.

I have taken several apart from that same general time of year this one was build. They all have the newer style sear with spring posts instead of the dimples.

I'm 90 percent sure this discharge wasn't his fault. We assumed garment on the trigger but now I'm leaning towards the gun. I plan on sending Sig a certified letter this week as I need a replacement sear for this gun as well as any others I come across that have the similar, older style sear.

We have pulled them from duty and most have qualified on other pistols. We will see where it goes. I'd like confirmation from Sig that the fix is to simply remove that striker block lever spring from each copy and to ensure they have the most updated sear. If that's the fix to make them safe, I can do that for nothing for most of the guns we have.

I also appreciate this thread and they way everyone conducted themselves.

[CanineCombatives]

Good info, would appreciate an update when you hear back from them.

[JonInWA]

It's looking more and more that the crucial parts to the "uncommanded discharge" equation are a combination of the older sear with recesses holding the sear springs (later modified by providing suitably protruding posts to hold and position te springs, and the circular striker block spring (eliminated in later production P320s).

And what appears to be some very sloppy assembly, and negligant QC-which coresponds to the QC concerns in the 40 P320s that Lwt16 personlly examined, where, as I recall, some 13 had assembly /QC issues that should have been caught and corrected before the pistols left SIG.

It also corresponds to the testimony of the former CFO in the suit that hinted at rushed assembly processes with the P320.

It appears to me that SIG is applying a design corrective to aid in the assembly and QC process, where, to my way of thinking, they need both the design/manufacturing mods plus INCREASED QC. Especially for a product where some penalty flags have been thrown.

I think Larry has found the key causal factors.

Best, Jon

[Cory]

I personally own a USGI Sig M17. It is part of the original run of pistols sent to the DOD, issued to the Army, which was subsequently returned to Sig and sold to the public.

I would be happy to take any pictures of the internals that may add to this discussion, if desired.

@lwt16 @JonInWA

[RJ]

Knowing what y’all know, would you guys be comfortable with a P320 X Compact with a build date after “now”?

I have a Mar ‘20 P365XL and a ‘17 early G19.5. I’m pondering trading the 19 in on a P320 Compact for USPSA, I like the XL so much.

[Lon]

Thank you Larry and Jon. Very enlightening. Unfortunately it reinforces my concerns with anything that says Sig on the side of it.

[all42a]

While I am new to this site, I'm not new to firearms. I am however new to the P320 platform. I have an M18 waiting at my LGS until my paperwork comes through.

I have a question about the 320 "family", and specifically the manual safety variants that I'm hoping a qualified gunsmith/armorer such as lwt16 can answer for me. The question is: has there ever been a reported instance, substantiated or not, of any unintended discharge of a P320 equipped with a manual safety on which the safety was known to be engaged before it discharged?

I ask this because I don't know if the manual safety in an FCU so equipped prevents the striker from moving forward directly, or only prevents the trigger from being moved rearward and therefore indirectly prevents the striker from moving forward.

Is an unintended discharge, for example as the result of a jarring, or drop of the weapon, possible on one of these guns if it is equipped with a manual safety and the safety is engaged?

Thank you!

[all42a]

Anybody?

[lwt16]

Anybody?

Just now saw your two post.

I don’t have any experience with the manual safety versions.

[HCM]

While I am new to this site, I'm not new to firearms. I am however new to the P320 platform. I have an M18 waiting at my LGS until my paperwork comes through.

I have a question about the 320 "family", and specifically the manual safety variants that I'm hoping a qualified gunsmith/armorer such as lwt16 can answer for me. The question is: has there ever been a reported instance, substantiated or not, of any unintended discharge of a P320 equipped with a manual safety on which the safety was known to be engaged before it discharged?

I ask this because I don't know if the manual safety in an FCU so equipped prevents the striker from moving forward directly, or only prevents the trigger from being moved rearward and therefore indirectly prevents the striker from moving forward.

Is an unintended discharge, for example as the result of a jarring, or drop of the weapon, possible on one of these guns if it is equipped with a manual safety and the safety is engaged?

Thank you!

Just now saw your two post.

I don’t have any experience with the manual safety versions.

Me neither.

My agency doesn't allow the manual safety version and the manual safety version is uncommon enough that it is not covered in the standard factory P320 armorers class. I believe the manual safety is only covered in the M17/18 armored class.

Per page 23 of the factory armorers manual: When engaged the manual safety blocks the movement of the trigger bar via a tab that engages a notch at the rear of the trigger bar.