GATORTAIL007
New member
Just recentley bought a sig p238 for pocket carry. cocked and locked. or cocked and carefully slide hammer forward?
rick
rick
.Just recentley bought a sig p238 for pocket carry
shooter:211829 said:Sorry, but I would NOT use this firearm for pocket carry for a variety of reasons - not the least of which is that there are severe drawbacks to the two choices you mention.
Please - get a holster of your choice and use that.
I carry the 238 in my front pocket no problems. But I am always open to learning more, what are the variety of reasons its bad?
I carry the 238 in my front pocket no problems. But I am always open to learning more, what are the variety of reasons its bad?
Sorry, but I would NOT use this firearm for pocket carry for a variety of reasons - not the least of which is that there are severe drawbacks to the two choices you mention.
Please - get a holster of your choice and use that.
You didn't mention if it was in a holster or not. If not, then there are consistency problems in that each time it is drawn, it may be in a different location.
Drawing consistently the right way every time is important, in my opinion, to ensure there is no fumbling when you really need it.
Drawing from the pocket when sitting is problematic. You also didn't mention if it was front or rear pocket. Of course, front pocket is much harder.
While the safety on the P238 is better than a standard 1911 (again, my opinion), there is still the possibility that it can come off while in the pocket and not using a holster.
Plus, the smaller the gun, the more you have to get out there and practice. The small sight radius makes accuracy more difficult to obtain. Most civilians do not practice as much as they should if they carry concealed.
Lastly, again - my opinion - the .380 is an underpowered cartridge and is not suitable -- in most situations -- for consistent success in self-defense circumstances.
Bottom line - if the P238 works for you and you are confident the .380 caliber it will do the job you want it to do, and you can consistently present it and fire in about 1.5 to 2 seconds from a sitting position, and you are accurate with it out to at least 10 yards firing as fast as you can -- great!
But -- again, my opinion -- the .380 cartridge is not adequate for self-defense, and pocket carry is not as good as strong side hip, even if it's carried in a pocket holster.
There is one thing was said above by Shooter and RobertW said I think should be addressed. 10 to 15 yards is excessive for "self defense". I don't care what pistol you have, if you're a citizen taking shots at 30 feet, you're taking too big of a liability risk (and ya ain't too smart in doing so in my opinion). Practicing at greater distances is fine, but true self defense situations mostly happen at a third of that range or less.
Punch, all very well thought out points. Only military I know of that's carried a 1911 type pistol without a chambered round cocked and locked is the Israeli army and they teach the slide rack as part of the draw, it's very effective, but more room for mistake than flipping a safety lever in my opinion.
Civilian and Police use of the 1911 pretty much demands that the weapon be carried in Condition 1 due to the probability of surprise. If we KNEW that we would be getting into a scrap on a given day, we would be carrying something other than a pistol, at least I would.
BTW - "Shooting to Live" is available on the Internet in a PDF file. It is an interesting read, and an enlightenment on how some things were done "back then". Different world than now!
shooter:213093 said:I carry the 238 in my front pocket no problems. But I am always open to learning more, what are the variety of reasons its bad?
You didn't mention if it was in a holster or not. If not, then there are consistency problems in that each time it is drawn, it may be in a different location.
Drawing consistently the right way every time is important, in my opinion, to ensure there is no fumbling when you really need it.
Drawing from the pocket when sitting is problematic. You also didn't mention if it was front or rear pocket. Of course, front pocket is much harder.
While the safety on the P238 is better than a standard 1911 (again, my opinion), there is still the possibility that it can come off while in the pocket and not using a holster.
Plus, the smaller the gun, the more you have to get out there and practice. The small sight radius makes accuracy more difficult to obtain. Most civilians do not practice as much as they should if they carry concealed.
Lastly, again - my opinion - the .380 is an underpowered cartridge and is not suitable -- in most situations -- for consistent success in self-defense circumstances.
Bottom line - if the P238 works for you and you are confident the .380 caliber it will do the job you want it to do, and you can consistently present it and fire in about 1.5 to 2 seconds from a sitting position, and you are accurate with it out to at least 10 yards firing as fast as you can -- great!
But -- again, my opinion -- the .380 cartridge is not adequate for self-defense, and pocket carry is not as good as strong side hip, even if it's carried in a pocket holster.