Tag: P320

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Brass, Barrels and Bureaucracy #18

It has been a wet fall here in New England. We’ve had more rainy and snowy days this past month than fair ones. It’s not unusual, but it’s enough to be notable. Temperatures have hovered around 38 to 40 degrees during the day and dropped below freezing at night, which has been fortunate for us. Our refrigerator has decided it no longer wishes to behave and started tripping the breaker, so all of our important cold storage has been moved into the freezer or into a cooler on the back porch.

It has been an unusually stressful time for myself and my family. Dealing back injuries, stress at work, and just the normal day to day of life has been taking it’s toll. We had a small Thanksgiving, just my wife and my kids, which was perfect. Low stress, and lots of left over turkey. I hope everyone has had a great start to their holiday season.

Website Updates

As I mentioned previously, I’ve been working through several trimmer reviews. The drill-mounted trimmers have really taken over as the preferred option for a lot of reloaders. I’ve long used hand-lathe style trimmers—the RCBS and now the L.E. Wilson—but my shoulder and patience aren’t up to trimming large amounts of brass anymore, especially for the cartridges I load in volume.

The rebuilt drill press has been working well. I’ve churned through quite a bit of .30-06 and .303 British brass using the Tri-Way trimmer and the Frankford Arsenal Universal Trimmer. They’re similar in concept but very different in execution. You can read my reviews of both trimmers at the link below.

Giraud Tri-Way Trimmer Review
Frankford Arsenal Universal Precision Case Trimmer

Marc has been working on his own product review, doing a bit of light gunsmithing on his Smith & Wesson PD321. If you shoot cast bullets through a revolver on the regular, you may want to read about his experience opening up the cylinder.

The Small Revolver Detail Most Shooters Never Think About — But Should

Time at the Bench

Trimming brass is a chore. It’s about as exciting as watching grass grow or paint dry. When I’m caught up on my reloading, I try to stay ahead on brass prep so trimming happens in small batches. Right now, I’ve still got plenty of work ahead of me before I’m caught up.

Over the next week or two, I’ll be testing out two more trimmers—one for .300 Blackout and another for 7.62×39. I still haven’t found “the one” trimmer I can call my favorite, so I’m holding out hope one of these might finally check all the boxes.

Industry and Legislative News

Sig Sauer and the P320

A few months ago, we discussed the reported “non-commanded” discharge that led to the death of an airman on a Colorado Air Force installation. Early reporting made it sound like yet another example of the P320 or M18 discharging without a trigger pull. We now know that this incident was the result of a negligent discharge. By his own statement, the airman pointed the pistol at the victim, and when the gun fired, he and another airman concocted a story to cover it up.

It’s a tragedy, and it clearly stems from at least one person not following basic firearm safety rules. I felt it would be unfair to criticize Sig Sauer for the P320’s issues and then ignore the follow-up when this incident turned out not to be mechanical. That said, this does not completely absolve the P320 platform, as there are multiple lawsuits alleging true non-commanded discharges. But in this case, the pistol was not the problem.

New Jersey and the Sig P320

Adding more fuel to the P320 fire, New Jersey is suing Sig Sauer for alleged violations of the Firearms Industry Public Safety Law and the Consumer Fraud Act. The lawsuit, filed by both the Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement Office and the Division of Consumer Affairs, claims the P320 has an unusual propensity to discharge unintentionally.

The complaint cites the U.S. Army’s 2016–2017 evaluation of the P320, in which the Army required an external safety for the M17/M18. Anyone familiar with military procurement knows the military has long favored external safeties. The request wasn’t necessarily evidence of a defect—just standard operating preference.

To me, this lawsuit reads as New Jersey harassing a gun manufacturer. While there may indeed be legitimate concerns surrounding the P320 given previous incidents and claims, I doubt the New Jersey AG’s approach is driven by public safety. It looks more like political pandering to gun-control activists and their base.

