Sig Sauer P938 for a woman?

[Zaydok Allen]

Greetings all,

My girlfriend has expressed an interest in purchasing her first handgun. The primary purpose is for self defense.

I have read, and am very familiar with the sticky about buying, or helping a woman buy a defensive firearm, so please don't start harping on me about that. I am fully aware that she needs to choose her own gun, and that is exactly what we are doing.

I have taken her shooting once so far. She really liked my HK VP9, and my HK45. She thoroughly enjoyed them both, but did not like the DA pull on the HK45. That's understandable, because I don't like it either.

However, she has expressed that both guns are a lot larger than what she want's top carry concealed. Makes sense. So I gave her my SA XDs to shoot. She liked the size and the way it felt in her hand. She did NOT like the recoil impulse though, and said that it hurt to shoot. Understandable, as the 45 acp version definitely has some bite to it. So I didn't push her to shoot it anymore. She also found the slide really hard to manipulate, and could not successfully chamber the gun. So I think that model, even in the 9mm version probably isn't the way to go.

She did however express an interest in at least developing the ability to operate my gun, should we be out and about and I am incapacitated by a bad guy. I really applaud that mentality. So she will shoot it again.

Anyway, we went to our local big box store, and she tried on probably 10 different guns. She liked the Ruger SR9C, the HK P30SK, the S&W Shield, and she REALLY liked the Sig P938, and believes she has shot one in the past, but couldn't remember. I am concerned she shot a different gun and is remembering it wrong, and unfortunately, there is not a range anywhere around here that has one to rent. So for those of you who own or have shot a Sig 938, how severe is the recoil impulse, and do you think it is an appropriate and practical gun for a 5'2" woman? I have no experience with this gun at all.

She did express a concern about carrying cocked and locked. I told her that in a properly fit holster it was safe, but it really depends on HOW, and WHERE on her body she wants to carry. I'm wondering if that isn't a question she needs to answer first, so she knows what size gun she's going to be able to carry.

So what do you all think, is a P938 a good choice? Do any of your spouses or girlfriends carry one? How do they like it? How does the recoil feel in comparison to a 45 cal XDs?

We are going to hit a few more stores so she can handle a few more guns. I did bring up 380, but given the low cost of ammo, she would prefer a 9mm.

 

[drband]

The only way to decide is to shoot a p938. Keep looking--they're out there. I carry my 938 in a pocket holster. I think it's soft shooting--for the size.
She will need to train properly to carry with a manual safety.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Given my very limited rental opportunities here, I'm wondering if the thing to do is simply buy one, have her shoot it a bunch, and if it doesn't work, trade it towards a different gun.

Oh, and I should have mentioned, she has absolutely zero interest in a revolver. So while I think an LCR or J frame might be a better option, it's not what she wants at all, so that ship has sailed.

 

[WhoMe?]

My wife carried a S&W Bodyguard 380 and liked it quite a bit. We then picked up the P938 which she loves shooting but has stopped carrying because she just doesn't like the SAO platform for how she carries (personal preference). She now likes the P290 in 9mm but we haven't purchased one yet. It is similar in size to the P938 but different design. Slide manipulation is also an issue for her and both the P938 and P290 in 9mm were easy for her to operate. Recoil had not been an issue with the P938, we haven't shot the P290. Given your seemingly similar criteria, you may want to add the P290 to your list to consider.

 

[NormH3]

Have you checked armslist to see if there might be one there in your area?

 

[LoneGoose]

460K, I own a 938 and it is now my only carry gun (other than my mouse-gun backup). I no longer have a "carry rotation", because I find the 938 to be perfect in all aspects. Comfort, shootability, accuracy, safety, reliability. A couple of points:

I got one with the tritium sights. Now I consider them a "must have". Not only do they show you where you're aiming, they also show you where the gun is and its orientation when it is on a nightstand or in a bedside drawer.

I got an extended magazine because that extra lip really improves the grip and follow-up for me with my big hands. The flush magazine makes for a decent reload and for extra concealability if needed.

I keep it cocked and locked. The safety lever has very positive detents and is sized just right for me. My holster covers the trigger and I wear it IWB. Comfortable and easily concealed.

Recoil impulse is pretty mild. More of a push, rather than a snap.

It shoots any ammo I've used. Although 9mm is generally inexpensive, be sure to buy premium SD ammo and try it out through the gun.

Practice and developed muscle memory will be huge factors in safely and effectively using any handgun.

