Sig Sauer Inc. recently agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by more than 100 pistol owners over its P320 pistols. The suit was filed because the plaintiffs argued the pistols made before August 8, 2017 “do not include a mechanical disconnector, a feature that blocks the pistol's ability to fire when the slide and barrel are in an unlocked condition.” As a result, the plaintiffs “paid for repairs or upgrades to prevent an alleged safety glitch, which could cause the weapon to fire accidentally.”

Gavel and law books; image by Succo, via Pixabay.com.

According to a statement from Sig Sauer, the “new disconnector was included in the company's free Voluntary Upgrade Program (VUP) offered to all owners of P320s purchased before Aug. 8, 2017.” The statement continued:“By entering into this agreement, Sig Sauer is not admitting that any of plaintiffs' allegations have merit. However, to avoid the uncertainty and high costs of further litigation, Sig Sauer has reached an agreement to resolve this case…If this agreement is finally approved by the court, these individuals may be entitled to certain benefits, including continued availability of the P320 VUP free of charge, a lifetime warranty against specific kinds of damage to the firearms, and a potential refund of amounts previously charged to repair firearms or replacement of unrepairable pistols.”It’s important to note that the proposed settlement is still awaiting final approval. It is expected to go before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on June 25. During the hearing, it will also be determined how much each plaintiff will receive and the attorney fees. A statement from Sig Sauer reads:“It is Sig Sauer's position that the design of the P320 pistol -- both pre-upgrade and post-upgrade -- prevents the P320 pistol from firing in an unlocked condition. SIG SAUER has conducted extensive testing of both the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade P320 pistols to confirm its position that the pistol will not fire with the slide and barrel in an unlocked condition.”The alleged safety glitch was discovered during additional testing of the P320 pistol. Despite meeting and exceeding U.S. safety standards, it was discovered that the “pistol could discharge if dropped at a specific angle.” However, the implementation of VUP was intended to improve the drop safety of the pistol. In fact, according to Sig Sauer, a “mechanical disconnector was added to enhance trigger feel and consistency, as well as to prevent a dead trigger condition when the trigger has been pulled with the slide retracted. Although this disconnector serves as a redundant safety against the pistol firing in an unlocked condition, it is not its primary function and is not necessary to prevent such occurrences.”As part of the proposed settlement, Sig Sauer would send refunds to P320 owners who paid to have their pistol repaired or upgraded.

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