Is this normal?

If you mean the lint everywhere then I would say yes. Mine is always full of lint and dust when I clean it. If you mean the crack where the serial number plate is molded into the frame I would say no. Mine doesn’t have a crack right there at least.

I would not be comfortable with a crack in the frame. Do you have any idea how that happened? Call S&W to see what your options are.

Call S&W that crack is not there on mine either.

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Well I wasn't talking about the crack. That has been there for awhile now. I sent this Sigma to S&W 2 years ago for a broken striker and the crack was there then. S&W never said anything about it. Guess i'll call them about it tomorrow. What I was talking about was the 2 dents on the frame.

Don't know how the crack happened. Haven't fired the gun in 2 years. What do you guys think is going to happen? I don't think they will give me an exact replacement model. S&W doesn't even make this model of Sigma anymore.

Did you buy the gun used? I would say the slide was locked back and the gun was dropped. The slide impacted the frame and left those dents. It would be easy to think that is how the frame was cracked. If you look at the bottom front of the dust cover then there should be an impact mark in the plastic somewhere to check my theory or debunk me.

I'll say your theory is plausible. I didn’t notice the dents, my eyes went right to the crack. I’m really surprised that S&W didn’t notice that. For sure, you should call them.

Sounds like maxbob has a good thoery....sounds exactly what happened to me....Id definately send S&W a pick of that crack!!!

That actually might explain the dents, but that doesn't explain the crack. I don't see any dents on the dust cover.

I'd be more concerned about the impact areas on the frame, also the marks at the front of the dust cover....the impact area is where the slide is at when fully retracted....the possible rub marks out front are wonkish as well....the cracking is on the thin layer of plastic over the ID plate, and doesn't look of any concern, looks like the thin plastic is flaking off....but perhaps from flexing by whatever caused the denting to the frame?....I'd just send it back, and maybe get a new gun, unless you are having severe sentimental attachment to that particular discontinued (you said?) model...

That's what I was thinking about the "crack". Maybe just plastic flaking off. My concern was over the things you mentioned, denting in the frame and the rub marks. No sentimental attachment here, a new Sigma would make me very happy. I just prefer the all black Sigma's over the one's with stainless slide. If S&W says it's not a problem, then i'll just keep it and live with it.

I'd say something was out of spec, looking at the dents...if those are happening during cycling, the impact will eventually cause the frame to fail....i also wondered if something happened to the gun to cause the dents from impact/dropping/etc, either as a one-time deal, or if the rails got bent or something, now taking it out of spec and causing a problem during cycling.

It is a mystery. Funny thing is I never noticed those dents before and I never dropped this gun before. Maybe something happened at S&W 2 years ago?

I think this is why the rub marks are on the frame. This is normal right, are the frame and slide suppose to be that close to each other? Maybe the rub marks is normal wear and tear? It is a 13-14 year old gun.

You didn't even have to post the pic as i could already visualize what your gun was now doing....by way of comparison, my gun has the same amout of clearance up front as it does in back.....in your earlier pics, i don't see any sign of gross rail wear that would account for that much drop at the front of the slide...i would have to squeeze dust cover and slide together to get that contact you have going on....i don't see deformation of the rails in the pics, but they might have gottem squashed down somehow, maybe even someone else you allowed to use the gun, or perhaps it was played with unknown to you and something happened?.....who knows?....it surely ain't right now, for sure.....and might be a failure of material of workmanship instead of wear, and might net you a new gun, maybe even might have a spare Allied Forces black slide laying about up there at S&W......

I have noticed pretty much all of the first gen Sigma's look just like mine. With the really close slide and frame at the front. I am slightly squeezing the two together in that picture. Not very hard though. It still can't be good if it's rubbing. Anyway I got a email back from S&W. They sent me the link to fill out the warranty repair form. It takes 1-3 business days to get the shipping label through email.

Well, again, i'm more concerned about what's going on with the slide denting the frame under recoil, if that's what happened....the molds for the frames are very expensive, i've heard $100,000+ each, and i'd guess they have more than one....i look at some of the new SD complaints with the dust cover under the barrel off-center, which is only a cosmetic issue so long as things are running right, which is all the factory cares about, as far as their specs go and as far as their warranty goes...but likely not all SDs have the "fault", so it would lead to the assumption more than one mold or that the master wasn't faulty to begin with.....long way of saying it might be the same for your gun....it will be interesting to hear what they say when you send it back....they might replace the frame-only, replace the gun entirely, or tell you it's not a problem until and if it cracks...

