cuda67

I'm leaning towards purchasing a Sig Sauer P938 for concealed carry. Are they worth the extra dollars? Cheaper guns will still go bang. Also looking at a Ruger LC9, but I really like the Sig.

Champlain Islander

I have a M&P shield 9 on order getting it this week. Liked the way it fit my hand. The sig 938 is a nice gun and I looked at them and the LC9s too. The Ruger and S&W were around the same price but the sig was more so I chose the shield.

cuda67

I have looked at the M&P also. I liked the way it my hand too. Still and option.

Champlain Islander

I think that model sig is a bit smaller than either the shield or LC9s. I guess it all depends on how small you need it to be. I would have gotten mine but was hung up on needing a thumb safety...I'm old school. It had to be ordered and they are hard to find right now since they put the gun out recently without a safety as requested by lots of people. Same thing with the LC9s pro which doesn't have the thumb safety. I guess they are all looking to compete with Glock.

Nomercy448

If it's what you're looking for, yes, the P938 is worth the money.

The LC9/LC9s and Sig P938 are completely different machines.

• They're about the same dimensionally, the Sig thicker, especially so in the grips, but the 938 is a touch heavier - which is an advantage. It's not heavy enough to be burdensome for carry, but it's just enough to tame down the snap a little. The Sig is 5.9" x 3.9" x 1.1" and a stated weight of 16oz WITHOUT the mag, the LC9s is 6" x 4.5" x 0.9" and 17oz WITH the mag - my P938 was 20oz with the mag on my scale.

• Both are 7+1 capacity.

• The "standard" sights on the Sig are tritium Siglite, which is a $100 upgrade to the LC9/LC9s.

• The balance on the P938 is completely different - the all metal frame and slide balance more in hand than the LC9s's polymer body.

• The biggest difference is the action - which is why I don't carry my 938, and DO carry my LC9. The P938 is a short single action only trigger pull, hammer fired, manual safety model. The LC9s is a long double action only trigger pull, striker fired, with a manual safety, unless you buy the Pro model (or disable the safety on your non Pro). If you carry the LC9s the way a DOA should be carried - with the manual safety off - it has a huge advantage in response function. Draw and pull the trigger, no extra operations between "oh Schitt" and "bang." The P938 should be carried in Condition One, Cocked & Locked, and as such, you must disengage the safety before firing - easily forgotten in a stressful situation, especially for anyone under-trained.

• Being a single action only, the P938's trigger is considerably lighter and shorter pull than the LC9s. Ruger claims 5.5lbs on the LC9s's trigger pull, mine was just over 6.5lbs. The 938 leaves the factory also at 5.5 - mine measured 5.5 - and with a little tuning, can be brought down easily to 3.5-4lbs. The pull length is a huge difference, however, feels like 5x longer in an LC9s over a P938.

• The removable grip panels in the p938 could be an advantage. The grip design affords more purchase in your grip, making it easier to hold onto than the LC9s. I've added a Hogue Hand-all wrap to all of my LC9's and LCP's, else they're too thin for my hands. There aren't a lot of aftermarket options for the P938, but there are options to change the profile, thicker or thinner, or even add a wrap around grip, plus unlimited custom options not available to the LC9s.

• The manual safety on the P938 is ambidextrous, whereas the LC9s's is not. The safety lever is also considerably larger on the P938, making it easily operable, whereas the Ruger lC9s's safety is nearly too small for functional use, and is rather stiff out of the box. Personally, I cut off the lever on my LC9's, and carry them on "fire." There's still enough tab such I can engage the safety with my fingernail, should I need to, but it's a DAO, it's safe without it. Why Ruger included one at all is beyond me - they have the same action in the LCP, but without a safety. The LC9s Pro does not have the manual safety, nor magazine disconnect.

So, if you want tritium night sights (ideal for a defensive carry pistol), want a little recoil taming weight, and are confident carrying a manual safety, single action only model, the P938 is a better choice than the LC9s. If you prefer the simplicity and speed of a DAO, and are OK with paying for aftermarket tritium sights, AND are OK with a touch extra recoil, the LC9s is a better choice.

I suggest you handle and fire both before ultimately deciding. If I could only keep one of the two, it'd be a P938, not an LC9s, even though I'd rather have a DAO for concealed carry.

cuda67

Very good information Nomercy448. Both guns feel good, but there is just something about owning a Sig if you know what I mean. The P224 and P290 have my attention also. It's only money, right!

Nomercy448

I wholeheartedly agree - there's something about a Sig... My wife and I have a handful of them. She carries her P238 as her EDC, mine holds down the safe. My 938 is beside it. We just picked up a pair of DA/SA P224's. I have a 1911 and an X-FIVE (finally broke down!).

My wife surprised me last week, she had been set on a Sig 1911 Officer for a long time, but suddenly changed her mind to a Kimber Ultra II Raptor, so we'll have another Kimber in the rack instead of another Sig.

The LC9s is a great pistol for what it is, but it's a different class than the Sig P938.

Be sure you handle a P224 before you buy one. They're a sub compact, but they're actually very difficult to conceal - they're a double stack, so they're hugely thick. The grip is nice and short, and she's long enough to do the job, but my 5'4" 130lb wife isn't hiding one in a T-shirt and jeans.

Ruger-Redhawk

I don't drop in here very often but I happened to see this about the Sig P-938.


I've bought and went through several different guns over the years that I wanted for carrying. From the J frame Smith's to the G27, G30, including a Sig P 245.

About 2 1/2 years ago I bought my 2nd Sig which was the P-938. I started carrying it regularly after a few good workouts at the range. It's been 100% reliable. It didn't take long for this P-938 to become my favorite carrying gun.
Once in awhile I might carry something else but it's pretty safe to say I'll be going back to my P-938 as my primary carry gun. I prefer carrying a larger caliber then a 9mm but the P-938 makes it so nice to carry.

Mine is the Blackwood model which I changed to the Hogue grips.http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProdu...blackwood.aspx

I liked this little Sig so much when I got a good deal on another brand new P-938 only the Equinox model I grabbed it. At the same time we bought the wife a P-238. That was an expensive gun show.
I bought the Sig 22 LR conversion kit for this 2nd P- 938. I take it to the range often.
There's allot of less expensive guns on the market and I'm sure allot of them are decent guns. I hear allot of people speaking highly of the SCCY's. I shot one and it didn't do anything for me. I'm just giving my opinion of the Sig.
I've been a Ruger fan for over 40 years but I have never been a big fan of the Ruger semi autos except for their SR1911's.

I carry my P 938 in one of these Talon Holsters.
http://shop.talontraininggroup.com/t...x-iwb-holster/
I have a half dozen or so of these Talon holsters for different guns. They make carrying very comfortable plus they are great people to deal with. You can get them directly through Talon or they are also available on Amazon.
Bottom line to me the Sig P-938 is well worth the money.