I haven't shot the P290, so I can't speak on it. I had a Shield, but to me it doesn't compare to the 938 - just personal preference.

I'm not a law enforcement officer, so I can't profess to have the experience they have, but I've been carrying for two decades now and have had over a half-dozen carry guns. The 938 is the one for me.

THR rocks.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

My wife carried a S&W Bodyguard 380 and liked it quite a bit. We then picked up the P938 which she loves shooting but has stopped carrying because she just doesn't like the SAO platform for how she carries (personal preference). She now likes the P290 in 9mm but we haven't purchased one yet. It is similar in size to the P938 but different design. Slide manipulation is also an issue for her and both the P938 and P290 in 9mm were easy for her to operate. Recoil had not been an issue with the P938, we haven't shot the P290. Given your seemingly similar criteria, you may want to add the P290 to your list to consider.

That's a good suggestion, and I believe she did handle one and thought it felt ok. she isn't tremendously thrilled about cocked and locked carry. I'll try and get her to handle one again.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Have you checked armslist to see if there might be one there in your area?

There's plenty to buy around here, but not to rent. I have't checked Armslist yet, but will.

 

[jmorris]

the thing to do is simply buy one, have her shoot it a bunch, and if it doesn't work, trade it towards a different gun.

Sounds like a good plan. I have never had much trouble selling Sigs.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I got one with the tritium sights. Now I consider them a "must have". Not only do they show you where you're aiming, they also show you where the gun is and its orientation when it is on a nightstand or in a bedside drawer.

I also prefer night sights. I'm going to encourage her in that respect that they are worth the extra cost.

I got an extended magazine because that extra lip really improves the grip and follow-up for me with my big hands. The flush magazine makes for a decent reload and for extra concealability if needed.

The one she handled had the extended magazine, and it seemed to fit her well. It didn't fit me at all, but that is unimportant

I keep it cocked and locked. The safety lever has very positive detents and is sized just right for me. My holster covers the trigger and I wear it IWB. Comfortable and easily concealed.

Her carry method really concerns me. She doesn't know how she wants to carry, but I'm pretty sure she isn't going to like IWB carry. As is typical for many women, she wears form fitting pants. There really isn't room in there for a pistol, and if she were to cram one in there, she would likely be uncomfortable in short order. I know she won't want to buy larger pants, and I'm fine with that.

Recoil impulse is pretty mild. More of a push, rather than a snap.

That's very good to know. No one likes feeling beat up.

It shoots any ammo I've used. Although 9mm is generally inexpensive, be sure to buy premium SD ammo and try it out through the gun.

That's also good to know, because she needs A LOT of practice and a gun that eats cheap ammo is a major plus. She has many years of shooting to do before I'd consider her a decent shooter, but she was improving in one range session on the first trip. In fact I would recommend she put a minimum of 1500 rounds through the gun before she actually carried it, and under heavy coaching. Her skills just aren't there yet. And yes, I would encourage her to carry premium hollow points. That's all I use for carry, and she'll do the same. I explain the why behind everything with guns, and she understands the logic.

Practice and developed muscle memory will be huge factors in safely and effectively using any handgun.

Yep, I'm an experienced shooter and have been carrying a gun for about 7 years I think. I am going through all these things with her, and emphasizing the importance of basic safety, dry firing, and practice. She's a good student and takes it seriously. She is also talking about taking a class, and I am encouraging her to do so. I can teach her well, but a professional will have a way of putting things differently than I, and have much more experience than I. I may take the class with her to be supportive. The great part is that the local range puts on classes specifically designed for women.

 

[William_Broadus]

I agree with the many positive comments about the pistol. It is easy to pocket carry with a proper holster. It shoots extremely well and is very accurate (defensive) to 15yds including strong and weak hand only.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[WYO]

I had one, and it was a nice gun. But, I don't know if I would recommend it as a first gun for a small statured person who wants to start carrying a firearm. If, however, you are willing to throw money at the problem, and would be willing to trade it on something else if it does not work out, then why not. Other guns to consider may be the Glock 43 and the Beretta Nano. They do not come with night sights and would be cheaper. The Glock 43 would be easily traded if necessary.

