The SIG SAUER P320 has been in the news as it won the Army Modular Handgun selection as well as the Department of Homeland Security selection as the new handgun for ICE. SIG has built a training companion to their P320 handguns, the SIG SAUER P320 Advanced Sport Pellet (ASP) CO2-powered air pistols. The P320’s modular, striker-fired system is imitated with the ASP featuring a full blow back metal slide, steel rifled barrel and a few built-in performance advantages – low audible profile, practice space versatility and radically less expensive ammunition. The ASP line of pistols allows shooters to train outside the range for quick, accurate hits in non-traditional training venues.
The ASP is fueled by CO2 cartridges and either .177 pellets or BBs. This cuts costs way down and allows the use of reactive targets. They provide similar a trigger pull and felt recoil so that engaging multiple targets is realistic. They are sized weighted and balanced so they fit into P320 holsters and handle like the real steel models.
The P320 ASP uses a 30 round belt fed magazine. This loads easily and feeds smoothly avoiding some of the problems with other air guns. It accepts .177 pellets or BBs with out preference. It makes high volume shooting easy and you don’t have the distraction of reloading in the middle of a drill. The magazine fits into the grip, bit it is thin and does not have the feel of a real mag. The ASP is not the best tool for training reloads and manipulation, that is best done dry fire and at the range with a real P320.
When you show the ASP to some one for the first time, they all do the same thing, they try to clear it, because it looks and feels like a real gun. The slide functions, but the rounds remain in the magazine, so all you need to do to clear it is remove the mag. Weight and balance provide authentic feel to handling.
When the Swiss Wagon Factory won a contract to make Prelaz-Burnand rifles in 1864, no one could have predicted the massive American company they would spawn in the 21st Century. The SIG SAUER vision statement lays out their goal: A New Hampshire-based weapons systems provider leading the industry in American innovation, ingenuity, and manufacturing.
The Airgun Division is not a toy company. They make serious and accurate training guns and all the supplies and targets you need to get professional results. That are also great for kids and new shooters. There is no better way to start than a quiet gun which does not require hearing protection. These world-class CO2-powered pistols are a new breed of firearms for training and recreation, elevating airguns to a new level of performance and use.
The sweet spot for the P320 ASP is between 15 and 21 feet. This is an ideal range to train for defensive shooting. If you want to practice marksmanship, the use of scaled targets allows you to train for any range. I like to use the color changing targets from concealedcarry.com because the hits are easy to see. The little dots on the margins are designed for target repair, but they make great tiny point targets for marksmanship. Accuracy and velocity vary with temperature, type of projectile and distance. You can fine tune your training by adjusting the variables. I found that at 15 feet, using SIG pellets and CO2 it was possible to shoot very small groups for marksmanship and use reactive targets for speed.
The SIG Texas Star is a favorite of mine and a crowd pleaser at family picnics. The 9 targets flip down when you hit them and the targets rotate as you shoot. Don’t use this with BBs as they may ricochet unpredictably.
“SIG SAUER airguns are effective training tools for beginners and experts alike, and they are incredibly fun to shoot,” said Joseph Huston, Vice President and General Manager of the SIG SAUER Airgun Division.  “SIG SAUER’s newest models of semi-automatic air pistols feel virtually identical to their centerfire counterparts. These air pistols fit in standard holsters for their particular make and are useful in practicing drawing in addition to accuracy. They are also a very inexpensive alternative to live-fire training and can be shot in the backyard instead of having to drive to a range.”
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For more information on SIG SAUER airguns, visit www.sigsauer.com/airguns.
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About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is The Complete Systems Provider™, leading the industry in American innovation, ingenuity, and manufacturing. SIG SAUER® brings a dedication to superior quality, ultimate reliability, and unmatched performance that has made it the brand of choice among responsible citizens, and many of the world’s most elite military, government, and law enforcement units. SIG SAUER offers a full array of products to meet any mission parameter, from handguns and rifles to ammunition, electro-optics, suppressors, ASP (Advanced Sport Pellet) airguns and accessories. The largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland, SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified company with more than 1,700 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER, any of its products, or the SIG SAUER AcademySM, log on to www.sigsauer.com.
Detail photos courtesy of SIG SAUER Featured photo by author.
Targets provided by concealedcarry.com
