An Air Force review of nearly 8,000 pistols following the death of an airman in July found that 191 of those Sig Sauer-made guns exhibited unexpected wear marks on internal components.
The Air Force said “the most frequent issues centered on problems with the safety lever, striker assembly and sear.” While those pistols are being pulled from service and sent off for repairs, the Air Force’s Global Strike Command said Monday it would resume the use of all M18s that passed inspection, effective immediately.
The M18 pistol is manufactured by New Hampshire-based Sig Sauer, and, along with the M17, which is a larger version of the pistol, are widely used by all branches of the military. The guns are similar in design to the company’s best-selling P320 pistol, which has been at the center of allegations that it can fire unexpectedly due to a design or manufacturing flaw. Sig Sauer has maintained the weapon is safe, and can only fire when the trigger is pulled.
In July, Airman Brayden Lovan, 21, was killed in an incident on Warren Air Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming involving an M18. In the wake of his death, military officials immediately suspended use of the pistol for all members of the Air Force’s Global Strike Command, and launched a review of the gun. Another airman, whose name has not been released, was later arrested and charged in a military proceeding with involuntary manslaughter and making false statements related to the death of Lovan. No other information about the incident has been released.
The gun involved in Lovan’s death was not part of this review, according to an Air Force Global Strike Command spokesperson, and continues to be held as evidence.
The Global Strike Command, which has more than 33,000 personnel on bases across the country, said as part of its review that it inspected other M18s that have discharged, and found that “none were attributed to weapon malfunction.”
Internal reports obtained by New Hampshire Public Radio show that the Air Force has documented at least one incident in which an M18 fired unexpectedly, and that a subsequent review of the gun found wear marks on the same components that were flagged in this latest inspection.
A review of the gun’s safety and reliability across the entire Air Force is ongoing, according to military officials.
Gun will undergo frequent inspections moving forward
Moving forward, the military will now perform “enhanced inspection procedures” for the gun, including semi-annual reviews with a focus on its internal safety mechanisms.
“As we execute M18 inspections in the future, we will be taking a particular interest in these components to ensure these methods address the issues we found and make adjustments as needed,” said Lt. Col. George Hern, who leads the Global Strike Command’s security forces.
Along with increased physical reviews of the weapon, the military is also taking steps to restore confidence in the M18 among rank-and-file airmen following the death of Airman Lovan. Senior commanders are “taking the time to meet with airmen” the military said, including explaining new inspection procedures, and providing airmen the opportunity to “raise concerns” they may have about the gun.
“When we see a potential issue, we have a responsibility to our Airmen and the American public to evaluate, find any discrepancies, and act on them,” said Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the Global Strike Command.
Though the military’s version of the gun is equipped with an external safety, airmen are instructed to keep the safety in the off position when the weapon is holstered. The vast majority of civilian versions of the weapon are sold without an external safety switch.
Other branches of the military have also documented instances of their Sig Sauer-made pistols discharging unexpectedly. The Army has said the guns involved in those instances did not display any flaws following inspections, and continues to stand by the safety of the gun. In the majority of these cases, soldiers have been found negligent in their handling of the weapon, causing it to discharge, though some have claimed their fingers were not on the weapon’s trigger.
The death of Airman Lovan in July renewed debate about the safety of the civilian version of the gun, and prompted some law enforcement agencies including a sheriff’s department in New Hampshire to suspend use of the gun.
“I think the verdict is still very much out on the safety of the P320, but this is the right time for Strafford County to make this switch,” said Sheriff Kathryn Mone. The agency is switching to a pistol manufactured by Glock.
At least one prominent gun academy is also no longer allowing members of the public to carry the P320.
Sig Sauer has faced more than 100 lawsuits in recent years over allegations that its pistol has a design flaw that leaves it susceptible to unintentional firings. Plaintiffs have included members of law enforcement who say they were shot by their own guns, frequently in the leg or foot, as the gun sat in its holster.
The company has vigorously denied any design or manufacturing flaw, while judges and juries have handed down mixed verdicts in the cases, to date.
“The P320 pistol is one of the safest, most advanced pistols in the world — meeting and exceeding all industry safety standards,” Sig Sauer said in a recent statement.
