Straight Talk Review of the Sig P238

[Bob Mayne]

Here's my "No B.S." review of the Sig P238.  It's easier to communicate gun reviews via video in my opinion. 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/MR2eeaO3CQc&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/MR2eeaO3CQc&rel=0</a>

[Bob Mayne]

Forgot to mention (and I didn't want to re record the video) that I also like the fact that it does NOT have an ambi safety.   I don't like those, YMMV. 

[Dave.45]

Thanks for the great review. You have the same type p238 I just picked up. So far I like it too... although I haven't put 300 rounds through mine yet. Ammo is still hard to find and this is my first 380 so I didn't already have extra stashed away. But so far, PMC round nosed FMJ has fed well. I would add two things that the interested (or curious) should know: First, Sig recommends a new recoil spring every 1500 rounds. I don't know if this is really necessary, but is definitely more often than needed for your "full sized" 1911. Second, be really careful with reassembly. The extractor has to be lowered to get the slide to go back on the frame and if you lower it too far (which I did on my first time cleaning it) it will reverse itself down into the frame and then it is impossible to return to its proper place if you do not know the trick of pressing the sear spring out of the way to get things back to where they belong. To get the solution off the internet I had to google "Colt Mustang extractor" - which is not intuitive, until you discover that the p238 is a Sig copy of the older Colt model.

[Bob Mayne]

Thanks for the tip!  I think you meant "ejector" right?  I've cleaned it twice and thankfully didn't push the ejector down too far.  I'll watch for that every time too.  Cabelas has  plenty of .380 in stock right now.  Is there one near you?  If not, order it off their website.  I actually stopped in today and they had lots of it! 

[AL]

Hi Bob, I've listened to 3 or 4 of your podcasts and you do a great job! Glad to be able to hear your show. I look forward to it as it is great to listen to when I'm on the tractor mowing.

I have a Sig Suaer P238 with the Blackwood grips and it is my favorite pistol! The "feel" says it all. I own a Ruger LCP but it isn't even close to the P238. I would be willing to carry this guy regularly with good defense ammo. I wonder about a good quality IWB holser for it. I seen one in Gun Tests latest magazine and it looks inviting. Currently I put in a "camera bag" type waist belt that has a "holste" velcroed inside it when I'm mowing just so I can blast away at surprised ground hogs and snakes. Haven't hit anything yet but it sure is fun!

For those learyof the Sig P238... it is definately worth saving up for it! Their is nothing negative about it. Pure Sig quality!

Keep up the good work... looking forward to more podcasts.

Al

[Dave.45]

Thanks for the tip!  I think you meant "ejector" right? 

Yes. The "Ejector" is the problem piece... My liberal Mac spellchecker didn't catch the slip.  Sorry.

[NS2]

Thanks for the great review. You have the same type p238 I just picked up. So far I like it too... although I haven't put 300 rounds through mine yet. Ammo is still hard to find and this is my first 380 so I didn't already have extra stashed away. But so far, PMC round nosed FMJ has fed well. I would add two things that the interested (or curious) should know: First, Sig recommends a new recoil spring every 1500 rounds. I don't know if this is really necessary, but is definitely more often than needed for your "full sized" 1911. Second, be really careful with reassembly. The extractor has to be lowered to get the slide to go back on the frame and if you lower it too far (which I did on my first time cleaning it) it will reverse itself down into the frame and then it is impossible to return to its proper place if you do not know the trick of pressing the sear spring out of the way to get things back to where they belong. To get the solution off the internet I had to google "Colt Mustang extractor" - which is not intuitive, until you discover that the p238 is a Sig copy of the older Colt model.

Emphasis mine:

Definitely stick to the 1500 round recommendation!!!  

I have more 3K through mine and have been changing the recoil spring with every 1000 rounds.  It has certainly made it more pleasurable to shoot and less likely to beat the gun to an ugly and premature death.

[Bob Mayne]

Scott, do you have the regular version like mine or the HD version? 

[NS2]

Scott, do you have the regular version like mine or the HD version? 

I have a regular version (P238 Nitron).  The HD was too heavy for me to lift

Seriously, we had a HD version come through that was a joy to shoot because of the weight.  The extra 5 ounces from the SS frame made a big difference.  However if I'm going to carry a 20 oz (dry weight) gun...a G19 only weighs 20.99 oz dry and a G26 weighs 19.75 oz dry.  It is sort of a no brainer.

My P238 has proven to be an excellent ankle BUG and I am really impressed with how well it functions and how well it has held up to my abuse.

[ske1eter]

The video is gone.

BTW, I think that Shelley Rae at GunNutsMedia mentioned in one of the podcasts (dang, I can't remember which one but I thought it was one of the GRRN podcasts about a month or so back) that the Sig P238 has been one of the better rental .380s she's had in her shop, whereas the S&W Bodyguard and LCP have had issues.

I can't convince myself to go .380 for CCW or BUG but still might be fun to play with someday...........

[RickB]

At our IDPA sanctioned match last month, we had a Back-Up Gun side stage that featured a SIG P238 donated by SIG (well, subsidized by SIG, anyway), and a case of hardball donated by a local gun store.  Over 100 different shooters shot the stage, using up over 800 rounds, and there were two malfunctions, failures to feed, both in the first 100-150 rounds.  After a strip, wipe and lube, the gun ran perfectly the rest of the weekend.  FWIW, Colt had a new Mustang at SHOT this year, and some distributors are now showing a part number, if not actually showing any in stock, so the inevitable this vs. that test can't be far behind.