Was the P320 Hammer Test Scientific? No. Did It Illustrate An Issue? Yes.
There have been many comments left on our P320 hammer test video that dispute the validity of the test I performed with a hammer. I hate to tell you guys, but that was never supposed to be a scientific test. The reality of the matter is that I am flat out not set up for lab quality testing for failures with firearms, nor do I want to be.
I have seen all of your comments but have been on the road and unable to spend the time fielding them as I would like to have.
So why did I perform the test in the first place and why did I show you guys? Since the first news of the P320 drop safety failure hit the internet, I started having an extended conversation with a friend of mine who is well known for his aftermarket support of the P320. He and I spent some time spitballing what might be going on with the gun. As a result of those conversations, I shot the slow motion footage on my iPhone that made its way into the video.
Did I look at the footage frame by frame before shooting the video? Nope. I shot something quickly a few hours before I was due to be at the airport and on my way to Rockcastle Shooting Center in Kentucky. I probably got a bunch of things wrong, in fact I know I got some of it wrong.
For example, the trigger only traveled 1/8″ rearward when the back of the pistol was struck and allowed the striker safety to be disengaged. We still aren’t sure what is going on with the sear allowing the striker to be released, but at this point, it doesn’t really matter. All we can do now is wait for Sig to get the upgraded pistols out to shooters and see if they fail in the same manner as we have seen the P320 do so before.
You can watch the video above if you would like to see what video is being referenced.
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News Flash: Hitting the back of your loaded firearm with a hammer is stupid no matter what.
The same is said about the Colt Gov. Model MK IV Series 70 yet from horseback (about 5 ' high x 25 mph) at a trot due to a worn out old holster dropped it, locked and loaded with a round in the chamber and the safety on.
It bounced across hard pan dirt road about three times and did not go off.
Scuffed, dirty and scratched with a few little dings it worked flawlessly when I got home and test fired it as it was.
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I understand a Nuclear power plant accident happened once when an employee used a hammer to attempt to free a stuck water coolant valve. It killed him. Killed him so bad in fact he was buried in a lead coffin.
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Folks drop firearms, In the Marines a deadly sin that got you PT'd near to death and a night spent sleeping with the rifle attached to your leg.
Not many folks hit loaded firearms with a hammer though, that just ain't right.