THINKING SIG P238 for wifey's new CCW

[OILMAN69]

very nice....

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[cupsz71]

Well I was able to snag one from my local dealer for $600. It's NOT the 2-tone we orignially had in mind but an all black w/rose grips and SIGLite nightsites.



The owner had one set aside for himself, but decided that my wifey could have HIS and he'll wait for the next SIG shipment and hopefully they'll send more. He told me that the waiting time from SIG to get one is approaching 1month, and getting longer.

And I just realized I need to make a correction to my original post. My wifey HAS NOT been carrying her BERSA as her CCW everyday. She JUST passed her test this wkend, but has been practicing around the house and at a friends farm for the past few months using my XD and on those days I'd switch up to my Beretta of my new 5906. I've been legal for close to 2yrs. I didn't really clairify that. Sorry for any confusion.

[Guns and more]

$795

Yikes!
I have the Rosewood edition. I paid $575 with Nitron finish and night sights.
Let me say it's great to shoot. A lady would love it.
It has the easiest slide to rack, not a lot of spring tension.
Recoil is very mild, you could shoot it all day, not at all snappy.
I had no misfires, right out of the box.
Right now, it's my favorite.
.380 ammo is a pain to find (reasonably priced)


Oops! I see you got one. Then you know how good they are.
Someone with the "Blackwood Edition" says the grips are fading to orange. You did good.

I got mine from Peak Firearms in Utah. I found him on the Sig forum. I ordered mine before the "Rosewood Edition" was in the stores, and he was a pleasure to deal with.

[ppkheat]

The male chauvinist pig in me says, women = revolvers.
Sorry, I know it is not politically correct but pulling slides and flipping safeties in an emergency VS pointing and pulling a trigger is a no brainer.
My wife is well educated and very intelligent and she has shot "my"guns (autos) hundreds of times, but if she ever NEEDS to use a firearm it will be a 642.
Sorry ladies.

If your wife can change the oil in all of your vehicles without help, this may not apply to you and or her.
MS

I think they are nice looking guns (238) in fact I wouldnt mind having one or a Colt Mustang. However my wife is very happy with her 642 and would pitch a fit if I suggested she carry something else. She shoots, but is not a "gun person", so she feels comfortable with her revolver.....that's her preference and it works for her. She'd need to demonstrate a lot of proficiency to convince me and herself that any thing other than the 642 is the way to go for her .

Ya'll's wives may vary and I'm not suggesting anything about what someone else should do. I'm just barely able to hold down the fort here helping out my wife.

BTW my wife qualified POST with a G19, but still prefers the simplicity of the 642.

[harley2007]

My wife shoots and loves my Glock 19 and her Bersa 380...BUT she goes with the Smith 642 because in her words "no worries, never concerned about safetis and it operates without any controls"....

[chrise2004]

Well at least she has great taste! Haha i think she'll (and of course you) would like it. I've heard great things.

[Rustynuts]

Why does Sig (and most makers) hate lefties!? Give us an AMBI safety version!

I looked at these while searching for a Kahr to get rid of my KelTec. The mini-1911 is kind of neat, but I too worry about the safety in the pocket. Plus the hammer cocked back looked like a really nice place for junk to collect in and around the striker. I get a lot of fuzz now behind the hammer of my P3AT.

Too bad it doesn't have a 1911 style trigger either. The trigger pivots instead of riding straight back. Probably too small to make that work.

[nightlite]

The Sig P238 is still in the break-through stage. By this, I mean that it is new and still has some bugs probably not discovered. First, you have the current recall Sig Sauer states on its web site for a range of the earlier serial numbers.

Some of the P238s have a reputation for jamming. I bought my Sig P238 as a secondary carry under some circumstances. While my P238 serial number fell outside the range of the safety recall, mine jammed, new-out-of-the-box with Winchester White Box Range/Training FMJ ammo. The P238 manual states that the magazine is a six round magazine. Mine jammed when loaded with six rounds. When I pulled the slide back, it never moved forward because the round's flat nose stuck at the bottom of the feed ramp. I tried it again after clearing that round and it jammed again.

The magazine was locked into place and I see no reason it should have jammed. So I gave Sig Customer Service a call and described the problem and the guy who spoke with me in NH told me that the magazine was defective. I asked him about the other reports on the Internet stating that other reps at Sig Sauer were telling customers that the magazine does not hold six rounds. The reports stated Sig Customer Service told them it was 5 +1. The rep I spoke to would not answer me when I asked him. He just said he'd replace it, but he did tell me that Winchester White Box Target/Range FMJ loads should work just fine in the P238.