 

[rugmar]

I would second the suggestion to look at the P290. I have both the P938 and the P290rs but the only similarity between them is the physical size and they are both chambered for 9mm. The P290 has a stiff DAO trigger pull. Something in the range of 7.5 to 8 lbs. Great for that warm/safe feeling when toting it around but not so great for being super accurate without a whole bunch of practice. The P290 is also a polymer frame and I think I got mine for around $425 out the door. The P938 is a much nicer pistol, aluminum frame, nicer fit and finish, more choices for grips but is around $650 or so out the door. The thing that would concern me the most about buying one for your GF is the cocked and locked carry. Not sure I would want my Wife carrying the P938 for that reason and she carries semi-regular. My wifes favorite carry is a Ruger LCP. I bought a Glock 43 for her a year or so ago and she will carry it some but for the most part she sticks with the LCP. She would probably carry the P290 as well but some guy she is married to always hogs it.

 

[Bang!]

Yeah.....sure....let your wife go pick her own gun. First, how much does your wife know about guns? What is her experience? Depending on those answers, and your experience level, will dictate who does the picking and choosing. My wife decided she needed a handgun for self protection during one of my many trips overseas. The first was a Taurus Ultra Light 5 shot revolver in .38 Special. Cylinder locked up first time she tried to shoot it. Sent it on to Taurus for repair. Second one she bought was a SW9VE. Wanted to beat the counter guy over the head for that one when I got back home.

I took her to LGS and let her handle a few. Like a kid trying on shoes I helped her with her choice. Had to ask counter guy to hold his opinion a few times. "We" settled on the P938. Glad we did. It's everything previous posters have said. I had her shoot it over a thousand times taking kindergarten steps. Sent her to a class. Only after that much shooting and training will she know if that is the gun for her. My wife won't part with her P938.

The training has developed muscle memory for cocked and locked. She can hit a 6 inch metal gong consistently at 25 yards. Good thing I reload 1000 9mm at a time. And she sneaks it from my reloading room a 1000 at a time. This is from a middle aged woman who hadn't shot a gun before that Taurus.

You make your best guess. Shoot it, a lot. Train with it, a lot. Then she can decide if that is the gun for her. If no, trade for the next best guess. Rinse and repeat untill satisfied. I think the P938 is a great choice. Bought myself one, too. Carry it 90% of the time. Works for us. You'll have to test it for yourselves. Great choice to try.

 

[Tallball]

Don't we always come back to "everything is a trade-off, everything has pluses and minuses"?

Almost anyone wearing almost anything can CC something like an LCP. But they are not range guns. They are not generally considered to be fun to shoot. And they are 380's.

A 938 is 9mm. I have a very similar pistol and it is pleasant to shoot. But it is just large enough and heavy enough that you really have to "dress around it". And there is the whole single-action cocked and locked thing.

My personal compromise for in this sort of situation has been the LC9 series. It is definitely not as easy to carry as an LCP, but it is easier for me to shoot and is 9mm. It isn't as heavy as a 938 and doesn't have to be carried cocked and locked.

I don't know your finances. If price is no object, I would buy my woman her 938, and an LCP, and an LC9s pro, and an LCR in 327 magnum (with 32 S&W long they are fun to shoot and very hard to resist). If I had plenty of money and each one of them got me a beautifully romantic weekend, I would consider the $ well spent. Chances are good that she would carry them all on different days and with different methods, depending on her clothing, where/what she was going/doing, and her mood.

So it comes down to everything is a trade-off and you just can't expect one gun to fill every role.

 

[Plan2Live]

She thoroughly enjoyed them both, but did not like the DA pull on the HK45

Is your HK double action only? If not, the DA is only the first shot fired and when you are at the range if she racks the slide when she is ready to start shooting all shots will be SA unless she intentionally engages the decocker.

She did express a concern about carrying cocked and locked. I told her that in a properly fit holster it was safe, but it really depends on HOW, and WHERE on her body she wants to carry.

DA/SA is by far the safer carry platform. In a true self defense scenario she will never notice the slight difference in effort required to fire the first shot vs the second shot.

 

[zerobarrier]

Well I carry a p238 both iwb and owb. It is very small and I can conceal it in shorts and a t-shirt. I bought it bc I just moved to houston and it's hot down here and more difficult for me to conceal my glock 23 ir 1911 that I carried up north.

The kick is very minimal, it's a very low recoil in 380 and the slide is very easy to pull back. With a horsehide iwb holster from crossbreed and a owb mag pouch from mernickle it carries like a dream.

I would definitely buy a extra mag with the pinky extender. Makes it much more comfortable to shoot and gives you 7rds +1 in chamber.

