Confusion regarding "Sigma" quality ranges.

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ApacheCoTodd

ApacheCoTodd

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So, among some other firearms I'm getting from a friend is this Sigma series S&W. It's not really my style but I said I'd take everything if I took anything.

I've been reading wildly varying reviews and perceptions of these pistols from "my gawd man, throw that away before you get into trouble expecting it to work when it won't" to the damning praise of "great gun... for the money" and the entire range in between.

So, what it is: S&W(?) SW9VE stainless slide, lightly used and the serial # is PB985XX. It has a couple of factory mags that I guess are 9 rounders.

I'm not inclined to keep it if it is one of the horrible era Sigmas but don't mind it so much as a fall back if I can rely upon its functioning.

Any input regarding its reliability based upon what I've listed?

Seems by what I can find that I should only value this at a couple hundred bucks... what say y'all to that?
 
Not sure of the time-line of the Sigmas. We have one here, not sure, but I think it was produced just before they came out with the SD9VE.

Ours has been reliable, with somewhere around 400-500 rds. through it. It isn't a tight gun, but it has been accurate.

I did add an Apex Tactical kit for the trigger. Helped with the trigger. That ran me about $20ish. But then again, I did the same for an M&P40.
 
I carried a Sigma .380 for a long while and think it's just fine. Shot hundreds thru it over the years and it always went bang. Might be a bit oblescent now but I still have it and would still trust it.

Willie

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The VE is the last (and best) of the old line. Around 2007 you could buy a new 9VE for about $250 with 4 magazines. I bought one. It is in no way a "special" gun to me but it has been utterly reliable, plenty accurate, and nicely low maintenance. I have never had any trouble with the trigger, but then again I can shoot a DA revolver. I don't really "need" it but i wouldn't hesitate to carry or use it if my "better" guns were unavailable.

Honestly the VE Sigma is a pretty good way to judge two traits:

1) Shooter's experience with DA revolver triggers.

2) Shooter's willingness to join online pile-on sessions in the hope of joining the "in crowd."

If you take a person whose experience is limited to Glock-style (light long pull) or SA pistol (light short pull) triggers, he will find the trigger challenging. If that person is also a me-too dogpiler, he will read about "Sigma" on the internet and will start talking about how awful it is because that's how he thinks you join the in crowd.

If you take a person who has shot a S&W Model 10 for years and doesn't pay attention to online opinions, and hand her a Sigma, she will probably not notice the trigger. She will probably find the accuracy very good, the reliability excellent, and think it is a nice compact pistol.
 
Thanks...

Got it KC I'll look into the trigger kit.

Willie - Hell - I'm obsolete so we'll be sympatico.:)

ED - Thanks. most of the posts I read wafted back and forth over the production range with steady negativity and I couldn't really get a grasp as to whether mine was one of the later ones. I presume the "S" of SVE is just stainless, eh?
 
They work, but there are a lot nicer pistols out there. I'd sell it to fund a different gun, or keep it as a truck gun.
 
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ApacheCoTodd said:
ED - Thanks. most of the posts I read wafted back and forth over the production range with steady negativity and I couldn't really get a grasp as to whether mine was one of the later ones. I presume the "S" of SVE is just stainless, eh?
Click to expand...

As far as I know (and I have never tried to be a Sigma expert):

If the Sigma has a 4" barrel and a rail ahead of the trigger guard, it is the final configuration.
If it has a 4" barrel but no rail it is a bit older.
If it has a 4.5" barrel it is a 1st-generation gun.

Most of the problems I have heard about sounded a LOT like Glock fans being "loyalists" when Glock sued S&W over the 1st generation Sigma. That isn't to say there weren't some real problems with the guns, but there were HUGE problems with PR. S&W at that time was an easy punching bag due to the then-recent Clinton agreements, the Sigma was visually similar to a gun with a very loyal fan base, but had a deliberately long and heavy revolver trigger. It was a new product with the usual new product issues. Bad combo.

I don't know about S meaning stainless. I think the Sigmas were all stainless, at least by the time the VE rolled around.

As for price, since you asked about it in your first post and I didn't directly answer: You can't get what they are worth on the used market. That's why I still have mine even though it is redundant for me. I couldn't find a buyer willing to pay more than it was worth to me as an unused spare. Expect $200 or so.
 
We have one in the family. Its much like an old truck. You can talk for hours about what's wrong with it, but it always works when you need it, and NO ONE wants to get rid of it.
 
I think the sigma is a pretty cool firearm. It's basically a Glock knockoff and a very good one. I would buy one for the right price. The only drawback I've heard is the limited after market parts like night sights.

Take it to the range and see what you think after a long session. The internet is always full of lovers and haters. Congrats on getting a new toy!

