Thoughts on Sig P239 for carry

[fordson]

What are your thoughts and opinions on the Sig P239, in 40 S&W for a carry option? I've read some on line comments that it's a gun looking for a purpose. I'm looking to replace my Kahr K40. It's a nice gun but my old eyes have a hard time keeping shots in the black at 7 yards and additionally, the recoil can be a bit too snappy for me.
Thanks

 

[flintsghost]

I have a SIG P239 40. I have carried it as a concealed weapon on occasion. Mine shoots good and it is comfortable. It is also heavier than it should be for it's size. At one time I took a Kahr 9mm in trade and shot it a bit but never carried it. I didn't like the Kahr at all and promptly let a family member buy it. Mine had a carbon fiber/plastic type frame. I don't think you will find the SIG 239 a ton better in the sight department. Recoil is probably on a par with the smaller Kahr. Unless yours is all steel the SIG may be pretty close in weight and size.
The trigger will be a lot better on the SIG. You should find someone near you who has one and try it before you go and buy one. SIGs are several steps up from a Kahr in quality and reliability.

 

[zumatodd]

I have a SIG P239 in .40 S&W with SIGLITE night sights. I carry it in a Wright Leather Works Predator Holster, single magazine snap holster, and their Bullhide belt. Works well for me.

The gun shoots well, and recoil is manageable. I can also drop an additional magazine in a pocket no problem.

I also shoot and occasionally carry a SIG P229 in .40 S&W. A little larger and heavier, but still manageable as carry gun.

 

[fordson]

Well, guys, thanks for your inputs. maybe some more 239 owners will keep the discussion going.

 

[grendelbane]

I have a P239, in 357 SIG, and a .40 S&W barrel/mags also.

It makes a very convenient CCW, relatively small/flat. It seems to be popular these days to look down on both the 357 SIG and .40 S&W, but both will do a great job, even if not doing so economically. (Moderation was never one of my better virtues).

I just can't seem to make the change to modern plastic pistols. I still like 1911 types. The SIGs are as modern as I get.

I do feel fully armed when carrying the P239, in either caliber. I do wish I could find that nice leather mag carrier I got when I bought it.

 

[Arik]

In my opinion it is a nice gun ..... if we were in 1980. Today it's still a nice gun but too big for what it is

 

[guskody]

P239 for carry

Hello fordson,

My first thought is that you consider having a qualified instructor or friend evaluate your technique to see if they could make some suggestions that might improve your ability to control the "snappiness" of the .40 caliber Kahr. If that works, I could then consider changing out the sights to something that works better for me.

If that doesn't do it, I would strongly consider moving to a 9mm caliber alternative. Besides it being overall less "snappy" than .40, you've got so many readily available choices in 9mm SD ammo, you could really start to fine tune what works best for you.

And as much as I really really like Sigs, I agree with Arik that there are many other choices these days that might be better options for IWB or other methods of deep concealment.

I really do think the P239 is a bit of a "tweener" in that regard. If I was bent on carrying a nearly 30 ounce Sig pistol, I would personally choose a P229 that weighs about the same as the 239, is just a tad thicker, and increases the 9mm mag capacity from 8 to 15.

I would also strongly consider an XDs in 9mm to see how their standard hi viz front sight worked for my eyes. I could choose flush fit mags or the higher capacity extended mags depending on my method of dress and concealment, IWB or OWB.

Best of luck. Sounds like a fun project to me.

 

[Neumann]

A P239 is a nice carry gun. It's light enough to wear comfortably all day, thin enough to conceal even in summer casual, and heavy enough for a quick followup. A P229 is more than just a little thicker, more like 1/4". The P239 has a short reach, making it easy for my to shoot DA accurately. My favorite P239 for carry is a DAK, for that and other reasons. Pity they don't come in .45.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I have owned two Sig P239 .40 S&W pistols. I did not like the first one, due to the cartridge, so I sold it and bought a P225. We have a home in north GA in an area with a healthy black bear population, so I wanted a light, compact, powerful handgun to carry hiking. I was about to buy a .40 Shield when the second P239 caught my eye in the showcase. I bought the Sig instead. This time, the gun suits me just fine. I carried it, shot it, and can find no fault with it. I like it so much I bought a .357 Sig barrel and mag for it.

I also own a Sig P228, which is thicker and heavier than the P239. The P239 is a great CCW, if it fits the shooter's hand.

 

[SAFireman]

IIRC - the Sig p239 in 357 Sig was the issue gun for the US Air Marshals. My wife had one for a long while (until she found an original Colt CCO) and my MIL has one in 40 S&W.

I have owned and shot both calibers. It is a really nice CCW piece, but a tad bit larger than some would like to tote around in the hot Texas summers.

I was a solid Sig fan for more years than I can count, and I would have no problem carrying one today (although I do defer to pocket carry most days, which the 239 is not well suited/sized for).

Good luck in your search.

 

[Rastoff]

In my opinion there are only two questions that need to be answered here:

1. Is the gun reliable?
2. How well do you shoot it?

These are two most important things about any self defense gun. If it doesn't work reliably, it's useless. If you can't shoot it well, you can't stop the bad guy except for luck and that's never a good plan to rely on.

Everything else can be overcome. Ability to conceal and comfort are tertiary concerns. With the right belt and holster, even heavy guns are manageable. With the right clothing, even large guns are concealable.

With Sig's reputation, I'm sure the gun is reliable. So, that leaves us with, can you shoot it well?

 

[66snub]

I have a 239 in 40sw and carry it now and then. It has excellent attributes for CCW, such as the thin profile, good trigger, and being chambered in a capable cartridge. You won't regret this gun, it's a quality piece. Surely an heirloom-quality firearm, in my opinion.

