SigArms P232 .380acp
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Hi there OG!!!
Happy New Year!!!
I owned one about 9 years back. I didn't like the grip and it bit me a couple times, but it was light weight and reliable. It was a great CWP gun!
For some reason, the recoil with the alloy frame felt really sharp in my shooting hand and I sold it. The is just my opinion.
I would shoot one before purchasing. The only reason I suggest it is because I wish I had.
Overall. You can't beat SIG quality. It was just one of those handguns that didn't work out for me.
Not the fault of the SIG at all.
Chris
Happy New Year!!!
I owned one about 9 years back. I didn't like the grip and it bit me a couple times, but it was light weight and reliable. It was a great CWP gun!
For some reason, the recoil with the alloy frame felt really sharp in my shooting hand and I sold it. The is just my opinion.
I would shoot one before purchasing. The only reason I suggest it is because I wish I had.
Overall. You can't beat SIG quality. It was just one of those handguns that didn't work out for me.
Not the fault of the SIG at all.
Chris
Hello OG,
I have one. I like it a great deal; very well made and my example has been extremely reliable. In my opinion, it is the cream of the 380 crop. I agree with Chris, the black plastic grips need to be replaced (mine has Hogues) and the recoil can be a bit snappy, especially with the Cor Bon +P load. However, for what it's worth, I can shoot this gun better (more accurately, faster) than any of my 38 snubbies. It is one of my "keepers."
Be sure to check out Steve Camp's side-by-side review of the 230 (earlier version of the 232) and the Bersa at www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Sig%20Sauer%20Bersa.htm
Let us know if you get one!
PGM
I have one. I like it a great deal; very well made and my example has been extremely reliable. In my opinion, it is the cream of the 380 crop. I agree with Chris, the black plastic grips need to be replaced (mine has Hogues) and the recoil can be a bit snappy, especially with the Cor Bon +P load. However, for what it's worth, I can shoot this gun better (more accurately, faster) than any of my 38 snubbies. It is one of my "keepers."
Be sure to check out Steve Camp's side-by-side review of the 230 (earlier version of the 232) and the Bersa at www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Sig%20Sauer%20Bersa.htm
Let us know if you get one!
PGM
Gave up trying to find one. My dealer says that Sig no longer will ship to a "distributor" and only goes direct to dealers who are "licensed" by SigArms.
Five distrubutors he tried had no Sigs in stock. A few online dealers show one but I'm not going the internet route with FFL, shipping, etc.
So the P232 is off my list. I wonder why Sig has gotten so picky?
og
Five distrubutors he tried had no Sigs in stock. A few online dealers show one but I'm not going the internet route with FFL, shipping, etc.
So the P232 is off my list. I wonder why Sig has gotten so picky?
og
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4,399 Posts
Hi OG,
Don't dispair.
Once they lose it, they pay dearly to get customer's back!
Chris
Don't dispair.
Beware of the power of the consumer! I know of several other arms makers that have made that fatal mistake as well!
Once they lose it, they pay dearly to get customer's back!
Chris
Hi OG,
Sorry to hear that the SIG is off your list. While it is easy to be cynical (my nature as well), it is harder to say what is going on for sure. There is no trouble finding 232s up here in Illinois. In any event, I have heard good things about the Beretta .380, and reportedly the CZ product is reliable and a good value for the money. Keep us posted on where you go from here.
PGM
Sorry to hear that the SIG is off your list. While it is easy to be cynical (my nature as well), it is harder to say what is going on for sure. There is no trouble finding 232s up here in Illinois. In any event, I have heard good things about the Beretta .380, and reportedly the CZ product is reliable and a good value for the money. Keep us posted on where you go from here.
PGM
og,
If you really want one you may yet find one, new or used. As far as experience, I had a P230 (heel magazine release) about 15 years ago. All stainless steel, I had absolutely no failures to fire or feed, did have a magazineful of ammo's last case fail to fully eject (was on top of the empty magazine), turning the gun upside down and a quick shake/shove kicked it out. Ammo was Winchester Silvertips.
I liked the gun's looks, workmanship, and especially the decocker feature. I could not get used to the quick up-and-to-the-left arc that the gun made during recoil. I could make accurate shots in slow fire single-action mode, but I had to hold the gun the way officer "D.D." (?) McCall did on the "Hunter" TV show held her PPK: strong hand grip on the gun with the weak hand making a "shelf" under the butt of the gun.
