Well Guys (and Girl),
I happened to buy a P232 today, then came to this board to see what I could find out about it from other people.
I bought the gun because I got my carry permit, but my G23 is too big for my small frame and has an annoying tendency to blow up, i.e. KABOOM! I had been holding out for an XD-9 compact, but they seem to be vaporware in the USA for the moment.
I looked at the P232 because I:
Wanted a slim gun
Wanted a gun that didn't penalize me for being left handed with hands that are small
Wanted a gun that was smooth to draw without a lot of bells and whistles to dig into my waistline
Wanted a gun that was small, but able to do the job without serious follow-up shot problems due to recoil
After shooting it, I feel I got what I wanted. It is very comfortable to carry, very accurate, VERY light, VERY controllable, and as accurate as any gun I own-which is to say that it's capable of better than I am. My first group with it at 25 feet was right around 2.5", and about the same at 50 feet once I had 50 rounds though it. Not Olympic performance, but more than good enough for what is needed.
Oedipa: Asking "manly men" like typical gun owners are about a pistol preference is like trying to get old ladies to decide where to go for lunch after church.
Most gun-guys have issue with the P232's "small" caliber. I admit, that I would *prefer* to have a 9mm or better in a defensive handgun, but a .380 will definitely do the job. In hotter loads, you can get 9mm performance from it if you really feel the need, and it is worth noting that most European police forces still use the .380 for their duty weapons.
I think that a larger gun may not serve you well. I can't debate the merits of what little recoil difference there would be between the 232 and 239, but if you have small hands like me it will take a lot more practice to become proficient with a gun that is too large for your hands. I *wanted* to carry a a .45ACP G36, but the thing didn't fit my hand-and that made the recoil worse because I couldn't hold onto it. Picking a gun with a single stack magazine like the P232 will go a long way for you IMO.
If I were in your position, I would find a gun store with an indoor range. These often rent guns for people to try out. If you have to drive a while, so be it-for what you might waste buying the 'wrong' gun, it's worth it.
After reading the previous posts, I have to comment on the trigger and recoil of the p232. It is the most controllable handgun I have right now. It is not the most powerful handgun I have, but it's the one I would bet on if I had to shoot more than once, and the target was more than 20 feet away. As for the trigger, yes, it does have a "heavy" first round pull in the double action mode. It's not what I consider to be cumbersome, and it's made up for with the light single action pull that comes after the first shot is fired. You really do want the first round to be a heavier trigger pull-if you pull the trigger, it HAS to be a deliberate action because all sorts of bad things can happen when your adrenalin is pumping and nerves are on end.
I commend you for your approach to buying a first handgun. Most guys (like myself) buy the "Gun of the Week" and have a difficult time getting used to it. It took a long time for me to shoot my first handgun without flinching every round-something that could have been avoided had I bought a gun like the p232 in the first place.
Good Luck!
Dave