Sig Sauer P238

Question
I'm looking at this for a pocket gun. I have only used a 38 revolver in the past.  Would like to know how easy it is to use, clean,and anything you may know about reliability.  Thanks in advance

Answer
Hello Teresa.

First of all I can tell you that Sig Sauer makes some of the best and most reliable firearms in the world, in my opinion. They are famous for being reliable even under difficult conditions such as dirt, rain, snow, mud, etc. but most of us never need to worry about that. I have used many Sig Sauer firearms and never found one that I didn't like and never had a problem with any.

Next I can say that the P238 is a very new model which has generated a lot of interest in the firearm industry. I plan to shoot one soon and I would like to have one eventually.

When it comes to a "pocket gun" for concealed carry or personal defense, however, there are some other guns I would choose first. There are several reasons for this:

- The P238 is a single-action firearm which must be manually cocked before it can be fired. It also has a manual safety which must be manipulated before firing. These features make it more difficult to learn and use when under stress. It will be easy and pleasant to shoot at the range but when someone is attacking you then you may not remember to cock the hammer or release the safety, thus you may be killed or injured while you fumble with the gun. People who carry single-action firearms for defense must train with them very often, practicing the draw and shooting technique many thousands of times before these actions become an automatic reflex or instinct which they can easily repeat under stress.

- The P238 would be more difficult and a bit less comfortable to carry in a pocket, especially if it was cocked while carrying it. The exposed hammer can or "beaver tail" grip tang could snag on clothing or other objects more easily when you attempt to draw it from concealment.

- If a cartridge misfires in the P238 then you will not be able to just pull the trigger again to attempt a second firing. You must manually cock the hammer back first and this is another thing which will be difficult under stress without lots of training and practice.

- The P238 model is a very new design thus it has not been proven yet like many other firearm models which have been around for years and sold hundreds of thousands. Like any new model it could prove to be excellent once it has been tested by many people for a few years, or some bugs or quirks could be detected early on that result in a design change or even discontinuation of the model line.

Still, though, the P238 may be a good choice if you want to carry it in a belt holster where it will be more easily drawn, and if you plan to train and practice with it a lot. Like all Sig Sauer guns it should be very easy to field strip, clean, and reassemble so it wouldn't be hard to maintain.

I can't recommend a specific gun for you without knowing a lot more about you but for a good pocket gun you might check into the Keltec PF-9, P3-AT, or P-32 models. Also check out the S&W airweight and the Taurus ultralight revolvers. I have used all of those and a number of them are surprisingly easy to carry in a pocket, purse, camera bag, jacket, etc.

Hope this helps. Best of luck with your decision.

Bob