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S&W 9VE and 40VE (Sigma Series)

Good or bad?

  • Total voters
    168
matt

matt

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OK, I'm looking online at different guns and I keep coming back to the Sigma series S&W. I'll admit the $300 price tag has something (OK, alot) to do with it.

Does anyone have anything positive/negative to say about them? I don't want to go cheap for the sake of cheap. But if it is reliable, safe, comfortable to shoot, why not?

It is basicly the same size and weight as the P99. Are there any important feature differences that are not obvious from the S&W catalog (other than the adjustable grip and sights of the P99)?

I'm thinking of going down to S&W to try it, the P99, and maybe some others.

This would be my first/only pistol. Though I want to pick up a .22 also. (I'm also thinking if I get a P99, I'd get the P22 for my .22 so I can practice heavily on a platform identical to my personal protection gun for less $$, but is the P22 a reasonable choice for bullseye shooting?).

Matt
 
No personal experience, however I believe one of our Mods here uses one as a primary carry weapon.

Adam
 
I love my Sigma. However, that being said - I've heard good stuff about the P99 and it's on my "to buy" list. I've held one and it feels awesome in my hand, but I haven't shot one.
 
matt said:
(I'm also thinking if I get a P99, I'd get the P22 for my .22 so I can practice heavily on a platform identical to my personal protection gun for less $$, but is the P22 a reasonable choice for bullseye shooting?).
Matt
Click to expand...

I don't have any info on the Sigma, but I did want to let you know a few things about the P22. First, it is not an identical platform to the P99. The P99 is a striker firing system with a decocker. The P22 has an exposed hammer and thumb safety. Also the P22 is about the 75% the size of the P99. I picked up a P22 for my wife a couple of years ago and we've really enjoyed it. It is pretty accurate, but it would not be my choice for bullseye shooting. I would use my Ruger MKII for that.

As for the P99, I have it in 9mm with the AntiStress trigger (DA/SA) and I love it. It's my primary handgun. Fits my hand well, points naturally and has been 100% reliable.

CD
 
cdkayak said:
I picked up a P22 for my wife a couple of years ago and we've really enjoyed it.
Click to expand...

I hope my wife will buy that kind of thinking!!

Regarding the Sigma: Is there a safety mechanism in the trigger? It looks like in the pics that there is some pivot just before the trigger goes into the frame. Is that just how its assembled, or some kind of trigger safety?

Matt
 
matt said:
cdkayak said:
I picked up a P22 for my wife a couple of years ago and we've really enjoyed it.
Click to expand...

I hope my wife will buy that kind of thinking!!

Matt
Click to expand...

:D

I only shoot her firearms when she's out at the range with me. I've got my own toys to use when I head out on my own.:) My Ruger has a bull barrel that she found too heavy, that's why I bought the P22 for her.

CD

Good luck with your choice.
 
I owned a Sigma. It was my first gun. Bought it new from Four Seasons. If you have to have a brand new gun it's probably the cheapest MA compliant you’ll find. With that being said,

1. I heard S&W stopped making them to make room for the M&P. Don't know if it's true or not. S&W will always honor the warranty to the original purchaser.

2. I hated mine. It was great to be able to afford a brand new gun but I would have been better off getting a quality used gun. The trigger is very hard. It's got quite a "pull". After 2 months of owning it I had to send it back to S&W for a new extractor. While I was waiting for it to be repaired I went back to Four Seasons, Carl hooked me up with a Beretta 9000s. I liked it so much that I ditched the Sigma. Also Ma compliant High caps are hard to come by.

I have never once missed it. I do miss my 9000s a wee bit at time. It was comfortable to me. I kinda miss my AK (just like the dirty liberal looks I got with it). The Sigma, I might have paid someone to take it. But that’s my opinion. I will tell you this. Despite the issues I had and the trigger, my slow fire with that gun was great.


Now for carry I have my S&W6904 and 1911, Love them both.

Update 3-13-06 I talked to a S&W rep over the weekend, there are no plans to stop the production of the Sigma at this time. According to what he said the U.S. Military has a open order for a large quantity of them.
 
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matt, ya either love the Sigma (like me) or hate it, (like Typeo) - my suggestion is, if you can shoot one, try it. The .40 does bark in your hand, but after a few rounds, you get used to it.

If you can try the P99, then do that as well. Take a trip to S&W range (I've never been there, but I understand they have guns to rent) and try them.
 
As long as you like and are comfortable with it Lynne..thats what counts.

When I was out in Colorado this summer, both my cousin and his friend had new sigmas. I shot them both and ... like I said ... they operated great but I found the trigger more than undesirable. Lots of travel and creep. It was like ...when is this thing going to let off.
 
Gonna force me to repeat this horrid tale, are you?

Bought one brand new .40V back in 1999/2000 time-frame for carrying on duty as a Constable. Bought two pre-ban hi-caps as well (Lynne now possesses them).

First trip to the range with it, I loaded all 4 mags. I fired the first 2 mags, then loaded with the 3rd mag, raised the gun off the bench and the mag fell out! DOH! Loaded the 4th mag, same thing, then the first 2 mags and each one did the same thing. Returned the gun to S&W and they fixed it . . . there were 3 or 4 broken parts in the gun!!

