Sig P232 range report

[38snapcaps]

As some of you may have noticed, I've been asking questions about this pistol. Having carefully listened to everyone (thanks!) I decided to quit agonizing about it and just go make the buy. And since my birthday is wednesday, why not!?

I had to laugh; as I was researching this gun on some old posts on TFL, what do I find but ME asking questions about Sig 232's, four years ago! I guess I've waited long enough to decide.

I was looking at the two tone model, but picked the all black version. It looks more business like. The finish was flawless inside and out. Also, I plan to carry it, so the dark finish is better for concealment.

Before shooting I field stripped it for a good cleaning. It comes apart just like a Makarov or Bersa, so that was very familiar territory. I had a little apprehension about the "pieces that fly off" that some people warn about, but nothing did. I see how the slide stop is held in place with a small wire spring, but it doesn't let loose if you pay attention to the part and don't bump it sideways. There, that worry is gone. The little lever that you pull down to remove the slide is kinda hard to get a hold of, they definitely made that too small.

I was quite impressed with the workmanship inside, I expected Sig quality and I found it.

At the range I did all my shooting at ten yards using home made targets that have a four inch circle and a two inch circle inside. It took a couple of magazines to figure out what sight picture to use. I found that the front sight needed to be slightly up out of the rear sight notch.

Once I had that down most shots would hit in the larger circle. About three quarters of a box later a good share of a magazine would be in the two inch circle. I was using Winchester USA and CCI Blazer ammunition.

Interestingly, the Sig loves regular CCI just like my Bersa. It grouped much better. With the USA, every now and then I would "lose" a shot and it would hit outside the four inch circle. Using Blazer it was almost too easy to stay inside four inches. As I got more familiar with the gun, more and more shots would be inside two inches. What a deal, it likes the least expensive stuff!

I brought along a box of Corbon to see what would happen. Man oh Man, does that do the job! Twice I fired a round of five shots and they all were touching! I quit after ten rounds, as that's half the box and at $12 I'd better play with the Blazer and save this for serious work.

My concerns about recoil were unfounded. The muzzle flip was not bad at all. It was very controllable and was slightly more comfortable to shoot than a Bersa. This is probably because the backstrap is a little wider.

The trigger is very nice in both actions. Double action was slightly heavier than a Bersa, single the same. For sure much better than the PPK/s I had for a month. The decocker is a little strange but you could call it character.

The European style mag release takes a little fussing around, but it didn't take long to get used to. I prefer the button release style. The Sig is just different, not bad. When I was shooting a Mak alot I got so I kinda liked the heel release.

Eighty-five rounds later I stopped. No failures of any kind, 100% reliability.

So, I can say I'm delighted with the Sig 232.

 

[kokapelli]

You did not tell us how much you paid for it and how do you rate it next to the Bersa?

 

[MrAcheson]

Any trouble with slide bite? I rented one a few weeks ago and noticed a nice red mark on my hand where the slide rubbed. My brother got full on bitten.

 

[38snapcaps]

The price at Gander Mountain was $436 plus tax. I opened a store credit card which gave me a 5% discount, resulting in the $436 price tag.

How do I compare it to the Bersa? Hmmm, let's see: Overall the quality is higher, more refined fit and finish and the internal parts have a higher degree of quality. I guess the best words to use are smoother, cleaner, and tighter. Weight for the Bersa is 20 oz. and the Sig is 16oz. They both have aluminum frames but the Sig does feel lighter.

Accuracy was the same, a little tighter group especially with the Corbon ammo. Some of this is due to the Sig sights being a ittle larger and easier to see for a better sight picture. I have over 1500 rounds and eighteen months of Bersa shooting and within a box of ammo, and a half hour, I was shooting the Sig as well or slightly better. Of course, that could be due to the two pistols being so similar.

Ergonomically speaking the Sig is best, the recoil impacts the hand a little less, I'd say muzzle flip is the same. I already addressed the magazine release. I must say I think the Bersa trigger is lighter in both actions, and I prefer the slide stop on the Bersa. The Sig doesn't really have one, you have to either slightly pull out the mag or insert a full magazine, then pull back and release.

Slide bite? Nope, not even close. I am a thin guy with thin hands, the Walther never came close and neither does this Sig.

I really like this pistol but there is just something about the Bersa (I have two!) that endears itself to me. Yes, its slightly primitive compared to the Sig but thats part of its charm.

Now, compared to a PPK/s or a Makarov I'll take a Bersa or the 232 any day! In fact I've had both and had a real bad time with the first for a whole month and tolerated the latter for almost two years. The Walther is the best looking of the four pistols, by far, and the Mak just oozes history.
But none of that helps when you're at the range, it just prolongs the inevitable-being sold.

So, to me, the .380 choices are just two-the Sig by very slight margin and the Bersa.

 

[albanian]

The Walther is the best looking of the four pistols, by far, and the Mak just oozes history.

Very funny and very true! I have had the Walther and the Mak and I sold both. I miss the great looks of the Walther, it was a 1960 blued model and it was pretty! The Mak is one of those guns that you have to buy because it is a good deal and interesting gun, it does not compare to the Bersa when you start shooting however. I have two bersas and plain on getting more when I can. I think I am going to buy my wife one for her CCW if she likes it. She likes my older steel Bersas so I think she will like a new alloy one also.

