Just a quick note on my pistol and ammo.

First 100 or so rounds, I had some cycling issues with 115 gr ammo. This problem resolved itself.

The other issue I had that was not bad ammo/primer related was with Federal Aluminum cased ammo and failure to eject. My theory is that the case expanded too much for the tight chamber clearance causing excess friction. I have ever had any other issues with well over 1000 rounds fired.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
My only issue with my 938 is that I've put it together incorrectly a couple of times. Yes, the fault there is mine, rather than the gun's -- I didn't get the takedown pin in place properly.

That used to happen to me, too, until I read a hint here in some thread. When you start putting the slide back, just after you have to push the ejector forward so it clears the slide, keep looking at the hole where the takedown pin/slide catch will go, and you will notice the elongated hole below the barrel appear. Put the takedown pin in at this point. It won't go all the way through, obviously, but it assures correct lineup when you do get the slide further back and can push it all the way in place. I've never had the assembly problem since I started doing it this way.
 

I'm a little confused. How do you reassemble the slide and takedown pin incorrectly? The pin won't snap in place if it isn't lined up with round takedown notch on the slide, right? Am I missing something here?

Jim

It is the position of the barrel when you install the takedown pin that matters. You can line up the notch and insert the pin, but if the barrel has ridden back, the cross pin part doesn't capture the barrel lug. Symptom is when you pull the trigger, it only falls to the half-cock position, and the slide remains partially back from the fully forward position.
 
If you capture the barrel lug when it first passes the forward hole, then continue back with the slide to line up the notch, the barrel stays where it needs to be and all is well. To tell the truth, I don't know how I ever assembled it right before I started doing it this way.
 

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
My only issue with my 938 is that I've put it together incorrectly a couple of times. Yes, the fault there is mine, rather than the gun's -- I didn't get the takedown pin in place properly.

That used to happen to me, too, until I read a hint here in some thread. When you start putting the slide back, just after you have to push the ejector forward so it clears the slide, keep looking at the hole where the takedown pin/slide catch will go, and you will notice the elongated hole below the barrel appear. Put the takedown pin in at this point. It won't go all the way through, obviously, but it assures correct lineup when you do get the slide further back and can push it all the way in place. I've never had the assembly problem since I started doing it this way.
 

I'm a little confused. How do you reassemble the slide and takedown pin incorrectly? The pin won't snap in place if it isn't lined up with round takedown notch on the slide, right? Am I missing something here?

Jim

It is the position of the barrel when you install the takedown pin that matters. You can line up the notch and insert the pin, but if the barrel has ridden back, the cross pin part doesn't capture the barrel lug. Symptom is when you pull the trigger, it only falls to the half-cock position, and the slide remains partially back from the fully forward position.
 

If you capture the barrel lug when it first passes the forward hole, then continue back with the slide to line up the notch, the barrel stays where it needs to be and all is well. To tell the truth, I don't know how I ever assembled it right before I started doing it this way.

_______________________________________________________________

Hmm, Okay. I guess I've been lucky because I've field stripped and my 238 and 938 each many, many times without a hitch. I'll take luck over skill in this case.

Jim
 

quote:

Originally posted by Jus228:


What are your experiences with them? Reliability and recoil being my main concerns. My new G43 isn't working out like I'd hoped. If you have experience with both that's even more helpful to me.

Thanks.

I bought my 938 SAS nib, back in March '13. It was newly built that month. I still carry and fire this pistol to this day, though I have begun going the opposite direction from you: I've begun carrying my G43 more often here lately.

For the 938, I would sort of liken it to a small sports car, some what more maintenance needy than most larger pistols. Initially upon bringing one home, I'd recommend putting a dab a loctite on the grip screws. The two piece recoil spring guide rod may, or may not loosen up after a couple hundred rounds or so. Mine did twice after about three hundred rounds fired each time. I blue loctited and German torqued the guide rod and haven't had any issues since and I've got a little south of 2k rounds through mine so far.

The stock main spring housing is plastic and on earlier models such as mine, a single nub protruded from the MSH to help secure the sear spring, ( current models, IIRC, have two nubs. ) Over a bit of time, this nub would wear down and eventually allow the sear spring to move. I replaced my MSH with an aluminum housing from Hogue. It's been working just fine.

