sig p238

[lcpiper]

Sigsauerguns.com has them, I just ordered two although they are higher then most at $54 each. They are just too hard to find right now and I know I want them soon. My wife hasn't fired the P238 yet and I know that extension will make a difference for her as well as the new grips I ordered. If she can't hang onto it properly she will have problems and I want to avoid that because she is really new to shooting.

Here are the grips I ordered.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360345110077

 

[Daekar]

A few opinions/input:
I have a P238 HD, and I have had no problems. I didn't even clean out the factory lube before shooting, and it worked with 5 different types of ammo.
Your wife will probably not have trouble with this gun, it's a soft shooter. I have te extended mag, and I find it totally unnecessary. I will be interested to hear about your experience with it.

EDIT: I purchased mine at the end of April of this year, and so did my Dad - not sure of the build dates. Both guns work flawlessly, at any rate.

 

[lcpiper]

Like some other .380 pocket pistols, the P238 can have problems feeding if the shooter limp wrists it. Without a firm grip a weak wrist absorbs recoil energy needed for proper cycling of the slide. It's worse when the guns are new and the mags are full and tight. The HD version is heavier so that will help out on the recoil end. If I buy another it will be an HD, I'll give it to the wife and I will take the two-tone for myself cause I love her that way

 

[jsk]

I have a 05/2010 Nitron with original spring and magazine. After purchasing the gun i got one of the new flat springs and magazines. No issues using the old spring or either magazine after around 250 rounds or so of Winchester White Box, Remington UMC, Hornady XTP, Critical Defense, TAP, and Remington Home Defense. I haven't tried it out with the flat spring yet.

 

[bedbugbilly]

I don't have one but a friend of mine who lives in the same complex we do in Arizona during the winter does. She loves it. She did have a problem with a broken ejector spring (I think that is what it is called). She took it back to the place she bought it and they sent it back in to Sig - they repaired it and sent it back. The only issues she's had with it is in trying to shoot "cheap ammo" and feeding problems with that type of ammo. The more expensive ammo is fine in her's. As I said, she loves it and it's accurate. Her boyfriend just bought one for himself- so I guess that I'd have to say that they are very happy with theirs. I have a 9mm and 357s but am looking to add a .380 - still looking and haven't decided if I'll go the P280 route or something else.

 

[Marlin009]

I did pull the trigger and purchased one.

Good luck with it. I wish mine had been one of the good ones.

 

[lcpiper]

A small update. My spring kit and mag just got in from Pistols & Parts, Steven Botas was excellent, ordered on Monday and arrived on Wednsday the same week. Dropped the recoil spring in and it seems perfect, there is a big difference in the springs, the new flat spring is almost twice as long as the original one that was in the weapon and looks like a much higher quality peice of gear. The mag was the 3rd Gen dimpled mag.

As for the grips, they came from Charles Spesser of C&T Gunsmitthing. They look very good, made from Micarta, fit was excellent, good looks and a nice feel. I could not complain about them or the service even though I am always scepticle shopping on ebay. If you think he has something you will like, odds look good that you will be happy from what I have seen so far.

Added a link with pics.http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451685

 

[k31]

i also just got a pair of grips from spressers they fit a [IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/Artic_Echo/k31 stock/GetAttachment.jpg[/IMG]bit tight and they dont use the same sized screw, the head on his is smaller and i cant use my fancy rainbow hardware (wow how wrong that sounds). thos ar my only complaints. service and shipping was great as was the black pearl grips

 

[lcpiper]

Did he list them as comming with new screws or as using the original screws from your stock grips ?

I saw some that did and some that didn't but it looks like he makes a distinction, should check with him.

 

[k31]

to be honest i didnt order them i had a friend order them so i dont have to get a pay pal account. sounds like my only real complaint has been debunked.

 

[Deja vu]

The p238 is the gun that made me feel like Taurus is not that bad. Multiple repairs at the shop and it still does not work right.

 

[mudgun83]

Sig P238 Ammo

Aristides,
Exactly what I do with my (two):
V3 mag
new flat springs
keep em clean
use Militec-1
They both shoot flawlessly now - both fitted with Crimson Trace laser grips and loaded with Hornaday Critical Defense.
Great CC gun.

 

[Aristides]

Mudgun83,

Great minds think alike!

It appears we may have discovered the keys to the kingdom.

Enjoy your guns!

...Aristides

 

[baddarryl]

Funny, I went to a gun show yesterday (S&D not that impressive) and looked at every .380 in there. Hands down the one I liked the best was the P238 and set my heart on one until reading this. I probably won't purchase for 2-3 more months, so maybe these issues will be worked out, but damn why cant they make a gun work out of the box? I work too frickin hard to plunk on something that has to be fiddled with to work. Might say screw it and opt for a Colt Mustang. Are there any other micro 1911 style .380's that work?

 

[mudgun83]

Sig P238 Ammo

Baddarryl,
Buy the 238 with confidence, just know what the date of manufacture is - try to get one made since Dec 10. Aristides and I had similar issues - problems with earlier models with the first-gen mag which was similar to the Colt Mustang, and a REALLY bad recoil spring. The first spring I had lasted about 250 rounds before becoming badly deformed. I now have two Sig P238s with the third gen magazine and the flat recoil spring and the guns work flawlessly. The only thing they do not like is cheap ammo (reloads). It is amazingly accurate with light recoil and easy to carry. I also put the Crimson Trace laser grips on it, and load Hornaday Critical Defense ammo for daily carry. For practice, usually shoot Winchester .380 ammo - 100 rounds at Walmart are about $32.00. In my opinion, Sig has fixed the gun, just know what you have. If you get one manufactured before 12/10, Sig will give you a new recoil spring free, and may replace the mag as well if it is not the latest model. Good luck!

 

[BarryLee]

You guys need to stop talking about these things before I end up getting one!

 

[baddarryl]

Thanks Mudgun. That is what I am starting to think as I read more on them today. Just have to know what you are looking for. Still a shame that a company would release a product that is so buggy.

 

[Daekar]

When you guys say "flat springs" what do you mean? Because the recoil spring in my HK P2000 has a spring that looks like a flat piece of metal that has been spiralled... and the P238 I have has a normal looking spring. It has quite a few rounds through it and seems to be working fine. Should I buy a replacement spring from Wolff anyway?

EDIT: How can you tell the date of manufacture?

 

[lcpiper]

Not sure about the date of manufacture although it may be on your box if you have it.

The spring I know about. The original spring was a normal round-wire spring about 3" or 3 1/2" long, the new flat spring is about 5" or so and although it seems to have less tension to it once it is compressed and put into place it is actually much stiffer then the original and less likely to get deformed.

My original spring was deformed too and I am pretty sure that I messed it up while reassembling the gun. I think a got that tube that fits into the spring and locks it against the barrel lug pushed into the spring about 1/2" or so from the end and it bent the spring. This probably worsened my FTF problems early on. After seeing it I realized how easy it would be to damage that spring and was very careful with the new one.

EDIT: After checking I do have a date of manufacture on my SIG Box, 5-AUG-2010. I think I'll give SIG a call, I could always use free stuff

 

[Daekar]

Ah, my Sig was born on 18 Aug 2010. I think I'll give them a call and see if they should send me updated springs and magazines... my spring is definitely the old style, kinda thin round wire rather than flat. If I can avoid issues at all, I'll have much more confidence in the gun than if I have them and get them fixed.