my wife wants a p238

[thefamcnaj]

So my wife has decided she wants a sig p238. She likes the 1911ish look to it and the size of it. Its real slim, which is something she's after in her next gun. She currently carries a g26 and is getting tired of the width iwb.
I have a problem with the idea to be honest. The gun to me is over priced for what it is and the price of ammo to feed it is out of this world. I also worry about the performance of the round(not starting a caliber war guys)
From what I read a heavier 9mm is going to get better penetration and exspancion than a .380.
She's hooked on the size and look of it. IMHO however, she can get somthing almost as small in 9mm like thekahr cm9,pm9,Ruger lc9 or the nanno) We have no experience with any of the above mentioned fire arms. I do have a
pf9 but she hates it. Do any of the above 9mm's recoil less?
I just don't like the idea at all, when she can get a single stack 9 for less as well as practice a whole lot cheaper. I'm just anti 380 these days, with the size of the pocket 9's and cost of ammo.
What say you guys? Should I just keep my moth shut and let her get it against my better judgemeant, or try to get her to look at it from my point of view?

 

[Loosedhorse]

Should I just keep my moth shut and let her get it against my better judgemeant

How long you been married?

 

[Flash!]

I would recommend waiting just a little while longer for the Sig 938 to become available and check those out...... it is supposed to be only slightly bigger than the 238 and based on the same design.... and its a 9 mm instead of 380......

 

[Bullz]

Just FYI, SIG just released a new gun P938 at the shot show this week. It is almost the exact same gun as the P238 but in 9mm. I love the p238 but I'm not a fan of the .380 acp. The P938 will probably hit shelves sometime in Q2 of 2012 if you can wait that long. I'm expecting the price on that guy to be around $550 street. It will also be SAO.

Otherwise, she could get a Kahr MK9 - all steel 9mm and similar size to the P238. There are a lot of options out there. It sounds like she doesn't like the recoil so that's why I'm not suggesting the PM9.

Almost everyone makes a pocket 9 these days though... do a google search for the new P938. It's pretty sweet.

 

[thefamcnaj]

How long you been married?

originally posted by Loosed horse
3 years so, I'm pretty much still a newbie
Thanks for the insight Flash and Bullz. Thats why I love coming here. Once I show her this I"m sure she will be off the p238 kick.

 

[thefamcnaj]

I'm expecting the price on that guy to be around $550 street. It will also be SAO.

That would be an outstanding price. I'll be shocked if its that low, atleast in my neck of the woods.

 

[Rubikees]

This year should be a banner year of mini 9mm 1911; Sig P938, Kimber Solo, and the Springfield EMP (which has been out for a little while). They are just a tad bigger than the P238/Mustang. My wife has the P238 and likes it, I got the rainbow for her. She likes the Kimber Ultra .45 but it was just to heavy to carry in the purse. She wanted something smaller and lighter but still a 1911, so she got the Sig.

 

[gazpacho]

I own or have owned:

Kahr MK9
Kahr PM9
Kahr P380
Keltec P3AT

I have experience with

Ruger LCP
Sig P238

The Kahr pocket 9s have a lot of recoil, but are controlable. I sold my MK9 shortly after waking up to a bump in the night, and not having the physical coordination and strength to rack the slide. The PM9 requires a large pocket.

The Kahr P380 is my current everyday carry. I prefer DAO without a manual safety. It is small enough for normal pockets.

The Keltec P3AT broke it's trigger in unger 50 rounds. Fixed and sold it.

Ruger LCP is pretty much a P3AT clone, and felt like it.

The Sig P238 is a sweet shooter, with the least felt recoil of any Pocket 380 that I have shot. It has a manual safety, which is tiny and I am uncertain how easy it would be to use in a high stress situation.

Hope this little bit helps.

 

[GarySTL]

I generally pocket carry a Kahr PM40, but do own a Ruger LCR and a Sig P238. I carry them when I don't want the weight of the 40. I trust my skill enough to get good hits with the .380, but if I'm going someplace where I feel that I really might need a pistol, I'll take the PM40 or perhaps a .45.

Dude, I've been married 42 years, to the same woman, and my advice is to buy the wife whatever she wants!

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Wife has a P238 and loves it. Shoots very well with it which is the most important thing. She can shoot most all of my handguns dang near as well as I can but she always comes back to her little "baby". The .380's power is vastly underrated in my own opinion. If the shooter can center mass the target, I don't care if you are shooting at Andre the Giant, he is not going to keep advancing. Just pick the correct bullets such as Hornady's Critical Defense line for her to carry.

 

[thefamcnaj]

Dude, I've been married 42 years, to the same woman, and my advice is to buy the wife whatever she wants!

Note taken
I'm going to show her the 938 when she wakes up in the morning, and hope she'll wait on it.
Then I'm going to show her the new sig "spartan" 1911 thats coming out and tell her, we'll be getting two sigs. I'll try to slide it in as a side note to her pretty new 9mm, hope it works

 

[Loosedhorse]

3 years so, I'm pretty much still a newbie

I've been married...longer than 3 years.

If you suggest a different gun, and it isn't perfect, it's your fault. And it may never be perfect...because you suggested it!

If she gets this gun, and doesn't like it--then YOU now have a nifty little gun. And perhaps you suggest a different gun.

