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P-238 Vs. Kel-Tec P3AT Vs. ???

harvey@probate.comharvey@probate.com Member Posts: 3 ✭✭
edited April 2011 in Ask the Experts
Which do the experts suggest for off duty carry? I have been carrying the P3AT for several years and when in my pocket it feels almost non-existent no matter what I am wearing. However, I have been intrigued by the P-238 inasmuch as it might be a finer weapon, although SAO. I would prefer a DAO but don't know what to look at in this category. Sig does have the name, but some forums have comments complaining about jams. I need some expert help. Thanks.
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Comments

  • GarthGarth Member Posts: 381 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    1st, welcome to the forums Harvey. 2nd, most jams in the semiautomatic platform are usually related to the ammunition as you may well know! Though sometimes a jam can be caused by the firearm especially when its been owned by several people. I am not a gunsmith but have over five years machining experience.and have "smithed" a lot of firearms that were "hacked" by its previous owners! 3rd, and personally, I have never heard complaints about either the P3AT or the P-238. The FFL where I live can't keep the P-238 in stock. Lots of people like the fact that their based on a 1911 platform. Lastly, when you mentioned the off duty weapon, I'm assuming you are law enforcement. If you are, thankyou for serving! Best
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm like you. Been carrying a P3AT since they came out. Found Fiocchi with XTP-HP,s run through it fine.
    I've handled the P-238 and didn't care for it, and I'm a 1911 shooter [8]
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  • harvey@probate.comharvey@probate.com Member Posts: 3 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks, Garth. Yes, I am a Detective Sgt in the Daytona Beach, Florida area and have been a LEO for many years. Acknowledging the first rule of a gunfight,(have a gun), the Kel has become a daily carry and is as comfortable as a wallet. I am not thrilled with the trigger pull as I find that it is long, easy at the start then tightens as it is about to fire. I like a consistent trigger pull. My duty weapon is a Glock .40, and I have the smaller version also, but the double stack magazine isn't the best for concealability. I looked at the Kahr and the Walther single stacks and think they are a bit large also. With the Kel or perhaps the P238, no true holster is required and I like that. I dislike IWB holsters and in Florida holstering for concealed carry is a pain anyway.
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    harvey@probate.com,

    Those are both good choices, but you might wish to look at the S&W Bodygard 380. I don't know why, or how, but it seems to have a much better DAO trigger than the Ruger LCP, or the P-3AT(which Ruger copied). Ruger just came out with the LC9, which is a very little bigger than the LCP, but in 9mm, and is a single stack.

    Best
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  • BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not to add more confusion but Sig is coming out with (some have been released) the P290 in 9mm. It is a DAO and is pretty much the same size as the P238. This is the one I am thinking hard about. There are some up on the auction side now.
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  • 62fuelie62fuelie Member Posts: 1,069 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In the warm climate it is more difficult to conceal a firearm of larger caliber. I retired from a CA department and a CO department. I still carry under the HR-218 provision. I have found the Kahr PM-9 a real joy to carry. It is light, has a good trigger, very good sights and is at least as accurate as I am. I use the Speer Gold Dot "short barrel" 124 grain +p load and it has never had a bobble. Prior I had been carrying my NAA .380 Guardian, it too is a good little pistol, but heavy for its size and the trigger made it only usable for the old "fire fight in a phone booth" scenario.
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  • beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by harvey@probate.com
    Which do the experts suggest for off duty carry? I have been carrying the P3AT for several years and when in my pocket it feels almost non-existent no matter what I am wearing. However, I have been intrigued by the P-238 inasmuch as it might be a finer weapon, although SAO. I would prefer a DAO but don't know what to look at in this category. Sig does have the name, but some forums have comments complaining about jams. I need some expert help. Thanks.

    If you like your 3AT, and its been reliable for you, I suggest just keeping it, because bluntly you're probably not really going to do much better in a .380 gun.

    There are lots of small .380s out there right now, but basically NONE of them are reliable out of the box. Not the SIG, not the Ruger, not the Taurus, not even the Kel-Tec. Noted gun writer Wiley Clapp did a comprehensive review of all of them last year for American Handgunner (I think) and had some degree of malfunctions out of the box with ALL of them (except the $900 Rohrbaugh).

    So far as I know, none of the micro-.380s are functionally smaller or lighter than the Kel-Tec either.

    Now, if you wanted to go to a 9mm luger for more power, that's a different story, but all of those guns are much bigger than the Kel-Tec 3AT.

    FWIW, I'm not a police officer, but many of the ones I know from the Northeast like snubnose .38 revolvers for their off duty guns. (Some like the subcompact Glocks).

    The revolver will give up 1-2 shots of capacity to a .380, and they're a bit bigger in overall size, but the wheelguns are more reliable AND more powerful than any .380, and I think both are key features in a backup gun.
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  • NOTPARSNOTPARS Member Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by BHAVIN
    Not to add more confusion but Sig is coming out with (some have been released) the P290 in 9mm. It is a DAO and is pretty much the same size as the P238. This is the one I am thinking hard about. There are some up on the auction side now.


    And to not add more confusion, Kimber has a real small nine and Ruger as the new LCP in 9 now. I'm going to look at all three especially the SIG
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