Anybody have any info on the Sig P238

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Moose458

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Thinking I might need a small carry gun, and looking at the Sig P238. Anybody have any first hand experience with one? I know all about Sig quality, but wondering how it handles and fits in the hand. All I've seen are pictures and they look very small, but are they too small to shoot accurately....
 
The one I have is pretty new but has worked fine so far. The fit to my hand is OK, better than one might think from looking at it.
It handles fine, keeping in mind it is really only for short distances.
Keep it lubed well, just don't drench it to the point lube is running down the side.
Some of these Sigs have had problems, for sure, but I think most of the issues have been worked out. Some people point out that on guns this size, the recoil springs are never what they can be compared to larger guns .... and it probably would be wise to keep an eye on the spring. They are easy to replace but you have to orient them the right way as they are wider on one side than the other.
Overall they are nice little guns .... but that's for what they are.

PS:--this should probably be moved to semiauto handguns as the subject matter has nothing to do with handguns.
 
I have 2, one plain jane and one of the pimptastic Titanium ones. The titanium one stays in the safe where it has not been fired. The other has been a pleasure to shoot, is reliable and is scary accurate for a gun of this size.
 
It's the best useless gun that I have. LOL. What I mean is...

1. For super small pocket carry...the LCP is a better choice. Much smaller and more concealable.
2. If you have to go to a bigger pocket carry, a j-frame snubbie is a better choice. It's more reliable and can carry a bigger round...up to .357 mag.
3. If you want a small IWB, you might as well go with a bigger caliber.
4. Also keep in mind that its a SAO and must be carried "cocked and locked". ....which is ok...but there are those you find that disturbing when pocket carrying.
5. The safety is not ambidextrous. So...its to be carried on your right side only.
6. Other than that, its cute, shoots great.
7. I do have to add.. for a pistol this small...it is very very accurate. I mean dead center accurate and easy to do follow up shots.
 
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I can't even find one to look at but I'm intrigued because SAO and all metal construction. The LCP's are ok, but I like the SAO and metal.
 
I have one that I'm sending back to SIG tomorrow. I don't have a lot of confidence that they will get the bugs out of it.

After 300 rounds the gun is jamming due to failure to extract, about a few times in twenty rounds.

The trigger pull has been getting harder and harder. I'm talking a HARD to pull trigger.

Pretty disappointing since I like the gun for pocket carry.
 
I've had one a couple of months and have fired quite a few hundred rounds thru it and it shoots great. It's the most comfortable 380 I've had the pleasure to shoot.
 
It's the best useless gun that I have. LOL. What I mean is...

1. For super small pocket carry...the LCP is a better choice. Much smaller and more concealable.
2. If you have to go to a bigger pocket carry, a j-frame snubbie is a better choice. It's more reliable and can carry a bigger round...up to .357 mag.
3. If you want a small IWB, you might as well go with a bigger caliber.
4. Also keep in mind that its a SAO and must be carried "cocked and locked". ....which is ok...but there are those you find that disturbing when pocket carrying.
5. The safety is not ambidextrous. So...its to be carried on your right side only.
6. Other than that, its cute, shoots great.
Click to expand...
While I agree with you mostly, I must play Devil's advocate here.
1. It is about 15 ounces loaded compared to 11 or 12 ounces loaded for the LCP. hardly a strain on the back or pocket.Size wise it is about the same height and about a 1/2" longer.
2. With that logic the J frame is better than the LCP, P3AT and P238
3. See #2
4. The safety is very positive and in my hundreds or thousands of hours carrying this either in a pocket holster or in a Smart Carry, the safety has never disengaged nor have I read of anyone elses disengaging.
5. Most pistols are not ambi especially 1911 style pistols.
6. Not sure of cute as a description.