It's all weird to me. I'm just waiting for S&W to send me that shipping label, so I can sent it off to them.

Just so you don't feel like the Lone Stranger, Glocks are also known for cracking at the SN plate, and the Sigma is considerably beefier there, which is why i think they made it that way....Glock slides also crack on the part that compresses the recoil spring, and i believe the Sigma is thicker there, as well....the AD issue was also know, hence the heavier trigger....the gun was supposed to be an improvement, and aside from QC issues or insufficient (2yr from concept to production) R&D, i think they succeeded....which is why i am amused by Sigma detractors...in it's mature design, it is a VERY good gun, and shoots as well as anyone else's.....Glock SN 200-ish was tested back when and scored just under 250 on an ISU 25m slowfire target by an accomplished competitor....you and i KNOW your Sigma can do that easily....a 250 basically looks like an even distribution of shots in each ring from 10 ring out to 7 ring, with maybe one X....send it back and see what they say, and i look forward to hearing what that is, as it might apply to me one day?

Thanks mtngunr. Don't worry, I will post all updates in this thread.

Dropped the Sigma off at fedex today. Now the wait.

I HATE THE WAIT!!!!

But I feel for you. I have one I'm waiting to hear on as well.

I hate the wait too. Not to mention I now have no home defense firearms. My AR's bcg comes in this Friday, but I do have a bayonet mounted to my AR. lol

That's why you need more than one!

i appreciate the update, and will stay tuned for the further adventures of the man with one gun.....i always thought that was only a myth......i don't have a huge collection anymore, found it a burden to keep up just to prevent rust for guns seldom fired, many of the custom revolvers and pistols, the 375 H&H, multiple classic scatterguns, etc, so the battery is much more common sense today, and rather than collecting, i rent the guns via buying/playing/selling....but i DO have more than one, if for no other reason than if something breaks.....every shooter should at minimum have a scattergun, and a .22 handgun and rifle....for most folk, this is all that will ever be needed....

lol the man with one gun. Two guns actually, but no bolt for the AR yet though. So I guess I am the man with one gun.

Sigma is now at S&W. That was fast.

Got a letter from S&W today. 2-3 weeks I should have it back.

I'm getting my gun back this Wednesday. Dude that was fast. Guess that means nothing was wrong with it, or they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Shipped the gun last Thursday, now getting it back tomorrow.

Good deal! Let us know how it goes.

Wow. I only just yesterday finally got my letter saying they have my gun at last. Don't you feel like Mr. Special now??? Crossing my fingers for you that they made it better.

I'm thinking they didn't do anything to it. Which is why i'm getting it back so fast. Probably just normal wear and tear on this old Sigma, I knew I was over reacting.

I don't think you over-reacted....signs of battering are always something to be concerned about....it will be interesting to read their take on it....it still has ye olde lifetime warranty, so.......which is always a good reason to look at a Sigma as a new gun.....most don't seem to need the service at all, to date, but it is there, and for very little investment....yours is an older model, and an excellent test-case for the warranty....i would have sent my own gun back, as an FYI....let us know what they said and did....because nobody knows until you read the statement...

I will let you all know what they said, that is if they say anything. I don't remember any paper or explanation the last time S&W fixed my Sigma. Just got it back fixed and dirty. It's good to know my old Sigma is covered for life.

I don't think many people understand how such a warranty is an investment, where the less you put into it, the greater your possible return....if, say, the SD sales really took off and also killed Sigma sales, S&W would happily drop production of the Sigma and enjoy the greater return on a gun which doesn't cost much more to produce and utilizes a great amount of parts from the cheaper gun....and then your Sigma dies....or even the SD is dropped a bit later....no parts available....in all likelihood, you would be offered a coupon good for an equiv revolver or auto that they were still making....being able to, years later, get something like the M&Ps replacement as a sub for your discontinued Sigma is not a bad place to be....where if you had bought the M&P in the first place, the BEST you could do would be to break even...

of course, given my age and the fact original Sigmas are still in service, the stupid gun stands a good chance of outlasting me......i wonder what the grandkids will get when they send it back?

