Sig P238 Manual of Arm

C

Consort

New member
Do you think that the manual of arms on a Sig P238 would be too difficult for a new shooter to grasp ? Would it be better to start with a DAO pistol and then transition to the single action platform ?
 
Dis-assembly and re-assembly is slightly weird on the Sig P-238. Once you know, it's not so bad, but it can be a little frustrating. After I got it figured out I walked my wife through it and she didn't have a problem.
I would say to start a newbie off with something simplistic and then go to things more involved.
 
Do you think that the manual of arms on a Sig P238 would be too difficult for a new shooter to grasp ?
Click to expand...

Manual of arms is a matter of Reading The Fine Manual.

I don't think a gun that size is what a new shooter should be starting with.
 
Whats the new shooters mentality? Will they shoot the gun once a year and leave it in the safe more than carry it? Or are they more likely to engage their mind in learning about firearms and the shooting sports and make a regular hobby of it?

I wouldn't suggest a 238 to a beginner because of its size, the "manual of arms" is actually a good one to learn on.
 
To me the P238 would not be too bad for a new shooter. Nice quality gun with very controllable recoil. As a matter of fact I have introduced a couple of female new shooters with the P238 and it was their favorite over all the other guns I own.

Manual of arms is not bad either. One thing you have to learn is to push the little lever thing down when putting the slide back on. Just pay attention to notches and corresponding voids. Safety is easy to reach and work for pretty much any sized hands.
 
Glad you brought up the female factor. My original question was posed because my very petite daughter wants to start shooting. She will be taking a basic pistol class and ultimately wants her ccw permit. Most of my pistols are double stack and too bulky for her diminutive grip. I thought the P238 might be a good learning platform with decent sights, and less recoil than, say, an LCP or similar pistols. She said that SIG feels comfortable in her hand, too. My other thought would be a G42 but they are scarce in our neck of the woods right now and we can't find one to sample..
 
If your daughter is an attentive sort who will listen, learn, and practice, I don't see anything wrong with her owning a P238. My wife has one, and you are quite correct that they shoot much nicer and easier than most pocket .380s. A lot of women (like my wife and perhaps your daughter) find it and similarly sized pistols attractive options for carry because they are small enough to hide even when they dress stylishly.

Every pistol needs a holster, and the thumb safety should be used on the little Sig, but the trigger is not particularly light, and there is a lot to be said for her having the pistol that she likes.
 
Despite the ammo situation a .22lr firearm is the perfect starter gun for a new shooter weather male or female. It will let the shooter learn the fundamentals like proper grip, trigger control and the like without focusing on any recoil. I took my female cousin to the range for the first time with a GSG 1911. She never even touched a gun before and with-in 15 minutes after teaching her the basics she was getting a very tiny group on her target from 12 yards.

I moved her up to a full size 9mm handgun and although she liked the .22 pistol better, she was getting okay groups. Don't start her out with a small pistol with a short sight radius and limited grip. Many women who like those small guns like them for their size before ever shooting one. Despite how much she likes it, she may not like shooting it right off the bat. After she get's the basics down, move her up in caliber, but keep the gun in no less than a compact size. Find a place that rents guns or find someone with a variety of firearms she can try out.

I had a P238 and it's a fantastic little carry gun with low recoil, but I wouldn't put it in the hands of a new shooter right off the bat.The manual of arms is just something learned from shooting and practicing with the gun on a regular basis. I started out with thumb safety firearms so it's second nature for me and could be for anyone who will actually practice. If someone buys one, learns it and barely shoots it then a point and shoot type of gun with no manual safety might be more appropriate. Another .380 I could suggest in the category that has no manual safeties is a CW380, however I don't like suggesting guns to a person I don't know with zero experience.
 
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I was really surprised when my wife didn't like the Sig P232. She did like the way the P238 felt in her hand. The trigger is just a tad heavy, but it's not excessive. It has pretty low recoil. I suggest getting the 7 shot mags. They make a big difference on hand feel.
 
I agree that a .22 is the best starter/training pistol. Practically non-existent recoil means the new shooter can concentrate on fundamentals like trigger control and sight picture. Then move to a centerfire pistol. The recoil of the Sig P238 is not harsh but it may still intimidate a new shooter and create bad habits.
 
Biggest problem I see with the p238 and a new shooter is sight radius is too short. It is short for a experienced shooter. It is not the manual if arms that is the issue IMHO.
 
Good points all. Personally I think DAO is the hardest trigger to hit anything with. A small gun exacerbates the problem further.
 
My wife shoots her P238 better than any other handgun. Just sayin....

It was actually mine, but she hated her LC9 and I had her try the P238 and then it became hers.
 
If you like the sig238 for your daughter, but it is a hair small, consider a Colt gov 380. 7 shot instead of 6 and a slightly longer barrel. I find it easy to carry and easier to shoot.

gov380s_left.jpg
 
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