I wasn't totally happy with the stock trigger pull. I ordered a Tillamook Precision metal trigger and did a bit of polishing internally while everything was torn apart, ( which the detail tear down wasn't all that easy, mostly due to the trigger pivot pin, ) and got the pull down to about 5.5 lbs.

Finally, I found that the magazines would come unseated while firing defensive ammo. They stayed locked in just fine when firing standard ball/range ammo. I saw the suggestion from another member here to take a standard 1911 magazine release button spring and cut a coil or two from it to provide more tension on the 938's mag release to more positively retain the magazines during firing. This worked like a charm.

So, as you can see, at least my experience with the 938 was rather more involved than many of my other pistols. I know other members here have had some, if not all of the issues I mentioned above with their 938s.

Now, functional reliability with a wide range of FMJs and HPs has been excellent. I only found one type of bullet that would not feed reliably in my 938, WWB 115gr truncated FMJ. Everything else fed and functioned just fine. I don't recall any FTF issues at all during its initial few hundred round break in. Accuracy is excellent as well. I started off using my standard 9mm carry load, ( 124gr Speer GDs ) but later moved on to 124gr HSTs and I'm now using 150gr HSTs for Micro Pistols. Recoil is easily manageable. When I carry my 938, it rides in a DeSantis Super Fly pocket holster. I use a Don Hume mag pouch to keep an additional seven round magazine on my belt.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Hmm, Okay. I guess I've been lucky because I've field stripped and my 238 and 938 each many, many times without a hitch. I'll take luck over skill in this case.

If there is a way to do it wrong, I will usually stumble across it.
 

I vary a 938 Equinox in a Desantis pocket holster every day. Extra mag I. My left bottom pocket. I wear cargo shorts or vertex pants. I picked up a Ruger SP101 a couple weeks ago, as soon as I find a holster I like I'll rotate once in a while. Practise flicking the safety off when you draw if you get one.

I have the 938 with Hogue grips. It is the smallest gun I carry. Remora holster in my right front pocket and extra 7-round magazine in Remora pouch in the other pocket. No printing and comfortable for slacks, jeans or shorts.

I have the sport model with Hogue Rubber grips. Softest shooting mini 9 I've fired. It's my primary EDC and I have had zero issues whatsoever. YMMV

After I got a Glock 43 I couldn't see the point of keeping my 938 Scorpion. So I put it up for sale and ended up trading it for this:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
I didn't know the guide rod is a two-piece.
Why is that?

Well, I don't have the answer...cost maybe? The rod itself is threaded on the end and screws into the flange/base that's sits up against the bbl lug.

I'm on my second P938 now and I carry it everyday. Not a hiccup. I use VZ grips.

I have only 400 rounds through mine, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites.
No issues of any kind.
If the trigger had been in compliance with the factory rating of 7.5#-8.5#, I'd be complaining about that, but mine is no more than 5.5, and maybe closer to 5.
Older examples apparently had trouble with the grip screws and guide rods unscrewing, but mine are still tight.

quote:

Originally posted by henryaz:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
I'm a little confused. How do you reassemble the slide and takedown pin incorrectly? The pin won't snap in place if it isn't lined up with round takedown notch on the slide, right? Am I missing something here?

It is the position of the barrel when you install the takedown pin that matters. You can line up the notch and insert the pin, but if the barrel has ridden back, the cross pin part doesn't capture the barrel lug. Symptom is when you pull the trigger, it only falls to the half-cock position, and the slide remains partially back from the fully forward position.
 
If you capture the barrel lug when it first passes the forward hole, then continue back with the slide to line up the notch, the barrel stays where it needs to be and all is well. To tell the truth, I don't know how I ever assembled it right before I started doing it this way.
 

Exactly. I have found that I just wasn't inserting the pin properly, and as Henry said, the gun "falls to the half-cock position, and the slide remains partially back from the fully forward position."

quote:

Originally posted by JD83:
After I got a Glock 43 I couldn't see the point of keeping my 938 Scorpion. So I put it up for sale and ended up trading it for this:

I love the 80 series Beretta. I carry my P938 EDC... A few years ago I had to have hand surgery and switched to my Beretta 84 for a duty gun. I carried that little gun for a year on duty. I never felt like I would be out gunned with that little gun. Carry that 85 with confidence. I am a huge fan of the 80 series....