Sig Sauer’s Transformer Pistol
Bob Pilgrim
Government Contracts / Civilian Demand
The military and FBI are ready to spend millions on a new 21st century semi -automatic pistol to support their respective missions. After several false starts on the part of the Army, this bid appears to be real although it has been complicated by the military bureaucracy, which comes up with some convoluted requirements often influenced by politics. These opportunities, augmented by civilian demand have prompted the gun industry to get in gear and some interesting submissions are being offered for testing. Among the most promising is the made in America, Sig Sauer (SS) P 320 polymer framed, striker fired and extremely versatile modular pistol.
P 320 – Mission Flexible
Debuting at the 2015 SHOT Show the pistol has received rave reviews and they are well deserved. This is SS’s first venture into the semi sealed striker fired system with a Stainless Steel Fire Control Unit (FCU) that is the serialized part of the gun and considered to be the gun. Uniquely, the FCU is removable for easy cleaning or transfer to its various sized grip modular systems.
Furthermore, with the FCU, the modular system can be converted / transformed into three different calibers with their Caliber X-Change kit and four different configurations with three different grip sizes. Two configurations, the Carry and Compact can be acquired with threaded barrels and high profile sights for silencer use. SS has covered the calibers gamut with 9x19mm, .357 Sig, .40SW and .45 ACP. Be advised that the .45 ACP P 320 is not modular and is not included in the Caliber X-Change system, but is only available as a standalone firearm. The increased dimensions associated with .45 ACP would not work with 9mm / .40 SW Grip Modules. SS has not made this clear and some customers have only learned of this exception after purchasing pistols in other calibers while anticipating conversion to the larger caliber.
The FCU also consists of the steel rails that the slide dances on. They are small and do not run the length of the slide, but the slide is fully supported via the grooved Grip Module. After field stripping, the FCU can be removed by pulling and twisting the takedown lever from the frame, pushing the FCU forward and lifting it out. Reinstall or insert into a different frame by reversing the process. Simplicity personified.
Cost Effective
The beauty and cost effectiveness of the modular system is that once you have the FCU, slides, barrels magazines and polymer Grip Modules can be mailed to the shooter who can indulge in an adult version of “Transformers” and reconfigure the pistol to perform various self – defense and competition roles. This capability is a potential boon for the police and military. Pistols can be reconfigured to fit the individual soldier and altered to support specific mission requirements without having to purchase a wide variety of holsters for different handguns.
Attention to Gun Fighting Details
Topside, the Stainless Steel, Nitron finished slide avoids block like configuration by tapering toward its muzzle and a rounded dorsal surface. Interior and exterior finish was flawless. Fore and aft angled and deep cut serrations provide a slip free slide manipulation grip. Three dot luminous Siglite sights top the slide with sight radius maximized. The rear sight supports one handed, immediate action, refunctioning. Sights can be drifted for lateral impact adjustments and various front sight heights for elevation changes are available. The full sized version ships with a #8 front blade. At its rear the recoil plate resembles the flush fitting P 250’s spur hammer and reminds me that SS traditionally produces hammer fired and metal framed pistols. Its extractor is beefy and the ejection port is not only relieved at that point, but is wide open for positive ejection. The bilateral slide stop/ release are part of the FCU. They are small, but accessible and protected from inadvertent activation by the support thumb during recoil. SS has thought of everything and paid attention to gun fighting details. Where weight concerns often dictates polymer in lieu of metal, its guide rod however, is steel
SS is known for its accurate barrels and as the reader will ascertain the P 320 is no exception. Employing the Browning type linkless, tilting block lock up where the barrel and slide lock up at the breech, the near five inch tube has a 1:10” twist, is button rifled and crowned at its muzzle.
Super Stock Tigger
It boasts an excellent “Double Action “service trigger, which is one of the best in the industry. This type of trigger and striker combination has the trigger performing a number of tasks when pressed. It completes striker compression (The striker is 90% compressed / cocked when the slide is cycled rearward) and release while disengaging all internal safeties. Triger return re engages these safeties and you would think that all this linkage can make for a heavy trigger. However, after a modicum of take up the trigger broke crisply with 6.5 pounds of resistance. It actually feels lighter and I perceived no over travel. It has no safety tab and relies on its initial resistance to mitigate unintentional discharges and requires a deliberate stroke to operate. Reset is wicked short and fast. All one has to do is relax the finger and the trigger is ready to repeat. This trigger contributes greatly to the P 320’s accuracy and shooting ease. Although it does not rival a honed 1911 action, lighter after- market levers can be installed for those that demand more.
