SIG SAUER P938 SPORT

stock image from palmettostatearmory.com

Sig Sauer P938 Sport

    The first thing I thought when I saw the Sig Sauer P938 is “That looks a lot like a miniature 1911.” Well, that turned out to be an accurate assessment. This gun may be as close to a miniature 1911 as I’ve ever come across and is definitely a joy to shoot.

This gun is patterned after the Colt Mustang, but it is calibered in the more potent 9MM caliber.

Size Perspective LEFT: Shooter's Beretta 92FS RIGHT: SIG Sauer P938

Overall - First and foremost, the extended magazine made the gun into a more “user friendly” firearm. No one likes their pinky finger hanging off the bottom of the frame. Second, (and just as important) the night sights on this gun made target acquisition intuitive and simple. As a reminder, we tested the P938 Sport. SIG produces several different models in the 938 line, and we chose to fire what seems to be the most popular of the line, the Sport.

Ergonomics –The P938 Sport comes standard with the magazine extension and the Hogue grip. This grip is one that “grips” you back when you grab it. There is no slipping or sliding with these grips. The gun’s safety is ambidextrous and easily manipulated. The magazine release is on the left side of the frame in the traditional location. If you are used to the grip angle of a 1911 then this gun will be right at home in your hands.

TW firing the SIG P938 Sport

Trigger- The smooth single action trigger pull of this gun really lent to its overall accuracy. The clean and crisp trigger break was very reminiscent of the classic 1911. The Sig has a short trigger break with an equally short reset. Split time between shots could easily be in the realm of higher end competitive guns with just a little practice. If you are accustomed to single action triggers the P938 will be as much a joy for you as it was for us. The accompanying photos show the ease of achieving tight groups.

Sights- The Sigs fiber optic/night sights were a joy to use and made sight acquisition very easy. The front green fiber optic tube really contrasted nicely with the target. When bringing the gun to bear on the target the shooters eye immediately finds the front sight. Then it’s just a simple matter of basic sight alignment and placing the front sight where you want the bullet to impact. If you do your part with the trigger press the gun will reward you with really tight groups that will build your confidence.

Recoil/ Control- The recoil on a gun this size should be unpleasant, but that’s not the case with the Sig P938 Sport. The 115 grn Federal ammo was stout but nowhere near uncomfortable. The Hogue grips lend a lot to this fact. Grips that do not move around tend not to “bite” the shooter and the “living” rubber of the Hogue absorb a significant amount of recoil while evenly distributing the rest of the energy to the shooter’s hand.

Category- The Sig is one of those rare guns that transcends the expectations of the user. When you first handle the gun you may think it’s only intended for concealment in a pocket or even an inside the waist band holster. Assuming this to be a small gun with only limited accuracy would be a mistake. Once you take the time to put the P938 through your own test, we are confident you will realize this is a small gun capable of really big things. The P938 shoots like a full size duty gun but hides as easily as the latest “pocket rocket”.

The most noticeable thing for CG and I was the trigger on the P938. CG is a combat veteran who normally carries a striker fired double-action-only gun. Acclimating to the single action, fast-breaking trigger of the P938 required a little more concentration on his part. I, on the other hand, am more accustomed to single action triggers and found the P938 a refreshing break from the popular DAO pull on the majority of today’s small defensive pistols. If you have had a long relationship with 1911s then you will find the P938 feels like a trusted old friend. Yet when you slip it in a pocket or soft leather holster the diminutive size will open your eyes to the wonders of this new little giant.

S&W BODYGUARD .380 REVIEW

TKW and the Bodyguard .380

Six rounds of 95 grain Federal ammo at 10 yards.

     My initial impression of the Bodyguard 380 was nothing special. I felt like it was just another pocket gun to go along with all the others to hit the market. After handling the gun for a few minutes I realized the engineers at Smith and Wesson had put quite a bit of thought and consideration into the overall design of the gun.

    The Bodyguard .380 is equipped with the Insight laser sighting system that comes from the factory. My shooting partner and I decided to utilize the iron sites for this testing since we would be shooting at 10 yards.

For testing we used 95 grain Federal ammo and experienced no stoppages or malfunctions.

    Ergonomics - the Bodyguard was designed to be easy to carry and conceal. The barrel is 2.75” long making the overall slide 5.4” in length. At 4.1” in height and a svelte .75” in width the Bodyguard disappears in a coat pocket with the utmost ease. An overall weight of 11.8 ozs unloaded, the bodyguard doesn’t constantly remind you that you’re carrying a gun. The polymer grip frame was slightly stippled from the factory and stayed put in the hand during firing and manipulation. Rear cocking serrations on the slide assisted in charging the gun but weren’t so sharp as to be abusive during cycling. Manipulating the safety on the Bodyguard is difficult at best. It’s small and blended into the profile of the gun to assist in the overall concealment ability of the gun. The safety is also NOT ambidextrous. It is mounted on the left side of the frame with no allowances for being moved to the right side of the frame.
    Trigger - The Bodyguard truly shines while it is being fired. This is a traditional double-action-only gun in every sense of the description. There is an internal “hammer” that resets after every trigger manipulation which allows the shooter to strike the primer of a mis-fire a second time. In short, if the gun misfires just pull the trigger a second time and it should fire. The overall feel of the trigger was more than satisfactory. There is some take up, as is to be expected from a traditional DAO, but anyone familiar with Smith and Wesson’s line of Airweight revolvers will feel right at home with the smooth and consistent pull of the Bodyguard's trigger.
    Sights - The Insight laser sighting system is zeroed, from the factory, at 10 yards. We chose to go with the iron sights on our range gun for testing just to give a mechanical evaluation of the gun. A bit of clarification is in order concerning this category of guns. The Bodyguard is not a precision instrument, it wasn’t intended to be. A gun like this will probably be used as a last resort in defense of ones life. These circumstances take place at a distance so close to an attacker that you will probably know how often they brush their teeth. That being said The Bodyguards iron sights shot to point of aim and clustered all rounds in a tight group just right of center. The sights are of the low profile design to also aide in concealment of the gun.
    Control - Small frame, polymer .380 pocket guns are notorious for substantial recoil and requiring serious input from the shooter to remain on target. This was not the case for the Bodyguard. Both I and my shooting partner were pleasantly surprised by the controllability and mild felt recoil of the gun. The grip of the Bodyguard is large enough to provide adequate purchase for medium to small handed shooters. The lack of sharp edges or significant straight lines in the grip frame all but eliminated any “bite” during recoil.
   
    The Bodyguard is a classic “pocket gun” with quality improvements from one of America’s longest running firearms manufacturers, Smith and Wesson. The polymer grip frame reduces weight and allows for a reduction in hand fatigue and assists in the guns ability to go into “stealth mode” when dropped in a pocket or put in a holster inside the waist band, and the easy to acquire, iron sights and smooth trigger pull lend to the overall ergonomic appeal of the gun.   Anyone looking for a pocket gun with minimal recoil will find the Bodyguard as easy to conceal as it is to use.

    If you’re on the fence about the Bodyguard do yourself a favor next time you’re in Palmetto State Armory, step into the range and for just $10 you can take the Bodyguard out for a test shoot. You may find the Bodyguard jumps to the forefront in your list of must have defensive handguns.

 The Bodyguard sells for $399.99, but it is currently on sale for $349.99 while supplies last.

- TKW