 

[Zebra War Wagon]

I have a 239 in 357 Sig and carried it regularly in a shoulder holster with 2 additional magazines on the opposite side. Yes it is a little heavy, but only by several oz's. Personally, I don't care for sub-compact firearms, but prefer something of substance in my hand. Thats not to say I would carry a FS 1911 in stainless steel, but somewhere in between where I believe the 239 fits as well as the P225 sized pistols.
Right now I carry a Glock 19 with the NY 1 trigger or the S&W 640 with Silvertip ammo (357). Personally, I prefer the feel of a single stack vs a double stack.

 

[scooter123]

Ive carried a 40 caliber P239 daily since 2008 and have over 4000 rounds downrange with my #1 P239 with the ONLY failure being a round of Federal Champion that failed to fire even after a second strike. Broke that round down when I got home and found that the anvil was missing from the primer. My spare P239 has about 800 rounds through it to confirm reliability and on standby for when/if I ever wear out #1. So, you can rest assured that I am quite fond of the P239 and trust it completely.

However, compared to a 1911 the P239 is a bit chunky in the slide and when carrying IWB you need a good holster, a really good belt, and time spent finding the position where it's most comfortable. My choice in holster was the Galco Skyops Tuckable and my choice for a belt was also made by Galco. As for position, I find that 4:00 is most comfortable and it's actually good and comfortable all day long.

Shooting. With high energy ammunition the 40 caliber P239 does have some snap and a bit of a "bark". My carry load is a 165 grain Speer Gold Dot that clocks in at 1150 fps. I've also worked up a practice load to identical ballistics using Longshot and a 165 grain Extreme Plated Hollowpoint. Accuracy is quite good with either load but I limit my use of the practice load to just 50 rounds per range outing because it is stiff enough to me the produce a tendency to flinch if I push too hard.

Sights. My #1 pistol has night sights and they aren't very visible at your typical indoor range. #2 has sights with large white dots and it is easier to see those sights.

Finally, Sigs Nitron finish is hard enough that you could sharpen you pocket knife on the slide without leaving any permanent mark on the slide. This means that it is absolutely ESSENTIAL that the slide on a Sig needs to be well lubricated with grease. Try and "get by" with oil and you'll wear out the frame rails in about 1500 rounds.

 

[ca survivor]

I carry a 239 in .40 most of the times or if I want to go light, excellent compact that shoots accurately like a full size.

 

[colt_saa]

I've read some on line comments that it's a gun looking for a purpose.

That line is most often spoken (or typed) by folks that do not like the item being talked about.

I love the P239 and have carried one often over the last 20 years. Both in a belt holster and concealed. The P239 will pocket carry in the 5.11 Covert Khakis with no trouble.

However mine are all 357SIG

The P239 that is in my teaching inventory is equipped with both night sights and a LaserMAX guide rod. If focusing on the sights is getting harder, the laser makes thing much simplier

I find that the weight is just right for handling the 357SIG comfortably. I have switched from the 7 round magazines to the Agency contract 8 round magazines and that makes the grip more comfortable for me. That magazine is in the last photo

The Ranger SXT has been 100% reliable for me and delivers an average 1335FPS from the P239s I have chronographed it in.

 

[Arik]

That line is most often spoken (or typed) by folks that do not like the item being talked about.
.

That's not necessarily true. While it's a nice gun dimensionally it's very close to a G19.

239
Width 1.2
Height 5.1
Length 6.6
Barrel 3.6
Weight 29oz with mag

G19
Width 1.18
Height 4.9
Length 7.3
Barrel 4.1
Weight 23.6oz empty 30oz loaded.

239 is slightly shorter. By less than an inch. Weight is the same as a Glock with 16 rounds.

Just pointing out that as a concealed gun there is almost no difference in dimensions bug a big difference in ammo. I would also do the M&Pc but S&W website is a pain to find the info

 

[Florida J Frame]

Why do you feel another .40 will solve your issues? I would consider a softer shooting 9mm with better sights and/or a laser.

 

[colt_saa]

That's not necessarily true. While it's a nice gun dimensionally it's very close to a G19.

239
Width 1.2
Height 5.1
Length 6.6
Barrel 3.6
Weight 29oz with mag

G19
Width 1.18
Height 4.9
Length 7.3
Barrel 4.1
Weight 23.6oz empty 30oz loaded.

239 is slightly shorter. By less than an inch. Weight is the same as a Glock with 16 rounds.

Just pointing out that as a concealed gun there is almost no difference in dimensions bug a big difference in ammo. I would also do the M&Pc but S&W website is a pain to find the info

I knew that might strike a nerve with some folks that like that comment. Please re-read my statement.

I did not say it was always true, I said it was most often true.

Since I am not a GLOCK person, I am not intimately familiar with GLOCK dimensions. Though as you point out the GLOGK is still 1/2" larger

I am very familiar with the M&P357c as I own and shoot one regularly, however it does not pocket carry as well as the P239s. If I were going to pocket carry a double stack, it would be the P2000SK which I also own and shoot regularly in 357SIG.

Sorry to tick you off

 

[Arik]

It wasn't specifically about Glock it's just that their dimensions are easily accessible. Going on S&W website for the M&P .....they don't list dimensions in each gun so you click, find out there us no info the go back and click on the next. I know they are about the same in width....about 1.2 but I don't know the rest.

And it didn't strike a nerve. More like people tend to see certain shapes as larger or smaller than others when in reality they are the same. Can even do it with a 1911. Most people look at at and say it's thinner than a 9mm Glock. It's really not. Just rounded edges make it look that way. 1911 slide is about 1in thick. So is the G19/17.