Sig P238 or Colt Mustang?

[blujax01]

I've had a hankering for the pocket .380 for some time. I thought I'd ask the folks who may know.

Same exact gun, right? Should I pay the extra $$$ for the Pony? Sig appears to offer quite a variety of features and finishes but only Colt is Colt - or this used to be true anyway.

Is their new version of the Mustang worth it?

Thanks In advance,

~ Alan

[fat tom]

For me,the Colt. An older one though,like a Govt. Model or Plus II. Don't care for Sigs at all,with the exception of the 210.






f.t.

[V-35]

I had the same dilima when I was looking for a carry gun for my wife. I wanted a single action as the DAO's had a long & often gritty triger pull that tended to make her pull her shots to the right. With the single actions cocked & locked, it takes only a sweep of the thumb to put them into action with a very crisp trigger pull. Both had a heavy enough detent on the safty to make an accidential 'pull off' unlikely. She handeled & shot the SA's much better than the DAO's.

After looking at both models, we decided on the Colt as the rounded slide looked & felt better than the Sig. (To us anyway) And as you said, it was also a Colt


I don't think that either would be a bad choice though.




Art

[V-35]

As far as the new Mustangs, I have not looked at them. The one my wife has is the old (& costly) Mustang Pocketlite. Very light & handy. She shoots std. loads for practice, but it is loaded with +P's for carry. She love it as a carry gun.



Art

[Moonman]

I like the Sig 238 very much, No experience with the Colt "Mustang" other than the original
ones before this remake model had problems I do believe.

Alan,
The next time you come North on I-71 don't forget to check for your "CRYSTAL" HOT SAUCE.

[GKC]

I haven't ever had a Colt Mustang, although I have looked at a few in my LGS...several old models, and one new model. I hesitated on buying the new model, thought about it for an hour, went back to buy it, and it had already sold. I haven't seen another new model since.

I have owned a couple of the P238s. I had an early model, when they tended to be problematic, which I sold. I bought one earlier this year, and while it was reliable (and they all seem to be reliable now) I ultimately decided that I wanted to consolidate to two calibers: 9mm and 45 ACP. So, I ended up trading it. If I was going to buy a 380, though, the P238 is the one I would choose, simply based on experience.

[Rule3]

Both nice guns but no way I am putting a single action with no grip safety in my pocket. I have oodles of 380's and with the newer pocket 9 mm's I rather carry one of those.

If you can find one, and don't mind tearing your trigger finger get the Seecamp.

My older Colt Mustang is in no way a "pocket" gun.

The Ruger LCP is the number one selling gun for a reason, no it's not a Sig or Colt but you forget it's in your pocket.

http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf

[V-35]

[QUOTE=Moonman;136727345]I like the Sig 238 very much, No experience with the Colt "Mustang" other than the original
ones before this remake model had problems I do believe.




What were the 'problems' with the original Mustangs? I have neither heard of nor experenced any problems with our Pocketlite Mustang. Is there supposed to be something in our future?

Art

[Moonman]

Original MUSTANGS supposedly had many problems with JAMMING.

Maybe it was the OWNERS.

Colt seemed to STRESS with the ADVERISING RELEASE that the NEW MUSTANGS were MORE RELIABLE and ACCURATE.

[keith44spl]

My left pant pocket pistol...Never misses a beat...I like it with Remington Golden Sabers.





Su Amigo,
Dave

[V-35]

Originally Posted by keith44spl

My left pant pocket pistol...Never misses a beat...I like it with Remington Golden Sabers.





Su Amigo,
Dave

Dave, you have great taste in guns & grips


Art

[NFrameFred]

Handled the Sigs . . . never fired one. Can't see a reason for going away from my old Mustang which has been reliable 100% with factory and equivalent loads. Haven't seen one of the new Ponies so I couldn't say. Have an older Mustang with an aftermarket aluminum trigger that makes a world of difference and a older .380 Government just 'cause I could and it's so darned cute

I love my Colt 1911's but Colt left me behind years ago when their handguns pretty much became 'custom shop' propositions and they flirted briefly (and stupidly IMO) with restricting sales of their AR15's to civilians. The way I saw it they basically told me they didn't want my business. So now I collect S&W's

[JJEH]

One more for the Colt.

[Moonman]

NFrameFred,

If you think about that a moment,

The MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.

A business contract for Colt and also Civilian Gun Control

for the Government by Colt's decision to cut back on civilian sales

due to government business commitment contract obligations.

