Interesting Article (IMO) on How P320 Debate Could Affect All Carry Guns

[Lab4Us]

I found this pretty interesting, especially when he points out asking someone to carry a hammer fired gun fully cocked with no safety would not fly with most, but that’s basically what a lot of striker fired guns are - we just can’t see it because it’s all internal. Definitely some food for thought.

Why the Sig P320 Controversy Matters for Every Carry Gun

The SIG P320 debate isn’t just about one pistol, it raises bigger questions about how we think about handgun design.

www.luckygunner.com

 

[Annihilator]

I found this pretty interesting, especially when he points out asking someone to carry a hammer fired gun fully cocked with no safety would not fly with most, but that’s basically what a lot of striker fired guns are - we just can’t see it because it’s all internal. Definitely some food for thought.

Why the Sig P320 Controversy Matters for Every Carry Gun

The SIG P320 debate isn’t just about one pistol, it raises bigger questions about how we think about handgun design.

www.luckygunner.com

Good article, to be honest I never gave this a thought about striker fired guns, thanks for posting!

 

[Winchester67]

The external safety was the thing for me. Back when I started to carry a Trijicon, Suarez was making slides for the Glock. I reluctantly gave up my 1911 for the advantages of the optic. Years later, I switched to the SIG 365 XL because it was offered with an optics cut and a manual safety. I shot the Glock ok and of course it was as reliable as a stone ax. But decades of 'sweep down to fire' never left me. I missed it.

 

[Grayfox]

I've never cared for striker fired guns. I'm an old fashioned guy. I like a visible hammer.
With all the controversy, I surprised Sig hasn't just discontinued the P320. It would save them an awful lot of grief.

 

[Lab4Us]

I went all in on the strikers when P365 was first introduced. Eventually had four different P365 variants, a P320 Carry, and two P320 Compacts. Carried those P365s a LOT too. When Sig started blaming customers for their P320 woes with no evidence, I dumped every Sig at once.

Then I went all in Glocks for a bit, G20, G21, G23, G27, G32, G43, G48, all at one time or another, not necessarily in that order. Also had a Hellcat OSP, but it had a safety. My FN reflex was hammer fired and had a safety, but it was all plastic like the strikers and it’s hammer was enclosed where you couldn’t thumb it while holstering - it went with the rest of the plastic.

As of about a week ago, I now have ZERO striker filed pistols and the only one I have left in my safe with a polymer and not metal frame is an ordered at, and built by, LTT PX4 Storm Compact, with all upgrades outside of an optic, and it’s not going anywhere.

Outside of that PX4, everything in my safe is metal framed and they’re all hammer fired, with a combination of decocker SA/DAs, SAO 1911s or 1911 style, and small metal revolvers. Any future gun purchases will also be metal framed and hammer fired.

I never had any safety issues with any of the striker fired guns. I just chose a different path over time and I do feel the hammer fired examples, DA/SA decocked or SAO with safety, are inherently safer.

I also fault no one for their carry choice, no matter what type it is. Everyone should carry what THEY feel comfortable with!

 

[Bear007]

I do not own or have i ever taken apart a P320 to see how it works. I do however take apart every gun I own to understand how everything works and what makes it safe, IMO, or not safe.

Just a little safety comparison between the Hellcat Pro and the XD mod.3 of which I have both.

1. Note that both handguns have the trigger scissors tab safety that will not allow the trigger to be pressed unless the tab is pressed first. Kind of a joke to me because any foreign object that can hit your trigger is most likely gonna be able to press the trigger tab also.

2. Until the trigger is fully compressed on either will the internal striker block allow the striker to hit the catridge.

3. THE DIFFERENCE.

The trigger of the HC Pro has always just had a ho hum review in most threads here as do many EDC pistols. Many people have changed it out, I have not. If you look at the operation of the trigger/sear you will see that the HC sear has to finish compressing the striker to the rear before it can retract downward to release the striker which adds to the trigger pressure needed to fire the gun. It's partially doing what a DA does. This added pressure IMO adds to the safety of the gun making it safer to CC. I do not know how after market triggers are making the trigger pull lighter. I would guess they are maybe holding the striker fully compressed so the sear only needs to retract downward to release the striker. If so, that would be bad news for the safe carry of this gun.