As an aside, I now have a Russian IJ70-AH Makarov in 9x18. I find it much more pleasant to shoot than the Sig P230. Mr. Makarov wisely put a fair amount of metal in the front end of the slide to dampen muzzle rise, I also don't experience that annoying up-and-to-the-left arc as in the Sig. My ammo experience with the Mak has been limited to S&B hardball with standard 17 lb. recoil spring.
Regards.
If you really want one you may yet find one, new or used. As far as experience, I had a P230 (heel magazine release) about 15 years ago. All stainless steel, I had absolutely no failures to fire or feed, did have a magazineful of ammo's last case fail to fully eject (was on top of the empty magazine), turning the gun upside down and a quick shake/shove kicked it out. Ammo was Winchester Silvertips.
I liked the gun's looks, workmanship, and especially the decocker feature. I could not get used to the quick up-and-to-the-left arc that the gun made during recoil. I could make accurate shots in slow fire single-action mode, but I had to hold the gun the way officer "D.D." (?) McCall did on the "Hunter" TV show held her PPK: strong hand grip on the gun with the weak hand making a "shelf" under the butt of the gun.
As an aside, I now have a Russian IJ70-AH Makarov in 9x18. I find it much more pleasant to shoot than the Sig P230. Mr. Makarov wisely put a fair amount of metal in the front end of the slide to dampen muzzle rise, I also don't experience that annoying up-and-to-the-left arc as in the Sig. My ammo experience with the Mak has been limited to S&B hardball with standard 17 lb. recoil spring.
Regards.
Hi Oldgrandpa,
I have a P230, blued, with alu frame. Very light and flat, an ideal carry piece. Very well made, with good, wide sights and a very light DA action. The gun is easy to shoot but the recoil is snappy. It is also subject to some malfunctions due to its light weight. You must really hold it fermly for 100% reliability.
All in all a keeper.
L.
I have a P230, blued, with alu frame. Very light and flat, an ideal carry piece. Very well made, with good, wide sights and a very light DA action. The gun is easy to shoot but the recoil is snappy. It is also subject to some malfunctions due to its light weight. You must really hold it fermly for 100% reliability.
All in all a keeper.
L.
Found one!! Searched online for a day and found a P232 at a shop that already had my dealer's FFL on file. If all goes as expected, I should have it in a few days. I'll then do a range test to compare with my other .380's.
Cheers,
og............P232's are as rare as hen's teeth!
Cheers,
og............P232's are as rare as hen's teeth!
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Hi OG,
Congradulations! Let us know what your shooting/handling impressions are for the 232.
Chris
Congradulations! Let us know what your shooting/handling impressions are for the 232.
Chris
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I wrote this a long time ago but it still bears merit. Regards, Richard
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This is a review and comparison of the following pistols that I own and shoot. These pistols are the Bersa Thunder 380, Makarov, Sig P230, and Walther PP. I own the pistols reviewed and carry them on occasion. I am sorry that I do not own a Walther PP in .380; I used my 32acp version of the PP for this review.
Many feel the 380 is low on the power ladder but I feel as well armed with a 380 as a 38 Special in a snub nose revolver and I have more shots with the 380. The 32acp is a strange situation because its actual performance is much better than it should be.
All of these pistols are accurate and the reason for this is they all have fixed barrels. Accuracy from a fixed barrel is a known plus but failing to a Browning style barrel increases felt recoil. What do I mean? I find my Kel-Tec P32 as easy to shoot as my Walther PP 32acp, which is a much bigger and heavier handgun.
Bersa Thunder 380
This is a review and comparison of the following pistols that I own and shoot. These pistols are the Bersa Thunder 380, Makarov, Sig P230, and Walther PP. I own the pistols reviewed and carry them on occasion. I am sorry that I do not own a Walther PP in .380; I used my 32acp version of the PP for this review.
Many feel the 380 is low on the power ladder but I feel as well armed with a 380 as a 38 Special in a snub nose revolver and I have more shots with the 380. The 32acp is a strange situation because its actual performance is much better than it should be.
All of these pistols are accurate and the reason for this is they all have fixed barrels. Accuracy from a fixed barrel is a known plus but failing to a Browning style barrel increases felt recoil. What do I mean? I find my Kel-Tec P32 as easy to shoot as my Walther PP 32acp, which is a much bigger and heavier handgun.
Bersa Thunder 380
when the P232 arrives that I ordered I'll do a wetpack comparison with it, the Bersa 380, and the KelTec P3AT. But that will be end of month when the range reopens. I'll post details.
In the meantime, don't assume I'm endorsing 380 as a primary carry. Before you assume that, read all of Stephen's pages comparing it with other calibers...
