Sigma sear spring by www.sigmatrigger.com

[plinker 22]

I bought a SW9F 20 years ago, a few years later I sold it, couldn't stand the trigger.

Time went buy and I saw a SW9GVE (G is for the green frame) with stainless slide. I liked the looks, took a gamble that the trigger had been improved and brought it home with me.

After 3 trips to the range and maybe 100 rounds thru it, I grew tried of dealing with the 9.75 lb trigger so it found a home in the safe where it's been for 10 years.

Last weekend I decided to try to improve it. I didn't want to install a complete trigger kit, I just wanted a better defensive gun trigger, not a target trigger.

Parts I looked at were-
-Wolf, only had a reduced power striker spring
-Apex Tactical, full kit with a reduced striker spring
-Galloway Precision, full kit without a new striker spring, also offered a sear spring only
-www.sigmatrigger.com, sear spring only
-The youtube free Sigma trigger job where you remove both the pigtail and large sear spring without replacing them with something

I want a defense gun so I don't like the idea of a reduced power striker spring. The full kits were also more than I wanted, not looking for a target trigger. The free youtube job just didn't sound safe to me. So I decided on just a sear spring. After looking at the pics of the Galloway and sigmatrigger offerings, I went with sigmatrigger, it looked a bit stiffer than the Galloway and I didn't want to over do it.

The spring came yesterday, so after polishing the sear and barrel feed ramp, I installed the spring.
Results - from 9.75lb to 8.00lb, a 22% reduction, sigmatrigger claims as much as 50% but I live in the real world and make real world expectations.

I'm going to try it tomorrow along with a BG380 I recently purchased. If the BG 380 proves reliable and only needs a better trigger and if I order the kit Galloway offers for it, I'll add their Sigma sear spring to the order and try it, maybe I can lose another .25-.50lb off my SW9.

 

[plinker 22]

An update to my post.
Well my trigger pull checks had an error.

I checked a few other handguns with my RCBS gauge and found it coil binds at 9.75lb. I noticed this when checking my 5906 in DA, it coil bound and slipped off the trigger. The SA pull was 7.75lb.

The starting measurement on my SW9 is more than what I thought. The improvement was more than 22% with the sear spring change, how much I can't be sure of, best guess would be 25%.

Maybe it's time I buy a better gauge.

 

[sigma bob]

I also took out the pig tail spring and did the sear return spring i bought from Jeff at sigmatrigger. I love how my Sigma 9VE shoots now. I never measured the trigger pull and really don't care what it is as the gun shoots to my liking. I have ran 500 rounds of Federal Alum cased ammo thru my gun with zero problems. I also did my wife's Sigma 9VE but haven't haven't shot it yet.

 

[staylor]

Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I recently sent my SW9VE sear assembly to sigmatrigger to get it polished and have the springs changed out. What a difference! The trigger was very gritty and now it's smooth as butter. I haven't measured it, but I'm guessing the pull is now somewhere in the 6 to 7 pound range and very smooth. It's now almost comparable to my G26.3 EDC, which I think has an exceptional trigger for a striker based pistol. Haven't had it to the range yet, but I'm very happy with the results so far. If anyone is hesitating about getting this done - don't. Jeff will take very good care of you.

 

[3hounds]

It's amazing what some polishing, sanding or grinding will do for these guns. I did mine & learned a lot about how it works & how to improve said gun.

I would say getting the marks from the manufacturer polished or smoothed out & tightening my slide was the best improvements for these guns. Tightening the slide did a lot for my trigger pull, the slide does not move now when I pull the trigger. It use to move down when pulling the trigger now it does not but I left some SIDE TO SIDE slop in it because I carry it, SD40VE.

 

[handlebar]

I just sent my SW9VE to Jeff for the full trigger job. Can't wait to get it back. The trigger was 10+ lbs and it shot like a shot gun-all over the place. When I get it back, I will report. BTW, this gun was given to me by the wife of a close friend who had passed away. I figure it was free so $40 is a small price to pay for making it a shooter. He and I would go shooting together and this gun was horrendous in trigger pull and accuracy.
handlebar

 

[staylor]

I just sent my SW9VE to Jeff for the full trigger job. Can't wait to get it back. The trigger was 10+ lbs and it shot like a shot gun-all over the place. When I get it back, I will report.
handlebar

You'll see a huge difference in the smoothness of the trigger. I don't have a scale but it feels much lighter too.

 

[staylor]

It's amazing what some polishing, sanding or grinding will do for these guns. I did mine & learned a lot about how it works & how to improve said gun.

I would say getting the marks from the manufacturer polished or smoothed out & tightening my slide was the best improvements for these guns. Tightening the slide did a lot for my trigger pull, the slide does not move now when I pull the trigger. It use to move down when pulling the trigger now it does not but I left some SIDE TO SIDE slop in it because I carry it, SD40VE.

Just curious. How did you tighten up your slide?

 

[Coop de Ville]

Just received the Sigmatrigger sear spring. I will post after install....

 

[3hounds]

How did I tighten the slide ? With a 3 pound hammer, some shim stock & a lot of cringing at every strike I made. You just have to be prepared to screw it up & crack the slide ?

You only have to tighten it where the frame tabs meet the slide, it made a big difference in my trigger pull, probably the biggest. It's not for just anybody to try, you have to have the slide on a SOLID SURFACE angled away from you, then strike the rail on that angle so it crimps the rail some but not too much that's why I used shim stock. Also if you do crimp it too much. I WOULDNT USE Johhny Glocks METHOD OF USING A BIG SCREWDRIVER TO UNCRIMP IT. I WOULD JUST LAP IT IN OR SAND THE SLIDE RAIL AT THAT POINT.