[labworm]

They are all nice, have a Colt Government from 1990, handled the Sig at the LGS and Seecamp.

I have a S&W Walther .380 also .32 which I like, just a matter of taste, I think. And no problems with either.

Buy one of each

[revolvergeek]

The 238 has much easier to see sights (big, black, blocky 3-dot night sights) than the Mustang, and the current production 238 comes with an ambi safety. *To me*, these features combined with the lower price make the 238 a much better deal.

I was glad to see that Colt brought the Mustang back, but I wish that they would have improved the sights and also brought back the Govt. Model .380 as well (or at least the Mustang Plus II). Both are great little guns that are flat, light and kick much less than larger blowback .380s.

[GF]

"My left pant pocket pistol...Never misses a beat..."
Keith44spl

Of late, mines been a nickel Colt Cobra.

GF

[LouisianaJoe]

I own a Plus II and a LCP. I like to shoot the Colt more because it is heavier, but I carry the LCP because it is thinner and lighter

[Cyrano]

I've owned several Mustangs. Never had any problem with reliability. My first was a Pocketlite: the frame began to peen where the breech of the barrel came down on it during recoil, after quite a few of my fairly mild cast bullet handloads. So I sold it and got an all steel. Didn't like the propensity of the blued finish to wear.

I have an ergonomic problem with the Mustang: my trigger finger is sorta fat ( some years ago I ran it between the belt and sprocket of a swamp cooler). My finger gets pinched between the bottom of the trigger and the sharp front shoulder of the groove in the trigger guard. I don't know whether the SIG would have the same problem. Other than that I like the Mustang and will give them a hard look when they hit the market place, they haven't appeared here in the western extreme of Texas yet.

[tops]

My wife has a S&W BG380 which is a real DA auto that she carries. I want at least 2 pistols of the same caliber so last week we got a Sig 238. She has only shot 3 boxes of shells but we think it is a neat pocket poppper. The sights are very user friendly. If she decides to carry it she will carry it with the barrel loaded and the hammer down. I don't see any difference in pulling the hammer back on a SA whether revolver or auto. I don't know anything about a small Colt. Larry

[Grayfox]

I own one of the older Mustangs and have fired the Sig. Both are great guns, but I like the Colt more. The Sig is a little on the blocky side to me.
I haven't even seen one of the new Mustangs, so I can't comment on them.
All I can say is look at both and see which one you like.

[Kanewpadle]

Not to derail things but why settle for a 380 when you can have a Kahr PM9 or CM9?

[Herknav]

Originally Posted by V-35

Dave, you have great taste in guns & grips


Art

Dave, do you have an ambi safety, or how do you work the safety with the pistol in your wrong hand?

That's a really nice-looking Mustang, btw.

Thanks,
Herk

[LedFowl]

Neither is blowback, is that right?

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by LedFowl

Neither is blowback, is that right?

Which ones??

[jaykellogg]

I wouldn't carry "condition 1" in my pocket. I have two pocket guns, a Diamondback DB380 and a Kel Tec PF-9.

Of the two you mentioned, I guess I would go with the Sig.

[Moonman]

Condition 1 in a GOOD POCKET HOLSTER.

The Sig Safety has to be removed with intentional authority, you're not just going to bump it off.

Then the trigger still has to PULLED.

Some folks are just mentally conditioned to a revolvers inherit safety, so that is what they should carry.

[627 city hunter]

As usual Kanewpadle takes the words off my keyboard.

9mm offerings for pocket carry are the logical jump from the .380 which is even a more expensive round though it is generally under powered.

PF9
Nano
LC9
Shield
PPS
Kimber Solo
P290

Then I came across this:

You really don’t need a pocket 9mm | Gun Nuts Media

9mm +P is a serious load in any case.

Keep in mind I don't like pocket carry pistols because they don't feel right in my hands.

The P290 with extension being the exception.

[chief38]

I am not a big .380 fan because of the stopping power issue; inadequate to say the least, IMHO. That said, IF I WERE TO carry a .380 acp it would be the NEW Colt Mustang because I've fired two of them in the last few months and they have been 100% reliable, very accurate, can safely be carried with the hammer down over a round in the chambers, fit the hand very well, and are the best of the pocket pistols IMHO.

After experiencing a LOT of failures of the other brands like Kahr, Ruger, Seecamp, Kel Tec, etc. I have no faith in them personally as far as reliability is concerned.

I'll stick with my M60-7 but again the New Colt is REALLY a quality made gun if you like the .380.