Legal Challenges to Magazine Restrictions

Several challenges to magazine restrictions recently had hearings. Colorado, Rhode Island, and Oregon all have pending cases questioning the constitutionality of their bans. While we’ve seen small wins here and there, no Circuit Court has yet ruled to overturn an existing magazine law. The more cases that move through the courts, the greater the chance one eventually lands before the Supreme Court, which is the long-term goal. Magazine capacity is a fundamental characteristic of a firearm, and a Supreme Court ruling could finally cement that.

Court Challenges to ATF’s FFL Requirements

Multiple lawsuits are challenging the ATF’s new definition of what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. This Biden-era redefinition is extremely broad. According to the ATF, if you sell a firearm with the intent to make money—even once—you may be treated as a dealer who requires an FFL and a 4473.

The problem lies in how “intent to make money” is interpreted. If I sell a rifle for $150 and the book value is $130, does that count as intent? What if I paid $300 years ago, so technically I lost money? What if the rifle was gifted to me, so I’m “making” the full $150? Under the rule, there’s no quantity threshold, so even one sale could theoretically be prosecuted.

Judges hearing these cases have generally indicated that the rule is overbroad and likely violates due process by shifting the burden of proof to the individual. It’s very possible we will see an injunction forcing ATF to rewrite the rule.

Glock V Pistols

Glock has tried and spectacularly failed at making their pistols “non-machine guns”. It took the internet less then a week to figure out how to turn the new Glock V pistol into a machine gun via a new variant of the Glock switch. I have to admit this made me smile in ways I didn’t think was possible.

Glock took a very minimalist approach in trying to make the existing “Glock” switch not work with the newer generation of Glocks. This is obviously was to try and keep the new generation of Glocks as functionally compatible with the myriads of parts accessories that work with all previous generations of Glocks. Unfortunately this also means it was easily defeated and Glock is back to square one, while the California law is undoubtedly going to apply. Afterall the law never says what “easily convertible” actually means.

New Products (Rumored Edition)

This is a slow season for product announcements. Hunting seasons are winding down, the holidays are here, and we’re only weeks away from the 2026 SHOT Show. Rumors are flying, but verified information is limited. So lets look at a few new product rumors.

Holosun

Several leaks suggest Holosun will unveil a new solar-powered, closed-emitter pistol optic at SHOT. It will compete directly with the Aimpoint ACRO, Trijicon RCR, Vortex Defender ST, and others. Holosun makes excellent emitters, but yes—they are a Chinese manufacturer, and no, they aren’t designed to HALO jump from 60,000 feet into the Karbala Gap. The good news for Holosun is I’m not built for that either, so we’re probably still a good match.

Aero Precision

Distributors are reporting that Aero Precision is expanding its suppressor line, with the new models expected to be unveiled at SHOT Show 2026. Aero has long been known for AR-15s, AR-10s, and component manufacturing, and suppressors are still a relatively new venture for them. Their current lineup includes a .30-caliber can and a .22LR can, and the rumor mill suggests they’re preparing to broaden that portfolio with additional calibers and configurations.

With the expected changes to the NFA taking effect at the start of the new year, I suspect Aero won’t be the only company jumping into the suppressor market. We’re likely to see a wave of manufacturers releasing their first cans or expanding existing offerings. It’s entirely possible that by mid-2026 the suppressor market will be one of the most saturated segments in the firearms industry.

Ruger – New Redhawk/GP100 Hybird Platform

There has been chatter that Ruger is planning to revamp or possibly replace the GP100 lineup. This double-action revolver has been on my personal bucket list for years, so I’m very curious to see where Ruger takes it. The current rumor suggests a significant update to the lockwork, bringing it closer in design to the Redhawk system. Other details making the rounds include an optics-ready top strap and new 10mm and 9mm variants designed to run on moon clips.

If these rumors are true, Ruger may finally be modernizing one of their most iconic revolvers while still keeping the GP100’s reputation for tank-like durability intact.