The Sig, while agreed it is a monterous 3 or 4 ounces heavier than the tupperware guns, is a much much better shooter in terms of accuracy and recoil. It has real sights on it and can have night sights. The fit and finish is far superior to anything in its class except for the new Kahr, Seecamp or Rohr, IMO.
Of all the people who have shot mine that has a LCP or P3AT, they will all tell you there is no comparison (including price :) )
 
I've had one about 6 months --I use reloads for practice--3.8 gr unique w/ a 90-100gr bullet. This gun is very accurate for a small weapon. The sights are very large & make it easy to aquire target.
I own 3 --380's. This is the best by far..............................
 
I have now shot 100 rounds with my P238. So far no problems. I ended up with the SAS model with wooden grips, as that's the only one they had at the time.

I shoot at 15 yard targets just like the full size guns. Its not as accurate, but considering how small it is, I'd say its pretty accurate.

The single action trigger is what sold me on it over the other .380's, I think the easy trigger helps with its accuracy.

Recoil is very easy and controlling it with just two fingers on the grip has not been a problem at all.

I've now found a bunch of .380 ammunition so that problem has gone away for now.

I've not carried it yet. I was planning on carrying it unlocked with no bullet in the chamber. But after watching that video on this site, I have changed my mind.
 
The P238 is simply the modern alloy version of the Colt Mustang, which pretty much says it all. So it, too, will prove to be a venerable little handgun.

Get one and be content that you did.
 
I own one, and it is everything it should be (and a little more).

Very accurate for its incredibly compact size. Sights are very good.

P238s get better the more you shoot them. Mine took 1-200 rounds before it really started to shine. Everyone that has shot it has immediately gone shopping for one. It sells itself, at Wednesday night range practice.
 
Are you using the Sig mag or a Colt mag? I've only had extraction issues with the Colt mags.
Click to expand...
I've been using the original SIG mag and a aftermarket mag.
I tried using each excursively to see if the mag could be the problem. Didn't make any difference. And of course I used 5-6 different loads to see if the gun didn't like a particular round. None can be counted on to shoot 2-3 magazines without jamming.

After about a hundred rounds the slide began not locking back with the aftermarket mag but I figured I could live with that.

Before 300 rounds I had to replace the recoil spring due to it becoming deformed and weak. The original spring is on top, above a new (SIG) spring.
Which reminds me to tell you to keep an eye on the recoil spring. The spring will quickly shorten about a half inch but I'd think about changing it when it shortens about 3/4 inch. I also checked the strength of the old and new spring. Off hand I don't remember the figures but the original spring was very weak.
SIGP238recoilspring.gif
 
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M2,
I heard about that with the springs and I'll be changing mine out soon as a precaution. Thanks for the reminder.
Sorry about your gun acting up on you.
 
I have both the P232 and the P238, the tilting barrel P238 is a joy to rapid fire, the P232 not so much. I have about 400 rounds through the P238 with just 2 FTE in the first box all WWB. Checked the spring length before and after firing (I would not have known to do this without the info here at THR), it is the same as it was out of the box. I am not a real big fan of the .380 but the P238 is my only mouse gun, it fits in a front pocket or IWB holster really well. It is a shooter for it's size and seems to prefer to run dry vs wet. I would have designed a larger / flared ejection port, but it might not be a real benefit. My serial # is 18XXX so the beta testing units are long gone, I hope I still have a lot more shooting to do with this pistol before I truely trust it and me shooting it. It is the only SIG of the 6 I own that has ever had any type of faliure.
 
I've only put about 150 rounds through mine, but I really like it. I did have one problem the first time I went to the range--I would occasionally experience the slide catch engaging in mid-magazine, locking the slide open before all the bullets were expended. I'll see if this diminishes over time; apparently this is sometimes caused by Sig's inconsistent magazine specs. While it's a little annoying, clicking the lever cures the issue immediately. No FTFs or FTEs.

One thing that's remarkable is its accuracy. I know I'm giving up ballistic energy when I choose to carry the P238 over my 9mm or .40 cal pistols, but the little Sig is more accurate than any pistol I've ever shot.
 
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