Opinion on Sig P320

[DarthFett]

Hello everyone,
I am looking for advice/suggestions on a first handgun to purchase. I am currently looking at the Sig P320 9mm as an everyday carry. If anyone can list or help with pros and cons it would be greatly appreciated. Also any reviews or suggestions for another totally different handgun.

Thanks everyone in advance

 

[Len-2A Training]

I went for the P320 due to the design flexibility. It's a great gun (so is the H&K VP9), but make sure that it has the trigger mods to prevent firing if dropped.

There is at least one thread on here about the gun and the safety issue.

 

[yanici]

Love mine. If I hand it to anyone that wants to try it when I'm at the range, they find that the gun is so easy to shoot accurately and that they're always right around the center of the target.

 

[drgrant]

Yeah, whatever you do, stick with the post-recall guns. I eventually have to waste a bunch of time to get mine repaired and I ain't happy about it. Right now mine are collecting dust more or less because I'm
procrastinating on the whole thing. I'll probably fill out the paperwork this weekend and get it over with.

-Mike

 

[BigAl23]

It's a Sig. It's polymer. You are definitely going to get lots of advice here. Since it's a first handgun, there are some questions these members will ask so, I'll throw them out there. Striker fired or hammer? You are probably leaning towards striker fired since the 320 is. Capacity is big thing for a lot of people. Size and weight are a factor. I know that the M&P Shield is highly recommended, Glock 43 or 26, which are not readily available, but you can get one. The now compliant Springfield XD-s. these are a few others you may want to look at.
Personally, I like the Shield.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Yeah, whatever you do, stick with the post-recall guns. I eventually have to waste a bunch of time to get mine repaired and I ain't happy about it. Right now mine are collecting dust more or less because I'm
procrastinating on the whole thing. I'll probably fill out the paperwork this weekend and get it over with.

-Mike

Yup, I have 2 to go and haven't even contacted them yet.

 

[grizquad]

Once I received my email and shipping label from Sig after opting for the voluntary recall, it was done and back in a week! Painless.

 

[92G]

while it's not an official "fix" the apex triggers weigh a fraction of the stock OEM trigger so they almost certainly will prevent the gun from discharging when dropped at that special angle. of course Apex isn't going ot advertise their triggers as the solution but given what we know of the problem it makes sense. the P320 X5 never had the discharging issue and the only difference was the lower mass trigger. even swapping an X5 trigger into stock P320 will prevent discharges....so essentially install a lower mass trigger and at least for myself this is sufficient. i'm not sending either of my 320's in for "upgrade" because i don't like how they're retrofitting the out-of-battery disconnect. they are grinding off the internal slide material and leaving it unfinished. it looks like crap and loses the benefit of being finished.

in a more general sense I find it funny that the worst features of the P320 are a product of having designed the gun on a P250 platform. the bore sits unnecessarily high for a stiker gun. in fact i'm surprised aftermarket companies haven't put out grip modules that provide a higher grip both at the tang and the undercut. sig shouldl have nix'ed the P250 and just started from the ground up on the P320 but it's 20-20 hindsight.

i like my P320 but the G17 or a steyr M9 still shoots like 3x faster in my hands. even an M&P9 or VP9 is "flatter" shooting. this is subjective. the P320 is no doubt a phenomenal pistol.

 

[DarthFett]

Yeah, whatever you do, stick with the post-recall guns. I eventually have to waste a bunch of time to get mine repaired and I ain't happy about it. Right now mine are collecting dust more or less because I'm
procrastinating on the whole thing. I'll probably fill out the paperwork this weekend and get it over with.

-Mike

Thanks Mike for the Reply why was it recalled?

 

[DarthFett]

I went for the P320 due to the design flexibility. It's a great gun (so is the H&K VP9), but make sure that it has the trigger mods to prevent firing if dropped.

There is at least one thread on here about the gun and the safety issue.

Thanks for the input. I am also looking at the H&K P30 as it’s in the same price range. But leaning a little more towards the Sig because of the versatility of being able to change the caliber without buying a whole new handgun.

It's a Sig. It's polymer. You are definitely going to get lots of advice here. Since it's a first handgun, there are some questions these members will ask so, I'll throw them out there. Striker fired or hammer? You are probably leaning towards striker fired since the 320 is. Capacity is big thing for a lot of people. Size and weight are a factor. I know that the M&P Shield is highly recommended, Glock 43 or 26, which are not readily available, but you can get one. The now compliant Springfield XD-s. these are a few others you may want to look at.
Personally, I like the Shield.

Thanks and your right I am leaning that way right now. I am going to shoot that and a H&K P30 back to back to see what feels better. I do love the versatility of the Sig though.

 

[richc]

I need to get the trigger fix done. Having said that I'm not a fan. There are better options IMHO.

I found the stock trigger gritty. Didn't like it at all. Otherwise it's just like a dozen other polymer handguns out there on the market. Nothing really magical. Yeah, the ability to change the frame is cool, but I generally buy a gun that fits my hand and needs. And it's higher priced than many of the competitors coming from Sig.