Deals of the Week

As most folks know, it is 4th quarter and retailers every where are trying to end the year with a strong finish. This is combined with what has been a pretty slow sales year industry wide. A combination of people wages not keeping up with the increase in price of every day items, and perhaps a softer demand for firearms and accessories due to a decrease in legislative pressure.
That provides a perfect storm for consumers that can afford to take advantage of a “soft market”. Retailers are offering “daily door busters” or “lightening” sales which have fantastically discounted prices and products that last sometimes for under a day. If you have the extra cash on hand, it is not a bad idea to check Optics Planet, Brownell’s, Palmetto State Armory and others on a frequent basis.

Brownells is running several sales. Including a sale on CCI Primers which is some of the cheapest primers I have seen in a long time. The down side, the Free Hazmat promotion is over.

Palmetto State Armory is having a pretty decent sale on assembled AR-15 Lowers. $99 for a completely assembled lower with a carbine buffer and adjustable stock.

The Battalion is offering Free HAZMAT shipping on most of their Vihtavuori powders

That’s what we have for this week.

Jay

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Brass, Barrels, and Bureaucracy #8

Another week has come and gone, and we are one more week closer to sending the kids off to school. In the Northeast school typically starts around the 25th of August. This week I spent a bit of time working on getting a model airplane ready to fly. The drone project that I started nearly six years ago finally took flight, albeit less of a drone and more of a park flyer.

I yanked out all the guts that made it automated and reconfigured it to fly like a normal R/C airplane. It was good thing I did, because fly, it did not.

At the end of the day, we had five launches and five crashes. The airframe needs a bit of patching up, and I think I need to redo the control surfaces and look at the center of gravity. Between fishing and R/C Airplanes so far I am 0/2 on picking up a new hobby. We’ll give it a few more attempts, I don’t think the kids will let me not try and fly the models they built.  

Website Updates

Marc found some mystery 44 cal 300gr cast bullets at an estate sale. He put in some time in trying to figure out what they were. This led to him writing up a piece on discussing the bullets and how to go about working up a load for a “unknown” bullet.

Estate Sale 300 Grain Mystery Bullets

In that spirit I have another buddy, Jeb I. who lives in Spanish Fork, Utah. He’s come across some interesting bullets Marc and I have never seen before.  According to him they are 125 grain .357 bullets with what looks to be a .177 caliber BB in the nose.  They were in loaded ammo, but since he didn’t know what the loads were, he pulled it all down with an inertia bullet puller. None of the BB’s came out, so they are in there good.

I’ve seen bullets with primers pressed into the nose, and I have seen pellets with copper BB’s pressed into the nose, but I have never seen 38 Special rounds with a embedded BB. My guess is they wanted it to expand faster?

It could totally be something someone home brewed, or it could be a commercially made bullet. To me it almost looks like a Glaser Safety Slug, but at the same time, the soft lead nose does not fall in line with anything I have seen. If you think you might know what it is, leave a comment or email myself or Marc.

If anyone else has a question on an unknown component or a reloading question in general email us and we would love to take the time to help a fellow handloader. We’d love to be able to feature a question and answer as part of our weekly newsletter.

Time at the Bench

I actually was able to spend a significant amount of time at the reloading bench this week. I have been trying to clear out the backlog of reloading. I hate having firearms sitting without ammo, so I will figure out a load I like and load until I run out of components. Right now, that has been 9mm.

When I am reloading, I usually keep my camera close. You will usually come across something that is noteworthy. Something that an experienced reloader is going to take in stride but it may not be something a new reloader has seen or has considered. The two images below are good examples.

The bullet on the left is a perfectly usable cartridge. It gauges just fine, but if you are a new handloader you may notice that that cartridge has a bit of a “wasp” waist. This is common in straight wall cartridges. When seated the bullet expands out the brass and creates a bulge. It’s a purely cosmetic feature that is perfectly normal to see, even in factory rounds. This is not the worst I have seen, and it’s not the best picture but it’s an example.

The picture on the right is a cracked case mouth. This is typical for the end of the life of a straight wall pistol case. I can be somewhat hard on case mouths because I tend to put a generous flare on the case mouth to prevent scoring or gouging of the bullet when seating. This flare gets tucked in a little while bullet seating but is then fully tucked in during crimping.

