SIG SAUER: P320-M18 sets new standards for the US Army.

The P320-M18, as the compact version of the new US Army duty pistol, passed the Lot Acceptance Test (LAT) with 0 malfunctions. The LAT is a recognized test in which the reliability of US Army products is tested. To pass the LAT, a weapon must fire 5,000 rounds, with no more than twelve malfunctions.

The civilian version of the P320-M18 with black controls (Photo: SIG SAUER)

In the LAT with the P320-M18, three models were tested, each firing 12,000 rounds through the barrel. No malfunctions were recorded in any of the three models. During the extensive and extremely material-stressing tests, the durability of the firing pin and trigger weight were also checked to exclude material fatigue. In these respects as well, no errors were found in the P320-M18.

Exceeding Requirements

In this context, the two duty pistols P320-M17 and P320-M18 are also mentioned in the latest Director of Operation Testing and Evaluation Annual Report (DOT&E): both models would "exceed the US Army's requirements for precision, ergonomics, and reliability." The DOT&E is published annually and independently reviews the operational effectiveness of US equipment in service of the US Army.