New Sig Sauer P238 .380ACP 1911 > SEX

**121Traffic** · 05-05-10, 10:18 PM

Ohhhh boy. I first laid eyes on one of these at the gun show two weeks ago. They feel so good in the hand. A .380 1911, based on the tooling for the old Colt Mustang, but with Sig's locking barrel. It's got Sig's signature lines to it and it's a beaut. I can't wait to get some range time with it, but I heard from the K9 guy I bought it from that it is downright pleasant to shoot. I generally carry my J-Frame .38+P+ with me off duty at all times, and will continue to tote it in an ankle rig at work, but I've been looking for something a little bit slimmer to maybe slide into a pocket holster in cargo shorts, etc. The J-Frame worked for it too, but the cylinder can be bulky sometimes. The two weigh about the same I think, although the Sig feels heftier I think because it's more compact.

.380ACP is kind of a mouse round, but that's okay with me. Can't have everything...and 7 rounds of .380 Hydra-Shok to the chest and head is enough to make anyone think twice. Plus I can carry a reload in the form of standard Colt Mustang mags as opposed to a speed strip or speed loader for the J-Frame. The finish is beautiful on it, and it has For-Real SigPro night sights on it too...no more stubby front sight and groove of the J-Frame, which instills a LOT more confidence for me since I never shot very hot with the .38. In addition, I carry a full-size 1911 at work and a Commander-sized '11 for plainclothes stuff, so the manual of arms comes natural to me. Next purchase is a good IWB holster for it, but as the safety is pretty tough to actuate, I would feel comfortable throwing it in a pocket for short durations. Also, there is a firing pin block on it, so for those that aren't comfortable with that idea with a cocked hammer, you can lower the hammer and the safety still functions on this particular gun. You could conceivably do that, then cock the hammer and disengage the safety on the draw, but that sounds like a terrible idea altogether, but it is a possibility. I've been a 1911 user for a good while now, so cocked and locked doesn't make me queasy.

Best part? The gun retails for around $600. They were at the gunshow used for $580 and up. K9 guy got it straight from Sig for around $400 with some instructor voodoo. Put about 50 rounds through it, but hasn't carried it since...he's kind of a pocketgun junkie, and has a dozen others who's polymer frames he prefers. He let it go to me for.....$350!!

Some pictures, range report when I get it out there!

Very simple takedown

Pre-requisite from now on...REAL sights.

Size comparison with the snubby.

**Five-0** · 05-05-10, 10:22 PM

No complaints from me.

**MacLean** · 05-05-10, 10:30 PM

Sweet!

Hey, take a look at Hornady's new .380 round. Penetration is about as good as it gets in that caliber.

I bought a few boxes for the wife's mousegun.

http://www.google.com/products/catal...CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

**121Traffic** · 05-05-10, 10:41 PM

Thanks Mac! For some reason, pocketguns are VERY hard to find these days (relatively speaking as compared to just a year or two ago), and so is .380 ammo. The guy at Gander that sold me the box of Shoks had to bring it from behind the counter. That was AFTER I asked him why they didn't carry .380 in their handgun ammo section. He told me that they keep it behind the counter now to keep people from hoarding the stuff because it's hard to find, and he limited me to two boxes.

I like this gun so much, and it's small enough, that I might carry it as a second BUG...J-frame on the ankle, mousegun in the vest or somewhere else.

**MacLean** · 05-05-10, 10:47 PM

Yup, .380 ammo is a bitch to find.

Let me know if you have trouble, I have a line on some here locally.

**Wolven** · 05-06-10, 12:03 AM

I am glad to hear you like it...have been looking at them myself to carry off duty (easier to hide then my 226). And being a big Sig fan...I would like to also have a baby sig to carry. I can get one for under $400 brand new...

Let me know after you go to the range...let me know how you like it then.

Sure sweet to look at....

**121Traffic** · 05-06-10, 06:00 PM

Where are you getting one for under 400 new????

**adroitcuffs** · 05-06-10, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by 121Traffic

Where are you getting one for under 400 new????

And how can you get me one for under 400 new????