Of course, every time we bend or otherwise displace brass, the material gets a little bit harder and a little bit more brittle. The remedy for this is to anneal the cartridge on a regular basis so the case mouth returns to a dead soft state. I personally have not found it worthwhile to anneal 9x19mm brass. So, I let nature run its course and it will usually crack like this when flared.

If you’re loading a lot how often do you clean your progressive press? This is about as dirty as I let it get. Brass dust, and powder kernels can really build up overtime and start to create issues. Usually, the first thing I notice is dents on the primer; this happens when a piece of debris lands on the primer seating punch.

I know a lot of people will use compressed air to clean things off. Personally, I like to use a small paint brush with a long handle. Brushing it off prevents debris from being driven into every nook and cranny. I got one that came with my Hornady powder dispenser fifteen or so years ago, it’s probably the only part of that dispenser that still works reliably.

Industry and Legislative News

HPA and SHORT Act

Two more legal challenges to the legitimacy of the remaining parts of the Natio nal Firearms Act of 1934 were filed last week. One in Missouri Brown v. ATF and an appeal regarding the same issue to the 8th Circuit court.

The 8th Circuit appeal is happening in parallel with an appeal happening in the 5th Circuit which is also challenging the constitutionality of the NFA.                                   

California Ammo Background Check Law Struck Down

The laws requiring background checks prior to California residents purchasing ammunition at point of sale has been struck down. There is a temporary hold on the ruling going into effect, and an appeal is likely. This is a win for California gun owners in the short term. We will see if the ruling is upheld in the 9th circuit.

Washington State’s ban on Magazines Appealed to the Supreme Court

There are a lot of people who are watching this case very closely, including myself. Magazine capacity bans are widespread and affect millions of gunowners. There is no data that supports the notion that communities are safer if magazines are limited to some arbitrary number. However, it is one of the things that Anti-Gunners push for the hardest.

Vermont currently limits rifles to 10rnds and pistols to 15rnds. Magazines which were owned prior to the ban are grandfathered in. The Supreme Court has yet to take up a case regarding Magazine Bans, however, there have been indications that the court may weigh in soon. So, we will wait and see.

The Unintentional Consequences of Magazine Capacity Limits

In the world of “unintended consequences,” one reason the 9mm has become the go-to round is that it strikes a balance between capacity and terminal performance. Before the 2004 sunset of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, pistols were capped at 10 rounds. If you only had 10 shots for self-defense, it made sense to favor maximum stopping power, which is why debates like .45 ACP vs. 9mm actually mattered.

Back then, bigger or “magnum” rounds like 10mm Auto or .357 Sig could be a smart choice if you could handle them. Today, the emphasis has shifted to capacity. That’s the whole draw of rounds like 30 Super Carry or 5.7×28 mm. You can fit more in the mag, giving more chances to land an incapacitating hit. With modern bullets, performance differences between pistol calibers are close enough that capacity often wins out.

Let’s play the game, if you only had “10rnds” and a AR-15 what cartridge would you choose? (458 SOCOM, 223 Rem, 6.8 SPC)

If anti-gunners limit me to 10 rounds, why wouldn’t I choose 10 rounds of .458 SOCOM in an AR over .223 Remington? Or 10 rounds of .308 Winchester? 10-round cap for pistols? I might as well make 10 rounds of 10 mm Auto, after all it’s about 60-80% more muzzle energy than a 9mm load. (So 10rnds of 10, is like 18rnds of 9mm right?… We’re adding fuel to that fire one post at a time)

Someone has to keep feeding the caliber debate, otherwise we’re going to start debating things that really matter, like if whether mils or MOA make you shoot better or just buy more optics.

Criminals aren’t weighing ballistic charts before deciding what to use; they’ll take whatever they can get. It’s the lawful carriers who have to think about what caliber makes the most sense when capacity is restricted.

