Editor’s Update: September 2026
Historical context: This article preserves Bruce Gray’s August 2017 assessment as it was presented at the time. SIG SAUER subsequently introduced its P320 Voluntary Upgrade Program. SIG states that additional testing found that, under certain drop angles and conditions, a potential discharge could occur. The upgraded design reduces the mass of the trigger, sear, and striker and adds a mechanical disconnector. Owners of P320 pistols manufactured before August 8, 2017 should check their serial number through SIG SAUER’s current P320 Voluntary Upgrade Program. Do not conduct personal drop testing.
Original 2017 Commentary
Reality and facts matter.
Disclosure and Platform Experience
Full disclosure: Grayguns has developed patent-pending fire control parts for the P320, to enhance these actions for competition and elite users while maintaining full mechanical safety values. Some of this work was done in cooperation with SIG SAUER, and much independently.
I can state with assurance that I may be considered a SME on this platform.
I speak only for myself here:
Drop-Testing Experience Reported at the Time
We have dropped, thrown and banged on P320’s for three years, working on our long-term and very in-depth R&D project. Some of our attempts well exceeded accepted specifications for such drop and jar tests. I include throwing a P320 against our shop wall in that category.
I’ve never experienced an instance in which an example with intact striker lock and reasonable sear and springing values would fire when dropped, much less a proper factory-spec gun.
I have quietly searched for and looked into online reports of any claimed malfunctions or safety issues, including drop-safety failures.
In three years, have yet to verify a single proven instance in which a proper, factory-spec P320 has fired when dropped.
Individual pistols and parts can break, of course. Were that to happen, SIG SAUER will correct it and revise any component which may benefit from it, as has already been the case with the extractor, for example. This is absolutely to be expected from the world’s premier gunmaker.
But that’s not the issue. Because there isn’t one, in my informed opinion.
Original Safety Assessment
However, every bit of my 43 years of gunsmithing and design experience, and my special knowledge of this platform, have convinced me beyond any reasonable doubt that the P320 has no inherent flaw or fault whatsoever in it’s safety systems or fire control mechanism.
I’ve read the memo, followed discussions, communicated with some of the personalities involved and chatted online with one of the authors of a recent blog on the DPD’s decision.
I am here to tell you that there is nothing there to justify pulling the P320 from duty.
Nothing at all, as far as I am able to see. And believe me, I have skin in the game, and I am looking.
I fully expect this decision to be rescinded shortly once the light of day and sensibility are brought to bear. What SIG might due in response to the rumourmongering which passes as online journalism these days is not for me to speculate upon.
In fact, speculating about these things at all seems bad form. For my part, I can and will back my statements.
-Bruce Gray
Grayguns LLC
Original Editor’s Note
Sig Sauer has addressed this issue since this article was published. The information Sig provided is not in line with Bruce’s input. With this being still early in the overall development of the entire story, we choose to keep this published. No matter the outcome, Grayguns, LLC is still a premier business to work with for customization of Sig Sauer pistols and Bruce Gray is still a subject matter expert with Sig Sauer pistols.
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