If you are anywhere near houston I'd let you shoot it.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

I was pleasantly surprised by the mild recoil of the P938 with the rubber grips. Started out preferring the extended magazine for a little more purchase on the handle, but actually prefer the flush fitting magazine now, because the rubber grip's palm swells round the bottom off nicely to the end of the flush fitting magazine, making it very comfortable to curl my pinky underneath.

BTW, the P938 BRG is 16.0 oz with magazine; the LCP9s is 17.2 oz (does not mention whether that includes the magazine). The only plastic on the P938 is the mainspring housing and the trigger.

If I were to buy another, it would be the SAS, with the rounded off corners, but then I'd put the Hogue rubber grips on it.

Andy

 

[CNobbe]

A female friend who's fired my 938 several times wasn't overly thrilled with it at first, I think she only fired 21 rounds through it off the bat.

After putting the Hogue rubber grip on, she liked it a lot better but the safety was still something she had to get used to.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I had one, and it was a nice gun. But, I don't know if I would recommend it as a first gun for a small statured person who wants to start carrying a firearm. If, however, you are willing to throw money at the problem, and would be willing to trade it on something else if it does not work out, then why not. Other guns to consider may be the Glock 43 and the Beretta Nano. They do not come with night sights and would be cheaper. The Glock 43 would be easily traded if necessary.

Good suggestions. However, she tried both on and didn't care how either felt in her hands.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Don't we always come back to "everything is a trade-off, everything has pluses and minuses"?

Almost anyone wearing almost anything can CC something like an LCP. But they are not range guns. They are not generally considered to be fun to shoot. And they are 380's.

A 938 is 9mm. I have a very similar pistol and it is pleasant to shoot. But it is just large enough and heavy enough that you really have to "dress around it". And there is the whole single-action cocked and locked thing.

My personal compromise for in this sort of situation has been the LC9 series. It is definitely not as easy to carry as an LCP, but it is easier for me to shoot and is 9mm. It isn't as heavy as a 938 and doesn't have to be carried cocked and locked.

I don't know your finances. If price is no object, I would buy my woman her 938, and an LCP, and an LC9s pro, and an LCR in 327 magnum (with 32 S&W long they are fun to shoot and very hard to resist). If I had plenty of money and each one of them got me a beautifully romantic weekend, I would consider the $ well spent. Chances are good that she would carry them all on different days and with different methods, depending on her clothing, where/what she was going/doing, and her mood.

So it comes down to everything is a trade-off and you just can't expect one gun to fill every role.

Thanks for the suggestion, and that is what I would love to do, buy a bunch of guns, let her pick the one she likes, and sell the rest off she doesn't care for. But my finances do not allow me to do that.

I've explained to her that once she owns one gun, she will likely see a need for more to fill different roles. We are trying to narrow things down a bit. I definitely explained she will likely want a HD gun, that is larger, more fun to shoot, but may not be practical for carry.

No revolvers though. She doesn't like them a bit.

The LC9S is a gun I want her to try out. I think it may fit her needs a little better.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yeah.....sure....let your wife go pick her own gun. First, how much does your wife know about guns? What is her experience? Depending on those answers, and your experience level, will dictate who does the picking and choosing.

Thanks for the input on the 938. I'm glad to know it's manageable for women.

As I stated in my OP, I'm an experienced shooter. I taught my sister how to shoot, and she told me she felt the information I shared made her feel safe and at ease. My girlfriend is inexperienced. She needs a lot of practice.

Regardless, she will be doing the picking and choosing. A person needs to pick what feels right in their hand. I will just help guide her and share what concerns she needs to pay attention to.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Is your HK double action only?

No, it is DA/SA, and I pointed out to her that subsequent shots would all be SA. But if she can't hit anything but the dirt five feet in front of her in DA, or the berm 150 feet behind the target in DA, I feel that is a concern.

Practice will mitigate that. If you've never fired a HK DA/SA trigger before, I should share that the DA pull on HK guns is stiff and heavy. I'm used to it. She is not.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

If you are anywhere near houston I'd let you shoot it.

I seriously appreciate that. Really nice of you to offer. Unfortunately we don't live anywhere near Texas.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

A female friend who's fired my 938 several times wasn't overly thrilled with it at first, I think she only fired 21 rounds through it off the bat.

After putting the Hogue rubber grip on, she liked it a lot better but the safety was still something she had to get used to.

The one with the Houge grip is the one she really liked, so regardless of what model she chooses, if she goes with the 938 that is, we will likely add the Houge grip.