**121Traffic** · 05-06-10, 06:40 PM

Mac, after doing a little research, I'm not ashamed to say that I had no idea +P .380 ammo was manufactured. These Federal HS's aren't going to stay in there long...only as long as it takes for me to get my hands on either some of the MagTech Guardian +P, or the stuff that's currently getting rave reviews from Buffalo Bore. 380 Auto +P Pistol & Handgun Ammunition

**MacLean** · 05-06-10, 11:17 PM

Make sure whatever it is penetrates to the FBI standard, or as close as you can get it in mousegun.

Some of that +P stuff is hot, but does not get deep enough to work. There are even some folks that advocate FMJ in the mouseguns for that reason. I'm not one of them, but it makes you think.

**pgg** · 05-07-10, 03:30 AM

I'm carrying the Hornady rounds in my LCP. They seem to be decent so far.

**121Traffic** · 05-07-10, 03:45 AM

Originally Posted by maclean

Make sure whatever it is penetrates to the FBI standard, or as close as you can get it in mousegun.

Some of that +P stuff is hot, but does not get deep enough to work. There are even some folks that advocate FMJ in the mouseguns for that reason. I'm not one of them, but it makes you think.

I've heard the FMJ argument for .380 too but I also don't quite buy it. I'd rather count on a significant wound cavity than on trying to blow out a brain stem or spine with ball ammo. I'm definitely doing research.

**MacLean** · 05-07-10, 12:39 PM

Cool - just remember the only wound cavity that matters has to be deep enough to cause blood loss.

**HudsonHawk** · 05-07-10, 05:07 PM

You're probably sick of this by now, especially with the scarce ammo. I'll take it off your hands for $300.

**121Traffic** · 05-07-10, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by vengeance05

You're probably sick of this by now, especially with the scarce ammo. I'll take it off your hands for $300.

HA! Don't be a ridiculous son of a bitch.

**ChesCopPodz** · 05-07-10, 10:40 PM

I seriously picked the wrong department. 1911 duty weapon plus, it seems, very liberal BUG choices.

+p 380 is the way to go with that caliber. Stay away from bullets in the lighter range of 380 weights. And make sure you test the gun with the ammo you plan on using. I bought a SIG 232 as a BUG in 04, then my wife stole it because she loved shooting it. It won't function with most hollow point ammo, even after i polished the feed ramp. We use the pow'rball ammo in it. Haven't had to shoot anything with it, but research suggests the pow'rball ammo to be sufficient in expanding and penetration, and it feeds reliably every time because it's a FMJ profile.

**ChesCopPodz** · 05-07-10, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by 121Traffic

Where are you getting one for under 400 new????

I don't think she can get THAT for under 400, but Sig has a LE program and a "used" gun program, and the base model compact 239 can be had for under 400 in many places under one or both of those conditions.

**Wolven** · 05-07-10, 10:48 PM

I will double check..but I am reasonably sure he said just under $400. Will double check with my source...

Just asked pgg, who was with me gun shopping that day (he was up in this neck of the woods on ride-a-longs), and he said he thought it was closer to $300. I'll call the store and ask again...but if it is that cheap...I'll pass it on

**MacLean** · 05-07-10, 11:56 PM

I can also get them at just under $400.

Y'all seriously check your data on the +P .380 stuff. Just sayin.

**121Traffic** · 05-09-10, 01:33 PM

Roger that, Mac. I'm looking at everything here, and plan on putting lots of different brands to the test. When I can find some of that Hornady load in stock, I'll pick up a box and run some down the pipe.

I found some of the Buffalo Bore stuff at Sportsman's Warehouse today...both the 90 gr. FMJ FN and the 90 gr. JHP. Both burn at around 1175FPS, and about 270FP of Muzzle Energy. Compared to the regular loads at around 1000FPS and 200FP. Seems pretty decent to me, and everything I can find is putting the Buffalo Bore stuff at decent performance round-wise. The BB stuff seems much better bonded on visual inspection than the Hydra-Shoks too, with tighter tolerance brass. The rounded bullet profile seems to feed smoother than the flat edged Shoks, but that might be my imagination. But, I'm no ammo guru, and that stuff might not matter at all.

BB stuff on the left, Federal H-Shoks on the right.