Sigma FAQ

[Joker84]

Ok, ladies and gentlemen, this is an attempt to answer and inform everyone of the different questions being asked about the S&W Sigma. I will try to give as much info as possible and cover as much ground as I can.

First off, a little bit of background info.
The Sigma series pistols were created in 1994 and are S&W's successful attempt at producing polymer framed pistols. These pistols are DAO and only available as such. They came chambered in 40S&W, 9MM, and a sub-compact .380 version. There also was a limited number produced that were chambered in .357 SIG. The Sigma series pistols were so similar to the Glock pistols that Glock sued S&W for patent infringement. The case was settled out of court in 1997 with S&W agreeing to make alterations to the Sigma design and pay an undisclosed amount to Glock. In 1999 S&W improved the Sigma by shortening the barrel and slide by .5 inches, made the grip more comfortable and ergonomic, slightly enlarged the ejection port, and added an accessory rail which requires an adapter to mount anything.

Ok on to some questions I have been seeing asked a lot.

#1 Trigger job - This is extremely easy to do, All it requires is a few tools (Hole punch, paper clip) and can be done in a
matter of minutes unless you want to polish the internals. I'd recommend polishing if you have a gritty trigger. Here is a
video that covers the whole process. Link. The video was made by a fellow member here so if he chimes in be sure to thank him for a well explained and informed trigger job.

#2 +P+ ammo - There are mixed reviews on weather or not this "Hot" ammo should be used. I believe it is stated in the owners manual that firing this type of ammo will cause excessive wear and is not recommended by S&W.

#3 Dry firing - Feel Free to dry fire the heck out of it. Obviously if it "Requires" you to dry fire it to field strip it then its not going to hurt anything. I don't recommend this for any other gun though, and if you're really worried about dry firing the sigma then just buy some snap caps. I also hear that dry firing can possibly smooth out the trigger, but i'll let you be the judge of that.

#3 Accessories - There is lots of stuff you can buy for this gun, just look around. Google, Amazon, eBay, etc. If you're
looking for a well made laser then I recommend "The Machinists Crib" on eBay.

#4 Purchase advice - Q: Should I buy a sigma? A: YES!!! If you can handle a D/A trigger (which can be smoothed out and lightened) then this, in my opinion, is one of the best handguns you can buy for the money.

#5 The Plastic piece in the handle - This is actually a secret button that, when pressed, turns your gun into a bullet proof
sports car armed with machine gun turrets.....Just kidding, Its actually just a "space taker upper" so your mag fits in the
handle snugly.

#6 What's the difference in the Allied Forces version? - The slide is black. That's it. Oh, and the price tag. Here is a Link to a video of someone duracoating their non-AF version. Seems like it would work well enough.

#7 What does VE stand for? Someone correct me if im wrong on this but I think it stands for Value Enhanced. Also the F model was the first gen and had the slightly longer barrel and slide.

#8 Are there different sights? Yes, MMC and PTnight sights have some for the sigma. Just do a search on google and something should come up. UPDATE: I was just sent this link from a fellow forum member on here and will leave it up to you to make your own decision on weather or not you still want to do business with them. I won't be.

If there are any other questions please feel free to ask, and if there is anything I missed let me know and I will add it in.

 

[PDL]

Seems like you hit the high notes.
I think you only missed - what holster fits, (take your choice paddle, IWB, etc).
And what after market sights are avialable, (non laser).

For myself, I liked the TDR911 laser better than the one you mentioned, but that's one of those pay your money take your choice kind of things.

 

[Heavy_Hog]

Nice work.

Maybe add an explanation of the code. You know. What does SW9VE stand for? And cover all the variables.

Thanks!

 

[WildCard ZX6R]

And not everything needs an adapter to fit the rail. The insight M4 fits natively.

 

[N901]

i was looking atthis gun pretty seriously but the local shop near me kept pushing me towards a Detriot issued Glock 22 or an M&P. Obviously a big price difference. The Sigma feels much betetr in the hand that's for sure. Any thoughts?

