Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Sig Sauer P238 SAS - Thoughts please?


Recommended Posts

P238-SAS.jpg

 

P238-SAS-detail-Hero_4.jpg

 

My wife gave me this morning a brand new Sig Sauer P238 SAS pistol for no reason at all. Well, when she and I were in Larry's I was looking at the pistol and remarked that I liked it. In my Army days, I had been trained and qualified with the 1911 .45 ACP and this little pistol looked and functioned like the ol' 1911--only smaller. Although I thought the pistol was cool, I had no intentions of buying it as I have other small pistols, however, they are all revolvers. She also bought me a hundred rounds of FMJ .380s to just shoot up.

 

I've Googled this pistol, watched and read some reviews which were positive, but I'd like my pards here to give me their honest thoughts and opinions--good, bad, and in-between. I do have a Concealed Carry Permit and I probably will carry this gun some. So please recommend a good personal defense round for this little Sig Sauer P238.

 

Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks!

 

Birdgun

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I own one, good little gun. It's an all day shooter. Some folks aren't comfortable pocket carrying a single action cocked and locked. It's Sig's version of the Colt Mustang, not gonna tell you how many of those I own.

 

Colt mags, with the step follower, don't work well in the Sig.....it traps the last round

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PS: I also like Hornady Critical Defense ammunition.

Ditto.

And that's a great little gun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One question: Does she have a sister? ;)

 

I'll add a +3 or +4 here.... Sig has a winner with this one. .380 is back in supply. I'll put my mark on CorBon DPX over the Hornady anytime. They're local to me so I have seen their quality control 1st hand. They were the SAMMI ammo manufacturer of the year for 2013, too. Nice folks and their ammo is far superior (they showed me the sample/ comparisons they perform with competitors).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ditto on the Hornady Critical Defense ammo - good stuff.

 

When I was shopping for a .380 a few months ago, it came down to either the Sig P238 or the Bersa Thunder. The Bersa won out on cost alone. My next .380 will definitely be the P238.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Bersa Thunder, as well. Nice little gun. I have the Speer Gold Dot Personal Defence Ammo, as that's all the store had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm quite pleased with the P238. I have smallish hands, and have found that using the extended magazine gives my little finger a spot to comfortably recline.

 

Action is flawless, trigger is crisp, and the 1911 clone effect is welcome.

 

What is the "SAS" designation? Mine lacks it - but it has nice rosewood grips and the black Nitron finish.

 

LL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 2 P238s. I carry one daily, pocket holster. I dont carry cocked and locked though. The other is my wifes, as soon as she gets her CHL.

 

These are really good little pistols. I've shot a variety of ammo, all feed well. accuracy is pretty good, especially considering the size. I was at a public range a couple of weeks ago, waitng on some guys to finish up. they had put some clay pidgeons against the berm at about 15 yards, were shooting "at" them with some sort of Glock, full size, I think 40 S&W, it would take them full mags to hit one or 2 targets. I remember thinking, "I believe I could hit those with my Sig" especially on 2nd or 3rd shot. After they left I shot a couple of remainig shards of theirs, from the same distance, hit both on first try. In short, very accurate lttle pistol. The SAS model is just a dressed up basic model. I think. Mine are both just plain ole black. they do have diffrent front sights though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its a Clone of the Colt Mustang .

 

They are very nice guns .

The Sig P238 mag fits my Colt Mustang so Now its a Eight round CCW Gun .

I carry it with Hornady Critical Defense ammunition.

 

If you are a 1911 guy like me .

You will fall in love with the gun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got one and I carry it everyday. I replaced the aluminum grips it came with with the Hogue black rubber grips. Makes a world of difference in holding on to it. Also I got me a 7 round magazine with the pinkie finger extension. With one in the pipe that gives you 8 rds plus a full 6 rd magazine you now got 14 rds.

A feature I like is that you can rack the slide with the safety "on". This may not be comfortable for someone not used to 1911's. You have to practice flipping the safety on and off until it becomes part of your "muscle memory". It just takes getting used to it.

Enjoy it, yer gonna love it!

 

P.S. Yours is definitively prettier than mine. I got a plain black one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I might add that when Sig came out with the P938, I got all worked up and almost bought one. It's a P238 in steroids in 9mm.

 

But................

 

I started doing research and found a ton of negative comments on the P938. Everybody raves about the P238 but rants about the P938.

 

Haven't given up on it yet, though, I hope Sig can correct what is wrong with the P938 and make it as reliable as the P238.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My P238 is my carry gun when I have to wear my shirt tucked in. It rides in the matching Sig pocket holster, cocked & locked. Hasn't once tried to shoot me. (The holster is molded around the safety lever in the safe position, so it'll take a lot of force to jostle it into the fire position.) I was skittish about carrying it that way at first. So I carried it empty, cocked & locked for a few weeks to convince myself it wasn't going to discharge by itself. Now I don't even think about it.

 

There's some debate as to whether .380 ACP hollow point ammunition can penetrate far enough to be an effective self defense round. Some experts recommend FMJ for that reason. That's what I carry. But considering people have successfully defended themselves with .22LR, just having a loaded gun is more important than what's in it, as long as it goes bang.

