SIG P238 Issue

[tactical.pete]

Hey everyone, I recently got my CCW and one of my firearms is the SIG P238 .380 AUTO. I like it because of its size and easily concealable, even in a pocket if needed. However, after carrying it now for about 2 weeks I've noticed a reoccurring problem that is a bit of a concern.

The back story, when I carry I do have a few clients whose businesses the do not want me to carry in. So I occasionally will have to leave my firearm in the car in my lock box. I take it back out when I leave, and re-holster it and then lock it up again when I pick my daughter up from school. So basically there are instances where I am un-holstering and re-holstering for different reasons throughout the day. Well when I get home at night and un-hoster the firearm I have noticed that if I drop the mag there is a "loose round" that falls out of the firearm! Additionally there is still one chambered, and in full battery! Which totally sketches me out because it makes me wonder if "Had I needed to use the firearm in a life/death situation....would it have jammed on me?

After a little testing I have discovered that if (while a round is in the chamber) the slide is pulled back (maybe 1/4"-1/2") a round comes loose from the mag. It's not enough to eject the round that was chambered....but its enough to cause a round to come out. Thus when I drop the mag...that round falls out and I still have the one in the chamber.

So my guess is that occasionally when re-holstering the slide goes back enough to start to bring up an new round, even though there is one in battery.

Any thoughts?

Follow up test.....so I decided to see if I can recreate this issue and I can. If I pull the slide back just enough that next round comes loose. I'm able to repeat this like 99.9% of the time. I then allow the slide to completely close with the original round in the chamber. Then I test ejection by cycling the firearm hard (trying to replicate actually firing the gun).....and it cycles fine with that round that was loose. SO it may be a non-issue and just a byproduct of the design, but its a little strange.

[floogy]

Hey everyone, I recently got my CCW and one of my firearms is the SIG P238 .380 AUTO. I like it because of its size and easily concealable, even in a pocket if needed. However, after carrying it now for about 2 weeks I've noticed a reoccurring problem that is a bit of a concern.

The back story, when I carry I do have a few clients whose businesses the do not want me to carry in. So I occasionally will have to leave my firearm in the car in my lock box. I take it back out when I leave, and re-holster it and then lock it up again when I pick my daughter up from school. So basically there are instances where I am un-holstering and re-holstering for different reasons throughout the day. Well when I get home at night and un-hoster the firearm I have noticed that if I drop the mag there is a "loose round" that falls out of the firearm! Additionally there is still one chambered, and in full battery! Which totally sketches me out because it makes me wonder if "Had I needed to use the firearm in a life/death situation....would it have jammed on me?

After a little testing I have discovered that if (while a round is in the chamber) the slide is pulled back (maybe 1/4"-1/2") a round comes loose from the mag. It's not enough to eject the round that was chambered....but its enough to cause a round to come out. Thus when I drop the mag...that round falls out and I still have the one in the chamber.

So my guess is that occasionally when re-holstering the slide goes back enough to start to bring up an new round, even though there is one in battery.

Any thoughts?

Follow up test.....so I decided to see if I can recreate this issue and I can. If I pull the slide back just enough that next round comes loose. I'm able to repeat this like 99.9% of the time. I then allow the slide to completely close with the original round in the chamber. Then I test ejection by cycling the firearm hard (trying to replicate actually firing the gun).....and it cycles fine with that round that was loose. SO it may be a non-issue and just a byproduct of the design, but its a little strange.

[SkyHawk]

I hope you are unloading and locking up the gun and ammo on school grounds. You cannot just lock away a loaded gun on school grounds. The gun must be unloaded, and both gun and ammo must be locked.

[k1dude]

Have you tried to fire it with the loose round?

[Old4eyes]

I tried replicating the issue on my P238 with snap caps. When I pull the slide back on a standard magazine as the OP has done, I see that the top round in the mag has come forward slightly, but nowhere to the point where it would come out of the mag.

When I do the same on an extended mag, the top round does not come forward. The fact that a round becomes that loose may indicate a defective magazine.

I agree that a holster that pushes the slide back while re-holstering may be problematic. Perhaps as a temporary solution until all the culprits have been found and fixed is to put your thumb on the back of the slide while re-holstering to prevent slide movement.

If the thumb safety operated like a true 1911 the issue would not occur, the slide can't be moved while the thumb safety is engaged on a 1911.

[enegue]

There’s nothing wrong with the gun. I still don’t understand what the problem is...do you shoot the gun? How many rounds have you fired with it? Does it cycle properly? If so, everything is fine.

I have a 238 and the top round that’s in the mag is always moved forward a bit. Usually happens when you chamber a round. When you’re taking the mag out, it can sometimes fall out of the top of the magazine. If the gun runs well on the range then it doesn’t matter.

[Packy14]

The problem is it’s a 380acp lol

[Whiskey_Tango]

My 938 does the exact same thing. Always a loose round when unloading. Never had a malfunction when firing.

[nickel plate]

I have a free state early SSE P238 HD and the "loose round" syndrome has never happened to me.
To you folks who have experienced this, is yours a free state gun or a calif neutered gun?
Could this be P238 model specific problem as in HD stainless steel or alloy or both?

[E Michael]

I have the alloy one and never had an issue.

[kennymallory1]

Mag issue?


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[AFTII]

I've seen this in my P938 and P238HD. The only negative experience that I've had with either of these guns is that, rarely, they will eject the loose round during the firing cycle. This only happens with a full magazine. It's always the second round that gets ejected. This condition has never effected the ejection of the spent cartridge and the next round in the magazine has always chambered. Thus, the only negative I've experienced is the loss of one round of capacity.

[Packy14]

I've seen this in my P938 and P238HD. The only negative experience that I've had with either of these guns is that, rarely, they will eject the loose round during the firing cycle. This only happens with a full magazine. It's always the second round that gets ejected. This condition has never effected the ejection of the spent cartridge and the next round in the magazine has always chambered. Thus, the only negative I've experienced is the loss of one round of capacity.

Sounds like a critical failure waiting to happen at the worst time

[Sikk50]

I've been carrying a free state p938 daily for around three years. Due to my nature, I press check my guns anytime they've been out of my immediate control (i.e. safe, lock box, drawer, etc).

By press checking, it causes the above described scenario; HOWEVER, that round is not free floating in there. What is actually happening, is that top round is pushed forward in the mag lips. The act of removing the magazine causes that round to fully come out, thus giving the illusion of it being loose in the gun

[SkyHawk]

The only negative experience that I've had with either of these guns is that, rarely, they will eject the loose round during the firing cycle.

Sounds like a critical failure waiting to happen at the worst time

Yes that is sort of sketchy.