Thanks to all for educating me on the P230SL. I may carry it after I'm assured it's reliable, but I was a sucker for the looks. I gave $450 for it with two mags.

IMO still the best-looking and sexiest Sig ever made!

I had a blued one at one time and had to be very careful not to get slide bite. Wearing a shooting glove helps with the recoil and keeps you from getting sliced too!

That is a super awesome deal!

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
Thanks to all for educating me on the P230SL. I may carry it after I'm assured it's reliable, but I was a sucker for the looks. I gave $450 for it with two mags.

$450? I hate you

I had one back in the day and it was my dress-up gun: I recall wearing it to a formal dinner where I introduced my soon-to-be bride to my mom. And she could shoot the bejeeszus out of it; my wife, not my mom. Alas, it got traded for something, I forget exactly what.

As pointed out, today there are many more practical guns, but my LCP and 3AT will never have the panache or fill the niche of the P320.

I hope you have as many great experiences with yours that I had with mine.

And 33 years later I'm still married to the same girl, regardless of what my mom said.

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
Thanks to all for educating me on the P230SL. I may carry it after I'm assured it's reliable, but I was a sucker for the looks. I gave $450 for it with two mags.

You stole that one!!! Awesome price!

quote:

Originally posted by kidcop:

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
Thanks to all for educating me on the P230SL. I may carry it after I'm assured it's reliable, but I was a sucker for the looks. I gave $450 for it with two mags.

$450? I hate you

.

This LOL

I recommend putting the rubber Hogues on if you are going to be shooting it alot. Your hands will like you for it. I have two each of the 230 and 232. I would love to get one of each caliber that was made.

As far as practicality is concerned, I guess it all depends on what an individual's definition of practicality is. Me, I prefer a DA/SA metal, hammer-fired gun. Comparing the 230/232 to the 365 is useless to me because the 365 possesses none of the aforementioned traits.
And the European heel-release for the magazine has a positive in that it is much more unlikely to accidentally drop a magazine than a push-button one.
Just because a gun carries more rounds or is smaller/thinner/lighter doesn't necessarily mean it's better.

That’s a great price on that beauty. I’ve always thought the 230/232 to be the most elegant gun design in the Sig lineup. The graceful lines are beautiful art. Enjoy!

I still have the stainless P232 I bought in the mid-‘90s and carried for backup/off duty for years before the P320 Subcompact came out (I now carry a P365).

I will say this, however: Under my LEOSA credentials, if I know I might have to travel anywhere near New York City or the state of New Jersey, that P232 would comply with magazine capacity restrictions and I’d feel comfortable carrying it with one or two spare magazines.

quote:

Originally posted by kidcop:

$450? I hate you

<<snip>>

Yup! I gave $600.00 for mine a year or so ago and thought that was an "acceptable" price; $450.00 was a steal in NIB unfired condition!!!

 
I also love the P230(SL) for its looks, and I acquired a P230 from another forum member. It shoots great, and when I sent it to Robert Burke he said he could not improve the action, so he returned it. The gun had obviously been tuned up prior to my getting it. It shoots Gold Dot hollow points flawlessly, and the DA and SA trigger pulls are light and smooth. I have found that by modifying my grip slightly, there is no slide bite.
 
Regarding the date code, the seller told me it was a JE (1984) manufacture. I looked and looked everywhere (so I thought) and could not find the JE. I called SIG and they said based on their serial number database, it was a 1985. No big deal, I'm not really concerned when it was made as it is such a great shooter. A year after owning it, I gave it a thorough inspection and finally found the JE date code, right in front of my face. I didn't notice it earlier because it is turned sideways. I originally glided over it as just another weird proof mark.
 

It is nice to see a Sig p230 thread once in a while. I guess I must be an impractical sort, your opinion may differ. The Sig P230 and the Walther PP are the cat's meow.

You have a nice pistol. Lot of people like the stainless model, I would prefer the alloy frame model.

I owned a P230 back in the 90's, very sleek pistol, never had slide bite, and preferred the heel release mag catch.

Beautiful gun. I also believe the P230 is the sexiest in the Sig classic lineup. Almost 30 years ago, my now wife and I were shopping for a gun for her to shoot. It came down to a choice between a Walther PPK/s and the Sig P230. I like the Sig and she liked the PPK/s. She preferred the mag release of the Walther and also like the manual safety. I still have the Walther but was always disappointed we didn’t get the Sig. Years later I rectified the problem and bought a pristine SL and another alloy framed blued version. I don’t shoot them much mainly due to the scarcity of 380 ammo and have many better choices for small CCW like the p365 so I understand the relevant comment. I would still feel comfortable carrying one if I needed to. It points and shoots great and I’ve never been bit by the slide. I don’t understand the comments about harsh felt recoil, I’ve never found the blowback 380s of this size to be anything other than powderpuffs.

$450??? You thief! I got mine for $375, but it was police turn in and needed some rehab.

Helluva nice pickup!

Very accurate pistol. Enjoy

quote:

Originally posted by tcfiero:
I recommend putting the rubber Hogues on if you are going to be shooting it alot. Your hands will like you for it.

+1 on the Hogues. They make a lot of difference, both with felt recoil and with slide bite -- although in my experience, it's more hammer bite than slide bite. I get little punctures instead of the "skid marks" that go with slide bite.

quote:

I have two each of the 230 and 232. I would love to get one of each caliber that was made.

AFAIK, they were only made in .380 and .32. Were there other calibers?

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
I just picked up an immaculate NIB P230SL in 9mm kurz from the original buyer. No papers; 2 mags that obviously haven't had ammo loaded, but a perfect condition red cardboard box. Any way to determine when it was built; the seller thought it was likely mid to late 80's but (like all of us) memory is fading. ??

Serial is S004268

Do these little guns like to be oiled or greased?

aileron

What a beauty! Congratulations to you sir. I bought a new P230SL many years ago and loved it. I only sold it (to a forum member) to get a P239. There are "many better and more practical options today"? IMHO, that's nonsense. What's 'better' or more 'practical' then a handgun someone loves to have, loves to carry and loves to shoot? Those three attributes are the basis of 'better' and 'practical'.

Then again, my two tone SAS P239 in .357Sig does beautifully as an EDC option. Impractical? Maybe for some, but certainly not for me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TN Mark,

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Same similar situation; my buddy didn't want to get his wife a .380 or .22 mag because "not effective."

I asked him, "since I have both, which would he like me to shoot you with the .22 mag or .380 to determine which is more effective? "

You owe me a new keyboard.