FYI: I wouldn't post serial numbers online for others to see. Just my opinion and I've been told I'm paranoid :D
 
While I am sure that there are exceptions, I have never seen a Sigma make it through an entire box of ammo without problems at the range. The Sigma was a rushed attempt by S&W to get a "Glock" on the market as fast as they could. Maybe they have fixed the problems but as someone else pointed out there are much better handguns to choose from out there.
 
I have only ever shot one (made before the VE series) and the only complaint I have about it is the trigger. It was utterly reliable with anything we shot in it and as far as I know still is.

The trigger made it very difficult to shoot accurately at first but eventually I was able to get used to it and shoot it reasonable at 25 yards. I would describe it as shooting a double action revolver with a gritty feel and overpowered trigger/mainspring installed. Eventually it smoothed out quite a bit even though it was still heavy.
 
Thanks for the further responses fellas.
As I'm not going out of my may to buy this one but have to take it in a package deal, looks like a keeper for the cabin or Scout.
WASP I'm the same way about serial numbers so I left at least the last 2 #'s as XXs. I figured I needed the first few as I was asking about production series quality improvements. I'm not in for the digital record of particulars regarding firearms. Detailed photos are bad enough but usually necessary...
It occurs to me that I failed to add a photo as pisses me off when folk ask for information without images... So ED:

Further regarding ED's post: 4 inch and as seen, a rail. I'll hang onto it after shooting a few mags to check.

Thanks all.
 

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I don't have the original Sigma (I have fired one that a cousin of mine owns) but I do have its newer incarnation the SD40VE. Overall they work. Mine has been a little ammo sensistive (particularly with Federal American Eagle) but with most brands works fine.

I'm not gonna lie - the trigger is bad. It's better on the SD than the Sigma, and it can be made better still with a spring upgrade from Apex, but it still sucks pretty bad. I have yet to try the completely new trigger Apex sells for $40 though.

Still, even with the bad trigger its not impossible to shoot well - just takes some practice. Overall I think they are good guns for the money. 80% of the gun the M&P is for 60% of the price.
 
ApacheCoTodd, since this is a SW series Sigma, do yourself a favor and do an out of battery firing test. With the firearm unloaded, push the slide back just enough to cause the chamber to unlock. In that state, pull the trigger. Most SW series Sigmas will allow the striker to be released with the chamber slightly unlocked.

This is why they are banned in my company.
 
I stood at the counter in a local gun shop recently and watched a middle-aged obviously very intelligent and apparently well-to-do woman walk up and tell the man at the counter that she wanted to buy a pistol and that she had read that H&K was the best there was. The guy behind the counter pulled out a P30 which he sold her for $985. She looked at nothing else, and the shop guy didn't offer her anything else. She'll go home and put the H&K in her night stand and feel very well protected. All based on what she read on the net. Now, she bought a great gun. But for her purpose, a used SW9 would have been perfect. Except that EVERYONE on the web says they are no good. The one in our family has been reliable, accurate, and inexpensive. We've owned it for years. We will continue to own it, long trigger, rattles, and all.
 
i have a brand new sigma i won at a gun show drawing for 20 bucks worth of tickets,smith had a giveaway for 2 new high cap mags. immediatly sent the gun to smith service in texas,said crappy trigger.gun has a nice feel.i am saving it for when i go on vacations.the trigger setup mimics double action revolver shooting.
 
ClickClickD'oh Tried it. Yup, mine releases as well. I don't think it'll matter to me but I get it mattering on a professional/liability level.

One thing I'm noting the more I handle this is, I really, really like the grip shape as manufactured.

APEX trigger as noted (kcofohio/mgmorden), a pile of ammo and I'll decide whether it's worth it to me to buy hi-caps for it.
 
Can't speak to the series/quality issue, but I also found them about PERFECTLY comfortable, from an ergo's point of view.


Larry
 
DT Guy said:
Can't speak to the series/quality issue, but I also found them about PERFECTLY comfortable, from an ergo's point of view.


Larry
Click to expand...
Yup, it's weird to me that it feels so damn good. One of the other pistols to come along in this deal is a Glock 22 Gen4. It doesn't feel nearly as good so now I understand the optional backstraps more.
 
My edc is a sw9ve.100% reliable.very accurate and comfortable to shoot.I work in the woods in a very dirty environment so the stainless is wonderfull.
Dont worry what the glocksters say about them,they are great guns.
 
The sigma was the first handgun I owned, I bought it because I could afford it. Yes the trigger was not the best but I learned how to shoot with it. It has digested several thousand rounds and never failed me.
 
I had one of the early Sigmas & it worked well for me. A friend liked it better & so I let him take it home. He keeps it as a truck gun. I picked up a SD9VE & use it as a carry gun. I have had no issues with the trigger. It is accurate & reliable & comfortable to shoot. I have other guns I could carry & sometimes do. But the SD9VE will get the job done at a great price. I would hang on to the Sigma. If nothing else it will be fun to shoot.
 
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