Johnny Glocks has a somewhat explanation of it on YouTube doing a Glock. It takes a lot to hit your slide with a hammer, meaning BIG PUCKER FACTOR.

 

[staylor]

Wow. Big Pucker factor indeed. thanks.

 

[Dan5809]

I carried a Sigma 40F for 20 years. During that time I heard many negative remarks about the 40F, but experienced none of them. I closely monitored their performance at department qualifications and/or training days. The 40F performed well. It was reliable, accurate, and felt great in the hand. These guns were disassembled annually, inspected, cleaned, and reassembled. I observed clearances in the machining of the slide were tight. I also noticed a green sludge build up in the striker ports and safety ports on the slide. It appears this sludge (varnish) interfered with the operations of the gun.
We switched to a synthetic lubricant, which was thinner and did not turn to varnish. From that point forward there were very few stoppages. On the rare occasion of a stoppage, the gun was taken out of service and dismantled. In all cases lubricant had turned to varnish. The officer who the gun was assigned had used something besides synthetic lube when cleaning.
We also had a few Sigma 40VE, the replacement for the 40F. These were smaller and lighter, but mechanically identical. Same problems, same cure. The triggers on the 40VE were stiff. The operator had to get used to them, no modifications were performed. I did have a personally owned 40VE which was modified with an Apex kit. This was a major improvement.
The Sigma 40F and 40VE were finally phased out of service. Due to age the polymer frames began cracking. They were replaced by the M&P40 which has proven to be a fine gun.

 

[Coop de Ville]

Dan5809

In reference to the cracking frames. Is this something unique to the Sigma/ Zytel material, or something you would see at that round count with any manufacturer?

My 40E ~2004 seems at least as beefy and refined, if not more, than my Glocks.... not that that guarantees anything.

regards

 

[Steve912]

. I also noticed a green sludge build up in the striker ports and safety ports on the slide. It appears this sludge (varnish) interfered with the operations of the gun.


The Sigma 40F and 40VE were finally phased out of service. Due to age the polymer frames began cracking. They were replaced by the M&P40 which has proven to be a fine gun.

I've got a 40F, from the year S&W introduced the model. With
the engagement surfaces in trigger and safety smoothed up, it's not a bad trigger by any measure. The breech face did tend to shave primers, and the shavings tended to migrate
from striker channel into the striker safety bore, limiting
movement of the plunger and eventually giving me light-
strikes. I wonder if the green sludge you observed might
have been oxidized primer shavings...?

Regarding the frame cracking--nylon (Zytel) becomes
progressively embrittled as humidity drops. Don't hold me
to it, but I'll guess it's below 50% RH, that embrittlement
begins, and progresses as dryness increases. Was your
agency in a dry area?

 

[staylor]

Dan5809

In reference to the cracking frames. Is this something unique to the Sigma/ Zytel material, or something you would see at that round count with any manufacturer?

My 40E ~2004 seems at least as beefy and refined, if not more, than my Glocks.... not that that guarantees anything.

regards

My SW9VE from 2004 is still looking as good as the day it was purchased. I would also like to know why those frames were cracking.

 

[staylor]

I've got a 40F, from the year S&W introduced the model. With
the engagement surfaces in trigger and safety smoothed up, it's not a bad trigger by any measure. The breech face did tend to shave primers, and the shavings tended to migrate
from striker channel into the striker safety bore, limiting
movement of the plunger and eventually giving me light-
strikes. I wonder if the green sludge you observed might
have been oxidized primer shavings...?

Regarding the frame cracking--nylon (Zytel) becomes
progressively embrittled as humidity drops. Don't hold me
to it, but I'll guess it's below 50% RH, that embrittlement
begins, and progresses as dryness increases. Was your
agency in a dry area?

Hmmmm. My 14 year old SW9VE has spent substantial time in both humid and dry climates (Arkansas, Virginia, now Arizona for 4 plus years). Haven't seen any frame degradation yet. I'll have to keep watch.

 

[Steve912]

Hmmmm. My 14 year old SW9VE has spent substantial time in both humid and dry climates (Arkansas, Virginia, now Arizona for 4 plus years). Haven't seen any frame degradation yet. I'll have to keep watch.

Nylon does have ability to reabsorb moisture,
and give it up to environment, apparently
over and over again. I'm not a "plasticologist",
but that's what net reading suggests. It's
toughness/brittleness changes, along with
it's moisture content. Seems to be unique
among plastics in that regard.

 

[handlebar]

I had sigmatriggers do a full job on my SW9VE and he got the trigger to 6.8lbs. This is after I polished the striker shelf. Still heavy but functional.

 

[Sigma40sw]

Sigma 40F

I still have my Sigma 40F. It came from the first 500 lot build in 1994. It was one of the guns used in the S&W Invitational Match in Fulton,NY.
I lost track of the number of rounds thru it. I shot USPSA Limited with it for two years. That's two years of 180 gr bullets at MAJOR Power Factor.
The trigger was not bad to me,I just polished the bearing surfaces and with dry and live firing it wore in to about 6.5 Lbs. I was used to shooting DA revolvers, so it was the same to me.
You need to remember that Glock sued S&W for copying their design. In fact, I shot many USPSA Matches with a Glock 22 Barrel in it as it was a little more accurate than S&W barrel.
The Sigma line is what it is, do to our age of litigation. I think they fit a marked point for many people. Don't forget the lifetime warranty they offer,
it breaks, they fix it.