Received this yesterday in Email from Sig Sauer >
Bury or Buy? 
Im not giving up on Sig either. Canāt wait til I can find great deals on used 320ās, m17ās and m18ās.
Ill buy what I can. Iām still trying to make mine go off uncommanded. Guess I got the model that doesnāt go off on its own.
Im sorry, im not saying their may not be an issue but society is getting dumber. Iām not gonna remove the human factor and just blame the gun.
With all the fears, prices will drop further. As fear and doubt grows, prices will go down.
I like my 9mm P365XL w/3.7ā bbl, 12 rd mags, optic plate and flat trigger for use as EDC. The 12 or 10 rd mags sit flush in the grip but and I wanted more āpurchaseā on the grip (place for my pinky)ā¦ so added American-made high quality aluminum magwell, purchased from Sig. Magwell helps considerably to provide an even better non-slip, muzzle-flip limiting firm grasp.
However, the edges of magwell tends to dig into generously sized leather bucket seat bolsters on my F-150 with my holster at 2:30 to 3:00, position.
I just bought a Sig 17 rd Extended mag which should provide the additional grip length for my pinky ā¦ but hopefully will not have a tendency to press any somewhat sharp edges into my truck seat.
P.S. certain models of RDS require suppressor height sights if āco-witnessā with the iron sights is desired.
(Pix of P365XL w/aluminum magwell accessory)
I havenāt given up totally on Sig either. While I think many if not the majority of UDs may well be something interacting with the trigger. After all, the 320 is not a forgiving firearm. Any jack@ssery however slight will likely result in an unexpected and unpleasant loud noise, and no longer wearable nickers. However, trigger interaction is just not a viable explanation for some of the better documented incidents. One of the leading theories is a tolerance stacking issue. This could explain the inability to replicate the issue at will. I still have my 3 P320s type firearms, and I plan to hold on to them as I am hopeful that the underlying cause will be eventually isolated and fixed. I no longer carry any of my P320s though.
There certainly is a typhoon of swirling (mis)information out there about the P320 and M17/M18 MIL variants ā¦ possibly some facts floating in what seems like a turbulent sea of opinions, including (possibly monetized?) Videos by hundreds of loud ālook at meā types and fanboys of other competing brands. Youāve likely heard the crass expression of frustration, āOpinions are like a**holes: everybody has one and most of them stink.ā 
āItās hard to sort the pepper from all the fly sh*tā is another such saying. 
I seem to recall that a number of claimed UD incidents occured with pistols that had not been fixed via Sigās VUP program or were mfād prior to that.
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What are your thoughts about these particular videos:
Sig Sauer P320 Voluntary Update Program āVUPā https://www.sigsauer.com/p320-voluntary-upgrade-programVIP
ā¦ and >
5 INDEPENDENT ACTIONS MUST OCCUR BEFORE THE P320 WILL DISCHARGE
IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF WE COULD READ SOME REVIEWS OF THE ABOVE VIDEOS by Factory and regulatory agency Certified Gunsmiths who have many years of experience with disassembly, detailed inspection and repair of Sig Sauer handguns, especially their internals. ___ Might not be likely though, given the potential multimillion dollar liability and/or libel concerns involved. Then again, look at the plethora of videos with what could be specious information and those ācontent producersā arenāt being sued ā¦ Hmmm? Could be what some call the āZebra effect.ā 
I couldnāt get the videos to play, but yes, there is a typhoon of info out there on this issue, not all of it accurate. I would imagine there is a lot of fly sh*t among it. I tend to not put a lot of stock in the āLook I made my 320 go bang without a trigger pullā videos because they seem to involve either some sort trigger manipulation, or modification to the handgun. Having said that, I do think there is something going on internally with the 320. Incidents such as the Camp Foster incident cannot be explained by trigger manipulation due to the fact that it involved a M18 with the manual safety engaged. That points to something internal. The billion dollar question is what exactly internally is going on? Unfortunately, nobody has been able to determine what that something is yet.
I think youāre correct that some of the early incidents involved non-upgraded 320s. How exactly that figures into all of this remains to be seen.
Unfortunately right now we still have a mystery, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in an enigma.