Hey, everyone's different. Best of luck. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough.

 

[barneyrw]

Why not get the real thing from Colt, they are making them again.

 

[nelson133]

My girlfriend wants to comment, here's her response:
I have shot all different kinds of calibers from .22's to a.454. (An insane amount of recoil). It really isn't a necessity to try to talk a woman into a particular caliber. If it's what she is comfortable with then she should go for that. Why dampen her enthusiasm? As is more common than not, when she is ready for something a little more substantial she will realize it. The P-238 is a nice little gun. I happen to own and carry one. (Loaded with Critical Defense). Low recoil, and terribly accurate. I also own several other semi-autos, revolver's, a rifle, and a shot gun. Thank your lucky stars that you have a woman who is interested in her own safety. As well as yours.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

Nothing wrong with the P238. Mine goes in the pocket when my Solo or Ultra Carry won't do. I've not experienced any problems with ball or HP ammo and is the best shooting pocket .380 I've owned or shot to date.

The new Mustang is the same old Mustang except now they make the frame out of 7075 aluminum and the slide out of 416 barstock instead of both being cast.

I have a P238 and handled one of the new Mustangs last year and didn't see any advantage over Sig's offering. The tiny sights are still present (the front sight is part of the slide) as is the humped mag follower Sig moved away from when Colt originally allowed them to produce their version.

 

[Bullz]

To Nelson133... I agree with your girlfriend. I also believe that any centerfire cartridge is just as good as other if you can deliver pin point accuracy with it. Some people don't get rattled under high stress situations and could use a .22 rim fire (so long as it fired and the shot has a clear line of sight) with the same lethality as 40 S&W. The cartridge strength is only worth debating if your going to talk about less than perfect shots (barriers, windows, walls) or sloppy shooting... high stress or whatever.

I'm trying to think... but I'm having a hard time coming up with true defensive situations where you would like need to shoot through something like that. I'm thinking that if you need to shoot through something other than clothing, the ability to retreat might be reasonably viable. (not trying to start a debate here... just food for thought)

In any case, it sounds like Thefamcnaj has enough guns that his wife can use something more potent as a bed side gun if necessary... I'd personally be happy if my wife would carry anything... .380 or whatever. As long as she's happy and willing to practice with it... that's almost more than you can ask for from most women.

 

[ssyoumans]

Problem solved, get the SIG P938. Identical to the P238 except 9mm and .4" longer.

I've started saving up my $$$$s, it won't be cheap, but oh yeah.

http://www.sigsauerguns.com/product-highlights/sig-sauer-p938/

 

[kokapelli]

I would wait and let her shoot both. I expect the 938 to have significantly more felt recoil than the P238.

 

[2wheels]

The P938 solves the problem of being chambered in .380, and I want one myself, but it remains to be seen how much that little thing recoils when it's chambered in 9mm in is only a tiny bit bigger/heavier than the P238. That might be an issue for your wife depending on how she handles recoil.

The P238 on the other hand, aside from the slightly expensive ammo is an absolute joy to shoot. People I know who would shy away from guns like the LCP or P3AT have no problem shooting the P238, and they can actually hit something with it!

 

[Quack]

P938

 

[wally]

We have no experience with any of the above mentioned fire arms. I do have a
pf9 but she hates it. Do any of the above 9mm's recoil less?

NO, although the PF9 trigger guard seems to beat up my middle finger a lot more than any of the others, but a 9mm in that size package is not for the recoil sensitive. The .380 P238 is a real pussy cat compared to the PF9 or Kahr CW9.

IMHO if she wants the P238 get it and don't look back. Anything that gets your wife shooting with you is worth it in the long run! (although it can double your ammo costs )

The trigger on my P238 is great and the sights are the best on any mouse gun. Mine wasn't 100% out of the box, but problems resolved with a few hundred rounds (failures to go fully into battery).

 

[skt239]

TheFam, I'm in the same boat. My wife wants one and nothing else. We are yet to rent one but when we do, I'm sure she will love it. I'll buy her whatever she wants but I don't have to like it.

 

[camsdaddy]

I would wait on the Sig but I would wait till the bugs are worked out.

 

[nelson133]

Get her what she wants, she may decide to move up in caliber when she gets comfortable. Any gun she will shoot and enjoy is far better than something that just sits because she doesn't like it.
Now what Sue didn't say is that her main carry gun is an SP101 hammerless with full power .357 loads. The Sig is a back up and something she carries when the Ruger can't be concealed. I started her with a .22auto and she moved up to a full size 9 when she felt ready. Now she'll shoot anything and both of her Christmas and birthday presents last year were guns by her request.
Don't rush a beginner into more caliber than they can handle, you'll ruin things for them. I can tell you how many times we have been at the range and seen someone bring a newbie wife or girlfriend and some major caliber gun. I keep a Ruger MKII in the range box and we have turned around many bad situations by gently offering to let the newbie shoot it. Sue loves working with them and the woman to woman thing really works.

 

[Psa1m144]

Don't ruin it, let the wifey get what she wants. She'll have more fun which means she will devote more time to the sport/lifestyle. Eventually she will probably see things from your point of view, just let her get there on her own, it's less painful.