SIG Sauer and the P320/M18

Ok, this is the WRONG M18, but to be honest I am kind of sick of seeing pictures of the Sig M18/P320. Plus, this is a really good impact driver, it deserves a little love.

We’ve discussed the Sig P320 issues at length as it is something at the forefront of the firearms industry. Heckler and Koch (H&K) released a video lately reviewing the many safety features of its pistols. Glock recently announced it would be suspending the civilian sales of its COA Models to focus on LEO and Military Contracts. No doubt both companies see blood in the water.

The correct M18/P320 with a little bit more color then just a picture of a pistol

However, we would be remiss in not providing an update on the case of the Airman who was recently killed by an alleged incident of “Uncommanded” discharge of a Sig P320.  An airman was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and making a false official statement. This would seem to cause a significant amount of shade on the theory that it was a malfunction of the M18 (P320) pistol. It seems likely this may be a case of negligent discharge.  

This does not absolve all of the incidents that the Sig P320 is implicated in, but it does seem this case may not be as clear cut as we initially thought.

New Guns and Gear

As I have been working the 9mm loads on my Dillion 550, I have had a few occasions breaking out the set of tweezers Marc and I put together with the reloader in mind. My large fingers sometimes have a hard time getting into the small spaces to pluck kernels of powder, or primers from the mechanisms of the press.

We had originally developed these for those guys looking to add a kernel of powder at a time for their precision loads. In our testing we really liked the tweezers with a ceramic tip. Ceramic is much stiffer than steel giving a better feeling when trying to pick up something like a powder kernel, or a primer. We also found that powder kernels did not stick to the tweezers as readily as steel or plastic tipped tweezers did. Be sure you don’t touch the ceramic of the tweezer as oil from your skin can contaminate the surface and cause things to stick. If you do, you can burn it off. Ceramic tweezers were designed to handle hot things, they are brittle so take care not to drop them on a hard floor or use them as a pry bar.

Unless you were in an industry that uses these, you’d never know they existed but they fit the bill for powder handling.

We put together a set of tweezers we felt were the most useful and they were launched on the market. The price that kit is now selling for made us both roll our eyes given how much it cost wholesale. We’ve found a very similar set of half the price.

Starline making ARC Family Brass

Starline has announced that they are making ARC Brass. This includes the 6mm ARC, the 22 ARC and the 338 ARC. If you are looking for a source of virgin brass for your handloads, there you have it.  If you’re looking for some wildcat brass it’s usually not a bad idea to check Starline as they have often have cartridges that you may not find anywhere else. This includes their “Basic” brass which is a straight wall case with the primer pocket and case head formed, but without the neck or body taper. This allows you to finish forming the case into whatever hotrod cartridge you might have dreamed up.

I have loaded quite a bit of Starline brass in the past, and honestly you may have loaded it and not known it. Starline regularly makes brass for OEM with the buyer’s headstamp. I have found it to be of good quality and reasonably priced. Nothing to complain about but at the same time I do not typically considered it on the level as Lapua, ADG or Peterson.

That’s all we have for this week.

The Ballistic Assistant is a website dedicated to the art of handloading and shooting. We aim to share tips on reloading and shooting, inform others on what’s going on in the firearms community, and provide our opinion and thoughts on firearm related news and events. If you like what you read, we only ask that you subscribe and share with a friend or two.

If you have questions, comments, or ideas, we’d love to hear from you.

Jay – jay@theballisticassistant.com

Marc – Marc@theballisticassistant.com

If you’d like to support this website, please use the affiliate links. We get a small commission whenever you purchase something through a link regardless of if it is the product that was linked or not. This is at no additional cost to you. 

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Brass, Barrels, and Bureaucracy #7

Sometimes you start a week thinking it would be a normal week, and about halfway through you realize nothing is going quite as you had planned. That was my week last week.

