SIG Gets Big Results By Going Small
Written by James Tarr
Friday, 31 July 2009
New from SIG Sauer is the P238. A compact .380 ACP, it's based on John Moses Browning's classic design. (Photo: James Tarr)
SIG-Sauer recently announced a new addition to its lineup - the P238. This is not the first .380 in the SIG catalog, but the company has gone in an entirely different direction with the P238.
Appearing to be nothing so much as a reinvention of the Colt Mustang with SIG lines and proper 3-dot sights, this small, slim, single-action automatic is quite the departure from the blocky lines we've come to associate with SIG offerings. In fact, it's so compact that it's not legal in California or Massachusetts. That alone should make you want to buy one, or at least send SIG a thank-you card.
The P238 indeed looks like a baby version of SIG's 1911, and the thumb safety is just big enough to be easily flicked on and off. It has a tiny beavertail on the frame and a Commander-type hammer. The barrel is just under 3 inches in length, and the magazines hold 6 rounds.
The aluminum grip panels and the front strap are vertically grooved to help control the gun during firing, and best of al,l the P238 comes equipped with real sights with big, bright white dots. The trigger pull on our sample gun was maybe 5 pounds - crisp and relatively light.
Secure in the Hand
TacticalGunFan recently had a little hands-on time with the new SIG. This is a single-stack pistol with an aluminum frame long enough to get two fingers on, similar to the "baby" Glocks, but it feels much more secure in the hand than those chunky Glocks because it's so much thinner.
This little SIG is available in two versions, an all black Nitron-finished model and a two-tone version with a stainless slide and black frame that looks really sharp. Siglight night sights are also available.
The weight is just over 15 ounces, so while it's not a featherweight, you can actually shoot it without worrying it will fly out of your hand. TGF put several magazines through the little SIG and found it a pleasure to shoot, something that can't be said about many small autos. This is due in part to its slightly heavier weight and in part to how well it fills the hand - even in miniature, John Browning's classic design displays good ergonomics. This resemblance is solely external, however, as the P238 has a standard SIG barrel and lockup.
On the "cool meter," this little auto scores a 9.5, but I don't know if I would call anything I had to carry cocked-and-locked a "pocket gun." Traditionally, .380 autos have filled that role, and while I really liked the SIG, tiny single-action-only autos have always had their own little niche in the gun world. The SIG's design might not be right for those who just want to stick a gun into their pocket and forget about it.
In this writer's opinion, single-action autos should be carried cocked-and-locked, but stuffing something with a cocked hammer into a pocket just invites something getting wedged between the cocked hammer and the frame. Long-term carry could fill that hammer gap with lint and God knows what else if the bearer isn't conscientious, possibly rendering the gun useless.
The same thing can be a concern with snub-nose revolvers, but to a much lesser degree. I think the best place for this new SIG is in a holster, and because it is so small and thin, the P238 should disappear under even a thin t-shirt with the proper holster.
Specifications
> Caliber:.380 ACP
> Finish: black aluminum frame, stainless slide either natural or with a black nitron finish
> Action type: single-action only
> Safety: external thumb
> Capacity: 6+1
> Weight (w/o mag): 15.2 oz.
> Overall length: 5.5 in.
> Height: 3.9 in.
> Width: 1.1 in.
> Barrel length: 2.7 inches
> Sights: 3-dot (white), Siglight night sights available
> Trigger pull: 5 lbs.
> MSRP: $543-$600
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by gunwriter
having witnessed first hand what a 380 can do i dont want to be shot with it
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