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Grip Modules for Every Shooter
Its glass reinforced polymer grip module, came with a medium grip. Its grip angle and oval ergonomics make a natural pointing and comfortable shooting handgun. Instead of offering different sized back straps, SS provides three different sized and relatively inexpensive grip modules to accommodate petite ladies to burly NFL lineman. Stippling is 360 degrees and although fine it provided a positive, no slip hold. At is base are bi lateral cutouts to assist in stripping out recalcitrant magazine. With the military in mind, the extended butt houses a slot for a lanyard. A broad beavertail adds to grip comfort and fosters as high a grip as possible with the SS design. Its relatively high bore axis has been criticized, because of the greater leverage it affords the recoil impulse that results in higher muzzle rise and longer recovery times. Folks that may be true, but having been armed by the FBI with the P 226 I never had a problem with shooting the piece with fast splits. While in the minority a number of competitors do quite well with this design and in reality, SS bore axis are generally no higher than one would find on your typical 1911.
At its muzzle, the dust cover features a generously sized Mil-Spec 1913 rail for accessories such as lights/lasers. For my accuracy phase of evaluation I attached UCM’s Tactical mount to the rail with a Trijicon RMR perched on top. Recoil never dislodged it. Moving aft, SS persists in giving life to a hooked trigger guard with horizontal serrations that leads to the amply sized, gloves accommodating trigger guard housing. The guard is undercut to permit a high hand hold and the stock curved metal trigger can be replaced with one with shorter reach.
Minimal External Controls
By default, the triangular shaped magazine release resides on the port side, but can be easily reversed without much more than a paper clip for a tool. Just above the release the receiver/frame is deeply relieved to facilitate trigger reach, but it also serves as a thumb rest to prevent unintentional activation of the magazine release. Since it is hammerless, controls are minimized and a decocker is not required. Except for the magazine release, bilateral slide stops / releases and takes down lever its grip module is pretty slick. Its surface is relatively clean and hand friendly. The P 320 is tight and rattle free.
Contact Shots / Muzzle Strikes
In close quarters battle, muzzle strikes with firearms are one method subject control. Contact shots may also occur. Many semi auto pistols can be forced out of battery when driven into the chest of an adversary and will not fire. This is the job of the disconnector and it is a safety device. This does not happen with the P 320, because the muzzle is flush with the dust cover and therefore, does not move rearward unlocking the pieced. If necessary, it could be fired simultaneously with the pistol punch. However, if the slide is moved slightly out of battery or fails to lock up, the gun will not fire.
Choices, Choices and Choices
Although the pistol can be ordered with tabbed trigger and thumb safeties, all standard models’ safeties are internal. This is a true point and shoot pistol and the trigger finger is, as always the primary safety. The striker safety locks in the cocked position until the trigger is moved all the way to the rear and the disconnector, as indicated above prevents out of battery functioning. During disassembly, its trigger does not have to be pulled to release the slide and this feature is considered an additional manual of arms safety. To serve all potential customers, SS will provide as an option a magazine disconnect safety. In the future, SS plans on offering slides that are optics ready.
Reasonably Equipped
In its padded and lockable plastic case the full sized P 320 comes with an additional 17 round steel magazine with base pad, synthetic paddle holster, safety lock, manual and documents. The holster also fits its antecedent and genesis the SS P 250. This may of be little significance, but be advised that P 250 magazines will not be accepted by the P 320, but P 320 magazines will seat into the P 250 pistol.
Disassembly
SS pistols have always been easy to field strip without tools and the P 320 continues that tradition in the following manner:
• Point pistol in a safe direction, remove magazine and lock slide to rear with slide stop
• Check chamber and determine if clear
• Rotate take down lever clock wise to six o’clock until it stops
• Retract slide slightly and allow to slide to slip forward off the grip module
• Remove recoil spring
• Remove barrel
• Reassemble in reverse order
Eighteen loads
The P 320-‘s reputation for accuracy preceded it, so I wanted to find out what it liked? However, I was short of ammunition in some loads, so I fired three round groups instead of the usual five round concentrations. I also used a Trijicon RMR sight mounted on a UM Tactical mount in an attempt to more fully exploit the three twenty’s inherent accuracy. After sighting the optic in at 25 yards, I shot the FBI’s new service load, the Speer G2 – 147 grain JHP from a Midway Pistolero rest and was rewarded with a 0.50” concentric gouge in the target. The three essentially went into the same hole. I thought that this had to be pure luck, but I again came close with HPR’s 115 grain JHP at 1.05.7 inches. Nine loads went under two inches and the rest were more than acceptable for a service pistol. More importantly, the P 320 displayed its ability to handle light, medium and heavy weight bullets with alacrity. This means that the slide and barrel marriage is a good one and lock up is consistent. Liberty Civil Defense 50 grain +P delivered rifle like velocities with a scorching high individual velocity of 2152 fps. In gelatin, the bullet fragments quickly and its base continues on to a depth of 9-10 inches. At these velocities energy dump becomes a shock factor and its limited penetration make it a contender for home defense and protection in densely populated environments. I fired it into LIII body armor and it failed to penetrate. However, back-face deformation was huge and the bullet disintegrated. Deformation up to 1.73 inch is potentially lethal.
