dsiets, I do hope to rent a 365 to try; I think our local range rents pistols they can't sell and that may be one.
If not, I will rent one next time I'm in Arizona, perhaps.
I somehow have the feeling my son in Maryland would really like to see his Dad have a P365 in his safe.

To the price question, a P365 Tac Pac can be had for less than $550

One biggie is how familiar with firearms & the different ‘manual of arms’ with each. I have both, plus a p238, use any of them at times.

Then maybe what type of carry is planned?

At times I’ll take a ‘Bodyguard’ with the shrouded hammer, dirt simple.

The price seems ok, especially if OTD, not added tax & background check fees.

My friend has taken your advice and will be shooting the 938 this weekend.
Thanks!

The 938 is essentially a mini-1911. Manual safety that needs to be engaged when carrying. Most of the models come with a plastic-feeling trigger.

The P365, while larger, has the ability to carry more ammunition. It is VERY slightly wider than a Ruger LC9.

I've held, owned, and shot both. The 938 is OK if you have small hands. I like the P365 much more.

I've shot a co-workers P938 to help him "break it in", and I own P365s.

I found shooting the P938 to be pretty miserable. The P365 is actually not bad for such a small gun.

She really needs to shoot them both before throwing down $$.

quote:

Originally posted by SigSAC:
The 938 is essentially a mini-1911. Manual safety that needs to be engaged when carrying. Most of the models come with a plastic-feeling trigger.
<snip>

The P938 trigger is plastic (polymer). But “plastic-feeling”? No way. Break force is a bit high at ~7lbs, but little take-up, a clean break, and a quite short reset. A very solid trigger, and the break force can easily be reduced if you want.

It's always tricky advising someone on which gun they should buy. Gun prices vary widely based on geographics. That being said, I'll offer my personal experience.

I bought a 238 when they first came out and found it acceptable but never thought the .380 round was right for me and the gun had more recoil than I thought it should for such a small caliber.

When the 938 came along I got one immediately and felt like it was an answer to a maiden's prayer. It eliminated every complaint I had about the 238. I carried it every day for quite a while and practiced with it regularly. I had no intention of changing.

One day a friend offered me a good deal on a 365 and I took it - more out of curiosity than anything else. That was 3 years ago and, to tell the truth, I don't even know where the 938 is anymore.

365 -- hands down -- for me.

Both my wife and daughter picked out their own first pistols after trying dozens of different pistols. I understand that some people are not blessed with that opportunity. That said, if I had tried to guess what pistol they would choose, I would have been wrong 100% of the time even in three or four tries. Everyone has different wants & likes. Thankfully, we have so many choices. In the end, as long as the gun functions properly and works in their hands, I have no complaints.