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Questions: Sig Sauer P238 and S&W 442

OLDCOP
1. What is the opinion of the SIG Sauer P238 (.380) as a concealed carry? Quality, price, etc. Is it better than the older Colt .380s and why or why not?

2. Can my S&W Model 442 .38 Spl handle a +P load on occasion..."final" practice shots and for CCW?

Many thanks in advance!
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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • nmyers
    You can safely fire +P rounds in any M442, but I would not do it unless it is a 442-1 or higher (when they switched to the J Magnum frame).

    Neal
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  • dcs shooters
    The Sig is a big and expensive gun for a 380. There are some much smaller, and less expensive out there.
    I carry a Kel-Tec P3AT in my back pocket 24-7. The new Kahr,s look good.
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by OLDCOP
    1. What is the opinion of the SIG Sauer P238 (.380) as a concealed carry? Quality, price, etc. Is it better than the older Colt .380s and why or why not?

    The new Sigs are built on the old Colt tooling, with different (likely better) sights and a few minor cosmetic tweaks to make the gun more resemble the bigger SIGs.

    I think the biggest practical difference is that the SIGs ought to be a bit cheaper and more readily available since they are actually in current production.

    I think its probably fair to say that if you like the idea of a miniature 1911 in .380, you'll like this gun, and if you don't you won't.

    Personally, a mini-1911 doesn't appeal to me, but everyone I know who has one of these loves it. (I know. . .self-selecting sample).


    quote:2. Can my S&W Model 442 .38 Spl handle a +P load on occasion..."final" practice shots and for CCW?

    I'd say yes, but it depends on when your gun was made.

    If it says ".38+P" on the barrel it can handle unlimited numbers of them. I'm pretty sure that all of the guns with sideplate locks are +P rated, and that Smith started rating all its J-frames as +P in the early 90s.

    As alluded to earlier, the newer guns are actually built on a slightly tougher and stretched .357 frame (rather than a .38 frame).

    Older ones. . .unlike all-steel guns (which I believe to be pretty darn strong), I wouldn't be firing +P rounds through any of the original/early Smith aluminum alloy frame revolvers for fear of frame stretching. So no "dash". . .probably better to avoid +P rounds.

    The gun probably won't blow up in your hand if you fire +P ammo, but it might eventually get knocked out of time, or difficult to open and close, etc.
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