You want a great handgun, great trigger, great price right out of the box? Check out Canik. I'm blown away by what you get for the money. Hands down the best striker fired trigger I've shot. And I own and have shot a lot.

 

[DarthFett]

while it's not an official "fix" the apex triggers weigh a fraction of the stock OEM trigger so they almost certainly will prevent the gun from discharging when dropped at that special angle. of course Apex isn't going ot advertise their triggers as the solution but given what we know of the problem it makes sense. the P320 X5 never had the discharging issue and the only difference was the lower mass trigger. even swapping an X5 trigger into stock P320 will prevent discharges....so essentially install a lower mass trigger and at least for myself this is sufficient. i'm not sending either of my 320's in for "upgrade" because i don't like how they're retrofitting the out-of-battery disconnect. they are grinding off the internal slide material and leaving it unfinished. it looks like crap and loses the benefit of being finished.

in a more general sense I find it funny that the worst features of the P320 are a product of having designed the gun on a P250 platform. the bore sits unnecessarily high for a stiker gun. in fact i'm surprised aftermarket companies haven't put out grip modules that provide a higher grip both at the tang and the undercut. sig shouldl have nix'ed the P250 and just started from the ground up on the P320 but it's 20-20 hindsight.

i like my P320 but the G17 or a steyr M9 still shoots like 3x faster in my hands. even an M&P9 or VP9 is "flatter" shooting. this is subjective. the P320 is no doubt a phenomenal pistol.

Thanks for all the input I appreciate it. I was originally looking at the X5 but found out it’s not Mass compliant yet so that steered me away and more into the regular P320.

 

[DarthFett]

I need to get the trigger fix done. Having said that I'm not a fan. There are better options IMHO.

I found the stock trigger gritty. Didn't like it at all. Otherwise it's just like a dozen other polymer handguns out there on the market. Nothing really magical. Yeah, the ability to change the frame is cool, but I generally buy a gun that fits my hand and needs. And it's higher priced than many of the competitors coming from Sig.

You want a great handgun, great trigger, great price right out of the box? Check out Canik. I'm blown away by what you get for the money. Hands down the best striker fired trigger I've shot. And I own and have shot a lot.

I will do that thanks. Which models do you own? I am only looking for 9mm right now as I want my wife to be able to shoot it too comfortably.

 

[DPR]

Thanks for all the input I appreciate it. I was originally looking at the X5 but found out it’s not Mass compliant yet so that steered me away and more into the regular P320.

You can purchase an X5 in MA. They're out there. I like the 320, shoot full size in competition and can carry the subcompact with the $300 exchange kit. Or vice versa.

 

[richc]

The Sig X5 is an amazing gun. I have one and it is a natural shooter. Just a joy to shoot with an amazing trigger. Certainly one of the best hammer fired triggers I've ever shot. But it's expensive and large. If this is for competition shooting, fine, but not a great carry choice IMHO.

Follow the force. Check out the Canik Elite. Once you go Canik you'll never go back...

Thanks for all the input I appreciate it. I was originally looking at the X5 but found out it’s not Mass compliant yet so that steered me away and more into the regular P320.

 

[DarthFett]

The Sig X5 is an amazing gun. I have one and it is a natural shooter. Just a joy to shoot with an amazing trigger. Certainly one of the best hammer fired triggers I've ever shot. But it's expensive and large. If this is for competition shooting, fine, but not a great carry choice IMHO.

Follow the force. Check out the Canik Elite. Once you go Canik you'll never go back...

Thanks for the feedback

 

[DarthFett]

The Sig X5 is an amazing gun. I have one and it is a natural shooter. Just a joy to shoot with an amazing trigger. Certainly one of the best hammer fired triggers I've ever shot. But it's expensive and large. If this is for competition shooting, fine, but not a great carry choice IMHO.

Follow the force. Check out the Canik Elite. Once you go Canik you'll never go back...

I see a couple of versions of the Elite. What’s the difference and which was the one you were referring to? Also are there dealers in Mass that sell these and have them in stock regularly?

 

[richc]

I see a couple of versions of the Elite. What’s the difference and which was the one you were referring to? Also are there dealers in Mass that sell these and have them in stock regularly?

We have the TP9 SF version. SF allegedly stands for Special Forces. Yes, there are options, primarily though it is either SAO (Single Action Only) with a trigger safety like a Glock or DA/SA (Double Action/Single Action) like most Sigs I own. I believe the DA/SA has a safety option as well. We got the SAO version. I paid about $450, although I know they are sometimes available for less.

We also bought the SFx target version. It comes with a Vortex Viper RMR scope that sells online alone for about $225. The barrel is an inch longer with ported slide. It comes with a couple magazines, mag loader, several top plates that replace the rear sight with a mounting bracket compatible with a variety of scopes, holster and more. It's a complete kit. It was in the $730 range and yes available for less for those with more patience than I have.

