USMC M18 - Review and Range Test

[Hrfunk]

Here's one for all my fellow Jar Heads out there (and anyone else who's interested!)

Howard

[rintinglen]

I wonder if the somewhat heavy trigger is the result of SIG's changes to correct the problem of accidental discharges when dropped? I know that at least one Officer reportedly was wounded when she dropped her pistol, identified as a 320. Still, it seems like an accurate and useful pistol. I don't see me trading in my P-220 or P6 for one, but for the fantastic plastic crowd, it looks like they have another premium choice.

[Winger Ed.]

I sometimes wondered when the military was going to buy tupperware pistols to go along with the plastic rifles.

[FergusonTO35]

We have had a few of those come through my side job shop. They are really slick, and I like the manual safety.

[downzero]

I've never seen a striker fired pistol jam more frequently in competition than this one. I've really tried to understand the appeal of fighting with your gun the whole match, but after years of seeing it have seemingly zero influence on its popularity, I stopped trying to explain it.

I can say that the newer ones appear to run much better than the ones from before.

[Hrfunk]

So far, I’m pretty impressed with the M18. For a general issue pistol, I think it’s nearly Marine Proof. The only thing that bothers me is that recoil spring assembly that has to be properly oriented during reassembly.

Howard

[marek313]

Thats strange because I consider my P320 one of the most reliable guns I have. I have the very first version with the original trigger and I never had any desire to send it back to get that fixed. I used it in few steel competitions and it never gave me any issues. Feeds everything including HPs which I cant say for other guns like my PT111 which is picky as hell. 320 was my home defensive gun until I upgraded to CZ97 due to the 10 round restrictions in NJ. If I can only have 10 rounds then 45acp it is and 9s are out.

[nicholst55]

I wonder if the somewhat heavy trigger is the result of SIG's changes to correct the problem of accidental discharges when dropped? I know that at least one Officer reportedly was wounded when she dropped her pistol, identified as a 320. Still, it seems like an accurate and useful pistol. I don't see me trading in my P-220 or P6 for one, but for the fantastic plastic crowd, it looks like they have another premium choice.

I haven't had the opportunity to fire either an M17 or M18 yet. Based on handling several different pistols that have come through the shop, they all seem to have dramatically differing trigger pulls. I am not positively impressed by the trigger pull of any of them, to date.

So far, I’m pretty impressed with the M18. For a general issue pistol, I think it’s nearly Marine Proof. The only thing that bothers me is that recoil spring assembly that has to be properly oriented during reassembly.

Howard

Interesting. The New Equipment Training for Maintainers that we received on the pistol stressed that the recoil spring assembly does NOT need to be specially oriented during reassembly. One potential area of concern to me is that the pistol MUST be reassembled exactly as laid out in the TM following field stripping, or it will NOT fire. When reinstalling the slide assembly, the slide must be locked to the rear with the slide stop before rotating the takedown lever. If one simply uses manual strength to hold the slide in place while rotating the takedown lever then releases the slide, the gun will not fire. Training can overcome this issue, but I see lots of problems in the future because of it. I experienced this issue first-hand during New Equipment Training.

[MUSTANG]

Your description above smells of the potential for many Service Members to be unnecessarily wounded/killed due to bad weapons being fielded - just as occurred with the initial rush to fielding of the M-16 in Vietnam where service members were told it did not need cleaning, initially no cleaning kits provided, change in powder for 5.56 was made and fielded to Vietnam without adequate testing beforehand (stoppages and cases stuck in chambers).

[nicholst55]

Your description above smells of the potential for many Service Members to be unnecessarily wounded/killed due to bad weapons being fielded - just as occurred with the initial rush to fielding of the M-16 in Vietnam where service members were told it did not need cleaning, initially no cleaning kits provided, change in powder for 5.56 was made and fielded to Vietnam without adequate testing beforehand (stoppages and cases stuck in chambers).

Believe me, I share your concerns. It troubles me that the USG would have accepted a handgun with such a potential fatal flaw - because that's exactly what it is.