[LedFowl]

Originally Posted by Rule3

Which ones??

Sorry, it was early. Neither the Mustang nor the Sig P238 is blowback, is that right?

[keith44spl]

Originally Posted by Herknav

Dave, do you have an ambi safety, or how do you work the safety with the pistol in your wrong hand?

That's a really nice-looking Mustang, btw.

Thanks,
Herk

I jest carry it hammer down.......



Su Amigo,
Dave

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by LedFowl

Sorry, it was early. Neither the Mustang nor the Sig P238 is blowback, is that right?

Right. Both are locked breech, on the Browning system: locking lugs on the top of the barrel engage grooves in the slide. The breech of the barrel is cammed down to unlock.

[steamloco76]

I have a SIG P238 with the night sight option. It is an utterly reliable, accurate pistol. In my reliability/torture test range sessions, the P238 has made it past 200 rounds of mixed ammo before fouling finally caused a stovepipe jam. Darned good for a tiny pocket pistol that you certainly aren't going to use in an extended firefight. The gun favors Speer Gold Dot and Federal Hydra-Shock JHP's with Hornady Critical Defense working well too.

My only slight issue with this particular P238 is a case of first shot low syndrome. It always and I mean always prints the round manually racked into the chamber 5-6 inches low and 2-3 inches left of aim. The next six rounds will shred the aim point. It does not matter which method is used to chamber the first round, sling shotting the slide or using the slide release. Practicing, I just aim high chest for two- three fast shots then a double on the head. It pays to know your carry pieced very well.

[Mercury]

IIRC, the Mustang has a FP safety that's connected to the trigger. It cannot fire unless the trigger is held rearward. Because of this, I feel much better about carrying it in a pocket holster, cocked and locked.

As far as I'm aware, the Sig doesn't have this feature and therefore is not a candidate for pocket carry for me.

Both are reliable and accurate. The Sig has better sights but Novaks makes them for the Mustang.

[blujax01]

Has the alloy frame been an issue for anyone? The current Colt Mustang is an alloy whereas Sig offers alloy versions and a P238HD in stainless. It is 5 oz heavier though.

I do appreciate you folks having this discussion. You all are great!

[steamloco76]

Originally Posted by blujax01

Has the alloy frame been an issue for anyone? The current Colt Mustang is an alloy whereas Sig offers alloy versions and a P238HD in stainless. It is 5 oz heavier though.

I do appreciate you folks having this discussion. You all are great!

I have about 1,000 rounds through my P238 and the frame is showing almost no wear. Lube mine with Weapons Shield grease, which works very nicely on steel on aluminum surfaces.

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by blujax01

Has the alloy frame been an issue for anyone? .

!

I had a stainless pocketlite. After about 1500 rounds of fairly mild cast bullet handloads, the frame began to peen where the breech of the barrel slammed down on it during the firing cycle. I got an all steel one after that.

[ace22]

i didn't read through this thread so my answer might be a repeat but i say go with the colt, either the new model or an older model.
i own several of the colt 380s and did own a sig 238 and have handled several others. the colt just seems smoother in fit, and feels better in my hand. another plus is the colt is a better investment.

[Mphstiger1981]

I got the Sig P238 and greatly enjoy it. It is a little heavier in the pocket than the Kel-Tecs and the LCPs of the world, but I personally find it easier to shoot than the others and I've owned several of each flavor over the years. Mine has been very reliable and resides in my strong side pants pocket almost every day, backed up by the S&W 642 on the ankle.

[dyner]

My wife bought a new p238 sig Saturday. We both agree to chambering and leaving the hammer down for CC SD. Target shooting is a different story. WOW.... the SA trigger pull at 4+ lbs is incredibly smooth.

[pisacksen]

P238


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Brian41]

I have one of the older Colt Mustangs and pocket carry it at times although usually I carry something bigger.
I found mine pretty accurate for a small gun and 100% reliable. I once killed a feral cat with it through the lungs and it didn't go far. I have enough faith in the .380 to carry one at times.
I also have a NAA Guardian in .380. Heavy gun and heavy DA trigger. I don't recommend them.

[chief38]

While I have not gotten around to getting one yet, I have fired several hundred rounds through two different (new models) Mustangs and they are just fantastic! Feeds anything, easily managed, accurate as hell, small, compact, light, strong and very well made. Never shot a Sig so I can't comment, but the Colt is an incredible gun if you like the .380 acp.

Chief38