 

[9miliman]

i was looking atthis gun pretty seriously but the local shop near me kept pushing me towards a Detriot issued Glock 22 or an M&P. Obviously a big price difference. The Sigma feels much betetr in the hand that's for sure. Any thoughts?

If you want a pistol that goes bang everytime you pull the trigger and puts a hole in whatever you are aiming at then by all means purchase a sigma. Anyone of the faults that the glock guys go on and on about can be corrected quickly while still keeping the warranty intact.

 

[N901]

Thanks for the input!! Living in MA I probably shouldnt mess with the trigger to much I would think. Crazy laws up here. This is great though, and appreciated. The Sigma just feels better in my hand than the others.

 

[spricks]

Joker84....Great job...thanks for taking the time to put together this informative thread. I agree that it's a great buy. I'm really happy with my SW40VE.

spricks

 

[Group 4]

This is a good idea, Joker. You might want to include a section on the Glock lawsuit as well. And as suggested by another poster in another thread, what is the "Stigma with the Sigma" (internet hearsay, etc)?

 

[PDL]

Thanks for the input!! Living in MA I probably shouldnt mess with the trigger to much I would think. Crazy laws up here. This is great though, and appreciated. The Sigma just feels better in my hand than the others.

Welcome to the forum. I was shopping for something else when I picked up my .40VE. The thing just felt right in my hand. Needless to say, it went home with me.
Will it be my last gun - no, was it my first gun - no. But it's a whole lot of fun and a good gun.
I got mine with a $50 and 2 mag rebate. Hard to beat for sure.
The older ones had problems apparantly, but I've got nothing bad to say about mine. Sure it's a lot longer, harder trigger pull than my 1911's etc, but so what. It does what it's supposed to.

 

[N901]

Thanks! Im going to call the S&W corporate store today and see how much they are selling them for there. If cheaper than my local store I'll take the short ride. Thanks for the input.

 

[Walthernut]

Ok, ladies and gentlemen, this is an attempt to answer and inform everyone of the different questions being asked about the S&W Sigma. I will try to give as much info as possible and cover as much ground as I can.

First off, a little bit of background info.
The Sigma series pistols were created in 1994 and are S&W's successful attempt at producing polymer framed pistols. These pistols are DAO and only available as such. They came chambered in 40S&W, 9MM, and a sub-compact .380 version. There also was a limited number produced that were chambered in .357 SIG. The Sigma series pistols were so similar to the Glock pistols that Glock sued S&W for patent infringement. The case was settled out of court in 1997 with S&W agreeing to make alterations to the Sigma design and pay an undisclosed amount to Glock. In 1999 S&W improved the Sigma by shortening the barrel and slide by .5 inches, made the grip more comfortable and ergonomic, slightly enlarged the ejection port, and added an accessory rail which requires an adapter to mount anything.

Ok on to some questions I have been seeing asked a lot.

#1 Trigger job - This is extremely easy to do, All it requires is a few tools (Hole punch, paper clip) and can be done in a
matter of minutes unless you want to polish the internals. I'd recommend polishing if you have a gritty trigger. Here is a
video that covers the whole process. Link. The video was made by a fellow member here so if he chimes in be sure to thank him for a well explained and informed trigger job.

#2 +P+ ammo - There are mixed reviews on weather or not this "Hot" ammo should be used. I believe it is stated in the owners manual that firing this type of ammo will cause excessive wear and is not recommended by S&W.

#3 Dry firing - Feel Free to dry fire the heck out of it. Obviously if it "Requires" you to dry fire it to field strip it then its not going to hurt anything. I don't recommend this for any other gun though, and if you're really worried about dry firing the sigma then just buy some snap caps. I also hear that dry firing can possibly smooth out the trigger, but i'll let you be the judge of that.

#3 Accessories - There is lots of stuff you can buy for this gun, just look around. Google, Amazon, eBay, etc. If you're
looking for a well made laser then I recommend "The Machinists Crib" on eBay.

