School me on single action and pocket carry

[Mango]

Title says it all...

I was looking at a P238 a few month ago an they shop rep said he carries on a love it but told me not everyone likes to pocket carry a SA pistol...

Can I have one in the chamber but keep the hammer down? Like a revolver, can I just pull the hammer back?

[cruzans]

Title says it all...

I was looking at a P238 a few month ago an they shop rep said he carries on a love it but told me not everyone likes to pocket carry a SA pistol...

Can I have one in the chamber but keep the hammer down? Like a revolver, can I just pull the hammer back?

Everyone will have a different opinion. I personally do not like carrying a single action pocket gun. I have a p238, a lcp, etc, etc, and I much prefer the lcp - double action. With the p238, you can carry it with one in the chamber and hammer back with safety on, or I suppose you could manually drop the hammer, but either way, you have an additional step before you can fire. I know it's only a second or two, but with the double action like the lcp, it's ready to go with one in the chamber and the da pull.
The p238 is a beautiful gun, I personally just don't like carrying a single action pocket gun.

[RHGregory3]

If you cannot (or do not want to) carry the p238 cocked and locked, you belong with another pistol. Carrying it in any other fashion puts you at a horrible disadvantage tactically.

[harold63]

Can I have one in the chamber but keep the hammer down? Like a revolver, can I just pull the hammer back?

Yes, you can do this, but it may more of an advantage to have a DA/SA or a DA only. To me, going for the hammer verses going to take the safety off is 6 one way and half a dozen the other. If you want to carry a SA pocket pistol with the hammer uncocked and a round in the chamber, I'd at least train a bit for some real life circumstances.

[renalp]

Can I have one in the chamber but keep the hammer down? Like a revolver, can I just pull the hammer back?

Not a good idea. The 238 doesn't have a decocker, so you would need to use the trigger and manually lower the hammer on a chambered round every time you load the gun for carry. Yikes.

[RHGregory3]

Not a good idea. The 238 doesn't have a decocker, so you would need to use the trigger and manually lower the hammer on a chambered round every time you load the gun for carry. Yikes.

Correct! Also -

OP:


Also - the hammer on the p238/p938 isn't as easy to charge as one would imagine under stress. It's not very "thumb-able" compared to a revolver as the grip of the pistol is positioned further away from the hammer.

Your best bet would be to rack the slide - what I'm saying is:

It makes more sense to just have a full mag, empty chamber, safety off

As opposed to full mag, one in the chamber, hammer down (safety off)


At the very least - it would give you faster presentation if bringing the gun into a fire fight. Any SA/DA pocket pistol (LCP, J-Frame, etc) would be more advantageous to you than carrying these sigs in that fashion, IMO if you want a comparable gun in DA/SA check out the p290. I own a P238 & P938 and they are my favorite of the pocket crowd - but if not carried condition 1 (cocked and locked) they would slow you down needlessly vs. something D/A.

The selling point on a single action trigger is travel which generally translates into rate of fire - if you cripple that advantage by adding 1.5 seconds on bringing the gun into action - you would mathemattically be better off with a SA/DA

[sid]

The p238 can be chambered with the hammer cocked and the safety on so it can be loaded while "safe". I thought this was interesting.

Sid

[Spec4]

What a nice gun the little P238 is.I got to fondle one at a gun show and I was in love. The only thing that stopped me from buying one is I don't want a cocked and locked 1911 in my pocket(and the price...lol) Just one of my phobia's, I like to carry IWB appendix and I'm not comfortable carrying a glock that way either. The P238 just wouldn't work for me unless I was carrying it in a belt holster and then why carry a 380 as opposed to my CZ p01 or Ruger Sp101 or a 1911 for that matter....I'll stick with my LCP or J frame for when i wanna drop something in my pocket

[RHGregory3]

What a nice gun the little P238 is.I got to fondle one at a gun show and I was in love. The only thing that stopped me from buying one is I don't want a cocked and locked 1911 in my pocket(and the price...lol) Just one of my phobia's, I like to carry IWB appendix and I'm not comfortable carrying a glock that way either. The P238 just wouldn't work for me unless I was carrying it in a belt holster and then why carry a 380 as opposed to my CZ p01 or Ruger Sp101 or a 1911 for that matter....I'll stick with my LCP or J frame for when i wanna drop something in my pocket

I will too generally take my sp101 over a p238, however the p938 is a much more convincing argument. I think it will likely remain my favorite pocket gun for some time - though that xd-s by Springfield looks enticing if recoil is not too severe.

[cruzans]

I will too generally take my sp101 over a p238, however the p938 is a much more convincing argument. I think it will likely remain my favorite pocket gun for some time - though that xd-s by Springfield looks enticing if recoil is not too severe.

Not to hijack the thread, but I picked up the xds a while back and it is now my everyday carry - outstanding pistol! Recoil is very manageable. I really like the combo of glock like trigger and grip safety. I carry it with powerball ammo in a owb holster made for Walther PPS. But surely I digress. As I mentioned before, the P238 is a sweet 380 - but just not for pocket carry imo.