Thank you, Robert for the observations youāve presented! Iāll definitely want to check into that Camp Foster occurence. My P320C ā which was mfād after Sig implemented all of their VUP program changes to their production process (which I carefully verified on my unit) ** ā¦ also has the ambidextrous thumb-operated safety (suffix -MS on its full model number).
** the disconnector notch on the back corner of the bottom surface of my slide was manufactured that way; it has the sane black Nitron surface treatment as all other surfaces on the bottom of the slide (i.e., it was not machined in after the slide was manufactured as it would then be raw shiny metal).
THUMB-OPERATED MANUAL SAFETY
The -MS suffix P320 models includes a Manual Safety which may provide an extra margin of safety against āuncommanded dischargeā caused by an unintended movement of the Triggerā¦
The manual thumb safety on the SIG Sauer P320 is a physical device that must be manually engaged or disengaged by the shooter, typically using the thumb of the dominant hand. Its primary function is to prohibit the trigger from being pulled, thereby preventing the firearm from discharging. It does not directly stop the sear from falling or the striker from being released; instead, the gun relies on internal safety mechanisms, such as a safety lock tab and a disconnector, to prevent unintended discharges. The safety lock tab is designed to block the striker from moving forward, and it is only lifted out of the way when the trigger is pulled. The disconnector prevents the weapon from firing when the slide is drawn backward. While the manual safety stops the trigger movement, the internal safety systems are responsible for catching the striker in case of a malfunction or preventing discharge if the trigger is not pulled. The military variants of the P320, such as the M17 and M18, include this external manual thumb safety, and SIG Sauer also offers civilian versions with the same manual safety.
AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
Further Detailed information
>> ANALYSIS OF THE P320 MANUAL SAFETY <<
SIG MECHANICS 22.6K subscribers18,912 views May 5, 2024
This video will provide you with the most in-depth and complete breakdown of the P320 manual safety assembly. I show you how the parts work and interact with the rest of the P320 as well as provide detailed 3D models and animations to help clarify the inner mechanics. This video also runs torture tests on the P320 in order to show you a lesser known additional safety measure built-in to the P320 manual safety systemā¦ Enjoy! INSTAGRAM: @sig_mechanics FACEBOOK: SIG MECHANICS
The SIG MECHANICS webpages / website also has many other detailed presentations ā¦ hereās a screenshot of the top portion of the site >
I donāt use my P320C with manual safety as my EDC any moreā¦ and donāt keep one in the chamber.
Iām presently using a P365XL as EDC ā¦ and recently purchased a new Springfield-Armory Echelon 4.0C, which came with one 15 rd and four 18 rd mags (called Springfield and they sent me 2 flat bottom plates gratis ā¦ so I can convert one or two of the 18 rd mags back to 15 for EDC use). It came with 3 sizes of backstraps easy DIY to change, plus a nice range bag and a padded zippered pistol case. Got a heckuva deal on it at Sportsmanās Warehouse!
One of my trainers (USCG active duty fellow) said it should prove to be a highly reliable EDC and so on.
Speaking of the USCG, I noted your Sikorsky avatarā¦ Thank you for your service to our country, Robert! We are truly grateful to you and all those who sacrifice so much to keep our people safe.
Thanks. I spent 20 years in the USCG, some of it flying search and rescue on H-3s where I picked up the two Sikorsky Rescue Awards. My current EDC is a S&W M&P M2.0. One of my backups is a P365 XMACRO, the other is a Glock 19X. The Echelon sounds like a nice find. Is your USCG trainer a GM or some other rate?
Congrats on the new purchase!
I inquired with the USCG fellow who provided my most recent training and he replied:
I have a few Sikorsky awards myself. I am an AET (Avionics Electrical Technician) but spent most of my career doing AUF (Airborne Use of Force) as a Precision Marksman Aviation ā¦ I was a PM Instructor and a small arms ācoachā
He taught us to step forward a bit with our holster side foot when re-holstering** to avoid potentially grievous injury should any unintended discharge ever occur
** not applicable to carry positions other than +/- 3:00 for RH or +/- 9:00 for LH
I was a Corpsman and spent time as a Medevac Corpsman up at USCG AS Cape Cod. Give him my best when you see him again.
I havenāt heard of the camp foster issue. Spent a couple years on the island.
