.38 ACP vs 9mm recoil- Which is more comfortable?

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NateKirk

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Hey all, lately I've been thinking on getting a smaller carry gun and have my eyes set on Sigs P238 and P938 models. The 238 is .38 acp and the 938 is 9mm. They are both about the same size, so that really isn't a factor, but I do want whatever is most controllable/ easiest to shoot. Obviously the 9mm is a slightly bigger cartridge, but I've heard that .38's tend to have "snappier" sharper recoil.
Which caliber do you think is the most comfortable to shoot (in a small pistol)? And if anybody has any of these guns feel free to talk me into buying them (or buying something else; I'm still in the market) Thanks!
 
Much of the .380 ACP's rep for "snappy recoil" comes from the blowback operated, tiny gripped guns the cartridge usually comes in.

Locked breech guns (both the P238 and P938 are locked breech guns) don't seem to kick as hard......

The "Extreme" versions of these two SIG guns have a fuller grip and an extended mag with a finger pad on it, so you can get all your fingers on the gun ..... that will help you hold on to it better, making recoil seem even milder.

That said, I'd go with the 9mm 938, simply because 9mm ammo is cheaper. It's only a dollar or two/box of fifty, but if you actually shoot your gun much, the savings would pay for a whole 'nother gun in 10 years.
 
I prefer 9mm. Its performance is much better than 380. But, guns like the LCP fit in the pocket. They really have different roles. The P938 is a very small belt gun with good sights, accuracy and recoil while the P238 is a small pocket gun for when you need **something** but cannot manage something larger (or you just want a backup gun).

I think the recoil of the Ruger LCP is fine. I have no issues with the recoil of the Kahr PM9 and Ruger LC9S.
 
You mean .380ACP not .38ACP correct? .38ACP is the same dimension as the 38 Super but loaded to much lower pressures. 380's can indeed be snappy due to most of them having straight blow back actions.
 
Much of the .380 ACP's rep for "snappy recoil" comes from the blowback operated, tiny gripped guns the cartridge usually comes in
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The modern "mouse gun" 380's like the Ruger LCP, Kel-Tec P3AT, S&W Bodyguard, Taurus 738, Beretta PICO, and most other new models sold today are of locked breech design. That is how they can make them so small, and light.
If you look at straight blow back designs of the past they are larger, and heavier in order to operate with 380 in a straight blow back pistol. The only blow back 380 I have is a Beretta Model 34, and I can say it's weight, and size result in much less recoil than my Elsie Pea.
 
I agree with what Cheapshooter said about the relative weight of blowback vs polymer .380s

One thing to consider when debating between the felt recoil of a polymer locked-breech .380 like the LCP vs. a blowback, metal-framed .380 like the PPK is that while, while the LCP kicks a lot more than the PPK, it may still be easier for you to shoot well.

The PPK in .380 is no kitten and the blowback-action makes it very prone to failures if you have the slightest amount of looseness in your grip. Some would call that a good learning tool, but it also makes for a less trustworthy firearm. A .380 is often carried as a BUG and may be fired at odd angles, during a struggle. Under those circumstances, I would very much favour a locked-breech gun like the LCP.
 
Folks, the guns under consideration by the OP are neither polymer nor blowback operated.
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My point was that most 380's being currently made, poly, or metal, are not blowback, but rather locked breech.
About the only blowback designs are the Walther PPK, and copies, Hi-Point, and other low priced guns using ZAMAK alloy slides.
The very popular 380 mouse guns are all locked breech.
 
It's alright jimbob, I'm still deciding on what to get, so info on other pistols around the same size is welcome, And Guv, yeah I meant .380 ACP, thanks
I'm leaning towards 9mm because I'll be able to afford more practice, but .380's are generally a little smaller.... Decisions, decisions:( Ideally I'd want to get a pistol that I'll be able to take with me and conceal no matter what I'm wearing so now I'm leaning toward .380..... Maybe by the time I make up my mind I'll have saved up enough to buy both:D
 
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Ammo for the .380 will cost you more. If you are a man and weigh 160 pounds or more you should have no problem with a 9mm CCW just dress correctly.
 
It is worth mentioning that in regard to your original questions, a 15 ounce locked breach P238 firing a 95 grain .380 round at approximately 850+ fps is going to recoil significantly less than a 16 ounce locked breach P938 firing a 115 grain 9mm round at approximately 1050 fps. Whether or not the increased recoil is problematical or objectionable for YOU depends on a lot of things, all subjective.

