The civilian version of the popular SIG SAUER P320-M18 handgun – which was adopted by the U.S. military in 2019 – has already made quite an impact with shooters. The P320-M18 has been described as a near "carbon copy" of its military counterpart, and now the firearms manufacturer has released something special; namely a commemorative model.

The limited M18-Commemorative Edition of the official U.S. military service pistol shares many of the components, while it features the same coatings and markings of the firearm that was awarded a U.S. Army contract for the modular handgun system (MHS), and which was recently chosen as the official sidearm of the U.S. Marine Corps.

"The M18-Commemorative is an exciting release for the commercial market, and much like the M17-Commemorative will be coveted by members of the military, veterans, collectors, and firearm enthusiasts alike," said Tom Taylor, chief marketing officer and executive vice president for commercial sales at SIG SAUER.

"Only 5,000 of the M18-Commemorative pistols are being manufactured, and include all the required modular handgun system markings including the U.S. Army's unique identifier (UID) and SIG SAUER Cage Code, making the M18-Commemorative identical to the pistol currently in service with the U.S. military," Taylor added.

Many special edition guns aren't exactly all that special or even limited in numbers, but in this case, New England-based SIG SAUER has sought to ensure that the M18-Commemorative is distinctive while still remaining true to the base model. It is something that is worthy of display yet will still deliver at the range.

Like its military counterpart, the M18-Commemorative is a 9x19mm Luger Parabellum, striker-fired pistol, and it features a coyote carry length grip module, a coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slide with the same optic cut as specified by the MHS contract, as well as the original coyote-tan colored controls, an ambidextrous manual safety, and is equipped with a SIGLITE front night sights and removable night sight rear plate.

It is a carry-sized pistol with an overall length of 7.2 inches, width of 1.6 inches, and is just 5.5 inches in height. While not a compact firearm, it weighs in at just 28.1 ounces.

The SIG SAUER M18-Commemorative pistol is truly meant to be a limited edition, and it features unique serial numbers ranging from M18-0001 through M18-5000.  Upon registration of the M18-Commemorative pistol after purchase, the handgun's new owner will receive an official certificate of authenticity and commemorative challenge coin, both with serial numbers matching the purchased M18-Commemorative pistol.

The M18-Commemorative ships with two 21-round magazines and one 17-round magazine and is sold in the same cardboard packaging as delivered to the U.S. Army. An optional Collector's Case is also available for those who wish to display the weapon rather than shoot it. It features a solid cherry box, with a dark mahogany stain, a tempered glass top, a brushed nickel latch, and a keyhole back for optional wall hanging. The collectors' case even features a slate-grey flocked foam insert with an affixed SIG SAUER logo.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.