Sig P238: More Information
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The Sig P238 is sized to attack the Ruger LCP market, but it is a completely different animal.
The P238 is a single action, .380 ACP gun. I got to work the trigger doing some dry firing at the Sig exhibit today. The trigger was nice! A light, crisp pull and break. I was actually surprised how much I liked the trigger. I guess I had been dry firing too many DAO pocket guns during the day, so when I made my way to the P238 late in the afternoon, I was expecting a poor trigger. Nope…the trigger on the floor model was quite nice.
The thumb safety worked well. It clicked on and off in a decisive manner: not too hard, but not too easy either. When obtaining a grip on the gun, the thumb can easily sweep the safety off. The safety is obviously much smaller than on a full-sized 1911, but it is usable.
The sights are nice! SIGLITE night sights were on the demonstration model, and they were far better than anything on a LCP, Kel-Tec, or Taurus TCP. You can actually use these sights.
Overall, I like the gun. The only negative thing that jumps out at me are the grip panels. There is something about the vertical grooves that make me dislike the look. If I replaced those with something more aesthetically pleasing, I’m sure it would make all the difference to me. Then again, I’m the guy matching plaids and stripes, so you better not listen to me on what looks good!
45 Comments
January 16th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Glad I held off on buying the LCP. This little Sig looks nicer (imo) than the LCP and I’m sure she’ll be a real shooter like my other Sig pistols.
January 18th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Already contacted my FFL guy to see when this will be available. I will buy as soon as they are for sale.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Can anyone tell me when we can expect to see in the stores? I sure do want my old Mustang back! Maybe this will be a good replacment for it.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Niiice. I hear some of the parts from the P238 will be enterchangable with the Colt Mustang. That’s very good cause parts are getting hard to find for the old Colt .380’s that some of us still use as carry weapons…
February 13th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
I love my Colt Mustangs and would like to put them up in a safe place and not carry them. I hope the P238 feels good to me - I also want the grip improved. I bet they do.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
Funny that Sig is doing to Colt what Ruger did to Keltec. At least they had the decency to copy a discontinued model.
I’ll be buying my first Sig when this one hits the streat.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
Funny that Sig is doing to Colt what Ruger did to Keltec. At least they had the decency to copy a discontinued model.
I’ll be buying my first Sig when this one hits the street.
March 14th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Does anyone know if these are available yet? I cannot seam to find any information. I would love to get one for the wife.
April 27th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Any idea on how much they weight and when they will hit the market?
April 28th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Unloaded/no magazine: 15.2 oz. Not sure on a ship date, but I will try to find out.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
There is one on Gunbroker, and my local shop owner got his in last week. I put some money down on mine, and he said it should come in soon. I need some time for the funds to gather, anyways.
June 12th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I picked up mine today. It’s a two tone with black grips and the post and dot sights. VERY NICE!!! It’s going to ride in my pocket daily!!!
June 15th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Picked up a two-tone P238 from Firing Line, Westland, MI today. I love this gun! It is compact, light, and ideal for summer carry in shorts. Doesn’t take much more space than an iphone in your pocket. Paid $515 for mine with the night sights. This is a Sig in all its glory; makes the Ruger LCP look like a toy IMO. My other Sig is P239, 9mm. Nice but heavy and bulky for light dressing in warm weather.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Just took posession of my P238 and I am VERY impressed with this gun. Only put 100 rounds through it, but there were no problems as of yet. Low recoil and accurate as hell. Getting back on target is no problem. The sights are superb. The safety is a nice feature that you can live with or without depending on your comfort level. I paid $549.00 and so far it is worth every penny. IMHO the Ruger LCP is a poor mans P238!
June 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
@AR1911: I don’t think they’re doing a Ruger here. IF what I read on the SIG forums is accurate, they’ve actually bought the tooling for the Mustang off of Colt. They’ve made a few changes, such as the slide contours, and correcting a couple of minor problems the Mustang had, but it’s still basically a Mustang.
June 17th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Love this thing have carried for about a month now…after test firing 500 rds out of it. Had a few hiccups in the beginning, but the gun seemed to break itself in after about a hundred rds or so. No problems after that, though. I liked it so much that I bought another one just to look at in my safe. Mags are a bit pricey too. A friend of mine talked alot of trash about it looking like a toy, until he fired it and now he wants to buy my extra one……I’ll give him a good deal on my LCP.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Bought one a gun show. Ashamed to say what I payed for it after reading on here (paid much more). The gun looks good and conceals well in my ankle holster. However, the magazine that came with the gun will not seat with six - I bought another one and it does. The gun does not eject the last cartridge fired - I have to remove the magazine and then drop the cartridge out. It was jamming frequently but seems to be doing better as I fire more rounds through it.
