P238 Sig Review - With increased interest in the concealed carry of firearms and new applications for concealed carry permits across the country, the level of interest in easily concealable firearms has never been higher. .380 caliber "pocket guns" are selling better than ever, and .380 ammo is becoming harder to find in stock. My wife recently got her CCW permit and I bought her an S&W M&P 9c to wear in her CCW class. But my wife is just under 5 feet tall, which means the "compact" M&P 9 is almost a full-size firearm for her, proportionally speaking. She likes to shoot the gun, but it would be a challenge for her to hide it on her person, especially in the summer months. So we started looking for something smaller.
I tried both the S&W Bodyguard (came close to this one) and the Ruger LCP (didn't really care for the lack of scopes). Both are extremely popular now, but neither of us likes the long double action that only triggers these two standout pistols. I understood why they were designed the way they were, but that didn't stop us from loving the triggers. They then recommended I try the 1911-style trigger on the Sig 238. Both my wife and I found the relatively light and short trigger to be an absolute delight. So I bought a new one in the box for my wife:
P238 Sig Review
The Sig P238 not only has a 1911-style trigger pull, but is essentially a miniature 1911, all metal construction. The version I purchased came with Sig Sauer's Nitron finish and Hogue® rosewood grips (the P238 is available in several other versions, as can be seen on the Sig website). The P238 comes with a single 6-round capacity magazine in the box, but it makes up for the unforgivable lack of extra magazines by including a nice kydex belt holster. I also found out that Sig makes an extended mag for the P238 with a nice "pink spread". With the magazine extended, the Sig P238 goes from a 6+1 capacity to a 7+1 capacity and can provide a better grip on the pistol without sacrificing almost nothing in concealment. Unfortunately, like all things Sig, magazines for the P238 are quite expensive - at least $40.00 per magazine. I have seen them sell for up to $50.00 each. Here's a photo of the P238 with the extended magazine inserted:
Sig Sauer P238 Nitron Semi Auto .380 Acp 2.7\
After carrying the weapon in the Kydex holster, I found it suitable for concealed carry if you wear a t-shirt or other clothing between you and the holstered weapon. When placed in the case, much of the P238's frame is exposed and will rub against the skin. The belt clip is also not removable on the kydex sheath, which adds width and makes it impossible to use the included kydex sheath as a "pocket holster".
One of the things I appreciate most about the P238 is the scopes – many pocket .380s have minimally usable scopes. In a way, this is understandable - this is a pistol that will likely be used at "point and shoot" ranges of 10 feet or less. However, usable scopes bring a lot more capability to the table, and in this case, they don't detract from the ability to conceal and fire the weapon. Good job, Sig!
Did I mention that the sights were actually factory-installed night sights? That's right: straight from the factory, the P238 comes with tritium-filled SIGLITE® sights that glow in low light. Here's another standout feature that really impressed me about the Sig P238:
One might expect (as I originally did) that a small defensive pistol like the P238 would be challenging to shoot accurately. I took my wife's P238 to shoot a few hundred rounds into it to break it up and get her used to the gun. I put some mags in it myself and was amazed at how well I shot with it at 25ft:
Sig Sauer P238 Custom Uv Printed Amboyna Burl Grips
So far, I have found the P238 to be very reliable. I had a few misfires in the first hundred shots (which I can't swear weren't ammo related), but none since.
The retail price of the Sig P238 is $723.00, making it roughly double the price of most other pocket .380s on the market. Of course, if you shop around, you'll find that the retail price is about $100.00 less. Deserve? This is an individual decision, but I can tell you that I bought a second P238 for my personal use. I love this little gun.
Here's a snap video I shot in HD showing the two Sig P238s we own:
I think it is, yes. As with all firearm ammunition, shot placement is crucial. There are clearly ballistic differences, but at range I would use the P238 to defend myself, I don't expect any practical difference in the end result unless you're using a 9mm chambered pistol.
Sig Sauer P238
Here is an interesting and recent article that looks at some of the pros and cons of pocket guns.
In case you haven't heard, Sig is ready to release the P938 (just a few months after writing this article), a 9mm version of the 238. Sound good? Yes. But my logical side makes me re-read what I wrote earlier about a .380 and conclude that there would be no benefit to buying the P938, just an increase in size, weight, and most likely recoil. The only sensible benefit I can get from getting a P938 is that the 9mm is cheaper to shoot than the .380. Despite the sensitivities, I hope to see some reports on the P938 when it launches.
Yes, it is, and this brings up my only reservation about using the Sig P238. My other firearm is an S&W M&P 9C. As I mentioned, my main interest in this gun is for the warmer summer months. Since I bought it, I find myself gravitating more and more towards the P238: I sometimes slip it into my pocket (using Uncle Mike's pocket holster) when I'm around the house... in case the Zombie Apocalypse breaks out, for supposed. . . I have it "armed and locked" with the safety on. However, my M&P 9c has no security. Most firearms instructors will tell you that this is a dangerous combination of firearms that work differently and should be avoided. I would like to tell you that I have a good plan to mitigate the inherent danger here. Am I throwing away my M&P 9C completely? This isn't a particularly appealing option for me, but it would be smart from a training and consistency standpoint. I'm considering all my options, but I should probably make a change. One idea would be to ONLY use the P238 in the summer months and use the M&P in the winter and change my training routine accordingly. Of course, if you were to go that route, you would need another 1911-style pistol (preferably 9mm) to practice and compete with. Whichever path you take, it will not be an easy decision. Stay tuned. 🙂
Update: 12/02: My wife bought some aluminum Rhyno grips for her Sig P238; she likes red. Here's a shot of the gun of hers with the new grips installed:
Gun Reviews By Women
John B. Holbrook, II is a freelance writer, photographer, and author of , as well as LuxuryTyme.com and TheSeamasterReferencePage.com. *All text and images contained on this website are the original work of the author, John B. Holbrook, II and are protected by copyright. The use of any information or image without permission of the author is prohibited. The Sig P238 is the little brother of the Sig P938, in this review we will find out if it can hold its own in a fight. Now let's dive into the Sig P9238 and see how it stacks up in the small world of 1911!
SIG's roots began in 1853 as a wagon factory built near the Rhine Falls in Switzerland.
Just a few years later, apparently, they would be producing thousands of rifles with the disease, following a challenge from the Swiss Federal Ministry of Defense.
"Partly on a challenge from the Swiss Federal Ministry of Defence, Swiss Carriage Factory entered the competition to develop a state-of-the-art rifle in the hope that the Swiss Army would adopt it."
Sig Sauer P238 (.380 Acp) Semi Auto Handgun Purple Pearl Rainbow Titanium
At this time, Swiss Carriage Factory, with an order for 30,000 Prelaz-Burnend breech-loading rifles in hand, changed the name of the company to Swiss Industrial Company - Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, known worldwide as SIG.
Fast forward to the 20th century. In 1949, the SIG P49, the precursor to the SIG P210, was developed for the Swiss Army and destined to become a legend both on the battlefield and in competition.
That same year, the P220 made its appearance as the new military pistol, soon followed by the compact P230 for
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