Ran across a black finish 232 Friday. I'd never paid them much attention, although I've seen them from time to time. This appeared to be new in box, had all paperwork and goodies (except maybe the target, if they came that way.) The price was VERY right, so I bought it. I broke it down today and, as I thought, it was perfectly clean. The mags showed no sign of having been loaded, such as drag marks on the followers. It's an interesting gun. I'm looking forward to shooting it.

Watch for slide bite

I had one and used both the Hogue rubber grips and a leather shooting glove to avoid being sliced.

My brother has a 230 and I(we) never had a problem w/ slide bite. I'm assuming there isn't a difference between the two?

I'll make sure to position my hand properly. Slide bite sucks! My wife took four stitches with a 250 once. She kept shooting until I stopped her. Said she might be bleeding in a gun fight, too.

The only gun I’ve ever bought solely for looks is the P230. Being direct blowback, it kinda sucks, but the nice thing is the fixed barrel makes them accurate as all get-out.

Very glad that I can have a P365 with 10 rounds of 9mm in a smaller, lighter, more controllable package these days. But gawt-dam is the P230/232 sexy!

Slide bite was/is the issue for me on both my stainless P230 and my black P232. Big meaty hands may be the cause I suspect. I've had others tell me of similar results.

But they sure are good pointers, tact drivers, and pretty pistols. Better than the PPKs imho. I did have a little issue with a gritty slide/rails on the 230 but I honed that out.

Both of them are pretty-much safe queens these days since the wife converted to an LCR ... youngest daughter may take one of them home with her, back to Florida, this Christmas.

quote:

Originally posted by BuddyChryst:
The only gun I’ve ever bought solely for looks is the P230. Being direct blowback, it kinda sucks, but the nice thing is the fixed barrel makes them accurate as all get-out.

Very glad that I can have a P365 with 10 rounds of 9mm in a smaller, lighter, more controllable package these days. But gawt-dam is the P230/232 sexy!

The recoil of the P230/232 (and other .380 blowback pistols) is uncomfortably sharp, but these pistols are more controllable than a small light 9mm such as the P365.

But, yeah, I understand buying for looks. I have a German Interarms Walther .380 PPK/S. The P230/232 looks pretty. The PPK/S looks, well, business-like. I appreciate both esthetics.

The 232 Recoil is robust for a 380ACP. Racking the slide may not be easy for some as well. All things considered, my 232's will be the last to go.

I traded into a new in the box 232sl last spring that came with 5 magazines. I’ve yet to shoot it for some reason but it gives me great joy staring at it and holding it. Hopefully the shooting of it will happen in a few weeks along with the 239 in .40 with the .357 barrel.

I also find my 232SL's recoil snappy for a sort of heavy pistol. The alloy frame version has definitely got to be attention getting. But I love it and do not plan on getting rid of it.

I as well have a P232, a stainless one with the slanted serrations that I picked up 6 or 7 years ago. it's one little pistol that I can shoot pretty accurately...when I'm not flinching from the harsh blowback recoil that is. At least there's one positive; slide bite isn't an issue for me given my small hands.

Honestly, it's not one of my regulars to pack up for a range visit, though none of my surprising number of .380s (really? I have THAT many?) ever are.

I have a west German P230SL- never had an issue with slide bite. It's a bit snappy but a great point shoot pistol and conceals well. This should have been a Bond Pistol over a PPK.

Your pictures don't seem to be showing up....

380ACP ammo has made great strides in recent years as far as lethality is concerned particularly in micro pistols. Benched my 9mm in favor of the 380 for carry. Love my P232s but prefer the P238 for that purpose. It is smaller, much easier to rack and noticeably lighter on recoil. As a result, return to target is faster. Accuracy is amazingly good.

I've never experienced slide bite with my P230... but what you need to watch out for, at least in my experience, is that little spring on the left side of the pistol when you break it down... that puppy can take off and end up in another alternate universe.

Oh, and what ever you do don't take the trigger group apart unless you know exactly what you are doing... took me 8 hours and a lot of research to put one back together.

A memory just floated up from the murky depths of my mind. Not long after the P232 was released, there were frequent reports of problems with the take-down lever. As I recall (fuzzily) the lever would slip on its shaft.

Something to watch for if you’re jonesing for a P232.

I've got a stainless version, but it's been a long time since I've shot it. Gotta break it out.

I never shoot or carry this P230SL but it will stay in my collection.

^^^^^^^^
Yet another great image photoman. Thanks.