 

That said, I'll probably pick up some Hornady next time I got to the store.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just got back from the range and put 105 rounds thru the Sig. Love the feel, trigger, and ease of operation. After about 50 rounds without a hitch, I had 3 rounds fail to extract from the barrel chamber. :( Larry's has very good range officers and I asked one to look at the gun. He told me that he couldn't see anything wrong with the gun. Then he asked what I was shooting. I showed him the "re-manufactured" rounds that my wife got for me to shoot up, and he said, "That's your problem." They sell those "re-manufactured" rounds with a mix of different brass on the cheap at Larry's and the range officer has had issues with those rounds before. <_< Larry's didn't have any Hornady Critical Defense so I bought Sig Sauer Elite Performance .380 Auto, 90 gr. JHP. The last magazine of five rounds I shot at the range were these Sig rounds and shooting quickly, as soon as the sights came on the bull at 7 yards, I grouped less than 3 inches. That's good for me. I asked the range officer to show me how well this gun shoots. At the same 7 yards with six rounds, shooting slow fire, he had one flier off by 2 inches but put the other 5 rounds in a single hole that a nickel could cover. Obviously, the gun is a lot more accurate than I am.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is the "SAS" designation? Mine lacks it - but it has nice rosewood grips and the black Nitron finish.

 

LL

Small And Sexy?

Short And Sweet?

Spiffy Accurate Shooter?

;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love my P238 and P938...but they're a little heavy for my pocket compared to my LCP so the LCP goes into the pocket and the other two in a small DM Bullard Bodyguard holster when I carry one of them.

As for loads... Corbon or Federal Hydra shocks are recomended from this website that records data from real life shootings.

 

http://www.handloads.com/misc/stoppingpower.asp?Caliber=10&Weight=All

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for loads... Corbon or Federal Hydra shocks are recomended from this website that records data from real life shootings.

 

Good info. Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had a Sig P938 for about 18 months now. Absolutely love it! Mine is a 9mm and it loves the 124 gr Critical Defense ammo. They are not inexpensive but quality life insurance is not cheap. I shoot a couple of mags thru it a month and never a malfunction. Very easy to tote around also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love my P238 and P938...but they're a little heavy for my pocket compared to my LCP so the LCP goes into the pocket and the other two in a small DM Bullard Bodyguard holster when I carry one of them.

As for loads... Corbon or Federal Hydra shocks are recomended from this website that records data from real life shootings.

 

http://www.handloads.com/misc/stoppingpower.asp?Caliber=10&Weight=All

That is a very interesting site! Sort of shows that maybe the solid ball's penetration isn't superior to the hollow point's expansion; even in .380 Auto.

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

What is the "SAS" designation? Mine lacks it - but it has nice rosewood grips and the black Nitron finish.

 

LL

 

Sig Anti Snag = Carry Melt, rounded corners and edges on the slide

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Sig Anti Snag = Carry Melt, rounded corners and edges on the slide

P238-HDW-Detail-hero_4.jpg

 

P238-SAS-detail-Hero_4.jpg

 

Thanks Wyatt. I didn't realize the SAS was physically different from other models. I thought it was just cosmetics. But looking at photos other models like the top photo, I see the SAS in the bottom photo does have corners and edges rounded. I do like the rounding on my gun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The holster that came with my P238 SAS is a hard plastic/polymer outside the waist belt holster. It does not cover the safety.

 

 

DSC09961.JPG

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sig-P238-clip-on-plastic-holster/161271901858?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222006%26algo%3DSIC.FITP%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20889%26meid%3D6230865127603811631%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D9311%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D200954180883

 

 

I can't answer your pocket question as I don't know I know what you mean by "do they turn sideways". So far I've slipped the SAS in my jeans pocket for a short time to just see how it fits. It didn't turn sideways no more than my iPhone would.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do all SAS models come with the holster that covers the safety or only some of them? do they turn sideways in your pocket like a mustang or LCP?

 

This is the Sig pocket holster I use. I carry it in a back pocket. I haven't had any problem with it turning sideways but being it's a rectangle and it's in a square pocket, that's not too surprising.

 

I also noticed that while mine (which is a couple of years old) does cover the safety lever, it's not as tight as it used to be so I can holster the gun with the safety on or off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

This is the Sig pocket holster I use. I carry it in a back pocket. I haven't had any problem with it turning sideways but being it's a rectangle and it's in a square pocket, that's not too surprising.

 

I also noticed that while mine (which is a couple of years old) does cover the safety lever, it's not as tight as it used to be so I can holster the gun with the safety on or off.

thanks. my lcp turns sideways in one of those so called sticky holsters which is not good. that holster is better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks. my lcp turns sideways in one of those so called sticky holsters which is not good. that holster is better.

 

I've tried Uncle Mike's and Remora pocket holsters and had similar results. Plus most in that style won't cover the safety on the P238. (Not as big an issue on the LCP since it's double action.) I haven't found anything that'll stay in position in a front pocket. If I'm wearing jeans or something that won't conceal that Sig holster in a back pocket, I use an IWB holster and a long shirt to cover the grip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.