According to a report by Eyal Boguslavsky in Israel Defense, an initial purchase of 7,000 Sig Sauer P320 pistols has been completed. Additionally, Canada has the option to acquire an additional 9,500 pistols for a total cost of $7.6 million.
The Canadian Army has begun introducing the Sig Sauer P320 pistol, designated as the C22, to replace the long-standing Belgian-originated FN Browning GP 9mm pistol, which has been in service since 1944.
The P320, manufactured by SIG Sauer, is a modular semi-automatic pistol and an evolution of the SIG Sauer P250. It features a striker-fired mechanism, replacing the double-action-only hammer system. The P320 is capable of being chambered in various calibers such as 9×19mm Parabellum, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm Auto. The pistol’s caliber can be easily converted with a simple barrel change or by using a caliber exchange kit.
The introduction of the P320 chambered in 9×19 mm Parabellum took place on January 15, 2014, in the North American market. The compact model chambered in .45 ACP was showcased at the SHOT Show in January 2015. On January 19, 2017, it was announced that a customized version of the SIG Sauer P320 had won the United States Army’s XM17 Modular Handgun System competition. The full-sized variant is known as the M17, while the compact carry-sized model is called the M18.