The section of the Air Force that oversees the military branch’s bases is un-grounding the Sig Sauer M18 handgun after pausing its use for a month over the July 20 shooting death of a Wyoming-based airman.
The Air Force Global Strike Command announced in a Sunday statement that it has completed a “comprehensive inspection” of its 7,970 M18 Modular Handgun systems after pausing their use July 21.
The pause was from “an abundance of caution following a tragic incident” in which an Air Force member serving at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne died.
Brayden Lovan, 21, was a defender assigned to the 90th Security Forces Squadron, 90th Security Forces Group, said the 90th Missile Wing last month. He died in a gunshot incident around 1:30 a.m. on July 20, the base confirmed four days after his death.
While the inspection of the Sig Sauer M18 pistol immediately followed Lovan’s death, the base announced about three weeks afterward that a person had been arrested in the shooting on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and making false statements.
The arrestee is an airman, 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs Chief Glenn S. Robertson confirmed last week, adding on Monday that no charges had been filed.
“Regarding the incident from last month, that case is still under investigation, and as such, no charges have been preferred against the Airman at this time,” wrote Robertson in an email last week. He added Monday: "We cannot release the name unless and until charges are referred to court-martial by the convening authority."
As to the case itself, since the incident happened on base it falls under military jurisdiction.
“The Office of Special Trial Counsel has exercised authority over the offenses,” wrote Robertson.
These Guns, Going Forward
As for the pistols themselves, they’re back on duty — but the Air Force Global Strike Command is ordering “enhanced inspection procedures” for the M18 pistol going forward for areas where inspectors found problems during the pause.
The inspection identified discrepancies with 191 weapons across the command’s M18 inventory, chief among those related to “component wear.”
“The most frequent issues centered on problems with the safety lever, striker assembly and sear,” says the AFGSC’s statement. “Weapons exhibiting these discrepancies were immediately tagged and are undergoing necessary repairs.”
None of the weapon discharges AFGSC reviewed were attributed to weapons malfunction, the statement says.
As to the enhanced inspection measures, “We assess that any issues found with the safety lever, striker assembly and sear will be identified during semi-annual and annual inspections,” said Lt. Col. George Hern, AFGSC chief of security forces, in the statement. “As we execute M18 inspections in the future, we will be taking a particular interest in these components to ensure these methods address the issues we found and make adjustments as needed.”
The pistols that passed inspection were back in use Monday, the statement says.
The Gunsmith’s Take
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 in a July interview.
Dimoff did not immediately respond to a Monday morning voicemail request for a follow-up interview.
Dimoff said last month that he believes the issue is that Sig Sauer tried to design its striker system without infringing Glock’s patent of that same system, and so made an ill-fitting design that may slip over time.
The internal pieces are under spring pressure and a block keeps the firing action at bay. If the pieces don’t fit together well, they’ll loosen over time and be 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,” Dimoff said.
As for Dimoff, he owns a P320 and says it’s a “great gun,” but he’s had it both customized and tested to the point of comfort.
The company responded to widespread criticism in a March 7 statement on X (formerly Twitter) captioned, “It ends today” and claiming reports of the guns firing on their own are either mischaracterized 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,” says 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.”
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