Hi, Joel106 ā¦ Did some sleuthing, came up with this:
Initial search
Sig Sauer M18 Pistol Camp Foster ā¦ Brave Private browser AI-generated answer. Please verify critical facts.
In 2023, a Marine Corps-issued M18 pistol discharged while holstered at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, resulting in an unintentional shooting incident involving a Japanese security guard. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and determined the weapon was not mishandled, and the pistol fired despite the safety being in place. The Marine Corps conducted a technical evaluation of the M18 following the incident, and professional armorers and engineers inspected the weapon, concluding it was complete, functional, included all safety equipment, and was operating properly. The investigator recommended an engineering review of the pistol due to the uncommanded discharge.
Upon Drilling down
written on June 26, 2024 by Todd Bookman - New Hampshire Public Radio
Comment/by S111: NHPR is New Hampshire Public Radio ==> scroll down to where it reads, āA report released by the Marine Corps details an unintentional shooting inside a guard booth in Okinawa, Japan. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and determined that the security guard did not mishandle the weapon, and that it fired despite the gunās safety being in place.ā
The NHPR article covers a number of incidents with the P320 and its M17/M18 military versions. The article contains a link to the Camp Foster, Okinawa incident https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/86/f5/d87374f8497a81db30e2463aa80d/marine-corps-2023-02-14.pdf
Comment/by S111: Itās not clear why the report repetitively uses the phrase ānegligent dischargeā - which seems to be contradictory to the report NOT otherwise indicating that guard P1 was at-fault in any way. Toward the end of the report there is a āPrimary Recommendationā that the (M18) be kept in Condition 3 (no round chambered) with its manual (thumb operated) safety On during two indicated FPCON levels.
Toward the top of the report from the Marine Corps is this ā¦ (note the words that have been boldfaced in this quotation - for emphasis):
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Final: On-Duty, Incident, H&S BN MCIPAC-MCB CA, Standing at ID checkpoint; weapon negligent discharge; resulting in a hole in right trouser pocket; a round hit the ground, No injuries, 14 FEB 2023, Ground, Miscellaneous, Handgun/Rifle/M-18, Event # 561138
A little further down (again, a few words boldfaced here for emphasis):
On 14 Feb 2023 approximately 10:00 a negligent discharge occurred at entry Gate 1 on Camp Foster, Okinawa.
Further down (with some boldfacing):
FINDING #8 The video footage from the security camera at Gate 1 was available for review during investigation. The camera captured the mishap at the time of the negligent discharge.
8. PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATION #1 (367150) Related Findings: 5 Hazard/Deficiency: Not reviewing the policy on the weapon condition status. Not having plans to prevent recurrence. Narrative: Recommend that PMO management review and evaluate the policy on the weapon condition status for JSG based on Force Protection Condition (FPCON) level. During FPCON Alpha and Bravo, have guardsā weapons in a lower condition such as condition 3, no round chambered a clip with rounds inserted and weapon on safe.
Comment/by S111: the report doesnāt seem to address what condition the (M18) should be kept in during FPCON āNormalā ā¦ or during FPCONās Charlie and Delta. Report also doesnāt mention whether the M18 involved in the incident had all the design changes that Sig Sauer included in its Voluntary Update Program (VUP). The report also does not mention the Manufacturing date of the M18 that was involved so itās difficult to know whether it was manufactured AFTER Sig Sauer incorporated all of the (VUP) design changes into their regular production, including the particular M18 handgun that was involved in this incident. Can or should those who read the Report assume that, because of the date when the incident occurred that the M18 handgun did have all of the aforementioned (VUP) design changes??
Thanks S111. Guess weāre gonna have to call this the Casper effect. In this case, the weapon was found in working order but still went off with the manual safety on.
If it was military issue, I could understand. Those guns go through so many hands and shot alot.
Camp Foster is one of the flies in the ointment of the āThe P320 canāt fire without a trigger pull.ā mantra. Something interacting with the trigger doesnāt work here because with the manual safety engaged, the trigger would not have moved. So, something internal had to have taken place.
Youād think an experienced armor could find a defective piece of the FCU. The military does not take NDās or accidental discharges lightly.
Cameras show nothing out of the ordinary i guess so I ask again, just like in all the other videos where Casper discharges happened. Iām curious about what happened before the cameras.
Gotta be some common denominator