I have always wanted a SIG 232 or 230 (what they are) but the price has stopped me. I have handled them and they do feel like top notch guns (like most SIGs). I think of them as the best .380 you can get even though I have never owned one. I am not a big .380 fan otherwise I would have bought a used one several years ago when there was Police surplus guns available for good prices.

 

[Pilot]

"The Mak is one of those guns that you have to buy because it is a good deal and interesting gun, it does not compare to the Bersa when you start shooting however. I have two bersas and plain on getting more when I can."


What do you mean? The Mak is one of the best shooting, accurate, reliable, blowback pistols around. I can't imagine the Bersa being a better shooter or a better all around pistol for carrying. The only advantage to an alloy Bersa is lighter weight which would add to felt recoil when shooting.

 

[kokapelli]

Pilot: Trust me, the Bersa has no were near the felt re coil of the Mak in 9X18.
The Bersa has a better trigger, better sights (for my old eyes) and is lighter for carry.

I think the Mak is a great pistol and am not knocking it, I just think the Bersa is more refined and easier to shoot fast and accurately.

 

[kidcoltoutlaw]

p232 with hydra shocks

at 7 yards is 1 inch or less most are just one ragged hole,thanks,keith

 

[GSB]

The European style mag release takes a little fussing around, but it didn't take long to get used to. I prefer the button release style. The Sig is just different, not bad. When I was shooting a Mak alot I got so I kinda liked the heel release.

The heel release on the P232 is much maligned by those who haven't gotten used to it. It's really very fast once you have the knack down. The only real problem I have with it is I haven't figured out a way to do a tactical or emergency mag change with it, but this is likely not to be an issue in a real application anyway since I usually don't have a spare mag on me (I know, I know, I should).

 

[Pilot]

"Pilot: Trust me, the Bersa has no were near the felt re coil of the Mak in 9X18.
The Bersa has a better trigger, better sights (for my old eyes) and is lighter for carry.

I think the Mak is a great pistol and am not knocking it, I just think the Bersa is more refined and easier to shoot fast and accurately."


OK Kokapelli, I will have to try one. I have heard a lot of great things about the Bersa in .380 and I'm sure its an excellent pistol. My wife is looking for a .380 and loves the Beretta Cheetah, single stack. I htink its the Model 84 (my friend has one) Maybe I can save some bucks and get her the Bersa instead. Then I get to shoot it. BTW, her second choice to the Beretta was the Sig 232. (The Mak is too heavy for her.)

 

[albanian]

Pilot wrote:

My wife is looking for a .380 and loves the Beretta Cheetah, single stack. I htink its the Model 84 (my friend has one) Maybe I can save some bucks and get her the Bersa instead. Then I get to shoot it. BTW, her second choice to the Beretta was the Sig 232.

All of those are good guns and I think whatever one she likes best would be a great choice. I love the Cheetah but it is large for a .380.

The reason I say the Bersa is a better shooter than the Mak is, it has a much better trigger in both DA and SA, it has sights you can see and adjust for windage, it has a more confortable grip, the controls are smoother and lighter. It is an all around easier gun to shoot for most people. It is lighter, there are more choices of ammo. Even though the Mak is more powerful, there are probably more and better .380 ammo out than 9x19. .380 Corbon would beat a 9x19 FMJ, I would think. My Mak shot 12-15" high at 10 yards! That was not even close! It never grouped well either, it may have been inherently accurate but what good does that do me? 4-5" groups at 10 yards were what I was getting. I shot a one hole group with my Berea at the same distance and decided that I had no use for Maks anymore.

 

[Pilot]

Albanian wrote:

"My Mak shot 12-15" high at 10 yards! That was not even close! It never grouped well either, it may have been inherently accurate but what good does that do me? 4-5" groups at 10 yards were what I was getting. I shot a one hole group with my Berea at the same distance and decided that I had no use for Maks anymore."

Albanian,

I think you got a lemon of a Mak and if I got that kind of performance from a pistol, I wouldn't like it either. I have five Maks, two Bulgies, two Russian commercial (one in .380) and an East German. ALL are very accurate pistols even at 25 yards. I have pretty good eye sight, so the sights don't bother me. I can get 3 inch groups at 25 yards if I concentrate a bit. At 7 yards its a piece of cake to get soem really close groups. However, its not a target pistol and at the range I shoot primarily in single action mode when going for accuracy. When practicing for real world, the double action is a little stiff, but both DA and SA smooth out very nicely with use. I would give the Mak another try. I certainly will give the Bersa a try.

 

[albanian]

Pilot,
I must have got a lemon because I can't see people raving about that kind of preformance. If I find a deal on one, I may buy it just to see. Mine was a Bulg Mak that was like new. Maybe it would have smoothed up a little but I still don't ever seeing a Mak being as smooth as a Bersa.

 

[FlyinGN]

i love my stainless 232.. I did get bit tho and now I have to change my grip slightly but other then that its my main carry gun and a work of art. I owned a Bersa and was not impressed.