I know that countrywide that gun sales are off their peaks. But dayum, have P320 sales just hit a brick wall or what? We can't GIVE these things away (well, figuratively speaking of course).

Since the start of the holiday season last fall, we ran several P320 specials to try to get some interest in the guns. Barely made a blip. Even the more recent SIG Store credit incentive has pretty much been a bust. I've sold a couple of P226s (the line is also aligned with that SIG Store promo), but our P320s just are gathering dust. Two P320 sales in three weeks...one M17, one 320C...it's just BAD. Meanwhile, we sell every frickin' G20 we can get our hands on, and G19 sales continue on their regular steady pace (though G17 sales are almost as dead as P320 sales).

Okay, sniveling whining over.

I picked up a couple of 320 X5's myself in the last couple of months, I would like a full size if the price is right. I shoot both the regular 320 and the X5 very well and wouldn't think twice of buying but new prices can be high, used market you can get good deals. I think bad press took a tow on the 320 sales but in my opinion is a great handgun so no concerns from me about buying one except how expensive the mags are.

I am very far removed from the retail scene but my guess is the market is saturated with 9-mils ... unless it’s a compact or subcompact. I was on the blue label list for a couple of weeks before I was able to get a G43X. And, I took a beating last year selling my P320SC so I can understand why people are hesitant to buy a SIG. And, P365’s are languishing on the shelves of the few places around here that actually stock handguns.

My LGS has said the same thing, sales on the P320 are flat. However, I know 2 people that bought P320's online in the last week or two.

Too many choices! I am not a retailer nor in the firearms business but a lover and collector. I remember when there was a limit of choices in what pistol to buy, a Colt, a Smith& Wesson or a 1911. Now competition is enormous. New and improved guns are offered almost as if daily.Eventually a saturation point is reached.
p.S. I do have almost every kind and caliber. of Sig P320.

I'd agree with the saturation of that market segment. You can get a 4" barrel and 15 round mag in a 320, G19, M&P Compact, VP9, or Walther PPQ. There's hardly enough difference between them for most to notice.

I realize this probably doesn't matter to anyone but me, but here goes.

I'd likely have bought a couple 320s by now if they were compatible with P2XX magazines.

226 on the full-size, 226/8/9 on the compact.

I like to have bunches of mags for my pistols.
Since I already have a shitload of 226 & 229, I just haven't been able to convince myself to lay in a healthy stock of another variant.

Would it have killed them to design it like this from the start?

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
Would it have killed them to design it like this from the start?

The reversible mag release requirement may have been problematic for existing 226 mags.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
Would it have killed them to design it like this from the start?

The reversible mag release requirement may have been problematic for existing 226 mags.

That doesn't make any sense, what am I missing?

I don't get it. My mags all have two mag-catch holes & the release is reversible on the frame. What am I missing here?

ETA: I see stoic-one also asks the same question...

Anyway, apologies for the thread drift.

quote:

Originally posted by vinnybass:
I don't get it. My mags all have two mag-catch holes & the release is reversible on the frame. What am I missing here?

ETA: I see stoic-one also asks the same question...

I mean, if P320 magazines are dimensionally different because of grip frame issues, I might buy that, but reversible release shouldn't be the issue here... They both have reversible magazine releases.

And yes, back to your regularly scheduled thread topic.

Sorry, I looked and I guess I was thinking of something else. You guys are right about the 226 mags.

If you are a gun geek you might be put off by current SIG QC (P365, 320 drop issue, models being dropped and not supported etc.)

If you are not a gun geek and just looking for a firearm I would think that most folks are either going in with a Glock bias or simply a what is the cheapest I can get that gives me a decent gun.

Put a HK, Glock, SIG etc. next to a Security 9 and present them to somebody just looking for a gun my guess is they will see no difference except price.

Us gun geeks are a different breed.

quote:

Glock bias

It's tough to beat almost 35 years of TV detective shows, and who knows? Maybe media hysteria plays a part as well.

As for the 320s, I'm not sure what could be going on (besides not having decades of media exposure yet). Online sales have been mentioned before; maybe the really cheap ones here and there are keeping people out of the LGSs?

S&w used to sell the M&p at 500$ or so, now under $400, h&k used to be 7-800 now 500. Glock is the standard so they don’t have to adjust price. Sig may have to start thinking about lowering their price to compete.

quote:

As for the 320s, I'm not sure what could be going on (besides not having decades of media exposure yet). Online sales have been mentioned before; maybe the really cheap ones here and there are keeping people out of the LGSs?

Well, they are the new .MIL pistol of choice, sooo...

I guess my question would then be, if you aren't selling them, are you transferring any via online sales?

They don't seem to move all that fast at the LGS I work at.

We just got in some of the M17s so I'm curious how those will do.

We FINALLY got a decent stock of 365s in for the first time in almost a year.

MY LGS said the G43X and G48 are gone as soon as they come in.

I still think SIG needs to thin up the P320 a little. Its a pistol that feels bigger than it is.

I frequent some of the local places and I don't see too many standard 320 on the shelves. Most places have a few of the specialized version, but don't keep many of them in stock either.

On the retail side, glock are still going to sell more than just about anything else. That's what brand recognition gets you. Glock spent a lot of time in building that recognition.

Now on the LE side of things, which is where I pick up my Sigs, my LE guy sells them as fast as they come in. He is also dealing in X5's X Carrys, Pro Series and 365 guns. He receives regular shipments, and sells them out just about as fast.

Sig has really been concentrating on the LE market. Lots of agencies and officers are picking them up. Sig is playing glocks game, get them in the hands of LE where everyone sees them and the commercial market will pick up.

Sig shipments to commercial vendors has also been slowed as the majority of their business is going to Gov and LE sales right now.



TXPO

Hmmm.... I wonder if its a safety issue, at least for first time buyers. The tabbed trigger of the Glock gives the impression of a safer carry as opposed to the non-tabbed Sig.
Another guess:
We here on SF may not buy into this, but I think a lot of less informed buyers just look to see what their local cops are toting and buy accordingly. The Glock has a higher presence in this example, although Sig is making some inroads.