[GettingOld2]

I've been slowly developing an interest in a Sig 239 .357 but I haven't found them on the shelves. Today while stopping in to look for non-existent ammunition, I saw one.

My thought was the single stack narrow grip would fit my and my wife's hand better, plus they were running some kind of sales event.

I asked my wife to go and see what she thought. Initially she said no because with her birthday coming up, she was afraid I'd buy it and say, "Happy Birthday". Only after I told her that it was too late, I'd already ordered her birthday present did she agree to come take a look.

She handled the Sig and did like the narrow grip but the slide action was way too tight for her. The sales guy was very polite and helpful. She finally managed to work it a couple times, but it was a major struggle for her.

The sales guy then trotted out a couple of other prospects for her to try. The first was a Smith&Wesson model I don't remember. My wife found it a little easier to work the slide, but didn't much care for the feel. Then the sales guy gave her one that she seemed to take to. She still struggled with locking the slide back, but she was able to do it several times in a row. She was also able to work the slide release with her right thumb. The other two models required her to bring her left hand to bare in order to release the slide. I have to admit, I couldn't release the Sig slide one handed either.

So by now you're wondering which model she liked.

H&K P2000

No we didn't buy it, but I'm going to try to get her to a range somewhere to try it out, probably in a 9mm.

Small steps!

 

[varob]

I took my wife to the gun show and she wanted to buy every gun she touched.

 

[jualdeaux]

If she has that much trouble using a slide release/catch, teach her to slingshot the slide instead. As for the other problems...

 

[chiefjason]

Second the slingshot. I only slingshot my slides now. Muscle memory, it's helpful to clear jams and ensures the gun goes into battery as well. One movement to fix several problems. Simplicity is good. Good luck finding a gun.

 

[dukalmighty]

Alot of pistols today refer to it as a slide lock,not a slide release,I find it quicker to just slingshot my slides on all my semi's

 

[Extreme Defender]

Wife went to Toy Store for First Time

With that title I was afraid there might be pics! ROTFL!

Oh come on someone else was thinking it!

 

[joker1]

With that title I was afraid there might be pics! ROTFL!

Oh come on someone else was thinking it!

Not me!:wink:

 

[highoctane]

I took my wife to the gun show and she wanted to buy every gun she touched.

Should have let her. Im sure she would let you shoot them. :image035: To the op, congrats on her finding one she likes. My girl is wanting a kimber.

 

[DM2]

What does "slingshot" mean.

 

[Ram Rod]

What does "slingshot" mean.

Pulling back the slide and letting it go after slide lock on an empty mag and new mag being inserted. You can do that with a semi-auto pistol versus depressing the slide release (on some models) to chamber the new (top) round. Some shooters prefer or swear by this rather fool-proof method for different reasons which we won't discuss here so as to remain on subject.

 

[cdwolf]

You can't go wrong with a HK..:image035:

 

[DM2]

Pulling back the slide and letting it go after slide lock on an empty mag and new mag being inserted. You can do that with a semi-auto pistol versus depressing the slide release (on some models) to chamber the new (top) round. Some shooters prefer or swear by this rather fool-proof method for different reasons which we won't discuss here so as to remain on subject.

Thank you. I know how to do that, I just didn't realize it had a formal name. Thanks a bunch.

 

[GettingOld2]

Fired a P2000

I called a local range Saturday to see if they had a Sig 239 and a P2000 in .357 available to rent. They assured me that they had both.

I went out Sunday intent on shooting both. Alas, the range doesn't seem to be very reliable. In point of fact they had neither! They did have a P2000 in .40 caliber, so I tried that out. It was not the same version we handled in the store. The store version was SA/DA with a decocker(V3?). The one I shot at the range seemed to be a LEM (V1?). Other than the annoyingly long trigger pull of the V1, it was amazingly comfortable and smooth. My wife didn't go with me to try it unfortunately, but the slide was a piece of cake to operate. Of course these rental guns probably get heavy use.

It felt like the recoil was less than my .327 revolver. I did some Googling and now I know why, it was!

.357 SIG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"... or the 400 ft·lbf (540 J) generated by a 180 grains (12 g) 985 feet per second (300 m/s) Speer GoldDot .40 S&W load. ..."

What I actually had was their Remmington 180gr range ammo, so it may have been even less.

My 115gr .327 is about 430 ft-lb at its higher velocities.

Another piece of the Wikipedia article that caught my eye was:

"... The same department has also reported that attacking dogs have been stopped dead in their tracks by a single shot(.357), whereas the former subsonic 147 grain 9 mm duty rounds would require multiple shots to incapacitate the animals..."

This is significant to me because it was an event with three dogs while hiking that brought home the reality of self defense.

So now I'm thinking maybe the P2000(SK?) in .40 caliber as something my wife might handle successfully and plan on a .357 conversion kit later.