This little guy is suppose to fly great, I never got to find out…

I have been working for the last few weeks to get some RC airplanes up and going for the kids. I finally got the last few components together and spent the better part of two evenings trying to get the radio communicating with the receiver. I am using an open-source radio and software so there was a learning curve that I had not anticipated. Friday night I finally got everything talking to each other and control surfaces moving in the right direction, and thought I was all set for that Saturday. Nope.

Couldn’t get the model to fly straight, couldn’t get things to trim out properly, and I ended up hitting the broad side of the barn at least once. By the time I thought I had maybe figured out a few things, one of the servos stripped a pair of gear, and my day was over. On the plus side, the kids thought it was great fun, watching it do loops, tight turns, and fly upside down.  So, I guess it did its job, despite my best efforts.

On a more pleasant note, a buddy of mine in Utah sent me a surprise loading block as a gift. Made it to hold 50rnds of 338 Lapua, which worth about one month’s mortgage. He really put a lot of time into it and I couldn’t help but show it off a little.

It was hard to get the picture just right. It really is a beautiful piece.

Website Updates

We’ve been working on quite a bit of background stuff, nothing new to hit the website this week. We do want to give a thank you to all those folks who are using the affiliate links to support the website. July was a record month for us; we were able to raise $20 for the website. While that does not seem like much, we really do appreciate the support, and it means a lot to Marc and I.

Time at the Bench

I should rename this section, to “Time Away from the Bench” as Time at the Bench has been fleeting lately. However, I will be spending some time at the bench to knock out some 124gr 9x19mm loads sitting on some N330. I’d like to get all of it loaded so I can swap the press over to 40 S&W, and then to 357 SIG. All in due time.

Rethinking My MRAD: From Long Range to Muzzle Energy

This week I’ve been thinking about what to do with my Barrett MRAD in .338 Lapua. I picked it up back in 2015, topped it with a Nightforce ATACR 5–25x, and eventually added a Surefire .338 suppressor. At the time, I was living in Utah;  where public land is plentiful and it’s easy to find places to stretch your shots well beyond 1,000 yards.

But now that I’m back east, those wide-open ranges are gone. Finding even 600 yards is tough, and most of my shooting opportunities are much closer. So, what’s the best use for a rifle like this in tight quarters?

Normally I would consider IMR 7828 too fast for a 338LM load but with the longer Barnes TSX 285gr bullets it is right there when it comes to burn speed. If I want to reduce signature, then I compare the muzzle pressure and the amount of propellent burnt. The lower the muzzle pressure and the higher the percentage of powder burn is going to provide a slightly quieter report.

I started playing with QuickLOAD, running a few “what ifs.” What if, instead of building for extreme range, I built for maximum muzzle energy? That changes things. Instead of a high-BC, heavy-for-caliber bullet, I’d want something lighter and faster, something that delivers a bigger punch at shorter distances.

I really like Reloder 33 as it is a temp stable high energy powder that really gets good velocity on 300gr SMK but it’s the completely wrong powder for the Barnes 285 TSX. It’s too slow burning, indicated by poor pressure and high load density. We would also expect a louder report as the powder is still burning at the muzzle generating higher muzzle pressures.

Then I added another layer: What if I also wanted the lowest possible muzzle signature? That means using a faster-burning powder optimized for 16 to 20-inch barrels and pairing it with a lighter bullet to reduce the gas load and blast. Instead of match-grade open tips, I’d run a solid copper projectile like the Barnes TSX for terminal performance.

Left to right, 300gr Hornady A-Max, Barnes 285gr TSX, 300gr Sierra Match King. Barnes 225gr TTSX with no-tip, something I was playing with in 338 Spectre.

This is what I love about reloading. You can rethink the entire equation based on your environment, your goals, or just your curiosity. It’s not always about squeezing out that last 20 fps or shrinking your group size by 0.25 MOA. Sometimes it’s about finding the right tradeoffs for your actual use case.

Out here, I’m not trying to hit steel at 1,400 yards. But I can build a suppressed load that hits like a hammer inside 300. That’s a useful tool, and a fun project.

Reloading gives us the freedom to tailor our ammo to our needs, not just what’s printed on the box. And sometimes, shifting your goalposts is exactly what makes the process fun again.