I don't tend to rave about many firearms I buy. Quite a few I've shot a few times and they sit in the safe. It's not that they're bad, just nothing remarkable (the Sig X5 is an exception).

I live in metrowest if you'd like to try out any/all of these items. PM me.

Best

RichC

 

[drgrant]

I need to get the trigger fix done. Having said that I'm not a fan. There are better options IMHO.

I found the stock trigger gritty. Didn't like it at all. Otherwise it's just like a dozen other polymer handguns out there on the market. Nothing really magical. Yeah, the ability to change the frame is cool, but I generally buy a gun that fits my hand and needs. And it's higher priced than many of the competitors coming from Sig.

Mine don't have any grit at all, and I couldn't even complain about the weight of the trigger that much,, and the Greyguns PELT thing trims about a pound off and makes it nice.

I'm just pissed about the way they're working this recall. Even S&W would handle this better, and I could pay a gun store to deal with it for me.

The cost doesn't matter much, at least to me, but I agree the Caniks have been getting good press, with only minor issues.

-Mike

 

[drgrant]

while it's not an official "fix" the apex triggers weigh a fraction of the stock OEM trigger so they almost certainly will prevent the gun from discharging when dropped at that special angle. of course Apex isn't going ot advertise their triggers as the solution but given what we know of the problem it makes sense.

Good to know, but one problem I have in my case is I already have money tied up in a PELT trigger for one of my guns. I think Grayguns has a newer one, but you gotta get your gun repaired first, apparently.

the P320 X5 never had the discharging issue and the only difference was the lower mass trigger. even swapping an X5 trigger into stock P320 will prevent discharges....so essentially install a lower mass trigger and at least for myself this is sufficient. i'm not sending either of my 320's in for "upgrade" because i don't like how they're retrofitting the out-of-battery disconnect. they are grinding off the internal slide material and leaving it unfinished. it looks like crap and loses the benefit of being finished.

Is there an actual dis-connector being put in the gun, though? (eg, like that didn't exist there before)?

i like my P320 but the G17 or a steyr M9 still shoots like 3x faster in my hands. even an M&P9 or VP9 is "flatter" shooting. this is subjective. the P320 is no doubt a phenomenal pistol.

IMHO the whole bore axis thing is overrated (particularly in 9mm) but I think it might depend on the ergo mechanics of ones hands, too. I never really thought it was terrible, but then again it seems like I
can get a pretty solid 2 handed grip on the gun. At the end of it, yeah I'm still faster with a Glock but not by leaps and bounds.

-Mike

 

[jambroz]

Yeah, whatever you do, stick with the post-recall guns. I eventually have to waste a bunch of time to get mine repaired and I ain't happy about it. Right now mine are collecting dust more or less because I'm
procrastinating on the whole thing. I'll probably fill out the paperwork this weekend and get it over with.

-Mike

I just got mine back today...painless process. The only inconvenience was dropping it off at FedEx. Mine had the dreaded, double-click trigger that I HATED even more than any drop-safe concerns -- this issue has been completely resolved with the upgrade. Overall, I'm very satisfied with how Sig handled this.

RE: Original post...the P320c is tough to beat for the price. I prefer a compact size and don't think any other MA approved gun is close to this. The M&P 2.0 compact might come close, but not on this list(s) yet...

 

[92G]

my understanding is that they are replaced the sear housing to accomodate an out of battery disconnect. see the pics at the bottom of this link:

The Mechanics Behind SIG P320 Drop Safety Failures - The Truth About Guns

--
this is partly why they're needing the slide also be shipped with the pistol because Sig will machine out a chunk of steel from inside of the slide just adjacent to the striker channel that allows the OOB-disconnector to pop up. most annoying is that they aren't refinished the slide there so one has a chunk of unfinished steel showing.

IMO Sig should be providing a new slide with the proper finish. I've made my opinion known to them (as if it matters).

Around 5 min mark he shows the slide maching:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQLWaEAPERg

 

[DarthFett]

We have the TP9 SF version. SF allegedly stands for Special Forces. Yes, there are options, primarily though it is either SAO (Single Action Only) with a trigger safety like a Glock or DA/SA (Double Action/Single Action) like most Sigs I own. I believe the DA/SA has a safety option as well. We got the SAO version. I paid about $450, although I know they are sometimes available for less.

We also bought the SFx target version. It comes with a Vortex Viper RMR scope that sells online alone for about $225. The barrel is an inch longer with ported slide. It comes with a couple magazines, mag loader, several top plates that replace the rear sight with a mounting bracket compatible with a variety of scopes, holster and more. It's a complete kit. It was in the $730 range and yes available for less for those with more patience than I have.

I don't tend to rave about many firearms I buy. Quite a few I've shot a few times and they sit in the safe. It's not that they're bad, just nothing remarkable (the Sig X5 is an exception).

I live in metrowest if you'd like to try out any/all of these items. PM me.

Best

RichC

Thank you I will let you know about trying them after I do a little more research. This is really nice of you to offer.
Thank you