#4 Purchase advice - Q: Should I buy a sigma? A: YES!!! If you can handle a D/A trigger (which can be smoothed out and lightened) then this, in my opinion, is one of the best handguns you can buy for the money.

#5 The Plastic piece in the handle - This is actually a secret button that, when pressed, turns your gun into a bullet proof
sports car armed with machine gun turrets.....Just kidding, Its actually just a "space taker upper" so your mag fits in the
handle snugly.

#6 What's the difference in the Allied Forces version? - The slide is black. That's it. Oh, and the price tag. Here is a Link to a video of someone duracoating their non-AF version. Seems like it would work well enough.

#7 What does VE stand for? Someone correct me if im wrong on this but I think it stands for Value Enhanced. Also the F model was the first gen and had the slightly longer barrel and slide.

#8 Are there different sights? Yes, MMC and PTnight sights have some for the sigma. Just do a search on google and something should come up.

If there are any other questions please feel free to ask, and if there is anything I missed let me know and I will add it in.

Lifetime warranty new or used.

 

[jppezz23]

I liked it the minute i saw it and felt the grip.I have no complaints with mine.Thanks for the information.

 

[blastfact]

Good work done here.

As for my trigger work. Please take it for what it is. Hobbyist work and input! And yes it still fires great!!!!!!

 

[TDR911]

Good post. This should be a great help for new Sigma owners.

 

[KyWstJoe]

I'm glad to see this was made a "sticky". S&W has sold a tremendous quantity of Sigma's. Enough that Crimson Trace is taking a chance and making a Sigma specific laser for them. Imagine a company willing to bet $300. gun owners will part with $200. for a laser. I have two 9VE's and would buy a 45VE in a New York second if they made one.

 

[dennisp]

I am new to the forum and was just about to post a new thread when i saw this one so it was good timing. i own a few S&W revolvers and was looking to purchase my first 9mm semi-auto. I've looked at a lot and found that i like the feel of the sigma sm9ve and the glock 19. I tried the M&P but it just didn't seem to fit my hand well.....just felt to wide.

Sigma reviews are all the map (good vs. bad) and the fact that they are lower cost causes folks to think that maybe the quality is not comparable.

I wouldn't mind adding another S&W to my collection but can someone speak to the lower cost.....the 19 and sigma seem comparable but am i missing something on features, reliability, quality of parts used to manufacture the product, etc.

Any feedback is appreciated.

thanks
Dennis

 

[b52buff]

Good Topic!

Thanks for the info. It covered a lot!

 

[DougG63]

SW40VE

I am new to the forum and was just about to post a new thread when i saw this one so it was good timing. i own a few S&W revolvers and was looking to purchase my first 9mm semi-auto. I've looked at a lot and found that i like the feel of the sigma sm9ve and the glock 19. I tried the M&P but it just didn't seem to fit my hand well.....just felt to wide.

Sigma reviews are all the map (good vs. bad) and the fact that they are lower cost causes folks to think that maybe the quality is not comparable.

I wouldn't mind adding another S&W to my collection but can someone speak to the lower cost.....the 19 and sigma seem comparable but am i missing something on features, reliability, quality of parts used to manufacture the product, etc.

Any feedback is appreciated.

thanks
Dennis

I just bought the SW40VE last week and I'm extremely pleased. I opted for the .40 over the 9mm for a little more stopping power. The Sigma feels like it was made for my hand, has a lifetime warranty and most importantly goes "bang" every time I pull the trigger. The trigger feel is very subjective of course. Mine is very smooth, but a little on the heavy side. I don't find this to be an issue.

 

[Scotter260]

I was at my local dealer's again today and he had SW9VEs for $303 with (2) mags. He allowed $260 on my used LCP so it would have been about $46 after taxes plus I'd get the rebate or the (2) extra magazines (at least he still had the coupons out). I chose something else but man I was really kicking that one around.

Is that a fairly good price on these?