Did the Sig P320 Cause a Fatality in the Air Force?
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A leaked Air Force Global Strike Command memo dated July 21, 2025, has raised serious questions about the safety of the Sig Sauer P320. The memo orders all personnel under the command to immediately stop using the M18 Modular Handgun System (the military variant of the P320) for both operational and training purposes. The pause follows a fatal incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.
Although the Air Force has not officially stated what caused the death of the airman, the sequence of events and internal chatter from active-duty Security Forces personnel suggest the incident may have involved an uncommanded discharge from a P320.
What the Memo Says
The memo directs Wing Commanders and Defense Force Commanders to immediately issue M4 rifles in place of the M18 sidearm. It confirms that the halt in usage will continue until investigations by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and safety offices are complete. It also calls for a 100% inspection of all M18s and coordination with the Air Force Security Forces Center to develop corrective measures.
While the document does not directly state that the weapon malfunctioned, its timing and urgency strongly imply a connection between the firearm and the fatal incident. It’s rare for an entire class of firearms to be pulled without clear cause.
What We’re Hearing from Airmen
In several closed forums and group chats for active-duty Security Forces airmen, discussion about the incident is widespread. Multiple current personnel have stated that the airman’s death resulted from an accidental discharge of the M18 while the weapon was holstered and chambered—a configuration consistent with how Air Force Security Forces carry their sidearms.
Again, these accounts are not part of an official statement and cannot be independently verified. However, when combined with the language of the memo, the circumstantial evidence points to the P320 as a likely factor.
Not the First Time
The Sig Sauer P320 has been the subject of ongoing controversy due to its reported tendency to fire without the trigger being pulled. Civilian lawsuits, expert reviews, and video tests have all raised concerns about the weapon's design, particularly around the fire control unit and disconnector. Some of these failures have occurred while the firearm was holstered or being reholstered—exactly the kind of scenario described by those discussing this latest incident.
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It’s worth noting that earlier this year, a Criminal Investigation Division (CID) report from the Army documented multiple negligent discharges involving the P320 platform, attributing some of them to possible mechanical failure rather than user error.
A Word to Church Security Teams
Whether or not the Air Force confirms the cause publicly, this situation adds to a growing pattern. The P320 is no longer just a product with a handful of questionable lawsuits—it’s now the subject of an operational pause at one of the most strategic commands in the military.
If you're part of a church security team and your sidearm of choice is the P320, it's time to pay attention.
I’ve been warning about this platform for a while. I own two of them, and I no longer carry either of them loaded. They stay in the safe unless I’m on the range, where I can control the environment and keep the muzzle downrange at all times.
The debate isn’t about whether the gun can function. It can. The debate is about whether it can fail—and if it does, whether your church is ready to handle the legal, moral, and spiritual consequences.
Operating on Wisdom, Not Brand Loyalty
Church security isn’t about personal preferences—it’s about protecting lives. When something raises red flags at the military level, we ought to take a hard look at how we apply it in our own ministries.
Proverbs 18:15 says, “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” The wise thing to do here is to seek out the truth, look at the patterns, and act in a way that honors both safety and stewardship.
I’m not saying to panic. I’m saying to evaluate. Look at what’s happening, and ask yourself honestly—does it make sense to continue carrying a platform under this kind of scrutiny?
The Air Force may eventually confirm or rule out the P320 as the cause of this incident. But they’ve already told their people to stop carrying it. That’s enough to at least ask the question: should we?
This one is hard one to believe the M18 and M17 have a manual safety. I’d have to look at the internals to be sure to see that the safety is integrated with the FSU. I have a 320 x five legion I really don’t carry just because it’s a heavy pistol but I’ve never had any issues with it.
I find it very odd that every time one these mysterious Uncommanded Discharges takes place there is never any proof that it actually happened. Sig Sauer has ran multiple tests, not once has there ever been an uncommanded discharge. On a personal note: I have carried the same P320 since 2017 on duty, off duty, shot in the neighborhood of 1500 rounds through it on the range in every kind of configuration you can think of…duty holster, off duty holster, appendix and ISB side carry, with a WML and now a Holosun red dot, and not once has the firearm mysteriously discharged without pulling the trigger. Until, there is substantial unmitigated truth to this phenomenon, then I will continue carrying the weapon.