The new SIG-Sauer P238 .380: a compact with GM-1911 roots
by J. B. Wood
Contributing Editor
The “tiny .380” story began a long time ago. John Moses Browning and the people at Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium designed the .380 cartridge around 1907, and it was first called the 9mm Browning Short. In America, in 1908, the Colt company chambered their medium-frame pistol for it, and called it the .380 ACP. FN offered their Model 1910 pistol in this chambering. Meanwhile, in the same time period, the first “tiny” .380 arrived: The little Bayard, by Pieper of Belgium.
Then, in 1922, the Star firm in Spain brought out their Model D. It was, essentially, a scaled-down US GM-1911, though very different mechanically. In 1957, with some slight modifications, it became the Model DK, and was made in that form until 1972. Meanwhile, in 1968, Big Brother in Washington, DC, decided that we could not be trusted with neat little pistols from over there. Our importation ban was likely the main reason that Star discontinued it.
Around 1970, the Colt company briefly considered offering it as the Colt “Pony,” and a few prototypes, now prized by collectors, were made for them by Firearms International (FI) in Maryland. After Colt decided against the idea, FI later made a few in 1976 as the FI Model D. Two years later, it appeared as the Iver Johnson Pony. Finally, in 1986, Colt reconsidered and brought out a slightly re-designed version called the Mustang. It went out-of-production in 1998.
When SIG/Sauer (sigsauer.com) was about to enter the “tiny .380” parade in 2009, some wise person in their R&D department looked at this venerable design, and said, “Hey, this is a neat little pistol!” There were, of course, some excellent SIG/Sauer modifications. One was an automatic internal firing pin block that is disengaged only when the trigger is pulled. Another is the alloy frame that gets the weight down to 15.2 ounces.
Dimensionally, the SIG/Sauer P238 is also slightly smaller than the previous versions. The overall length is 5.5 inches, height is 3.9 inches, and width 1.1 inches. For those who like to have all the figures, barrel length is 2.7 inches. The stainless-steel magazine holds six rounds. The slide is also stainless, with a black Nitron finish. A two-tone version is available. The frame finish is black hard-coat anodized.
Unlike most of the other current little .380s, and true to its classic GM-1911 style, the P238 has a single action firing system. On my pistol, the trigger pull is crisp, with minimal take-up and practically no over-travel. The manual says it should be 5 pounds. On my Lyman Electronic Scale, it’s a little over 6 pounds. However, this is a brand-new gun, and it will likely settle-in after more shooting at around the five-pound mark.
As with all pistols in this size category, there’s room for only two average fingers on the front-strap of the frame. Even so, it sits well in the hand. The front and back of the frame have vertical grooving, and the grip panels have the same pattern. Ample frame extension at upper rear will prevent any chance of hammer-bite. The hammer is a rowel-type with a tapered-oval cross-hole. Not quite as easy to thumb-cock as a classic spur-type, but less likely to snag during a draw.
The manual safety is in the traditional location, left upper rear, and it is easily operated without changing the hold. The lever can be moved upward to on-safe with the hammer in either position. Those who prefer to carry in cocked-and-locked mode will be pleased to know that the safety detent is very positive—no way it can be pushed to “off” in pocket or holster. Note that the safety acts directly on the hammer, not the sear. If the pistol is loaded, cocked, and on-safe, keep your finger away from the trigger when moving the lever to off-safe, or the pistol will fire. This is fully covered on page 12 of the manual.
On the same page, the well-written manual advises against easing the hammer down to forward position with a round in the chamber. If the hammer slips from under the thumb, the pistol will fire. Even so, this has long been my preferred arrangement with any SA handgun having an external hammer. Aimed in a safe direction, and done carefully, this operation can be safely done. And, for carrying safely in this mode, there is an inertial firing pin and the automatic block.
The P238 has a classic falling-barrel locking system, and this helps in taming the felt-recoil in this small and lightweight pistol. SIG/Sauer wisely did away with the old swinging link. The barrel movement is controlled by a bent-oblong track in the under lug. The squared-off chamber area locks into the generously-sized ejection port. It’s an excellent and smooth-operating system. The extractor is of traditional GM-1911 design.
The square-picture sights have three big white dots, and both are dovetail-mounted, so lateral adjustment is possible. They are well-shaped to prevent snagging, a good compromise height. The rear notch has ample width for easy pick-up of the front sight. If you ever have to make a “long shot” to save a hostage, these sights will serve you well.
I tried the P238 with loads from Black Hills, Speer, Winchester, and Cor-Bon. Hollow-points were no problem; feeding and ejection were flawless. At seven yards, standing, two-hand hold, it kept all five shots in the 8-inch black of a Champion VisiShot target, rapid fire. Transfer that group to the chest area of a standard combat silhouette. Ammunition, in this case, was the excellent Cor-Bon DPX load, delivering 196 foot-pounds of energy.
Suggested retail price of the P238 is $515, slightly more for the two-tone version. SIGLITE night sights are another option. If you are a GM-1911 person, familiar controls and operation will be an advantage. And, of course, you get SIG/Sauer quality and reliability. So, to a marvelous little design...welcome back!
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