Kahr P380 vs. Sig P238

[texasnative]

Hello all...

Looking for some opinions / advise on a BUG / pocket carry.

I've narrowed it down to 2: the Kahr P380 and the Sig P238. (Both .380 obviously). BTW...don't want to get into the Kel-Tec, LCP debate...already ruled them out.

Put money down on whichever comes in to my local gun shop (in this case, Bullet Trap in Plano), but I may narrow that down to only one, depending on the feedback I get here.

2 Questions:

1) Which one would you select and why?
2) Does anyone have any idea how long it will take for either of these guns to come in?

Put my money down about a month ago and I'm itching to get it in.

Thanks in advance for your input.

[mr.72]

Besides being both .380 caliber pistols, I don't think they have much in common at all. Not really comparable.

Sig: single-action, manual safety, aluminum frame, hammer&firing-pin, larger than Kahr's 9mm and .40 pistols

Kahr: ultra-compact, double-action-only, no-safety, polymer striker-fired pistol that is in a size, weight and concealment class with very few competitors

I just think they are so different it's hard to compare them. Maybe mix in a J-frame in there too just to get your bases covered.

[RECIT]

I just bought a FEG PA63 that fires 9mm Makarov. It is similar in size to the Sig P232. I don't like the cost of .380 ammo and how scarce it is. So I ordered a cold war version instead. Just to mix things up a bit. I do love the look and feel of the Sig P232, I just can not justify the upfront expense of the pistol and the ammo expense.

[mr.72]

Is 9x18 any cheaper or more available than .380?

[Salty1]

The Sig 238 is based on the Colt Mustang and as I understand it some of the parts are interchangable, I like that since some nice grips are available. I am a Sig guy so that would be my choice. We have been trying to get 238"s since we received our FFL and still no word when distribution will be getting any. I cannot wait to get one, I see it being a company "demo" gun.....

[Oldgringo]

I have a Sig P-230 SL and it is a dandy for pocket carry. That's the good news, finding .380 ammo on the shelf is a Herculanean task indeed. Fortunately for me, I reload .380 as well as others.

FWIW, If I was looking, I'd stick with 9mm Luger.

[Rex B]

If you like the 1911 manual of arms then the Sig would be an obvious choice.
I shot one Tuesday. The range in Burleson has a rental gun.
I liked the way it shoots, much nicer than my LCP or P3AT. All metal except the trigger, which appeared to be plastic. Oh, and the grips are plastic, though they are advertised as aluminum. Not sure what Sig is going to do about that. And frankly, the gun I shot had some failures. Two rounds failed to fire, looked like a light primer strike, maybe a hard primer (Fiocchi? ? Also there were two times that it failed to return to battery, and needed a push on the slide to get going.
Others have reported such issues, but said Sig took care of them quickly and the gun worked fine from then on.

I have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite, and I carry it some. I much prefer it to the LCP or P3AT, but it's just a bit too bulky for comfort. The P238 seems to be slimmer than the Mustang, but still fatter than the plastic guns. I think it might be a workable compromise. Plus, the top of the P238 line is $100 less than what a used Mustang costs.

As for the Kahr, I have yet to handle or even see one. But I'm moving away from plastic guns. Besides, I've always like mini-1911s. I have about a dozen variations, but this Sig is the only one in current production, and it's the smallest of all of them.
Gotta have a P238.

[NcongruNt]

I just bought a FEG PA63 that fires 9mm Makarov. It is similar in size to the Sig P232. I don't like the cost of .380 ammo and how scarce it is. So I ordered a cold war version instead. Just to mix things up a bit. I do love the look and feel of the Sig P232, I just can not justify the upfront expense of the pistol and the ammo expense.

The PA63 was my first carry gun. It has its disadvantages. The 20#+ DA trigger takes a lot of hand strength and getting used to. Also, as a PPK clone, it inherits the slide bite issues associated with the Walther PPK. It is relatively compact, which is nice.

9x18 practice ammo is not terribly hard to find, and more recently has been easier to find than .380. Academy stocks some 9x18 at relatively cheap prices. Carry ammo is another story. There's only one real quality carry round made in 9x18, and that's the Hornady XTP. The XTP does perform beautifully in the PA63, though. It's commonly available at Cabela's and several other outlets, so it's easy enough to find. With the run on .380, it's actually easier to find 9x18 these days.

[Baytown]

My wife and I looked at both when we were at the SHOT Show.

She seemed to like the Kahr better than the Sig. Of course it is totally subjective, but the Kahr seemed like a better quality gun. I will admit, I have not shot either one. I liked them both, but I too would pick the Kahr.

I did get a Seecamp the other day in .32 and could not believe how small it was, I find it hard to believe they can fit a .380 into that thing somehow.

[pneuby]

Pocket carry? Kahr
Belt carry? Sig

You pick your poison with those, I think. Handled both at the NRA Show, and was impressed with both.
One thing on the Sig, however. ALL 5 examples on hand at the show had thumb-safeties that I just couldn't leverage
into the ON-safe position with my firing hand's thumb. Perhaps that's by design, as you wouldn't want recoil or a bump to jar it ONTO safe while shooting it. However, that does make holstering it a two-handed proposition, with your off-hand needed to apply the safety.

[NcongruNt]

Pocket carry? Kahr
Belt carry? Sig

You pick your poison with those, I think. Handled both at the NRA Show, and was impressed with both.
One thing on the Sig, however. ALL 5 examples on hand at the show had thumb-safeties that I just couldn't leverage
into the ON-safe position with my firing hand's thumb. Perhaps that's by design, as you wouldn't want recoil or a bump to jar it ONTO safe while shooting it. However, that does make holstering it a two-handed proposition, with your off-hand needed to apply the safety.

I'm guessing that like a lot of guns, the safety will wear in a bit over time and use.