The new XD mod.3 however maintains a fully compressed striker. When you pull it's trigger the sear simply drops downward releasing the striker which is why reviewers have been surprised at the trigger pull on this $300 handgun. This is why the XD also needs IMO the added grip safety which will not allow the sear to retract downward unless it is fully compressed, making the gun safer.

No matter how you look at it there is very little metal surface on most sears with very little clearances holding the gun from firing. Another thing, the sears on hammer fired guns is no bigger.

A striker gun blocks the striker until the trigger is fully compressed and a hammer fired gun blocks the hammer until the trigger is fully compressed.

On the P320s (and again, I am not familiar with this handgun) that supposedly did fire by itself more than 1 thing had to fail or there is a serious design flaw that is beyond the knowledge of some of the smartest people in the industry.

All the above being said I still believe in a -

4. A MANUAL SAFETY - you can't fix stupid but you can try! Practice with it and it will become natural.

Be safe out there!

 

[SimonRL]

So carrying my 226 cocked and locked is a bad thing now? Click bait.

 

[Lab4Us]

So carrying my 226 cocked and locked is a bad thing now? Click bait.

i think his point was cocked and “not” locked is what a striker carry is equivalent to…

 

[Bassbob]

Strikers have safeties.

 

[Annihilator]

 

[Lab4Us]

Strikers have safeties.

As the author said. From the article:

“What I do like about the P320 is that they eventually added the option of a manual thumb safety. That adds back a layer of safety that you’re missing with a light, short trigger. The P365 also has that option, and the M&Ps, and… not many others.”

 

[Pitdogg2]

Strikers have safeties.

Yep, most have a firing pin safety that will not allow the firing pin to go forward to strike the primer. There's a little leg that pushes the plunge safety up to move it out of the way to allow the pin to go all the way. Turn your slide upside down and that little circular thing you can push it yourself if you like.

 

[Bassbob]

As the author said. From the article:

“What I do like about the P320 is that they eventually added the option of a manual thumb safety. That adds back a layer of safety that you’re missing with a light, short trigger. The P365 also has that option, and the M&Ps, and… not many others.”

External safety is not the only type of safety.

 

[Biggfoot44]

External safety is not the only type of safety.

Literally a true statement , but there's 9 cubic yards of amorphus context .

1st - Not go bang completely unexpected , by bumping , jostling , dropping , etc .

2nd - When it is in hand , for serious purposes , not go bang , unless and until the user makes significantly meaningful step(s) to delibertly go bang .

Prior to mid 1980's , this included releasing a manual safety , or a fairly heavy , fairly long trigger pull .( DA Revolver , DA ( at least first shot ) auto .

On the OG , ground zero Striker Pistol , the certain weight , and long sorta trigger pull , was a Feature , not a Bug . There was wide debate then , if that was heavy enough / long enough , but undeed it was part of the criteria .

But alas , in the decades since , consumer demand kept chasing lighter & shorter . First in the aftermarket , then with the mfgs trying to keep up with the aftermarket .

To where , plenty of guns now are way closer to a Condition Zero 1911 , than ( 1980's era considered acceptable for duty / defense ) .

 

[Bassbob]

Literally a true statement , but there's 9 cubic yards of amorphus context .

1st - Not go bang completely unexpected , by bumping , jostling , dropping , etc .

2nd - When it is in hand , for serious purposes , not go bang , unless and until the user makes significantly meaningful step(s) to delibertly go bang .

Prior to mid 1980's , this included releasing a manual safety , or a fairly heavy , fairly long trigger pull .( DA Revolver , DA ( at least first shot ) auto .

On the OG , ground zero Striker Pistol , the certain weight , and long sorta trigger pull , was a Feature , not a Bug . There was wide debate then , if that was heavy enough / long enough , but undeed it was part of the criteria .

But alas , in the decades since , consumer demand kept chasing lighter & shorter . First in the aftermarket , then with the mfgs trying to keep up with the aftermarket .

To where , plenty of guns now are way closer to a Condition Zero 1911 , than ( 1980's era considered acceptable for duty / defense ) .

Sure, but I was responding to the statement that strikers don't have a safety.