Last week, we reported that Sig Sauer was offering free trigger upgrades for their P320 pistols after it became known that the weapons would fire if dropped at a certain angle.

That information became known due to a video posted by Omaha Outdoors in which the weapon was dropped, resulting in a discharge.

Unsurprisingly, Omaha Outdoor was criticized over a number of supposed issues regarding its testing of the P320. They have decided to address those criticisms in a video and blog post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=252&v=xNMuqZle_6Q

Of particular note was this bit in their blog post:

At the time that we released our first drop test video, we had conducted many other drop tests of common service handguns from other manufacturers, but we chose not to make the video a comparison between Sig and X manufacturer, simply a focus on that particular issue. Needless to say, many folks were wondering if their chosen pistol platform was susceptible to this issue, so in this video we drop test, at many angles, a Glock 17 Gen 2, Glock 17 Gen 3 modified by Zev, Glock 22 Gen 4, Glock 43, Heckler & Koch VP9, HK VP9SK, Polymer80 PF940C Glock kit with all stock Glock parts, Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0, S&W M&P 45, and a Springfield TRP Operator 1911.

None of these firearms caused a primed case to discharge. It is not acceptable for a modern service handgun to fire a round when dropped and no excuse can be made for one that fires. Omaha Outdoors will continue to test many of the firearms mentioned above at different angles and we will incorporate drop testing in all of our future reviews. As we discover firearms that fire when dropped, we will attempt to confirm our results, contact the manufacturer for their comment, and then release the results of the failed tests in a timely manner to the public.

This is a good thing, but in the video, Andrew notes that we in the firearms community shouldn’t be blowing off these kinds of things as just something that happens like many did in response to this news. I myself had someone tell me that since they don’t intend to drop their P320, they weren’t worried.

Right. Because people only drop their guns when they mean to.

I also heard plenty of people claiming that dropping a Glock or a Smith & Wesson would cause the same problem, though that still remains to be seen after Omaha Outdoors’ testing.

Andrew has the truth of the matter. Sig Sauer stepped up, thankfully, and have worked to make this error right by offering an upgrade that should address the issue, but why are we willing to tolerate—worse, to defend—flaws in weapons that could get ourselves or someone we care about hurt or killed?

No one intends to drop their gun, and yes, it’s unlikely to land in just such a way as to make it fire, but so what? If my pistol is falling, what control do I have over how it lands?

Let’s be honest, there’s literally no good scenario that comes from a scenario where a pistol discharges after a drop with a full-powered load. The least bad is no one getting hurt, but everyone involved needs to check their shorts for an unscheduled deposit.

And that’s about a s good as it gets. From there, most possibilities have doctors and lawyers getting involved.

The next time someone finds a flaw, skepticism is fine, but let’s hold off a bit on pretending that accidental discharges aren’t really a problem.