Sig Sauer: ‘P320 CANNOT, Under Any Circumstances, Discharge Without the Trigger First Being Moved to the Rear’

Amid all the hullabaloo surrounding the P320 and its variants, Sig Sauer issued a statement standing by the pistol platform and expressing pride in the military branches and federal agencies using the gun to carry out their duties.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed over the P320, suits centered on claims of unintentional discharges.

The suits reached a level which resulted in New Hampshire, the home state of Sig Sauer, passing a new law to help protect the gun maker by providing protections over and above those already provided at the federal level by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).

Then in early July, Breitbart News noted a leaked memo from Department of Homeland Security Deputy Director Madison D. Sheahan directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Authorized Officers to shift from certain Sig Sauer P320 handguns to Glock. The memo, dated July 9, 2025, and obtained by Breitbart News, said ICE Authorized Officers “will no longer be authorized to carry all models of the SIG Sauer P320 pistols.”

The newly released Sig Sauer statement–dated July 29, 2025–says:

An internal memo from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was recently posted online stating the agency was halting its use of the P320. Many online media outlets immediately sought to attribute this to the above referenced FBI BRF report, which is incorrect. DHS has never raised any safety concerns about the P320 and ICE has since extended their existing contract with SIG SAUER another two years. Since DHS has yet to comment publicly correcting their improperly leaked memo, or any statements questioning the safety of the P320, we are now urging ICE to release all information on P320 testing. SIG SAUER is honored to continue aiding ICE in their mission to protect America.

On July 22, 2025, Breitbart News reported on a memo for Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) that made clear all AFGSC personnel were to pause use of Sig Sauer’s M18 pistol, which is a P320 variant. This pause followed a July 20, 2025, discharge and fatality at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

Sig Sauer used its July 29, 2025, statement to address the AFGSC memo and the F.E. Warren AFB incident as well:

There was a recent tragic incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming which resulted in the death of an Airman. Because the incident involved the discharge of a (P320 based) M18 pistol, the Air Force is actively conducting an evaluation of M18 pistols within the specific Command where the incident happened. This cautionary step is standard procedure. We proactively offered assistance to the U.S. military as they investigate the incident. Contrary to several online reports, (P320 based) M17 and M18 pistols remain on active duty with all branches of the U.S. Military, including the U.S. Air Force, defending freedom around the world. We have absolute confidence in the U.S. Military’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation and report their findings. As we learn more information about the investigation, we will continue to provide updated information.

Sig Sauer used the new statement to address other concerns, too, and to note a certain degree of hysteria that has resulted from the way claims against the P320 and its variants have been reported and/or shared on social media.

The company stressed, “SIG SAUER has ALWAYS and will continue to put the safety and security of the U.S. Military, the law enforcement community, our consumers, and the public first. To this end, we want to be sure concerned citizens have access to complete facts.”

“The P320 CANNOT, under any circumstances, discharge without the trigger first being moved to the rear,” they also noted. “This has been verified through exhaustive testing by SIG SAUER engineers, the U.S. Military, several major federal and state law enforcement agencies, and independent laboratories.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.