Sig P239 Review: Combat Carry

In marketing, we often talk about changing a consumer’s “frame of reference.” In other words, we try to change the context—or the lens—through which someone sees, understands, or evaluates a particular brand or product.

For example, we might say, “It’s not a smart phone… it’s a computer in your pocket.” Or maybe, “It’s not a car… it’s sex on wheels.” Or “It’s not a gun blog… it’s a dynamic expression of human truth poignantly refracted through the evergreen lens of global gun culture in the internet age.”

You get the idea.

Well, I’m here to change your frame of reference on the Sig P239.

Because, in my opinion, nearly everyone gets it wrong. It’s a unique gun with a unique niche in the market. And, because of that, I tend to think its true merits often get lost in translation… which, honestly, is part of what makes it one of my favorite hipster guns.

So, without further ado…

What makes the Sig P239 hipster worthy?

The P239 isn’t just a “concealed carry” gun. It’s a duty-grade combat gun—with the superb shooting characteristics you’d expect from a gun in that class—in a form factor that’s still smaller a Glock 19.

Is the Sig P365 tinier, lighter with greater capacity? Yup. So is the Springfield Hellcat. So is the Shield Plus, the Ruger Max, the CSX and even the Glock 43 with the new Shield Arms magazines.

But when you see the P239 more as a combat pistol, it starts to make sense.

This isn’t a pocket gun. This isn’t just some convenient tag-along for errands and dog walks. This is a tough-as-nails piece of professional-grade machinery that you can run hard, day after day. It’s designed to shoot well—instead of just being small and light with oodles of ammo crammed up its ass. It’s intrinsically accurate and unquestionably reliable. It has served with law-enforcement agencies around the world and protected presidents in the hands of the US Secret Service. And it’s still smaller than a typical mid-sized, duty-oriented gun like a Glock 19 or a Sig P229.

Meaningfully smaller, in my opinion—when you consider the most critical dimensions for carry and concealment (more on this later).

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But let’s forget about its size, weight and capacity for a moment

It’s accurate.

And not just mechanically accurate. It’s shootably accurate. It puts up groups on par with my Beretta 92, my Browning Hi Power, my Walther P5 and just about anything else I’ve ever shot. It shoots better than a Smith 5906 for me. I find it shoots better than a Sig P225 and even a P226. So, regardless of any other consideration, I feel like makes a decent case for itself purely on that. Especially if you have small hands.

*The group is good. But I literally “shot the 7s” on this silhouette @ 10 yards.*

An Intimate Experience

Case and point: the stock grip is thin side-to-side and shallow front-to-back. The backstrap plunges steeply at a constant angle. There’s no hump. No curve. Nothing that keeps you from choking up, and into, the gun. It feels intimate. It feels close and connected. It feels like it’s IN your hand—not on it or against it. Yet, there’s just enough contour on the panels to give you something that feels like… something. Instead of the vague, non-tactile emptiness that you encounter on many other single stacks.

And the trigger reach? Well, it doesn’t feel like a “reach” at all. Even for those of us with hobbit hands.

*The distance from backstrap to trigger is nice and short. And this* *isn’t* *even the short reach trigger.*

It’s right there. Right under your finger. Your distal joint comes up naturally against the wall—which is firm and distinct. And it breaks. Clean and crisp. Tried and true.

The recoil is brisk, but not sharp or hard. And it communicates—through every facet of your hand. It’s like a car with a firm suspension: you feel the road, but in a good way. In an intuitive way. In a way that helps you drive… better.

**But you’ve gotta do the driving**

The P239 wants you to grip the gun. It doesn’t do it for you. It doesn’t funnel your hand into a specific position or posture. It doesn’t presume to tell you what to do with the recoil impulse. And if you f_ck it up… well, that’s on you.

If you grip it too hard… if you tense your support hand as the trigger breaks… if you engage the trigger at too much of an angle… you’ll see it on the paper. It’s subtle. It’s nothing that would preclude its utility as fighting handgun. But—a combat pistol though it may be—it’s not quite as stable and forgiving as a bigger service pistol.

Time and again, the P239 blows my mind in terms of its accuracy. I’ve shot some of the tightest groups I’ve ever shot with my 2006-vintage P239 in 9mm. It hangs in there with my Beretta PX4 and my Sig P245. I can literally shoot the numbers off a silhouette at 10 yards with a P239. I’ll bring it to the range with a Hi Power, a 92… whatever. The P239 can, and often does, outshoot everything.

Anecdotally, I’ve heard that the P239 is among the most mechanically accurate of all P2XX Sigs (which are, as rule, very mechanically accurate anyway) owed to its full-length frame rails (i.e., there’s no break in the rails, as with a P226, P228 or P229). I can’t say for sure if that’s true. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it was.

That said, the P239 has left me frustrated. More than once.