Got my Sigma today and they did do some work to it. They did a barrel modification, replaced the slide stop, and they replaced the trigger bar assembly. My Sigma was also having problems with the slide not locking back after the last shot. So they really went to work on this thing, I wasn't expecting them to go this far with it either.

It really need some work apparently. They did a lot of machine work on the barrel. Can anyone post some pictures of your 9mm Sigma barrels? I want to see if they modified my barrel just like the new generation of Sigma barrel. I'm happy for now.

Can't see the pics (overdrawn at the memory bank), and my only digital is my phone which wouldn't give the detail you want....however, i recall several years back i think an internet 1000rd torture test with Wolf where the gun only malfed 4 times during the test but the guy noted battering of the camming surfaces on the barrel....they probably fixed that in later guns and sounds as if you are the recipient of the experience....any chance they replaced the camming block in the frame as well?

I don't know if they did. The paper says 4 things were done to it.

1. Barrel Modification
2. Clean Gun
3. Replace Slide Stop
4. Replace Trigger Bar Assembly


Camming block is that big silver thing in the middle of the frame right? Above the trigger? If it is, then yes that has been replaced as well.

That's nuts. They practically rebuilt it completely.

I wonder if the change in lockup will stop the frame battering?....you can mark the area with a grease pencil and see, next time you shoot it....as for it being nuts?.....nah.....they didn't have to give you a new gun/frame and avoided the hassle of transferring a new gun....and i think the warranty coverage is outstanding....the guns cost them less than $100 to build, i bet, so this is great coverage...

I know, it's awesome.

Yes sir. S&W IMHO is the best in the business. I think the choices for them were, new gun, or rebuild my existing Sigma. I'm glad they did what they did.

I'm just smiling thinking of the great coverage i have on my $279 handgun....disposable guns are a whole nuther' animal when they keep them running forever at no charge, or replace them.....

It's reassuring that their service is that good. Most other manufacturers (won't name names, they know who they are) would look at what's causing the guns maladies and try to blame it on abuse and weasel outta fixing the weapon. Not smith n wesson. They may not have guns on par with more prestigious makers, but they've been around a long time and plan on keeping customers coming back. Good for them.

huh?!!......Some of the finest handguns on the planet have been coming from S&W almost since day one....the Schofield, the Triple Lock, the 2nd HE .44Spl, the first .44 mag, the first .357 mag, the first .38Spl, the first 5-shot snubbie, the first use of stainless in a handgun, and etc etc etc etc etc, my beloved M34 etc etc etc.....S&W DEFINES prestigious.....my opinion is that they've slipped in the last decade or so, down to where all the rest of the gunmaking world lives, unfortunately.....now they are slumming with the rest of the drastic plastic crowd, but a crowd does not make it prestigious....it makes them cheap.

No!!! I'm talking about autos, especially as of late, nothing but bad press mostly. I KNOW they make amazing wheel guns, DUH! As for that crowd they're in, I'd rather cheap so good point there. The drastic plastic movement is like the kid who comes to school in new shoes, and everybody else has to have them! But, it's cool. When a prestigious weapon is for sale, like the 5609 , that too will be cheap. Cuz everyone's diggin polymer, so maybe the classics will be more readily available. But, wasn't saying S&W wheel guns weren't awesome. They are. I've always wanted a schofield, like jesse James.

And the M&P is what?....cheesecake? Pick out the more "prestigious" frame from the two Smiths in this picture.....they are all so alike it is pathetic, and so is the mark-up on most of them...do NOT mistake canny marketing, hype, or smart moves such as basically giving guns away to police departments in order get the public buying them because the police are carrying them with the phrase "prestige".

I'm confused as to your point. I don't own an M&P. For guns priced higher than a sigma. I'll stick to my Stoeger cougar. It isn't plastic, not disposable, accurate as he'll, and I love it. You're right, I couldn't find even ONE smith in your photo. But that's the price of plastic. I don't care for the M&P. But I do like cheesecake

I think second from left is a smith. I think I'm getting your point: I don't personally believe that smith is any less well made than any other makers. But, c'mon, you're gonna have folks tell you that glocks and sigs shoot lightning bolts and poop rainbows. You know what I mean