SIG SAUER Apparently Thought It Could Trump Its Way Out of Their P320 Problems

You’re no doubt aware of SIG SAUER’s ongoing P320 nightmare. After a notable death, many of the the remaining fence-sitters and defenders of the P320’s safety record have started siding against SIG. Whatever the case may be that the gun is unsafe, I want to talk about the biggest mistake they made when it became apparent that the pistol has a problem.

There Is Only One Donald Trump

In a blustery statement issued earlier this year (screenshot below in case they delete it), the company tried to brute force their way out of the issue with name-calling, accusations, and appealing to their own authority.

People with legitimate safety concerns were lumped in with anti-gun politicians. Pro-gun influencers were accused of “clickbait” farming and grifting. People who had experienced an uncommanded discharge — some of them captured on video — were accused of negligence. The closing was the worst part, with the company pronouncing the problem over, as if they could simply declare the problem is no longer an issue.

Why did they think that would fly? Likely because this kind of strategy has worked well in recent years for Donald Trump. Love him or hate him, you’ve got to admit that when he’s called out on something or tries to hold him accountable for something he has said or done, he just gets louder. It’s been working for him for a decade now. About the only time that hasn’t worked is with the Epstein file release controversy, and that’s because even the most loyal MAGA Republicans want to see those responsible pay a price.

SIG Lost its Trump Card

SIG’s Epstein moment recently arrived with the death of an Air Force airman. The company tried to issue another denial (with less bluster this time), but it hasn’t worked. At this point, even if SIG is right that the P320 can’t fire without a trigger pull, the horse has already left the barn.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that there’s nothing that really makes the P320 special. New buyers looking for a modern 9mm pistol have plenty of other choices that offer pretty much the same experience. Sure, the modular system is neat (there are other modular options out there now), relatively little has been done with it, and most people don’t take any advantage of it.

Given the choice between the P320 and other options like SIG’s own P365, the Smith & Wesson M&P, and GLOCK’s offerings, there’s nothing that will get a potential customers (including agency buyers) to want to take the risk that the P320 might cause a serious safety or liability headache.

At this point, no amount of bluster or denial is going to cut it any more. The P320 isn’t going to be able to stay in production unless SIG can find a problem that can be fixed, and quickly. That may not be possible.

It Didn’t Have To Be This Way

What’s really sad for the company and people who love the P320 — it is, in fact, a very good pistol — is that it didn’t have to end this way. SIG SAUER had multiple offramps along the road to where they are now that the company refused to take.

One possible way at the design phase would have been to do what everyone else did and give it a trigger safety. I know SIG says that wasn’t necessary, but it almost surely would have prevented the drop-safety problem that began the questions about the gun. A trigger safety could well have prevented the alleged uncommanded discharge problem as well. Having that one last layer of safety would have been wise, even if it meant a slightly less-great trigger.

Lots of gun designs have had problems over the years. Trying to bluff and bluster their way through them is certainly a unique strategy and one that hasn’t worked at all for SIG. If SIG had instead made it clear that they aren’t aware of a specific problem, but they take these claims seriously and are doing a detailed examination of the design, people would probably have been more willing to work with them. Now, however, as retailers stop selling them and ranges ban them, it may be too late.

No matter how much a company — or even a government — may want to deny it, everyone is accountable to the people they’re supposed to serve. You can’t force satisfaction out of people by insulting and belittling them. SIG’s handling of the P320 situation will probably be studies for years to come, and not for the deftness with which the company conducted itself.