New Sig P238 380: Operation Questions

[Aristides]

For those of you have the new Sig P238, can you do the following operations while the safety is "ON"....

1: Rack the slide and chamber a round?

2: Eject a round?

3: Cock the hammer?

4: Manually de-cock the hammer?

5: Does the pistol have a de-cocker?

Thanks!

 

[colt1903]

1. and 2. Yes---unlike most 1911 style pistols the safety does not actually block the slide on the 238.

3. and 4. I am assuming you mean "hammer" instead of "trigger". If that is the case then the answer is "no". Once the safety is engaged you cannot move the hammer (or trigger for that matter).

5. No.

 

[Aristides]

So...since there is no de-cocker, the best way to de-cock the hammer without risk of accidentally firing, you could leave the safety ON, remove the clip, and then eject the round in the tube...right?

 

[kentucky_smith]

Uhmm, yeah. Then take the safety off and let the hammer down on an empty chamber.

Mine stays cocked and locked.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Per the instructions, completely empty the pistol, then simply pull the trigger to drop the hammer. I winced when I saw that.

The best way (not per the instructions) to decock the hammer is to practice manually decocking it while the gun is empty until you can do it in your sleep without it slipping. Use your off-hand index finger or thumb between the hammer and the firing pin, pull the trigger, then immediately release the trigger as soon as the hammer comes off the cocked position (releasing the trigger engages the firing pin block.) There is a "half-cock position" that is safest to drop to, rather than all the way onto the firing pin.

Per the instructions, the slide will not operate if the hammer is down and the safety is engaged (since the hammer will not move).

The owners manual is online here: http://www.sigsauer.com/upFiles/CmsContent/documents/P238%20MANUAL%201200901%20REV%201.1.pdf

Andy

 

[Aristides]

"Per the instructions, the slide will not operate if the hammer is down and the safety is engaged (since the hammer will not move)."

Does this point contradict the answer given in post #2, above? That post seems to be saying that the slide WILL operate with the safety engaged ...and, I presume, the hammer is down (?).

Or am I just misunderstanding one of the posts?

 

[GoodKat]

Does this point contradict the answer given in post #2, above? That post seems to be saying that the slide WILL operate with the safety engaged ...and, I presume, the hammer is down (?).

I'm guessing that the safety effectively locks the hammer in place, so if the hammer is down, it will prevent the slide from cycling, but it it is already cocked, the slide can move freely. I personally see no reason to engage the safety is the hammer isn't cocked.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

What GoodKat said.

I was not so much trying to contradict what was said previously (the slide is not locked in and of itself with the safety on), but it is still not free to move if the hammer is down and locked in place by the safety.

Andy