Sig P238 vs S&W bodyguard for first concealed carry (woman)

Hello,

I am a woman and I am purchasing my first carry pistol. I currently own a S&W 22A-1 and I have the most experience with it. I have shot 9s, 38s .380s, and 45s and like the .380 size/power. I have shot a Taurus TCP and wasn't thrilled with the recoil, but I did like the size. I cannot shoot right now as I am 6.5 months pregnant. I was going to wait until after the baby came so that I could test fire some, but now that congress no longer has to make laws and the President can just issue edicts whenever he feels like it, I'd like to get my new pistol. I know the chances of pistols being targeted right now is slim, but I'd be kicking myself if something changed. Anyway, I've handled an LCP, Bodyguard and P238 (in addition to shooting the TCP). The LCP was too light and I think the recoil would be too much. It also felt a little loose in my hand. I love the way the P238 fits in my hand compared to the bodyguard and LCP. The bodyguard seems to slip a little more easily. I'm leaning toward the Sig, but being that it's carried cocked and locked I'm just not too sure about it safety wise. The bodyguard price is a little better but I'll spend the extra if the sig is worth it. I'm a little hesitant to get another S&W. My current double feeds, jams and fails to eject at least 4 times every time I take it to the range (about 50-150 rounds). It's not just me either. It has the same problem with my husband and dad. It's been cleaned and sent in and still has issues. It's probably just a lemon, but that gives me pause when it comes to S&W.

I've read some older threads that the P238 has some failure tendencies and I'm wondering if those are still a concern. Any general pros and cons about the newer bodyguard and newer P238 models would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Hi JLI,

I, too, shared the same thought about the LCP. It's light and very concealable. But for me, it's too light and terrible to shoot. As for the Body Guard, the mushy trigger was a turn-off. I much prefer shooting a heavier metal framed pistols. One of the main reason I recently bought the P238 over others, as my primary CC. The biggest draw for me is probably its trigger and how enjoyable it is to shoot at the range. It's something I would carry and enjoy practicing at the range. Not to mention its good looks.

As for carrying cocked and locked, I was a bit nervous about it, at first. Being relatively new to CC, I first carried the P238 chambered with the hammer down for awhile, just to get used to pistol. After that, I carried UNCHAMBERED, but with hammer back and safety on. Just to get used to the "condition one".

The manual safety does have a very positive click to put on and off. Along with a good holster, the pistol feel safe and has not had issue with the safety being accidentally clicked off. Once it's unholstered, your thumb can easily operate the safety to take it off, with a noticeable click.

As for feeding issues, I believe SIG has made the correction. If you have purchased a late model with serial number starting with 27, you will have nothing to fear. Mine had functioned flawlessly, granted I have not tried every ammo available. But I have not had issue with Winchester White Box and other FMJ.

I recently bought a Sig P238 and have put several hundred rounds through it with no problems. I like the gun and it has become my "low profile" carry gun when concealment is a challenge. Ordinarily I carry something larger, like a compact .45. But the P238 conceals more easily and shoots very well.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o.../SigP23801.jpg

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o.../SigP23804.jpg

Since you like the P238.....you may be interested in the P938 in 9mm. The gun is only 1/2 inch longer and is the same height as the P238. A little more "bang" for your buck. :yup:

My P938:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...2/DSC07504.jpg

JLI,

Welcome and We're happy to have you on the forum and in the CCW community.
The trigger on the Bodyguard is in my opinion pure junk so, it would be at the bottom of my list. The LCP is a fine choice, a lot of people on here as well as friends of mine have and carry them. They are, as you stated a little lite for my tastes. As the others have stated I would go with the P238 or the P938. They are both excellent guns in all aspects; reliability, quality, accuracy, ease of operation, and Sig has great customer service. The reliability issue you referred to was, if I remember correctly only on the earlier serial numbered P238s and Sig was quick to correct the issue.

To address your concern about carrying cocked and locked, there are several different ways to carry a 1911 style pistol:

1) Condition 1 - Chambered round, safety on, and hammer back.
2) Condition 2 - Chambered round, safety off, and hammer down.
3) Condition 3 - Empty chamber, safety off, and hammer is either back or not but, with the hammer back the slide is easier to rack.
Most people on this forum will advise either a condition 1 or 2 method and most of those I would guess would say condition 1. The reason is simple; the more actions you have to go through to get the gun into action the more time it takes and the more chance there is for something to go wrong, i.e. fumbling, the gun, the gun not going all the way into battery, or even completely forgetting that you have an empty chamber or that the weapon is not cocked. Think about all the situations that you may encounter where you would have to manipulate the weapon as well as your comfort level to determine which is right for you. Just remember that in Michigan in winter it's not going to be as easy to get that hammer back with a pair of nice warm gloves on as it is to flip the safety during your draw stroke. So, it's condition 1 for me.

If you are going to buy a carry pistol you want to carry it with a round in the chamber as mentioned above. My wife recently got a Beretta Px4 subcompact that has both a decocker and a safety. If you can deal with the double action pull, it's about as safe a gun as you can carry.