Brought it back to the range, test fired it, cleaned it and then sold it at a BR&P swap meet! I bought the H&K USPc in .40 as the replacement gun, and later bought the Walther P99 .40 to keep it company. [lol]

When MAF was a viable eList, a S&W employee was on that eList. He was involved in the engineering of the Sigma and he admitted that it was a major design and production disaster! Lots of problems. He was laid off and went to work in another state, so no current info is available.

Do the current generation of Sigmas have the same problems? Don't honestly know. I only know that I'll never own another one!!
 
When the Sigma first came out in the early 90's it was the S&W answer to the Glock invasion. The Third Generation "Gun of the Week" was a marketing debacle, although I liked a lot of 3rd Gen guns. The Sigma was going to give law enforcement what it wanted: a plastikwunder pistol. It was mechanically too much of a Glock copy. As you know there was a lawsuit filed by Glock and S&W was forced to pay Glock a royalty on every Sigma sold via an out of court settlement. I have either read or been told, that after that fiasco S&W changed the design somewhat to avoid the royalty and after that the Sigma became a real dog. I understand that it was improved upon.

I rented one at the S&W shooting center back around 2000. I always liked the way the gun felt, but I did not like the trigger at all, and while I was very interested in the pistol when it first came out, I'm glad that I didn't purchase one.

I don't know what the current status of the pistol is, but I know that S&W is currently supplying the Afghan security forces with pistol, paid for by the US and is touting this as the first significant Federal S&W contract in a decade or so.

I also know that the Sigma designation for the pistol has been eliminated.

The new M&P should be S&W make or break pistol. When one thinks of the Third Generation, then the Sigma and then the Walther/S&W 99 and now the new M&P, S&W has invested more than a little money in trying to regain dominance in the service pistol field.

I don't know how expansive your budget is, but there might be other choices out there that might provide you with a better option, perhaps something used. I can't say enough good things about Ruger semi-autos, but currently only one model is available in Mass and I am predjudiced because I am a Ruger stockholder :)

Good luck and Good Shooting,

Mark
 
The fact that this thread has 130+ views and only 4 votes is astounding to me!

It really says something positive about the people here and that they gernerally are not going to be espousing opinions on topics they know little about.

Thanks for the feedback I did get.

Matt
 
derek said:
Matt,

I can't vote if I havent shot one before.

Derek
Click to expand...

On some other forums, that wouldn't stop people!!!! I can just picture the threads!

"I know a guy whos brother's uncle had one and it blew up in his hand becuase the defragulator malfunctioned and caused the...."

I appreciate that people don't blow smoke here.

Thanks for the restraint,
Matt
 
Next time you make a poll, add an option for people who havent used the firearm you are looking at. [wink]
 
Don't know if OP (non-Mod) is able/unable to modify/add to Poll (you have to edit the original post in thread to do it), but I've been able to do it as a Mod . . . so here it is.
 
I owned one of the first series and couldn't hit the paper at 50' to save my life. My shooting partner has the identical pistol and shoots very well with it but can't find decent leather for it. I sold mine and bought a Glock 17 and love it. It's a shame because I own several other S&W, both wheel guns and autos and the Sigma was the only lemon that of the bunch.
 
Reviving an old thread
I bought my son in law a S&W 40VE and we both love it. The grip angle is perfect - much better for me than the M&P
BIG PROBLEM
S&W seems to want to forget they ever manufactured this model.
I have been trying forever to find a new barrel. The original is bell mouthed and starting to cause failed extraction.
S&W "does not stock these barrels, and has no plans to do so in the future"

DISGUSTING customer non-service
I WILL NEVER BUY A SMITH AND WESSON AGAIN
 
A buddy of mine bought a 9ve. He wants to throw it off a cliff. It's a total pos. If he can get through a full mag without a failure he wants to throw a party.
 
whacko said:
A buddy of mine bought a 9ve. He wants to throw it off a cliff. It's a total pos. If he can get through a full mag without a failure he wants to throw a party.
Click to expand...

Really, has he called S&W? Whats it doing? Love mine its a few years old with a few thousand rounds, never one hiccup.
 
whacko said:
A buddy of mine bought a 9ve. He wants to throw it off a cliff. It's a total pos. If he can get through a full mag without a failure he wants to throw a party.
Click to expand...
I had one for a short time, Decent quality, Never failed but trigger length of pull and poundage sucked. Oh and the lovely Brass to Face and Shoulder wasn't my thing.
 
44marty said:
Reviving an old thread
I bought my son in law a S&W 40VE and we both love it. The grip angle is perfect - much better for me than the M&P
BIG PROBLEM
S&W seems to want to forget they ever manufactured this model.
I have been trying forever to find a new barrel. The original is bell mouthed and starting to cause failed extraction.
S&W "does not stock these barrels, and has no plans to do so in the future"

DISGUSTING customer non-service
I WILL NEVER BUY A SMITH AND WESSON AGAIN
Click to expand...

I have one that I used as an NRA instructor in many classes without any problems, so it has many rounds through it. All I did was install an APEX kit to reduce the trigger pull.

There is a used one on EBAY for $61.75 that shows a chamber photo that looks very good. Nothing on Gunbroker.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMITH-WESSO...ECOIL-GUIDE-/201789991427?hash=item2efb9eea03


Found another one for $75 at GPC (Numrich). Doesn't say new or used.

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/341930.htm
 
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