Following are Stephen Camp's pages on the .380acp comparisons
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Sig%20Sauer%20Bersa.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Bersa%20Thunder.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38specialor380acp.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/MakarovBersa.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Comparisonof9x18mmMakarovetc.htm
og
In the meantime, don't assume I'm endorsing 380 as a primary carry. Before you assume that, read all of Stephen's pages comparing it with other calibers...
Following are Stephen Camp's pages on the .380acp comparisons
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Sig%20Sauer%20Bersa.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Bersa%20Thunder.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38specialor380acp.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/MakarovBersa.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Comparisonof9x18mmMakarovetc.htm
og
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oldgranpa, SAC and I go back a long way with this topic. I favor the 380 and SAC the 38 Special in a snubbie. In the end we agreed to disagree. Regards, Richard
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Erich, you and I agree! Richard is right too! And I love Stephen's work!
Depending on which gunsite forum we read or believe, some "experts" say anything less than a 45 or 40 is stupid, or another, at least 380 is the minimum to even consider, or yet, penetration is all you need, or, expansion is a must, or, placement is all that matters and caliber is not important. I always love it on those forums after the "expert" tells us we are stupid, he closes by saying "there are no experts here"!
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Really an interesting situation. If any of this was the absolute truth, then only one, or maybe two at most, calibers of selfdefense handguns would be made. All the rest would disappear for lack of sales. But the opposite is the case with all kinds of handguns in various calibers continue to be offered and are apparently selling. Folks like S&W, for instance, have dozens of models in the same caliber to offer.
So, what do I believe?? Reading records from years back show in the 90's even the .25acp was deadly. Europe favored (an still does in some places) the .32. Then came the 9mm era with all the cops carrying a Glock17 or 19. Now that ain't good enough. The military can't even make up it's mind. And some foreign countries don't permit anything bigger than .380. One guy's gelatin tests get different results than another. Wetpack tests are a big maybe. Another guy says waterjugs are the only way to go. And ammo mfgs. argue that waterjugs are too severe and not a fair test. And a famous wound expert vemenently disputes the "stopping power" publications and the "goat tests". Dozens of gunzine writers give glowing reports on stuff they've been paid to test. On and on we go. ??? ???
It's fun reading but can get confusing if we're not careful. My tentative conclusion from all of this is the handgun you choose has got to be totally reliable, accurate in your hands with lots of practice, a decent caliber that gets good penetration with the ammo you choose, and can be carried. If it weighs much over a pound, I can't carry it easily. Maybe you can, fine, I sure won't call you stupid like many of the "big guys" on forums call the rest of us if we don't carry their favorite cannon.
So what's my final answer. I ain't tellin'.
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Your guess is as good as mine.
og
Depending on which gunsite forum we read or believe, some "experts" say anything less than a 45 or 40 is stupid, or another, at least 380 is the minimum to even consider, or yet, penetration is all you need, or, expansion is a must, or, placement is all that matters and caliber is not important. I always love it on those forums after the "expert" tells us we are stupid, he closes by saying "there are no experts here"!
Really an interesting situation. If any of this was the absolute truth, then only one, or maybe two at most, calibers of selfdefense handguns would be made. All the rest would disappear for lack of sales. But the opposite is the case with all kinds of handguns in various calibers continue to be offered and are apparently selling. Folks like S&W, for instance, have dozens of models in the same caliber to offer.
So, what do I believe?? Reading records from years back show in the 90's even the .25acp was deadly. Europe favored (an still does in some places) the .32. Then came the 9mm era with all the cops carrying a Glock17 or 19. Now that ain't good enough. The military can't even make up it's mind. And some foreign countries don't permit anything bigger than .380. One guy's gelatin tests get different results than another. Wetpack tests are a big maybe. Another guy says waterjugs are the only way to go. And ammo mfgs. argue that waterjugs are too severe and not a fair test. And a famous wound expert vemenently disputes the "stopping power" publications and the "goat tests". Dozens of gunzine writers give glowing reports on stuff they've been paid to test. On and on we go. ??? ???
It's fun reading but can get confusing if we're not careful. My tentative conclusion from all of this is the handgun you choose has got to be totally reliable, accurate in your hands with lots of practice, a decent caliber that gets good penetration with the ammo you choose, and can be carried. If it weighs much over a pound, I can't carry it easily. Maybe you can, fine, I sure won't call you stupid like many of the "big guys" on forums call the rest of us if we don't carry their favorite cannon.
So what's my final answer. I ain't tellin'.
og
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