I "fondled" a Sigma today

[mgo]

Popped into my local gun shop and they had both the SVE9 and the SD nine in the case.

After reading so many remarks about the "awful" trigger I wanted to just see for myself. Even the shop owner stated the Sigma trigger was "pretty bad" and the SD was "much better".

So, expecting "gritty" and "creepy" and any other uncomplimentary adjectives I'd read, I tried the Sigma trigger.

Surprise, surprise. Not bad at all. I estimate around 8-9 lbs. pull, no creep and no gritty feel. The trigger pull was longer than a Glock, but that means less likelihood of an "unscheduled bang" when holstering or under stress.

"This gun is just fine", I said to the shop keeper, "nothing at all wrong with the trigger. I could easily live with this."

It fit in my average size hand, and pointed naturally.

On to the SD9. Trigger pull was lighter by about two pounds. Grip was slightly smaller in the hand. "This is basically a Sigma version two," was my comment, but eighty five dollars more."

The Sigma price was $359.00.

Now, maybe the earlier versions of the Sigma had bad trigger pulls, I can't say. The one I handled in the shop was really rather good.

Both pistols had reasonable resets and there was a very clean let off on both.

I own an M&P pistol in 9MM and the Sigma trigger let off was as clean as the M&P, just a little heavier.

I have spent a thousand dollars on a supposedly "high end" pistol and ended up with a dud-a-roo from the get go. Not only that, warranty service was wretched.

On the other hand, S&W has a good rep for fixing owner's problems, and that is a plus. Had I needed a decent pistol, I would have bought this Sigma SVE9.

 

["JJ"]

Thanks for posting! It is always nice to hear another point if view! The SD9 didn't quite feel as nice to me as the Sigma or the M&P. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't pass on one. I really like the look of the SD though! I think I'm a bit partial to an all black gun. I love the Allied Sigma. I do like the fact that the mags for the Sigma will fit the SD. Who knows I may end up with one after all. I didn't catch your location but the SD was going for $349 at the Dallas gun show in August! The Sigma for $299! Could just be the area! Back to your post: I can't complain about my Sigma. It is worth every penny I gave for it!! I still say it will teach you how to shoot if you let it!

 

[leejack]

Thanks for the report mgo.

The sigma rocks when held by a shooter that rocks!

It's simple math!

Thanks again for the positive comments,

Lee

 

[Quanah]

Here's a fix for the Allied Forces crowd-

Love mine. I just got in from working over a gallon windshield wash jug at 50 yards. If you concentrate on the sight picture and execute a straight-back press on the trigger these guns are as accurate as any other service pistol.

 

[rte148]

not having handled many other pistols, the grip on the Sigma just seemed the most naturally handling of any I've ever held. All things being equal I would have gone for a Glock, but within 30 seconds, the Sigma just felt so perfect, I could not ignore it.

 

[mgo]

Now, it's time for a little shooting fun. Being sufficiently impressed with the Sigma SW9VE, I went back to that shop with some unused trades and made a favorable deal.

I now own the Sigma and plan on a test run at the local indoor range tomorrow morning.

It's been field stripped and lubed, and is ready to go.

I've filled out the warranty online and have filled out the little form for the two free magazines.

I am expecting good things of this pistol at the range tomorrow. A report will follow later in the day.

 

[DLL10mm]

Now, it's time for a little shooting fun. Being sufficiently impressed with the Sigma SW9VE, I went back to that shop with some unused trades and made a favorable deal.

I now own the Sigma and plan on a test run at the local indoor range tomorrow morning.

It's been field stripped and lubed, and is ready to go.

I've filled out the warranty online and have filled out the little form for the two free magazines.

I am expecting good things of this pistol at the range tomorrow. A report will follow later in the day.

Congrats on your purchase. You will be happy with it

 

[leejack]

SIGMA ROCKS!

mgo, congrats on your purchase, sir!

Just my friendly advise to anyone who buys a sigma:

Stay forcused and determined to be the best; the trigger can and will be mastered. It took a little time for me, but not too much.

I won't comment on myself; but I will say that my kid lives in the 10 ring all day long with hers.

Most natural feeling semi auto handgun on the planet!

Number of failures= you guessed it! ZILCH!

Lee

 

[.357 mag]

Welcome mgo!!! And welcome to the sigma club!!

Hope you have fun with your sigma. I've been blessed with one of the best handguns for 8 years. The sigma had been one of the best guns i've shot.

Good luck with your new toy!!

 

[CajunBass]

I tried a Sigma trigger years ago, and I also wondered what all the fuss was about. It was nowhere near as bad as the trigger on a Kel-Tec P-11 and although people complained about that trigger too, it was not with the venom that was unloosed on the Sigma.

A few months ago I got a wild hair and decided I "needed" a new double stack 9mm. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money so a Sigma was a natural choice.

Now my wife has a Glock 19. It's a really nice gun, but it cost almost twice as much as my Sigma. The ONLY real, practical difference I can find is the Glock has a "better" trigger. Ok, I'll give it that. For twice as much money it BETTER have a better trigger. Other than the trigger, I'd say it's a tossup between the two. Pick the one you like best.

I did.

 

["JJ"]

Congrats MGO!! I guess all you needed was a little encourgement to "pull the trigger" on the purchase!!

 

["JJ"]

Thanks for the pic Quanah! You might want to wipe her down before you put her away! I may have drooled a bit!!

 

[mgo]

As promised: my new Sigma range report

Thanks to you members for the warm welcome. The Sigma pistols seems to get much love here!

