Air Force Clears M18 Pistols
PHOTO CAPTION: U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Lauchlin McMillan fires a SIG Sauer M18 pistol during an Air Force Qualification Course at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, March 8, 2026. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Caroline Strickland.
The Air Force says a sweeping inspection of its M18 pistols found no condition capable of causing an uncommanded discharge, releasing the final results Wednesday after a safety concern that began more than a year ago.
The Department of the Air Force launched the supplemental inspection in July 2025 after an allegation that a service M18 may have discharged without being commanded to do so during an incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Air Force Global Strike Command initially paused use of the handgun while conducting its own inspection.
That command-level review found no indication that a weapon malfunction caused the discharge, but the Air Force then ordered a broader service-wide inspection of M18 pistols to verify their condition and reinforce confidence in the weapon.
According to the final report, dated Jan. 23, 2026, 96% of all M18 pistols considered “in use” had been inspected. The Air Force said 100% of the inspected pistols showed no signs of any condition that could have caused an uncommanded discharge.
The remaining 4% were not cleared from inspection entirely. The Air Force said those weapons will be examined during their normal inspection intervals.
The service has also incorporated the supplemental M18 inspection criteria into its small-arms program as an addition to the Army technical manual governing the weapon.
The M18 is the compact version of the military’s Modular Handgun System and is based on SIG Sauer’s P320 platform. Concerns surrounding unexpected discharges involving P320-series pistols have generated years of debate in both military and civilian firearms circles.
For the Air Force, however, the final conclusion of its service-wide inspection is straightforward: officials say the M18 remains safe and reliable for security missions and that inspectors found no mechanical condition capable of producing the type of uncommanded discharge that prompted the review.
Source: Department of the Air Force
