New To Me Sig P238 from Bud's

[mhl6493]

Made my first trip to Bud's in Sevierville today. Saw this in the used gun display.  Had been  toying with the idea of maybe getting a P238 to replace my LCP, but the new ones are so dang expensive.  This one was priced right, had a few extra goodies, and I got a pretty good trade value on my LCP.  Couldn't leave without it...  :D

 

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[URL=http://s1284.photobucket.com/user/mhlittleton/media/SIG%20P238%20AND%20STUFF_zpsktlfs4ci.jpg.html][/URL]

[DixieDawg]

I'd say you'll enjoy it my wife has the tribal version with some pink custom grips she loves shooting hers and even with my big bear paw hands I have to say I'm really impressed with it

-Joshua 1:9-

[Pete123]

Nice!   You can't go wrong with a Sig.

[leroy]

They are a great little pistola... I front pocket carry one every day, just like i would a pocket knife...

 

Enjoy...

leroy

[mhl6493]

The best thing about this gun to me so far, in addition to the added weight to help with recoil over the LCP, the night sights, and the overall beautiful 1911-like look, is the hogue grips with the finger grooves that came on it.  They absolutely fit my hand like a glove and allow me to get a great purchase on the gun.  I'm looking forward hopefully to taking it out to the range Friday and seeing how it feels...

[hipower]

Nice!   You can't go wrong with a Sig.

Congrats. I hope you really enjoy it. I think Sig makes some top notch pistols, and though I don't personally want the 238(it just doesn't fit nor feel right for me); it's a fine carry pistol.

[stumpy]

I know an older fellow who has two of the P238 pistols.  He had the same problem with both - feeding and ejection.  After being unable to get these pistols to behave he returned them to Sig for inspection or correction as needed.  Both came back with a list of the parts the factory exchanged.  Despite all this he continued to have the same problems with both of them.  I suggested his grip strength could be the problem.  He handed off both pistols and a full box of ammo for each to me, then waited while I enjoyed some time with them.  After 50 rounds through each, and zero malfunctions, he realized he would have to "man up" in order to get them to work for him.  These are very fine firearms, well designed and built.  In spite of this they do require the user to hang on tightly to make them function.

[mhl6493]

I know an older fellow who has two of the P238 pistols.  He had the same problem with both - feeding and ejection.  After being unable to get these pistols to behave he returned them to Sig for inspection or correction as needed.  Both came back with a list of the parts the factory exchanged.  Despite all this he continued to have the same problems with both of them.  I suggested his grip strength could be the problem.  He handed off both pistols and a full box of ammo for each to me, then waited while I enjoyed some time with them.  After 50 rounds through each, and zero malfunctions, he realized he would have to "man up" in order to get them to work for him.  These are very fine firearms, well designed and built.  In spite of this they do require the user to hang on tightly to make them function.

 

Thanks for the advice - I'll keep that in mind.  I've got a Springfield XDs .45 that's the same way.  If you don't get a good hold on it, including racking it like you mean it, it'll jam up for sure...

[hipower]

LOL Are you say that like me you're getting older and weaker and need help with slides?

[mhl6493]

LOL Are you say that like me you're getting older and weaker and need help with slides?

 

Getting that way quicker than I care to admit... lol.  The XDs slide isn't really hard for me to rack, but you can't do it gently.  Every time I forget that and rack it like I would, say, my Glock 19, I end up with a jam...

[hipower]

Getting that way quicker than I care to admit... lol.  The XDs slide isn't really hard for me to rack, but you can't do it gently.  Every time I forget that and rack it like I would, say, my Glock 19, I end up with a jam...

Actually, I do have that issue as well. I have a tendency to "ride" it back down, pull back strongly and let it loose.

[mhl6493]

Finally got a chance to shoot my p238 this morning.  Wow!  10 times better than the LCP in terms of enjoyability, and I was more accurate with it as well.  I may have found my pocket pistol for the foreseeable future - if I can wrap my mind around cocked and locked in my pocket.

[Jonnin]

I know an older fellow who has two of the P238 pistols.  He had the same problem with both - feeding and ejection.  After being unable to get these pistols to behave he returned them to Sig for inspection or correction as needed.  Both came back with a list of the parts the factory exchanged.  Despite all this he continued to have the same problems with both of them.  I suggested his grip strength could be the problem.  He handed off both pistols and a full box of ammo for each to me, then waited while I enjoyed some time with them.  After 50 rounds through each, and zero malfunctions, he realized he would have to "man up" in order to get them to work for him.  These are very fine firearms, well designed and built.  In spite of this they do require the user to hang on tightly to make them function.

 

Any gun can be limp wristed and jam.   The 238 is not even in the top 100 for guns that are "prone" to the problem.   Nearly every glock is worse, the lightweight kel-tecs are worse, many others as well.   It will still do it if you grip too weakly, but the guns are not sprung with massive recoil springs that worsen the issue.  And the reverse is true as well: if you simply cannot grasp the gun enough to prevent limp wrist jamming,  buy a weaker recoil spring and the problem will clear up 100%.   Be aware that an extra light spring and a shooter that does not LW can beat the gun up, peen the slide against its stop and cause problems or wear...  a "fixed" gun for a handicapped person should not be passed around too much. 

Edited April 17, 2015 by Jonnin

[mhl6493]

Any gun can be limp wristed and jam.   The 238 is not even in the top 100 for guns that are "prone" to the problem.   Nearly every glock is worse, the lightweight kel-tecs are worse, many others as well.   It will still do it if you grip too weakly, but the guns are not sprung with massive recoil springs that worsen the issue.  And the reverse is true as well: if you simply cannot grasp the gun enough to prevent limp wrist jamming,  buy a weaker recoil spring and the problem will clear up 100%.   Be aware that an extra light spring and a shooter that does not LW can beat the gun up, peen the slide against its stop and cause problems or wear...  a "fixed" gun for a handicapped person should not be passed around too much. 

 

Shot 78 rounds through my p238 this morning -- some Winchester White Box, some Remington UMC, and some Hornady Critical Defense.  No jams, nothing.  It shot flawlessly.

[Djay3]

... I may have found my pocket pistol for the foreseeable future - if I can wrap my mind around cocked and locked in my pocket.

The lock is so firm on these I can't see it getting accidentally released when used with a good pocket holster. Plus, the trigger pull is relatively heavy as well. Perhaps the main concern for many will be remembering to release the safety during the stress of a sudden self defense situation.

It is such a soft shooting .380 especially compared to the older blowback types (ex. Walther PPk & Sig 232)

[tnhawk]

Congrats on the 238!  Sig makes a nice pistol.

[graydw1]

Fyi, the mag with the extension, is actually for a Colt Mustang.  It works, but has an extra long extension when compaired with a factory mag with extension.

[mhl6493]

Fyi, the mag with the extension, is actually for a Colt Mustang.  It works, but has an extra long extension when compaired with a factory mag with extension.

 

I wondered about that, because it obviously isn't the typical Sig extended mag.  Thanks for the info.