Are you ready to take the plunge and pick your first concealed carry firearm? Maybe you’d like to add something for everyday carry to your collection. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a SIG Sauer. I carry a SIG p938 for daily concealed carry, and I find it a great option in general for a collection piece and an even better daily carry option for women. My top 4 reasons why my hand keeps reaching for my SIG Sauer p938 are:
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Its size fits my hands almost perfectly.
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It’s reliable and accurate; my target acquisition is better with this particular gun.
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It’s easy to clean and rust-resistant; I sweat, probably more than others, and as long as I wipe down and oil it as I should, I don’t have any fears of rust.
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The 1911 platform is a classic and familiar setup that makes me feel safe and allows a lighter trigger pull. The ambidextrous safety is another added plus.
I’ve tried to like other guns, I really have, and I keep coming back to my SIG P938 for everyday concealment. It’s easy to carry, small enough for my hands to grip, and features a 1911-style platform that I’ve always favored. This little thing is accurate and reliable and pretty to boot. I love a stainless finish, and with the aftermarket rosewood grips, I just look at it and smile.
So, why SIG Sauer? They’re a little more expensive than similar-sized Smith & Wessons, definitely more expensive than a Glock, and there are plenty of other micro compacts on the market. Easy, I only want to bet my life on the best, and SIG is it.
SIG Sauer Quality
SIG Sauer has a pretty sterling reputation when it comes to firearm quality and reliability. SIG is known for its alloy frame (compared to the more budget-friendly polymer), relationship with the military, and popularity among law enforcement. These guns are made to be heirlooms, and SIGs are no less than a work of art that can perform with the best. Beauty and brains, if you will.
Size
My hands are on the smaller end of the size spectrum for a woman. I work outside and with livestock and have a history of labor-intensive jobs that have made them a little chunky in the palm just from muscle. For reference, I have about 100-pound grip strength in my dominant hand, when the standard norm for my age is about 60-88 pounds.
My fingers are short, my hands have some density, and as much as I love a full-size duty pistol, I just can’t find a comfortable position for my hands to assume when I draw under pressure. My P938 fits like it was made for my kind of hands. I can draw and assume an accurate and solid position consistently and intuitively.
The p938 also fits well on my person. I typically carry at 3 o’clock with an IWB holster and haven’t had a problem walking around all day with my SIG on my hip, even in some decently tight jeans. It’s not so heavy that I compensate in my step or get sore or tired, yet it’s not so light that I feel it will fly out of my hand if I have to draw quickly.
Reliable and Accurate
The SIG’s reliability is unmatched by many other guns I’ve shot. I hate dealing with failure to eject or failure to fire, and stove-piping makes me want to throw things angrily across a field. I’ve shot thousands of rounds through the p938, and not once have I had a failure-even when it wasn’t quite broken in its early days.
Of course, failures can happen with any firearm. In my experience, whether I shoot a lot or a little, my SIG performs the same. I’ve even run some pretty hot loads through it, and it handled them like a champ. Some extra cleaning after the range definitely happens those days.
The 9mm caliber is known for extra recoil when shot from a micro compact frame. What’s nice about the p938 is that its weight and design allow a lot of that recoil to be absorbed, further enhancing the accuracy of target acquisition.
The p938 was made for close-range self-defense and generally reflects a 1.7-inch grouping at 10 yards. SIG has done incredibly well in creating a scaled-down 1911 in the p938. I have had some qualms about accuracy past 10 yards, but considering the bit of kick the 9mm makes, I expect it to be slightly less accurate beyond that range.
Easy to Clean
The p938 is incredibly easy to break down and clean, even for newer gun owners. I love that the disassembly doesn’t make me pull the trigger to release the slide. It doesn’t matter how many times I clear the chamber; on a gun that I have to pull the trigger to release the slide, I get nervous.
Breaking the p938 down and putting it back together is simple enough, and I don’t have a problem cleaning and re-oiling after a long day of carrying concealed. I try to be strict about recoiling when I carry extensively, especially when sweating. Corrosion can set in quickly, even on a resistant stainless steel finish.
The 1911 Platform
I absolutely love the 1911 platform. Maybe I’m partial to it because I first learned how to shoot on this platform, but it’s the only one I feel the most confident with, rain or shine. The SIG p938 is downright a baby 1911. The nostalgia is there; the weight is there, and the pure refined class is there.
With my hand size, the thumb safety is in a perfect position and gives me a tactile reference point, so the slide doesn’t bite me when it comes back. The beavertail lets my hand smoothly find its proper position no matter my draw angle. The exposed hammer allows people like me that carry chambered that extra visual indicator of a loaded weapon.
Interesting Origins, Continued Excellence.
SIG Sauer has an incredible history originating in 1853 as a railway and wagon company in Switzerland. SIG stands for Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft (Swiss Industrial Company) and, since 1864, has been keeping its products in the hands of folks like me that want something high-quality, reliable, and seriously good-looking.
SIG’s first award for firearm quality was in 1864 for its Prelaz-Bernand rifle. A wagon factory now had an order for 30,000 of these rifles unmatched in quality in the market at the time. The next legend, this time a handgun (the P49), was put in the hands of the Swiss army, only for its reputation to precede itself. SIG quality and reliability established themselves as unmatched in the firearms industry of old and remain so today.
Some Drawbacks
In my opinion, there aren’t many drawbacks of carrying a SIG in general, especially the p938. However, there are pros and cons to every product out there. To be fair, the SIG p938 has some small flaws that could dissuade someone from using it for every day carry:
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The exposed hammer may catch on certain clothing and impede a draw.
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The limited capacity. At most, with its extended flush-fit magazine, you’ll have 7+1 rounds.
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It’s a micro-compact. Those with larger hands or longer fingers may not find a natural fit with this frame as I do.
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It’s significantly limited accuracy past 10 yards. For the record, this gun was designed to be accurate within a 10-yard range, and it performs incredibly well within its specifications. Past 10 yards, your groupings are going to be a lot larger.
Other Advantages
The SIG p938 is one of my favorite concealed carry options and the one I continue to reach for daily. Some of my favorite features that might not be very conspicuous yet add that extra touch of class and quality make the higher price tag absolutely worth it.
Single-Action
This firearm is a single-action micro compact, which is why I carry chambered. The single-action allows for a max 8.5-pound trigger draw weight from the factory and an incredibly smooth pull. The curved trigger has a lovely feel, and even if the draw weight sounds on the higher end, it’s a happy medium between too light and double-action heavy.
Barrel Design
The SIG p938 has a locked-breech, tilting barrel design. This allows more powerful ammunition to be used without as much muzzle flip. The slide is exceptionally easy to rack because of this design as well, almost like butter.
All-metal Frame
There are so few subcompacts and micro-compacts with an all-metal frame, as most are polymer to save a few bucks on the price tag and to take some extra weight off. Unloaded, the p938 weighs about 16 ounces, which is incredibly light for an all-metal frame. I will say that the feel of this firearm in my hands compared to something of similar size with a polymer frame is night and day.
Pick What’s Best for You
Ultimately your choice of concealed carry firearm is a personal decision to be taken with due diligence. It has to match your body, your carry style, and just feel good. All I’ll say is that the SIG p938 is a reliable firearm of true quality and downright pretty enough to pass down to the grandkids one day. Anything that goes bang is better than none, but put some class in your hands and try a SIG at least once, and we’ll be riding that train together.
