Canada opts for SIG Sauer P320 as future army sidearm
Canada is buying Sig Sauer P320 pistols to replace the Browning 9mm. (Photo: Sig Sauer)
Canada is procuring up to 16,500 pistols for its armed forces, beginning with the Canadian Army.
Following a competitive tender, the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) has awarded distributor company MD Charlton a $3.2 million contract to provide the Canadian Army with SIG Sauer P320 full-frame modular pistols.
The Canadian government will procure an initial amount of 7,000 pistols (designated C22) and holster systems for the Canadian Army, with deliveries expected to begin in mid-2023.
The C22 will have ‘similar ballistic performance’ and use the same ammunition as the existing Browning 9mm sidearm carried by Canadian troops, the DND noted in a 7 October statement.
However, the new pistol has a higher magazine capacity and weighs less than the Browning. Ambidextrous controls also enable left- and right-handed shooting.
Additional options for up to 9,500 pistols will be available under the contract to equip other branches of the Canadian armed forces, including the Military Police.
If the options are exercised, the value of the deal will rise to $7.6 million.
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