Smith & Wesson Sigma Series Trigger FIX!!! (SW9VE, SW40VE)

[meanmrmustard]

I'm taking trade on a Sigma .40 tomorrow, and not being new to firearms, I'm not completely worried about that trigger. However, given the fact that many shooters do give this gun it's due in the accuracy department, other than a tear down of the trigger assembly-does anyone have tips for accurately shooting this weapon in a non-SD situation...ie: the range? Low and to the right grouping ain't gonna git her dun!

 

[majorwoo]

So, quickly.

I found this via google.
I don't work for anyone gun related.
I have a SW9VE, purchased new in Jun 2011. (FYI they no longer come in a plastic case, it's now just a cardboard box. You still get 2 mag's and a lock. I got mine for $312 including tax.) As a first time gun buyer it was a seeing a name like Smith and Wesson for that price that led me to purchase it.

This was my first handgun - I didn't consider the trigger to be all that hard until I took it to the range. The girl who assisted me was very nice and after giving me a few pointers asked if she could shoot it. After watching her settle into her stance, and then stand back up and go into stance again she exhaled in disgust and said she couldn't pull it - she had to use a second finger.

I've only got ~150 rounds through it so I will have to see if it does get better, but she came back a minute later and handed me a glock to try. My first 10 shows grouped much better in the glock. I spent the next hour going back and forth a few shots in each - I believe the Sigma is just as accurate but I need to practice not leaning backwards and not being so shy when I pull the trigger (new shooter problems I'm told).

I'm considering leaving my sigma in the gunvault at home for home defense and purchasing a glock to carry daily. The glock just felt better to me when I picked it up.

This thread will probably never die - a simple google for "sw9ve" will get this as the second hit. It has been a lot of reading, but I agree with several of the points made as i read it. I've been reading the the older Sigmas are much worse then the newer ones - I'm not certain when "newer" means exactly. Sigmas apparently got a bad rap back then and they are still plagued by it. I don't know if the gun is better now or not, but I suspect that you get what you pay for. This gun, so often compared to the glock, is much cheaper and probably has some more issues - but I suspect based on my limited ownership that is allows a cheap entry point for new owners like myself.

 

[meanmrmustard]

I have several DA wheel guns, and the trigger talk on this gun worried me. Took it to range yesterday...and it was fun. I hear folks talking about how horrible these weapons are and it's sad. Shoot what you like, no matter the name on the side. My dad and I have both owned glocks, 19 and 22, and they were quickly traded towards rifles. I hate the grip on the glocks, finger depressions don't help grip angle, and even though they are low profile, I've gotten to where I find them uncomfortable. I myself have shot impressive groups...but felt dumb buying a $500 weapon that felt good in-store and bad on the range. Sw40ve is cheap, yes, but it grouped well, is comfortable, reliable, and that to me makes it worth more. If this gun need be compared yet again to the glock, most will write it off as a less deserving firearm. I say to each his own. Next ones gonna be a 1911 series 80, though! In summation, if I need a gun that holds nearly 20 rounds stock mag, is ugly as sin, and I feel the need to prove how superior it is based solely on price I'll purchase a glock. Don't see em doing a whole lot more than anyone else.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Ps...got my 40VE for a used hi point and $50 :neener.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Got mine for a used hi point and $50. Steal.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

I Love my sw sw40ve

Let me first say im brand new to this site, it can certainly be helpful...

I'm also brand new to guns... I grew up in mass, and as we all know guns might as well not even exist there. Im living in texas now and simply cant stop... I'm buying a new piece with every other paycheck!

Anywho, the first gun a bought was a ruger 10/22, totally reliable, cheap, and my logic was if I was going to learn , I should learn with something that shoots cheap rounds. Overall thats gone very well, I've got steady hands and im a natural distance shooter.

That brings me to my choice in handgun. I chose the SIGMA (SW40VE) *because* the dude behind the counter told me the trigger was hard to pull. I'm thinking it would be like putting a donut on a baseball bat to get better swing. The trigger sucked though, I ran about 325 rounds through it and at first i would be lucky if I hit the damn target at all from 5 yards, slowly got better and better and by my last mag (of 14) I was shooting four inch groups at 15 yards. Good lesson in trigger discipline I suppose. Either way I removed the piggy back spring and the larger (outside) spring inside of the trigger assembly. Ive read some of the comments here but the trigger literally *feels* like half the weight as it was stock.Whether thats acurate or just perceived I dont know, and dont care, this was an excellent fix. Im taking it to my local range tommorow before work and I'll let you know if I come across any snaggs. I've dry fired like a hundred times in my office though, no shaking, flinching, over anticipating, nothing. so im confident this will be a good fix.

