Following the death of an airman in Wyoming on Sunday, the Air Force unit in charge of missile and bomb bases suspended the use of the M18 modular handgun, the unit announced Tuesday.
An active-duty airman assigned to the 90th Missile Wing died early Sunday morning while on duty at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, according to a base statement released on Monday.
The division’s public affairs office declined Wednesday to release the airman’s name or additional information, citing the need for next-of-kin notifications.
The Laramie County Coroner’s Office declined to provide information about the death.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a valued member of our Mighty Ninety team,” said Colonel Terry Holmes, commander of the 90th Missile Wing, in a statement. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the Airman’s family, friends, and his fellow Defenders during this incredibly difficult time.”
Pausing This Now
One day after his death, the Air Force Global Strike Command, which oversees Air Force bases, announced a moratorium on the M18 pistol “until further notice.”
According to the military division’s statement, the decision was made “following a tragic incident,” which occurred on Sunday at F.E. Warren.
According to the statement, the pause will last until “comprehensive investigations by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the AFGSC Safety Office,” during which time Security Forces Airmen will be equipped with the M4 rifle.
AFGSC began fielding the M18 in March 2019.
The Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana touted the M18’s adoption as an upgrade from the M9, which it had been using for over three decades.
An FBI report released in recent weeks, however, raised concerns about Sig Sauer M17 and M18 pistols firing without a trigger pull, according to The War Zone.
Sig Sauer disputed the evaluation results, claiming that the bureau did not reproduce them using a mutually agreed-upon testing protocol.
For A While Now
Military, police, and private gun users have seen problems with the Sig P320 series — which includes M18s — for years now, Laramie-based gunsmith Brian Dimoff told Cowboy State Daily.
“This is a common problem,” Dimoff explained. “The amount of memes that are just crucifying Sig Sauer on the internet have been going on for years.”
Dimoff believes the issue is that the company attempted to design its striker system without infringing on Glock’s patent for the same system, resulting in an ill-fitting design that may slip over time.
The internal pieces are spring-loaded, and a block keeps the firing action at bay. If the pieces do not fit together properly, they will loosen over time and become prone to jolts.
“If one part begins to slip off another part, it’s a matter of time before it moves all the way down and you’re going to have a striker hit the primer,” according to Dimoff.
Dimoff owns a P320 and describes it as a “great gun,” but he has had it customized and tested to the point of comfort.
The company responded to widespread criticism with a March 7 statement on X, formerly Twitter, captioned “It ends today” and claiming that reports of guns firing on their own are either misrepresented or fabricated.
“In the decade since its introduction, the P320 has undergone the most rigorous testing and evaluation of any firearm, by military and law enforcement agencies around the world,” reads the statement. “Multiple plaintiffs’ so-called experts have conceded (that) it is not possible for the P320 to discharge unless the trigger is fully actuated.”
Three months later, a Sig Sauer P320 “went off” in its holster, as captured on video, wounding a police officer in the leg, according to the Ceres Courier of California.