If I’ve had too much coffee, if I haven’t shot in a while, if I’m shooting ammo that’s not in its sweet spot in terms of bullet weight and power factor… like I said… it’s not as forgiving. It’s nothing major. Usually just a touch left of POA. But it can be frustrating. Especially because I know what the gun is capable of. But, I can say that is definitely the exception, not the rule.

It usually rocks. It usually puts a sly “f_ck you” kinda grin on my face when I’m outshooting everyone else’s Glock 19s, M&Ps and XDs at my local range.

Even in double action.

DA… within reach

The P239 has a good, solid DA trigger. It’s better than some (e.g., Beretta 92). It’s not as good as others (e.g., 5906). There’s a touch of overtravel and some minor stacking. But it’s still pretty good.

*The P239 has a very “reachable” DA trigger.*

Regardless… you can reach it. And I say “you” because—with my small hands—if I can, you can. So, whatever minor flaws might exist in the DA pull, they just aren’t as apparent… because you can pull it straight back, maintaining constant, even pressure throughout the travel. I can keep the gun centered, aimed and under control through the entire DA stroke. Decocking between shots, I can shoot tighter groups with a P239 than just about anything. Even my 5906.

For me that’s a huge plus. Especially on a carry gun.

Flip the Grip?

The P239’s stock grip is kind of a double-edged sword. It’s svelte, it’s smooth (and sexy, in its own plain-jane kinda way) and it lays flat against your body for easy concealability. I carry it AIWB, at around 12:30 / 12:45. As long as I’m not riding it super high, it doesn’t print. It doesn’t dig into me. And it’s easy to grab on the draw.

*The thin factory grips conceal very well and still have a nice feel.*

But it has (basically) zero texture. And, being a thin single stack, it doesn’t give your support hand a whole lot of… umm… support. That’s one of the reasons it can be a bit less forgiving if you’re trying to wring out its full potential for accuracy.

So, a lot of folks go with aftermarket grips on the P239. My personal favorites are the Karl Nill “Rhomlas” grips.

They feel… incredible. Whatever touchiness is extent in the P239’s default demeanor almost disappears with the Nills. They’re a bit thicker, with a touch of a palm swell, and just enough extra texture—all of which definitely helps you impart greater stability to the gun.

But…

The thin, factory grips, in my opinion, are a key factor in the P239’s concealability advantage (and overall relevance) vs. other similar-sized guns. Thicker grips sorta negate that advantage. Plus, the OG plastic grips on the P239 still provide a lot more tactile contour than you find on other single stacks—the Smith & Wesson 3913 comes to mind. I had one. I found it hard to control because the grip was just flat, straight and didn’t feel like much of anything in the hand. The P239’s factory grip—while still thin enough to aid in concealment—is light years better in my opinion.

So…

I have the Nills on my P239 in .357 Sig (which, I think is worth a separate review, because it’s kind of different animal). With hot .357 Sig loads, having that extra support is very helpful. In 9mm, as long as I’m being proactive in how I engage the grip of the gun, I see no real loss in shootability with the factory plastic-fantastics.

Hogue also offers G10 grips for the P239. A lot of people love these—and I can see why. They obviously offer a super-grippy texture. But… they’re flat-sided. Zero contour. And for me, the contour is more important than the texture. And while they’re basically as flat/thin as the factory grips, I honestly prefer the feel of the factory grips. Plus, the less-aggressive texture feels better against my skin while carrying. YMMV, of course.

“But it’s toooo big and heavy for a gun that only holds 8 rounds!”

So, it must be… ahem… “obsolete,” right?

Sighs. Scoffs. Sardonically chuckles.

And so, we come full circle: this is what EVERY review of the P239 ends up being. And this is where I reinvoke the “frame of reference” argument:

The P239 is a combat pistol. And it shoots like one. For most people, it’s probably going to shoot better—and feel better and handle better—than something tinier. And, I’ll even say that it will probably shoot better than a Glock 19 for most people. I tend to think the ergos suit more people and the crisp single-action trigger is just more intuitive to shoot than what’s on a stock Glock. Plus… it’s smaller than a Glock 19 and its thin, single-stack grip is better suited to concealed carry.

Now, is that thin single-stack grip worth losing roughly 43% of your capacity?

A lot of people would say “hell no.” But I would say “f_ck yeah.” Because my goal for an around-town carry gun is to have something that’s seamlessly concealable, combat-reliable and intuitively shootable… all while providing the peace of mind of a DA/SA platform. And, at this point, there’s really nothing else that provides all of that.

Plus, extra mags are easy to carry with a single stack.

So…

Stay down with the Sig-ness, my friends. And long live the P239.

*The top, near the 7, is actually DA only group. One flyer—sorry.*

What are your thoughts on the Sig Sauer P239? Experiences? Opinions? Scathing condemnations on my review? Feel free to share below…

Thanks so much for reading.

#hiptac