My P238 is the Nitron version. Once I removed the sixth round and tried with just five rounds, the P238 didn't jam anymore. Do I trust the P238 now? No. If your P238 or other carry weapon jams on you, then you probably won't trust yours either. My P239 .40 S&W has never jammed and I usually carry it.

Your wife may have fallen in love with the P238, but my suggestion is a revolver until she is very proficient with semi-autos. When you and her are comfortable with her use of a semi-auto, then I might get the P238 for her. I think nothing is wrong with simplicity - it is more reliable by design too.

Just my two cents worth.

[tapout1003]

Mine won't go into battery regardless of the rounds in the magazine. I tried it with a single round of WWB and still no luck. I'm still waiting to hear back from sig.

[cz2075bd]

summitgunbroker.com has it for $585 w/ NS and rose grips:
Firearms, Guns, Rifles. Grain Valley, Missouri.

[alnitak]

While I personally appreciate the whole "get her a 9mm" idea........ .380 caliber is what she's COMFORTABLE WITH, and since she is the one carrying/shooting it.......that's what matters.

For the same money, you can get a PM9 ... not much difference in size for purse carry...and a 9mm. Nothing wrong with .380. mind you, but my PM9 actually has less recoil than the PPK/S I had -- and smaller/lighter to boot.

[TH48]

For the same money, you can get a PM9 ... not much difference in size for purse carry...and a 9mm. Nothing wrong with .380. mind you, but my PM9 actually has less recoil than the PPK/S I had -- and smaller/lighter to boot.

I agree, Not sure how experienced your wife is with firearms but the SAO Sig must be carried cock & locked while the PM9 is DAO. IMO the PM9 carries with it an added level of safety for beginners. Just something worth considering, especially if stored in a purse.

[kahibbi]

I have owned the P238 for a while now ... sent it back to SIG because it was a recall gun ... but I finally shot it today. WHAT A GUN!!! I had a great grouping on every clip and it has less than 1/2 the recoil that my Ruger LCP has. And the P238 groups better w/o the Crimson Trace than the LCP with the Crimson Trace. And if I didn't like it enough, my wife liked it that much more. She has a P239 .40 and she's digging the 'less kick/recoil/' factor of the P238. I'll have a P238 for me and one for her in short order. I highly recommend the gun.

[cupsz71]

I have owned the P238 for a while now ... sent it back to SIG because it was a recall gun ... but I finally shot it today. WHAT A GUN!!! I had a great grouping on every clip and it has less than 1/2 the recoil that my Ruger LCP has. And the P238 groups better w/o the Crimson Trace than the LCP with the Crimson Trace. And if I didn't like it enough, my wife liked it that much more. She has a P239 .40 and she's digging the 'less kick/recoil/' factor of the P238. I'll have a P238 for me and one for her in short order. I highly recommend the gun.

+1!!

It's good to hear! I was starting to have a few doubts about the P238 the wifey has on lay-a-way. I've posted on a few other gun forums and safety recall aside - I've been getting feedback of lots of FTF's due to bad mags. I've already ordered another directly from SIG and it will arrive hopefully around the time she's ready to pick it up.

On a side note: I seem to be collecting SIG's now. I just purchased a SIG P226SCT in 9mm yesterday from a friend of mine.



- Black Stainless
- TRUEGLOW Fiber optic front site
- SIG SITE rear night sites
- 4 - 20rnd mags
- short trigger & spring kit
- Blackhawk SERPA holster
- LEO 1yr trade-in refurbish last yr

All for $550!!

[NosaMSirhC]

I'm not trying to be the stick in the mud or anything like that but keep in mind with the exception of the P220 SAO the manual of arms for this Sig is entirely different than all the rest with the exception of the Sig 1911 clones

All I'm saying is that Sigs are like potato chips, you can't stop at one. If you bride does go with the P238 (which is I think is one sweet looking gun too) she will have to learn a different manual of arms when the time comes that she decides she wants a P239 etc.

I would give a look at a P232 if you haven't already done so. Granted, it is over an inch longer and a little over a half an inch higher but she will get 2 additional rounds in the gun, a longer barrel and no thumb safety to mess with. The weight difference is only 2 ounces.

Whatever you decide I think you'll get a good gun.

Be Safe,

NosaM