Industry and Legislative News

HPA and SHORT Act

No significant movement that I am aware of. There is one comment that should be made, the industry seems to be working together, whereas in the past it was often the NRA pitted against the GOA. It made sense, both groups are vying for a finite pool of money. However, we are seeing all of the groups, from the 2nd Amendment Foundation, GOA, NRA, and manufacturers all moving towards a common goal.  I would not say this is unprecedented, but it is a unique moment something I have not seen in my lifetime.

The Law Is the Law – Even When It’s Inconvenient

Colorado is finally starting to recognize what many in the gun community have been saying for years: lying on a Form 4473 is a felony. It always has been. Yet despite tens of thousands of denials each year, the prosecution rate for these offenses remains under 1%.

This issue hit the national spotlight when Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, was charged with lying on his 4473 by falsely denying his drug use. When the DOJ tried to quietly resolve the case through a plea deal, many of us cried foul. It looked like yet another case of politically connected playing by a different set of rules.

Now, Colorado appears poised to take enforcement more seriously. The state is reportedly working to track firearm purchase denials more carefully and dedicate resources to investigating them. Democrats supporting the effort argue that people who try to illegally purchase firearms are at a higher risk of later committing crimes with them. It’s not an unreasonable concern. Still, I’ll be honest; I worry this could be abused, particularly when enforcement is selective or politically motivated.

But here’s the rub: we can’t have it both ways.

We can’t advocate for law and order, then object to enforcement just because it feels inconvenient. If someone who is legally prohibited tries to buy a firearm, they should be held accountable. We need consistency. Either the law matters, or it doesn’t matter. Selective enforcement, whether to protect the President’s son or to avoid tough political optics, undermines the rule of law.

That said, I also fully acknowledge that some people are wrongly classified as “prohibited persons.” I agree with many of the arguments for restoring Second Amendment rights to individuals who’ve served their time, made amends, or were unjustly penalized. The DOJ stopped processing rights restoration requests years ago. That’s a fight we absolutely should be having. But that’s a legislative battle, not an excuse to ignore current laws in the books.

Right now, when someone who shouldn’t own a gun tries to buy one at a dealer, the system often works; they’re denied. But if they’re even moderately determined, they’ll just try to get one through a private sale. That puts the burden squarely on the rest of us.

If you’re selling a firearm privately, I strongly believe you should demand to see a valid CCW permit or have personal knowledge that the buyer is of sound moral character. If you sell to someone who’s prohibited, and that firearm ends up being used in a crime, guess who the feds are coming to see first? You. That’s a felony. That’s your name in the headlines.

Imagine a case where a person is denied at the gun store, but law enforcement follows up, intervenes, and stops a potential tragedy. Most of us would call that a win. We should want that to happen more often.

So yes, enforce the law. All of them. Even the ones that make us uncomfortable. And at the same time, let’s fight to fix the ones that need to be changed. In the end, I think this comes around to bite Democrats as they end up enforcing the laws the disproportionately affect their constituents the most, then all of this quietly goes away and we are back to where we were.

SIG Sauer and the P320/M18: A PR Nightmare in Progress

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how SIG Sauer turns the ship around on the P320. What started as a promising striker-fired platform has become a full-blown PR disaster. Multiple major agencies, including the Denver Police Department, Milwaukee PD, ICE, and the Air Force Global Strike Command, have either pulled the pistol from service or severely limited its use. Even competitive shooting organizations like USPSA have banned it from competition. That’s a level of rejection that’s hard to bounce back from.

Since 2023, there have been over 100 reported incidents of the P320 discharging “uncommanded”; meaning without the trigger being pulled. Various videos have circulated online attempting to reproduce the issue. One popular method involves pressing the trigger to take out the pre-travel and then squeezing the slide and frame together, which can cause the striker to release. Technically, that’s an uncommanded discharge, but if the trigger is already nearly pulled, I’d argue it’s still a trigger-involved event. The more serious concern would be if compression of the slide and frame alone, without touching the trigger, caused the gun to fire. That’s the scenario SIG needs to disprove; or fix.