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Just a wee follow up. Went to the range yesterday and I had all kinds of “Ooohs & Ahhhs” from people. One of the nicest features of the P238 is that despites it’s size, it looks and feels like a real gun. It has a visible deterrent factor that my LCP and Kel-Tec just don’t have. My Mom won’t fire this gun. She likes to fire my Kel-Tec as it is “cute”. If (God forbid) you find yourself in a threat scenario, this gun will not be mistaken for a toy.
I’ve read some posts about the 238’s firepower being insufficient. That may be true, but a .45 is no good to you if you can’t hit the target. This gun IS accurate and very comfortable to fire. A well placed shot from 380 is all you need. Although there is no arguing that even a poorly placed shot into the body from .45 is going to spoil a perps day more than a 380.
One thing as well: negotiate another clip from the seller. They are not cheap ($49.00) and I got another one for free. Ammo is in low supply (forget about hollow point) where I live so I bought what I could. I did have my first jam yesterday but it was easily cleared. Looked like a bulge in the case of the aluminum shell. Discarded the offending bullet and everthing went well.
June 27th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
One can buy P238 magazines directly from Sig Sauer for $44.00. I got mine from Firing Line (westland, MI) for $38.00. Still waitng for 380 ammo from Cabela’s order; due to arrive mid-July. I carry my P238 using an inside the pants clip-on Blackhawk holster (designed for LCP).
July 11th, 2009 at 12:04 am
Heads UP!!! I found the mustang 6 round mags work just the same as the $45 sig magazine… I found 2 mustang mags at the gun show for the price of one sig mag,,,
July 15th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I bought one yesterday and can’t wait to hit the range. Reminded me of my old Colt Mustang. I compared it side by side with the LCP. The LCP is cute but you could see daylight under the slide and the sights are really useless. I just knew dirt and debris would get caught in the LCP. I paid more than everyone else on the forum for this little Sig powerhouse. ($595) But, they through in 50 rounds of .380 which really is hard to find. I still wish someone would make a .40 this small. But, since this is the largest caliber in a small semi it will have to do.
August 12th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Does anyone know if the Colt Mustang grips will fir the 238?
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Amazing shooter, spend the little extra to get the night sights.
August 29th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
This is the first Sig I have ever owned. Everything else is Glock and S & W. A little nervous about carrying cocked on ankle, waist, and in pocket. Could someone knowledgeable please explain this gun’s safety mechanism? Is it just a mechanical notch lock into the back of the trigger, or is there also a secondary safety disabling the firing pin or blocking the firing pin? The owners manual says “the gun will not fire without pulling the trigger”. Everything I have read says “carry cocked”. Is the gun much safer uncocked, even if you would have to draw back the trigger to fire, perhaps in a hurry? I would hate to have that safety fail in my pocket or on a crowded sidewalk.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:32 pm
When was the P238 put on the market?
September 1st, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Does Colt still manafacture Mustang clips?
September 1st, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Midway has Colt Mustang 380 mags for $ 16.99 and one with a base pad for @ 22.99.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Good news. The Colt Mustang mags work in the P238. Check ouy Midway. They have mags for around @22.00. Thats better than paying Sig $ 47.00.
September 21st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Glad I got mine last month—Cannot find them any place now. Love it.
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Bought mine on the 20th at a large gun show. Out of about 1000 tables there were only 2 at the whole show. Paid a fortune for it. I could have gotten any other Sig cheaper. But the bottom line is, it was worth every penny. Very accurate, light, easy to clean. What more could you ask for?
September 25th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Love this little beast!!!!! two tone black rosewood grips siglite. Got my today fired 200 rds though it no promblems. Cant wait to order those mustang clips from midway. Great collection to all my 1911s
BUY ONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Colt mustang mags will work in the 238 but the follower sits at a different height , causing the last round not to eject.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Spare mags are available at Top Guns for $ 31. and some change.
I went thru time and money finding out Mustang mags won’t run 100 % .
October 4th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I expected Sig quality from this little 380, and I was not disappointed!
Really a first class pistol. Sig may call you with and offer to buy two mags for $60 and you can buy a sig range bag. My original magazine had trouble when I loaded 6. The spring is too tight, and could cause failure to feed. The new ones from Sig work flawlessly. Sig customer service is replacing the original. There is no downside to quality.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Bought one yesterday and shot it today… VERY HAPPY!!! No issues at all (not a single feed, eject, or any other issue) and VERY accurate at 10yds as compared to my kel-tec. VERY HAPPY WITH THE PURCHASE!!!!