At the indoor range this morning:

- Three failures, but the pistol is still acceptable

I pulled the pistol up to the target and thought, "Wait a minute, what's wrong here?"

That's when I realized that the trigger needed a firmer pull. I was accustomed to the trigger on my Glock and my S&W M&P. Once getting past that first reaction, the gun was a pleasure to shoot. No, the trigger is not gritty or vague, it just requires a firmer press. (a good thing to help prevent that accidental "bang")

My first shot was very near the center of the target. Good.


From then on, the range session consisted of my standard reliability tests, using different types of ammunition.

Generally, a successful range trip with three failures:

- one failure to feed with lighter powered 115 grain full metal jacket during my "weak hand unsupported, loosely held, angled to the left" test. (The higher powered, heavier weight ammo functioned perfectly during this test.)

- one failure to feed with an off brand jacketed soft point Using a two hand hold, the round simply failed to climb the feed ramp. I do not intend to buy any more of this brand anyway, as it seems to be less than NATO spec velocities.

- and one misfire. Click. Nothing. Put that round back on top of the magazine and this time it fired OK. I will attribute that to a defective round, since there were no other misfires with this pistol.

Hits at 21 feet were easy with this pistol. It is a natural pointer, even when the shooter is in a hurry. (-and when would a shooter NOT be in a hurry in a desperate defensive situation!)

Recoil is mild. Empties are ejected strongly and away from the shooter's face. There is no discomfort to the trigger finger during shooting.

Now, many people claim that a pistol needs 500 rounds for a proper break-in. Sorry, folks, I do not have the money for that. The gun must work right out of the box with NATO or near-NATO spec velocities, or the gun is not properly designed.

Limp wrist? HA! A properly designed pistol shooting good strong ammunition must function no matter how it is held, or, that pistol must be rejected.

This Sigma is a good candidate for concealed carry. It feels lighter fully loaded than my older model 39 Smith, even though that gun carries fewer rounds.

The DeSantis holster fits well.

I do not trust most of the 115 grain "white box" ammunition. Any pistol needs a strong charge for proper cycling. I do trust most hollow point ammo if it is NATO or near-NATO spec, or if it is +P or even +P+. That is what I will always carry when using any pistol for concealed carry duty.

The Maglula magazine loader in the picture is worth a million bucks! Get one! (no, I do not work for them)

Bottom line: the pistol is Good Enough. I got my money's worth.

 

[KyWstJoe]

The SD series looks real good. $403. shipped from Bud's with a standard night site and better trigger, it's a deal. However, a Sigma can be had for $100. less after the rebate. Ennie meeie minee moe.....Should S&W come op with a 45ACP SD (or Sigma, I wish) I'm there, otherwise my Sigma 9VE is perfect.

 

[blastfact]

Way to go mgo. While I like my Sigma. My M&P is a superior weapon. I do remember the issues you had with your M&P.

If yours was not filled with S&W's magic grit, Fan-darn-tastic!!!!!! But,,, my Sigma does have the very best looking production barrel I've ever seen! I did fix on my trigger and put a very very slight polish on the barrel bore. More times than not it will clean up with patchs only and at worse I have to use a nylon brush.

Once you get past the heavy trigger and any grit you might have or can accept it. You have IMHO the best pistol dollar for dollar made right now. A good shooter can shot anything well. A bad shooter blames everything but themselves.

 

[leejack]

Nice mgo!

Keep shooting it; you'll be hooked!

Lee

 

[ninobrown]

Now my wife has a Glock 19. It's a really nice gun, but it cost almost twice as much as my Sigma. The ONLY real, practical difference I can find is the Glock has a "better" trigger. Ok, I'll give it that. For twice as much money it BETTER have a better trigger. Other than the trigger, I'd say it's a tossup between the two. Pick the one you like best.

I did.

I have the Sigma .40 and a Glock 19. Just as you said, for twice the money, the Glock BETTER have a better trigger. I enjoy shooting them both. I picked up the Glock so I could get more time on the range at a cheaper cost.

 

[.357 mag]

I do not trust most of the 115 grain "white box" ammunition.

Why? Have you had a problem with it before? Thats pretty much all I shoot out of my Sigma. Up to 16,200 rounds. No problems.

Have fun with your Sigma!!!

 

[mgo]

Why? Have you had a problem with it before? Thats pretty much all I shoot out of my Sigma. Up to 16,200 rounds. No problems.

Have fun with your Sigma!!!

Specifically, when running my "special secret weak hand unsupported/loosely held/angled 90 degrees to the left" reliability test, that lighter weight slightly weaker round is prone to mis-feed, due to less strong cycling.

In regular two hand hold, strong hand, or weak hand but firmly gripped, that ammo generally works OK.

This is my own reliability test that seems to expose a pistol's weaknesses pretty quickly, without having to fire bizillions of rounds to ensure a gun's trustworthiness.

There's a sort of long story about why I devised this reliability test, perhaps I'll post it some time on this forum.

Sixteen thousand rounds in the Sigma is a lot in my book, but it's nice to know that the pistol is robust enough to manage that sort of usage.

 

[Dream to Dream]

I just tried a Sigma at the range the other day. The gentleman who rented it out told me before I shot, "You know, they're really not bad guns." My very first shot at 25 feet was dead in the bullseye. I looked back at the guy, he shrugged and said, "I told you."

I've already got a nice full-size 9mm, but if I were going out to buy my very first pistol, the Sigma would probably end up coming home with me... especially because of the pre-ban magazines that can be dug up! Good ole Massachusetts...