From a design standpoint, this is a nightmare. During my time at Barnes (then under Remington), we often discussed the idea that even a “one-in-a-million” failure rate wasn’t good enough. In a high-volume product line like .22LR, that meant you were still seeing 7–10 incidents a year. In the firearms world, rare doesn’t mean acceptable. If even a small fraction of P320s suffer from a tolerance stack, material flaw, or wear-induced failure, you’re still dealing with thousands of guns that might fail under the right circumstances.

SIG’s biggest misstep hasn’t been the design, it’s been the response. Instead of acknowledging the reports and launching a transparent investigation, they’ve stuck to the line that there’s no problem. That kind of stonewalling might work in court, but not in the public eye, especially when officers are being injured and departments are walking away from the platform. Sig doubled down on this on their statement issued on July 29, 2025

I won’t be surprised to see used P320s hitting shelves in large numbers, possibly at steep discounts. I also wouldn’t be surprised if SIG quietly phases out or rebrands the line altogether. Lawsuits are already stacking up, and while the gun may function flawlessly for 99.99% of users, perception is king, right now, that perception is crumbling. I personally believe that Sig has to double down, to admit otherwise will add fuel to the lawsuits.

Only time will tell how deep this issue runs. But if SIG doesn’t change course soon, the P320 could go from flagship product to cautionary tale.

Barrett MK22 “Uncommanded Fire”? Let’s Not Jump the Gun

There’s a YouTube video circulating that shows a Barrett MK22 seemingly firing without a trigger pull. In the clip, a soldier either has the rifle on safe or flips it to safe, presses the trigger (nothing happens), then taps the bolt or bumps the chassis, and the gun fires.

With the recent backlash over the SIG P320, people are quick to assume this is another firearm with a critical design flaw. But based on what’s out there, I don’t think we’re seeing a crisis, we’re seeing speculation without context.

So far, we’ve got a few short clips that may feature the same rifle, in similar conditions, with no details on maintenance, trigger pack adjustments, or prior issues. Yet everyone seems ready to assume the rifle is in “perfect working order.”

To dig deeper, I tested my own Barrett MRAD, an early civilian model with a serial number under 1800, purchased in 2015. The only modification is a left-hand safety swap, which matches the setup in the video. I tried everything shown: flipping the safety, pressing the trigger, bumping the bolt and chassis. Nothing happened. The rifle performed exactly as expected.

So, until we get more detailed reports, ideally from a range of unrelated users, I don’t think we should jump on the hate wagon just yet. Could there be a rare trigger issue? Possibly. But one or two unclear clips do not make for a systemic failure.

Let’s wait for facts, not just viral footage, before we throw Barrett under the bus.

New Guns and Gear

Lyman 6th Edition Shotshell Reloading Manual

Lyman has released an update loading manual for shotshell reloaders. I flipped through it the other day and it’s laid over very well and it’s got some really good information on shotshell reloading. It’s a beautifully laid out book with full color pictures and section views of cartridges.

If you are like me and you have dipped your toes into the world of shotshell reloading, you’ll know it’s a completely different landscape when compared to metallic cartridge reloading.  Most notably there is less “universality”. For example, a Remington 12-gauge low brass shot shell takes different wads, and recipes than a Fiocchi 12 Gauge low brass shot shell. I dabbled in it, but to be honest I am just not that big into shot guns, and hence I never got huge into shot gun reloading, even though I have Littleton Shotmaker and a slug mold.

This is a book I’d have on the shelf just to peruse.

The Ballistic Assistant is a website dedicated to the art of handloading and shooting. We aim to share tips on reloading and shooting, inform others on what’s going on in the firearms community, and provide our opinion and thoughts on firearm related news and events. If you like what you read, we only ask that you subscribe and share with a friend or two.

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Jay – jay@theballisticassistant.com

Marc – Marc@theballisticassistant.com

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