(newSIGfan)
one box at 10 yards… —> http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e64/devnull129/guns/IMG_0580.jpg
November 14th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I have both the LCP and the P238 Titanium. The LCP is a slightly smaller and lighter carry weapon, but the double action feature of the LCP means a long trigger pull. I much prefer the P238 for concealed carry, even though it’s slightly heavier and bulkier, and single action. Can’t go wrong with a mini-1911!
November 15th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Looking forward to getting my P238. What is the proper break-in, if any, for these guns.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Picked up mine this Sunday. Boy, had trouble finding rounds for it though! This was at Cabala’s too! I found .380 flat heads and the JHP that I wanted but the rest of the 380 shelf was empty.
Notice I did not make any statments about the quality. That’s a gimmie. Finest gun in the world
December 31st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
This gun has given me more problems than any gun I have ever owned our known any one to own. It jammed on me and failed to fire at first. Sent it back. It would then fire but every clip would have a failure to extract. I was then told to expect this until I put 500 rounds through it. I finally was able to find the ammo and had put a total of 700 rounds through it. It still failed to extract every clip. Sent it back again Sig then mailed it back to the wrong person and now the gun is lost. I had to continually contact Sig to find out where my gun was and what they were going to do about it. Almost every person was rude including the manager of customer service Diana Chapman who was by far the least helpful and most disrespectful person I had dealt with. The response was that guns get lost all the time and they would replace it with the same model. When I asked about compensation for all the time I had to spend letting them know they lost it as well as finding and buying the 500 rounds of 380 ammo I was told for another hundred dollars they would sell me a different p238 model at full msrp price. Sig has very poor customer service and treat you like its your privilege to own a Sig. Their quality has gone down greatly in past 5 years they are not what they used to be when owned by the Swiss. Be carefull in buying from them.
January 16th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Purchased a P238 and was pleased with quality, fit & finish. Loads hollow-points right out of the box with no jambs. Shoots tight groups with no stovepipes. Love the sights. Great gun. Recommend….Had Ruger
LCP, did not like, traded for Walther PPK, would not load without jamming. Sold PPK, bought Sig. Sig wins……
Also found a great holster http://www.dmbullardleather.com. Also on E-Bay. Quality leather moulded holster.
Fits the P238 like a second skin. Easy draw. Holds gun perfect.
February 4th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Just bought one on Jan 30th and put 120 rounds through it on the 31st. It functioned flawlessly and felt great. The recoil is pretty soft for a pocket pistol and the sights are very good. I am completely happy with the Sig P238.
February 19th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
I just purchased my p238 about a month ago. i fired about 100 rounds out of it so far and i havnt had one malfunction. i love the gun everything about it is perfect. its light, accurate and easy to conceal. i will say this though, i have carried it everyday and i have noticed that the magizine release gets depressed everytime i go to sit down, this is not good. specially when im in a restaraunt and i go to get up and see my magazine lying there on the seat. im not sure if its the holser or what. im not a fan of insid the pocket holsters. can anyone point me in the right direction? does anyone use a inside the pants holster taht does not affect the magazine release?
February 22nd, 2010 at 4:25 pm
I just got this p238 and took it to the gun range to shot it. This pistol by far is one of the nicest 380’s I have ever owned it has all the same functions as a full sized pistol but is very compact. If you purchase this firearm once it is in your hand it will be very clear on it’s quality of workmanship. The slide is nice and takes little to no effort, and is very high quality on a scale from on to 10 I give this pistol a solid 9.5 rating. With the half point form 10 in only because of how new it is and not having any real holsters yet…..But that will come. Love the pistol good job Sig
March 6th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Finally got my sig .380 rainbow; what a great gun! Shoots and handles wonderfully.
March 6th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
I purchased this in November after having purchased a Micro-Desert Eagle in May. Living in Arizona, a pocket pistol is one of the best options for concealed carry year-round and that was the original intent in getting the Micro Eagle. I could not reliably even get on the paper at 25 feet, the double action snap eats up any trigger control. In addition, the recoil on that pistol punishes the shooter nearly as much as the target. After only 75 rounds through that sucker, I knew I needed something better. A Sportsman’s Warehouse salesman showed me the P-238 and I was immediately sold. Great trigger pull, good sights, 1911 style safety and action.
I’ve put over 240 rounds through it thus far. Accuracy at 25 feet is impeccable and is respectable at 50 feet. Recoil is more than civlized and it is a joy to shoot.
As for the question regarding magazine release in pocket holster — I’ve been using my Micro-desert Eagle pocket holster and have never had the magazine release activate when carrying or sitting down.