I was not a big fan of the LCR more so then the bodyguard. I have not handled the the sig

Given your narrative and the fact that you can't shoot it first - I would go with the Sig. If you are pocket carrying it, the extra weight is a bit of a bother. If you are belt carrying it, you will never notice it. The extra weight will attenuate the recoil some. I know several women who have the P238 and are very pleased with it. In any case, get a good quality holster that covers the trigger and you should be fine.

I personally prefer the LCP in that size pistol because I pocket carry that size pistol and I do not expect it to be a range gun. It is simply a "get off me" gun that I shoot infrequently and only a little to prove it still works.

Personally I'd recommend a CCW with a long trigger pull vs a safety to fiddle with/worry about. A Sig P290RS would be a great choice from SIG for example. It is small, safe and point & shoot easy.

I've shot my new Sig p238 twice and I can't wait to shoot it more! I hadn't shot one when I bought it, but the ease of racking the slide sold it. I hadn't handled one that was so smooth. I'm a strong girl- trigger pull is easy and I definitely don't notice any recoil to speak of. I've put about 200 rounds through it of 3 or 4 different brands and, knock on wood, have not had one issue. I don't have my permit yet, but I expect to be a condition 3 carrier, at least until I'm more experienced with it. Seems the safest to me personally. I've seen many conceal carry options that look like they will definitely work for me when I'm ready. Oh, and the gun is beautiful. :)

As the owner of a Bodygaurd380 that was looking at the Sig P238 as an option I can firmly tell you I regret my decision. The BG380's horrendous trigger pull makes accuracy 15 feet and beyond difficult in ideal situations. Having shot the P238 occasionally it's a joy to shoot and accurate as well.

I can speak for the Bodyguard. It's a neat little gun and super easy to concel. But it's pretty darn small. I don't have very big hands and it's still too small for me. I agree with jp5edc. The trigger takes quite a long pull. I end up staging the trigger. I think the trigger was designed that way to perhaps attempt to make it "safer" while pocket carrying. I dunno. If you can, go to the range and try some of the compacts/subcompacts.

I have a P3AT, Bodyguard 380, and Sig 238.

Of the three, the 238 is definitely the most enjoyable to shoot. For it's size, felt recoil (to me) is mild and of the three it has (by far) the best sights. Mine has, I believe, all the latest modifications including the flat recoil spring. Although I would describe it as reliable, it has had a couple malfunctions with cheaper range ammo (Blazer, Magtech). It has been 100% reliable with premium SD ammo (Speer Gold Dots, Remington Golden Saber).

The Bodyguard 380 is slightly heavier than the LCP, lighter than the 238. Felt recoil I would describe as slightly less than the LCP, but to me very managable and not uncomfortable (BTW, I'm male and shoot a lot of larger guns, calibers). It does have a long DOA trigger, but for what it's desiged to do, I think it is fine. It's not a range gun. What I believe is most important for this type of weapon, the Bodyguard 380 has been 100% reliable out of the box through about 400 rounds with every type of ammo I've run though it.

In my opinion, considering that this would be your first ccw, between the two I would suggest the BG 380. The 238 is an excellent pistol (and I'm a Sig guy, too), but if you are not experienced with or comfortable carrying a 1911 style pistol in condition 1, cocked and locked, I think the DAO Bodyguard would be a better choice. It does what is designed to do very well. BTW, because I am not a fan of a safety on a SD gun (1911 excluded), when carrying the BG, I do not engage the safety. The trigger length of pull and weight is all that is needed as safety, always wear in a holster with trigger guard covered, though.

Just my opinion. Good luck and be safe.

Although I am not a women I would agree with your thoughts on the LCP its recoil is not nice and usually left my 2nd shot off the mark. I sold the LCP and bought a P238 and am very pleased with my decision. The p238 is a joy to shoot little recoil and very accurate, easy to conceal. I carry this gun most of the time and my larger guns very little. I guess my point is you will be very pleased with this gun. Good Luck and congrats on the baby.
Cocked and locked is of no concern for carrying either, If you bought a bodyguard and carried one in the chamber it is the same with the exception of not visibly seeing the hammer.

I tried all three before buying the Sig. I was scared off from the 938 at the time by the multiple rumors of FTEs, but apparently that is something Sig has addressed? Anyway, the 238 was MUCH nicer to shoot than the LCP and Bodyguard.

I carry mine cocked and locked. It was a bit of a weird mental hurdle at first, just seeing the hammer back, but my Sig 229 double action with a decocker and no manual safety. So the 1911-style action can't be any less safe than that. Actually now I'm becoming a convert to the 1911 style.

As for carry options ... we all seem to end up with a box full. I was advised of this a while ago and it has certainly come true. I have a belly band, Smart Carry, small of the back (worst one ever), two IWB and two Remoras and a hip OWB holster for when I'm open carrying (really, really, really seldom).