 

[papaseven]

Hello folks.
This is my first post here and I ran across the forum while researching the sigma.
I've been shooting for 45 years and smithing for 30.
I bought a SW9VE last week simply because I couldn't believe the price on it. 269.95 on sale at academy.
I've ran about 500 hundred rounds of wolf through it and although the trigger is not great, it's not as bad as most wheelguns out of the box.
Here in Oklahoma we're a CC state and I am getting too damned old and unsteady to lug my old commander around.
This will probably be my new carry weapon as it is one of the most reliable guns I've ever owned. Out of the box it was clean with no debris or chips in it and the barrel was spotless. It did stovepipe once when my tiny wristed wife tried to fire it one handed but my rock steady Beretta 92 will do the same thing when she tries to shoot it.
All in all IMHO the design is solid and the materials are as good as can be expected in a sub 500.00 gun
I've had no FTF with several brands of ammo even though the feed ramp could stand a polish.
All in all I like it.
Geno

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

Oh yeah! trigger mod performed flawlessly, no ftf, no probrem with anything resetting, just plain old three inch groups at 30 feet! booya!

 

[FruitCake]

For the price you can't go wrong. I've fired the Sigma 9mm and the trigger ain't as bad as everybody says. I even like the ergonomics better than a Glock anyday and the grip is excellent. Do the quick trigger and spring job like most do to their Glocks anyway and your all set. Buds has them now brand new shipped for $289 new! You can almost buy 2 Sigmas for the price of 1new Glock.
Personally I really don't like the trigger on any Poly gun compared to the all metal in single action mode.

I shoot my friends Sigma everytime I go the range and just might buy one.

 

[Rusty Luck]

So I have a buddy selling his sigma for $200 and I was wondering of it was worth it so I googled it and low and behold I get this 7 year old post on THR (which I was already a member of). Lots of good stuff here, funny this keeps popping up on google.

 

[robinkevin]

So long as its in good shape it would be a good deal, if the pistol fits your hand and you like it. They do have a heavy trigger but it was design that way for safety. Some people like it and others don't. They retail for $300 new.

 

[IheartNOVAK]

Keep Hope Alive

Scumbag Bump

 

[roaddog28]

I own a 40VE and love the gun. Its reliable, feeds any ammo I buy and is more than accurate at combat/self defense range. Trigger does not bother me. Of course my experience after 45 plus years is double action revolvers. Most people that buy the Sigma and don't complain about the trigger tend to have experience with revolvers and learn trigger control. It does take practice to become real good at keeping your sight picture as you put pressure on the trigger until it breaks. Its not pulling the trigger its putting steady pressure and increasing it evenly. Sounds dumb but works. Its takes time but the Sigma will reward a shooter if he learns trigger control.
Regards,
Howard

 

[papaseven]

After 1000 rds

I finally busted it down to clean and tune it up. After 1000 rds I had no FTF or light strikes
I exchanged the stock striker spring for a wolf but got a couple light strikes on some brands of ammo so I put the stock one back in.
Some judicious polishing and removal of the outer reset spring and pigtail spring got me a 5 lb pull with no reset problems and much easier to shoot.

Ill run another 1000 thru it and post back

 

[tnxdshooter]

I finally busted it down to clean and tune it up. After 1000 rds I had no FTF or light strikes
I exchanged the stock striker spring for a wolf but got a couple light strikes on some brands of ammo so I put the stock one back in.
Some judicious polishing and removal of the outer reset spring and pigtail spring got me a 5 lb pull with no reset problems and much easier to shoot.

Ill run another 1000 thru it and post back

The polishing and removal of those two springs is how i got mine down to 5 pounds. I never had a problem with mine until about 1000 rounds. At which time I started gettint failures to feed. I replaced the magazine springs with some wolf extra power ones and never had another problem. I wound up selling it for more than what I paid for it. I was honest with the person to.


Sent from Droid Incredible on Verizon Wireless

 

[papaseven]

Hi cap mags

Yea thats the trouble with most hi cap mags especially if you leave the mag full

I usually keep two rounds less than the cap and leave one mag empty in all my guns.

 

[kajun33shooter]

I am very new to THR and have very recently bought a Sigma SW40VE and i have to agree that the trigger pull is very excessive, but i am going to put several hundred rds through it and see what happens. If that doesn't loosen the trigger does anyone know of a good gunsmith in central texas.