I have not fired a 938 but a friend has one and he says it is "snappy" compared to the 238 he used to have. He loves it, though, and considers it ideal for his defensive purposes. A 238 has negligible recoil.
 
I have not fired a 938 but a friend has one and he says it is "snappy" compared to the 238 he used to have.
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My wife's EDC is a P238, and recoil is quite mild. It handles the .380 cartridge much more comfortably than a lot of the lighter pocket guns.

Folks I have talked to with the P938 have said the same as your friend, but like you I have not been able to shoot the 9mm version.

It occurs to me that the comparison between the two Sigs is one of the few opportunities to compare the two cartridges in pistols of substantially similar size, weight, and design, and it seems that most people confirm the expectation that the .380 will be the softer shooter.

I am among those who trusts the 9 mm more for SD purposes, but to the question of which recoils less all else being equal, I go with the .380 ACP.
 
Laz said:
I have not fired a 938 but a friend has one and he says it is "snappy" compared to the 238 he used to have. He loves it, though, and considers it ideal for his defensive purposes.
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FWIW I've shot a P938, I agree with this comparison to the P238, and furthermore, I'm unimpressed with the P938 compared to the S&W Shield and Ruger LC9s. I found the latter two to both be softer-shooting and easier to shoot well than the P938. Pardon the thread hijack. :p

Also, the P938 I fired repeatedly spat out the magazine on firing, although this may have been a problem with the individual pistol. (Before anyone asks, after the first time it did this, I made sure that I was not riding the mag release button with any of my fingers, and it did it 2 more times.)

YMMV. :)
 
I got a 238 and a 938 for my wife and daughter. They both shoot their 238s very well and not nearly so well with the 938. They both carry their 238s but would not carry the 938s so I sold the 938s.
 
To me the exact size and shape of the handgun and how the grips fit my hand matter as much or more than the caliber. My big steel 9mm CZ is a pussycat, while my tiny polymer 380 beats my hand up. But my medium sized Beretta 380 has more gentle recoil than my small Ruger LC9 9mm.

If they are the exact same weapon, the smaller caliber should have less felt recoil. If they are not, there are many other factors involved, with the size and shape of the shooter's hand being a very important one.
 
Other guns to consider: SIG p232 .380; Kimber Solo 9mm. I'm inclined to say the recoil and ease of handling depend on the specific weapon. I had a 9 mm Kahr that beat me to death, I finally sold it. I've got a couple of K&H .45s that are easier to shoot and to handle.

My SIG p232 has more recoil than the Solo. The Solo is also slightly more accurate. I believe it's because the weight of the frame (it's fuller forward), barrel and slide go all the way to the muzzle. I think because the p232 is lighter in the muzzle end I tend to compensate resulting in a lower shot group. I noticed yesterday when I didn't try to compensate I was getting within 1/2 inch of the 1 inch ring on a five inch target at 7 yards. 90% of my rounds were in the 5 inch ring.

The other folks made good points, including ammo cost. A Solo costs around $750; ammo costs are out of sight, but they are self defense loads. At my LGS, a p232 is around $540; a p238 is about $500. (SIG: cost estimates.)

I'm picking up a SIG p239 9mm tomorrow. We'll see how it works out.
 
I've had a second thought. Buy a 9 mm weapon that has lower recoil. Practice with normal ammo. Load the gun with self defense ammo for carry. Shoot enough self defense ammo to be comfortable as to reliability and accuracy.

I shoot .38 special ammo in a .357 magnum for practical. I can't really tell much difference in recoil when shooting the .357 load, probably the gun.
 
I have a MP Bodyguard 380 and my 9mm's are a Beretta M9 and Ruger P89. The Bodyguard will beat your hand more than those two by far. I have also fired the G26 9mm and the Bodyguard will beat your hand by far more than the G26.

Honestly, I carry the Bodyguard and when I shoot it at the range, I fire 2-4 magazines and I am done with that session.
 
This is basic physics

If you are still shopping carry one of those postal scales with you. In any given caliber the heavier gun will give you the less recoil. Instead of whining just have the sales man set a few out on the counter and weigh them.

There is no reason to not know before you shoot any given brand because it all boils down to Newton's Second and Third Laws.
 
I've had a second thought. Buy a 9 mm weapon that has lower recoil.
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I've already got a BHP, I just want something smaller for warmer weather. Does anyone have any problems carrying these (LCP P238, LC9, etc.) in a pocket holster?
 
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