[FIREARM REVIEW] Sig Sauer P938

Every once in awhile you run across a gun that you just have to check out. You may have seen pictures in a magazine or saw it at the gun store but there is something about the gun that is very attractive. It also doesn’t help that this particular gun is highly rated and often referred to one of the smoothest shooting single stack 9mm on the market. Well, obviously by the title of this article, I am talking about the Sig Sauer P938.

The Sig P938 is an attractive single action only handgun offered with various colors and grip style choices. The P938 featured is the “Extreme” model that furnishes beautiful Hogue G­10 extreme grips with a beavertail style frame and ambidextrous thumb safety. The main feature that stands out with the Sig P938 is the 1911 style action. Due to it’s single action trigger, this gun is meant to be carried “cocked and locked.”

Specifications:

Caliber: 9mm

Action Type: Single Action Only

Trigger Pull SA: 7.5­8.5 lbs

Overall Length: 5.9 in

Overall Height: 3.9 in

Overall Width: 1.1 in

Barrel Length: 3.0 in

Sight Radius: 4.2 in

Weight w/o Mag: 16.0 oz

Mag Capacity: 7 Rounds

Sights: SIGLITE Night Sights

Grips: Hogue G­10 Extreme Grips

Frame Finish: Black Hard Anodized

Slide Finish: Nitron

MSRP: $833

The Sig P938 resembles a mini 1911 in 9mm. It’s slim, single stack profile with the ambidextrous thumb safety position on the frame will deliver fans of the 1911 similar functions while packaged in a smaller and lighter subcompact handgun. The P938 has a metal black hard anodized frame while still remaining under 20 ounces in weight. It has a skeletonized hammer with a beavertail high on the grip which once again, 1911 guys will love.

The nitron finish on the slide has a nice look and feel. The slide has both front and rear serrations which provide a good purchase when charging the gun. The frame mounted ambidextrous thumb safety allows easy access for both right and left handed shooters.

The SIGLITE night sights are standard with the P938 and they are clear and bright. I enjoy the SIGLITE night sights on my Sig P220 as they remain as bright today as the day the gun was made in 2010. I consider the SIGLITE night sights some of the best night sights on the market.

The P938 comes with a six round and seven round stainless steel magazine. The six round magazine fits flush with the bottom of the grip to shorten the grip length for CCW however I like the seven round magazine due to the additional round and a full three finger grip on the gun. The extended baseplate is comfortable while only adding a half inch to the grip length.

The single action trigger on the P938 is very smooth with minimal trigger travel. The Sig Sauer website says the trigger poundage ranges between 7.5 and 8.5 pounds however my trigger scale measures it at an even seven pounds. A seven pound trigger feels very light due to the minimal trigger travel which works well for a CCW handgun. Many 1911 handguns have a lighter 3.5 ­ 4.5 pound trigger pull however Sig modeled this P938 to fit the needs of the concealed carrier therefore adding some weight to the trigger is a safer way to carry especially with many people pocket carrying subcompact handguns these days.

The Hogue G­10 grips work excellent with the Sig P938 Extreme. They offer a fairly aggressively textured grip while looking beautiful. They have a grey and brown wood grain look that sets it apart from other P938 models. It also has a small patch of G10 texture on the backstrap that looks and feels very cool. Sig offers many variations of the P938 and each is different in their own way however this “Extreme” model has both beauty and function which I find very impressive.

Most importantly, my shooting impressions of the P938 were excellent. The short single action trigger travel along with the solid frame allowed me to hit my targets with ease. I found the P938 to be incredibly accurate.

Once again, it feels like a mini 1911. 1911 handguns are, in my opinion, the most accurate and easy to shoot handguns in the world. Sig Sauer took those qualities and put them into this P938 to model the 1911 qualities in a little three inch barrel subcompact 9mm handgun.

To disassemble the P938 is not very difficult however reassembling it will require a few more steps that many people are used to. Once removing the magazine and assuring the gun is unloaded, the slide will need to be pulled back approximately one inch to align the circular cut in the slide with the slide stop lever. While holding that position, push the opposite side of the slide stop to release the slide stop pin to remove it from the frame.

With the slide stop pin removed, the slide is easily removed without the need to pull the trigger. The guide rod, recoil spring and barrel is removed in the same fashion as most handguns. To reassemble, insert the barrel and install the guide rod and recoil spring back into position. The recoil spring is not captured and may move around while inserting the guide rod into position. Some people find it easier to use a small dowel to insert from the muzzle side to position the guide rod into place. Once the upper assembly is into it’s proper position, the slide can be placed back on the frame. Observe a metal “hook” piece on the frame that will need to be pushed down for the slide to fully insert on the frame. At that point, simply move the slide back to align the cut out with the slide stop pin opening to re­insert the slide stop pin. Albeit a couple more steps than many other handguns, with practice, reassembling the P938 will be done easier and quicker with time.

Overall, I find the Sig P938 to be a very nice handgun. Sig offers many models that are pleasing to the eyes but mainly the function of the gun is most impressive. I truly enjoyed range time with it due to its ease of use and accuracy. Being a big fan of the 1911, I find this P938 comfortable to shoot while being familiar with the controls. It may be a bit more expensive than many of its counterparts in the subcompact 9mm market however when we look at everything that Sig offers with the P938 (anodized metal frame, Hogue G10 grips, SIGLITE night sights, single action trigger) we find that the value is worth paying some more dough for this quality handgun.

Many guys rave about the Sig P938 handgun as their favorite concealed carry choice. After reviewing it on video and text, I can honestly say that I now understand what intrigues so many people with this P938. It’s an excellent looking and shooting handgun.