 

[tnxdshooter]

I am very new to THR and have very recently bought a Sigma SW40VE and i have to agree that the trigger pull is very excessive, but i am going to put several hundred rds through it and see what happens. If that doesn't loosen the trigger does anyone know of a good gunsmith in central texas.

Nope,

Most gunsmiths wont touch em with a 10 foot stick.

 

[Dnaltrop]

Gunsmith not needed, E-mail S&W, tell them SPECIFICALLY that the trigger is gritty/sandy. They'll handle it under Warranty. Trigger should be returned to you a bit lighter, and much smoother.

Wife gave up on wearing it smooth herself, and sent the E-mail Sunday, they responded today with a note to enter her information into the system for a Free Shipping label.

She REALLY loves her Sigma, and just hates not having it around, so she's avoided the fix for 2 years.

And Welcome to THR Kajun.

 

[krupparms]

I own 3Glocks &2 S&W Sigmas. 2 of the Glocks are 9mm. & 1-.45acp. The Sigmas are 9mm also. I decided to get a .40S&W & have gotten a Sig-Pro, a Styer Mod. M and a XD COMPAC. After shooting the .40S&W,s I decided to sell them and buy a Glock 27 or a S&W. SW40VE. The S&W,s are not in stock right now but I think it is one of the best deals out there! All 3of the .40S&W's are good pistols but, live & learn! I should have bought The S&W in the first place! :banghead: I will be getting one as soon as they are back in stock! I was told it would run about $309.00 w/hi-cap mags.

 

[tnxdshooter]

Gunsmith not needed, E-mail S&W, tell them SPECIFICALLY that the trigger is gritty/sandy. They'll handle it under Warranty. Trigger should be returned to you a bit lighter, and much smoother.

Wife gave up on wearing it smooth herself, and sent the E-mail Sunday, they responded today with a note to enter her information into the system for a Free Shipping label.

She REALLY loves her Sigma, and just hates not having it around, so she's avoided the fix for 2 years.

And Welcome to THR Kajun.

Tried that. No big improvement.

 

[Dnaltrop]

Blast...

Ok, sell it like it's been hit by a skunk and get a Bersa 9mm or .40 Or save up for a Glock, M&P, XD etc.

I give it grudging respect, and I'll even CCW the thing, It IS reliable, but I don't do so willingly

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

i live in austin

no gunsmith needed, i originally bout n sw40ve as my first pistol, dislike the trigger, went on youtube, found like 30 different fixes for the problem. i did one involving removing 2 springs... i figured if it messed up i could always put them back in. i toook them both out, and i let my friends fire this gun when we go to the range as i have gotten some much nicer stuff since... either way theres been at least 2500 rounds through it after the trigger fix.. and no problems whatsoever... very easy to do as well.

 

[papaseven]

update on trigger job

Well I got ahold of some mil surp ammo and a couple of buddies ran about 1200 rounds through it last week.
Not a single problem so this is my new nightstand ornament.

I'm not the greatest DA shooter but one of the guys has no problem keeping 10 rounds in a 5 inch circle at 50 feet offhand.
It did take about 1000 rounds of ball ammo to smooth out the barrel.
Both guys are going to Academy this week to buy one. Still 299.99 if anybody is interested.

We're gonna lap the barrel on one to see if the accuracy improves quicker.
I did order a new recoil spring and striker spring as both should be getting tired in mine after 2500 rounds but we'll see.

 

[Arkmaker]

First post here on THR. I found this thread a couple of weeks ago and bookmarked it. This thread and my boss who has the 40 made my mind up about buying the S9VE and I am glad I did.

I read up on the trigger, smoothed it out (still needs a hair more polishing) and put back 2 of the 3 springs (pigtail is gone). I was not bothered by the heavy pull even though I am a lover of my Browning Challenger trigger that breaks right at about 2lbs. Now that I have shot it with the heavy pull, I'll take out one more spring and see how it is. Figure I can always put it back, right? Still lighter right now than my DA revolvers, but not much.

I went to the range today and spent 100 rounds downrange without a hitch. Darn thing is fairly accurate as well, when I was doing my part. Last mag hit every shot within 2" at 10 yards. For me, well that is pretty good! My only regret about today was that I didn't bring another couple more boxes of ammo with me. Those Hi-cap mags and an Uplula speed loader eat it up fast.
Anyway, for 3 bills, you can not go wrong, just the way it comes out of the box. With a little more work, it will shoot great! Now I have to stock up on ammo!!
Ark