Help Me Decide!

It's summer shopping time.  I know it doesn't seem like spring yet, let alone summer, but I'm needing to make a decision.  As you have probably read, I carry either a full size 1911 or most often a Commander-size 1911 through the winter months when I can wear a jacket to cover it.  I'm not fond of inside the pants holsters, and normally wear only a t-shirt in warmer weather.  I really haven't found anything comfortable enough to carry the beloved 1911's in the summer.

Last summer, I carried a really nice Glock 36 in .45ACP, with the Ghost 3.5# trigger.  Unfortunately, it was just about as difficult to conceal as the 1911, so the G36 went away to another happy Glock owner.  It was easy to shoot and very accurate (and a .45), but it was just too "blocky" to conceal well under just a t-shirt on a belt holster.

As you may have read before, I'm not a fan of carrying a .380, but they are better than nothing at all.  I have owned a sweet little Sig P238 SAS in the past, and honestly can say that it -was- one of my favorites.  Easy to shoot, low recoil, and much more accurate than a pistol that size should be allowed to be.  It was built like a fine Swiss watch and truly a remarkable pistol - and I've never been a Sig fan!  Other than their 1911 and the P238/938, I think their other models are just plain too ugly to own - but I do appreciate the quality.  Add in a really nice set of night sights, and voila - the perfect summer carry pistol???  I wish.  I just still have a hard time carrying the diminutive .380.

Now I have an option, the Sig P938.  For just a little more money, I can now purchase a just slightly larger pistol in 9mm.  Again, I'd rather carry my .45, but it just isn't feasible for me with just a t-shirt, and I can't be comfortable with a covering shirt in the summer.

The P238 in .380 was just a joy to shoot.  It was actually fun to shoot, and you can't say that too often about the small pistols on the market today.  My wife's LCP is a neat little pistol, but NOT enjoyable to shoot and I can't seem to be as accurate as I would like with it.  With the P238 in .380, I could dump the magazine in 2 seconds, and have all the holes in one nice little group at defensive ranges.  I could even reliably slow-fire at 25 yards and keep them in a respectable group.  Did I mention that the P238 was stupid accurate?

The P938 in 9mm I have not had a chance to shoot.  I have only read the internet reviews, and my opinion of internet reviews is, well, not really high.  I'm reading that the 938 has a much heavier, grittier trigger pull, and of course the recoil and muzzle flip from a 9mm has to be more than the .380.  Other than that, the P938 is only slightly larger and looks like I could easily conceal it in a quality belt holster as I did with the .380.  I guess the question is, does the recoil of the 9mm make it (much) harder than the .380 to fire multiple rounds quickly and accurately?  If the P938 loaded with heavy defense ammo is not accurate and not easy to shoot, is it really worth upping the caliber to 9mm?  Does a 9mm really have that much more "stopping power" over a modern .380 with quality ammunition - especially when dealing with very short barrels?

I guess I just liked the P238 in .380 so well that I'm afraid to make a (read as big money) mistake in purchasing the P938 in 9mm.  Caliber is obviously the only reason I am looking at the 9 over the 380, but with today's higher quality .380 personal defense ammunition is it really worth it to go up to the 9mm?

Help!!!

P938 SAS

P938 vs. P238
(P938 with added grip extention)