Round Accuracy Velocity
Atlantic Marksman
74 gr. ARX
Polycase 2.79.7 1450
SD 55.5
Black Hills
115 gr. +P JHP 2.86.2 1284
SD 10.1
124 +P JHP 1.25.6 1212
SD 15.1
Cor-Bon
115 gr. +P 2.14.4 1414
SD 6.0
Federal
124 gr. HS JHP 2.00.2 1071
SD 9.1
G2
RIP 93 gr. 1.59.6 1274
SD 29.2
Hornady
125 gr. HAP (Steel Case) 1.25.4 1093
SD 13.6
147gr. TAP FPD 2.72.8 987
SD 6.4
HPR 115 JHP 1.05.7 1158
SD 9.7
IMI
115 gr. FMJ 1.59.3 1142
SD 19.3
Liberty
50 gr. +P CD 1.10.3 2110
SD 29.6
Oath Tango
110 gr. 1.92.7 1107
SD 14
Sig Sauer
124 gr. JHP 2.74.4 1171
SD 29.4
Speer G2
147 gr. JHP
(FBI Load) 0.50.0 961.8
SD 14.1
Velocity Tactics
80 gr. SCS 1.18.2 1399
SD 27
Winchester
115 gr. +P+ JCE 2.24.1 1283
SD 7.7
127 gr. +P+ T 2.49.6 1276
SD 6.1
147 gr. T 1.94.7 1016
SD 11.6
Three round groups were fired from a rest at 25 yards and expressed in inches. A Trigicon RMR reflex sight mounted on a UM Tactical mount was employed to more fully exploit the pistols inherent accuracy. Average velocities were obtained by firing five round strings through a CED M2 chronograph, ten feet from the muzzle and expressed in feet per second (FPS). Temperature = 40 degrees. Tailwind gusts up to 30 mph.
P 320 Specifications
Action: Locked breech, linkless barrel, Striker Fired DAO
Calibers: 9x19mm, .357 Sig, .40SW & .45 ACP
Capacity: 9mm = 17+1
Frame: Polymer
OAL: 8”
OAH: 5.5”
OAW: 1.4”
Weight: 29 oz. w/ magazine (Full sized pistol)
GTWW: 18 – 124 gr. rounds = 36.5 oz. (Full sized pistol)
Magazines: 17 rounds. Steel
Slide: Steel w/ Nitron finish
Barrel: 4.7 inch. Button rifled. 1:10”
Sights: Fixed SigLite three dot. Radius = 6.6”
Trigger: Pivoting. 6.5 lbs
Grips: Small, medium & large interchangeable frames
MSRP: $669 – $719
X-Change kits: $400
Warranty: Limited lifetime
Competition Bound
Although a fairly new system, the P 320 has been recognized by custom gunsmiths and Action Shooting competitors for its potential for customization and sport shooting events. In its various configurations it meets rule requirements for several classifications. Grayguns and Springer Precision are leaders in the customization of the P 320.
Conclusions
SS has the reputation of taking its time and thoroughly investigating, studying and researching when it comes to so called trends in firearms manufacturing. Before the product is released, it must be right. The P 320 is no exception and in addition to customer demand its development peaked at the right time to compete for the coveted FBI and military pistol contracts. However, regardless of these two outcomes SS will sell a huge number of this innovative Transformer like modular pistol system to the savvy public, police departments and competitive shooters. SS CEO Ron Cohen has hired a group of young and very talented engineers that are responsible for the development of the P 320 and their outstanding suppressor line. It’s a winner.
Contacts
Sig Sauer
72 Pease Blvd
Newington, NH 03801
603- 610-3000
www.sigsauer.com
Liberty Ammunition, Inc
Corporate HQ
2083 58 Ave
Circle East Suite B
Bradenton, FL 34203
1-941-567-6178
sales@libertyammo.com
Speer Ammo
2299 Snake River Ave
Lewiston, ID 83501
800-379- 1732
www.speer-ammo.com
Trijicon, Inc
49385 Shafer Ave.
PO BX 930059
Wixom, MI
48393
1-800-338-0563
UM Tactical
1955 10th Ave No.
Lake Worth, FL. 33461
561-325-3020
umtactical@gmail.com
www.umtactical.com