I think I need to be committed to a institution... I kinda want a .40 S&W Sigma.

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Miami_JBT

Miami_JBT

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I was given a free 14rd SW40C/SW40VE magazine. Now, I'm fully wedded to GLOCK for all my striker fire needs (with a XD or two on the side as mistresses). But as you know, magazines are like little freedom seeds and when planted, they germinate and grow.

So how frakking crazy am I? Should I actually buy a Sigma? Yeah, a Sigma.... not the improved SD line but a actual SW40C or SW40VE Sigma.

I'm quasi stalking the guns online at the moment and the average selling price during the panic is about $350. Not bad, but not great either. I remember when they were being sold for under $299 new.

So, should I actually go through with it and snag one? Or should I be rational and sane and just trade the mag at my local pawnshop for another Beretta 96 mag from their parts bin?
 
Get the pistol. Their triggers aren't the best but generally they aren't bad guns. If you just can't stand it, I don't see them going down in price.
 
Nothing wrong with them but I wouldn't buy one right now - everything is too expensive so unless you're buying a gun that you have a need for (eg, you just turned 21 and you need a gun to carry), then I wouldn't buy almost anything at the moment. Wait for things to settle down some.

When that time comes go ahead and get one for the $200-250 that they typically sell for. Heck it was 3 years back but I got a SW357V (the Sigma in .357 SIG - somewhat rare as they only made like 1,800 in that caliber total) for $230 off of Gunbroker.
 
You do know the magazines for the SW versions will fit the SD guns don't you? I have both in 9mm and started with the SW many years ago. It has been 100% reliable so far. And its not for sale. It has been my truck gun of choice for many years now. I just bought an SD9VE and the mags will swap out. And those that say the new SDs have a better feel to them are telling the truth and the SD triggers are also better right out of the box.

If you want the 40 cal version I say go for it. I also just bought a Glock 17 and I'm not sure the Glock was worth the extra $250 I paid over the SD9VE I bought new for $289.00.
 
mgmorden said:
Nothing wrong with them but I wouldn't buy one right now - everything is too expensive so unless you're buying a gun that you have a need for (eg, you just turned 21 and you need a gun to carry), then I wouldn't buy almost anything at the moment. Wait for things to settle down some.

When that time comes go ahead and get one for the $200-250 that they typically sell for. Heck it was 3 years back but I got a SW357V (the Sigma in .357 SIG - somewhat rare as they only made like 1,800 in that caliber total) for $230 off of Gunbroker.
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That really sounds sweet!
 
ThomasT said:
You do know the magazines for the SW versions will fit the SD guns don't you? I have both in 9mm and started with the SW many years ago. It has been 100% reliable so far. And its not for sale. It has been my truck gun of choice for many years now. I just bought an SD9VE and the mags will swap out. And those that say the new SDs have a better feel to them are telling the truth and the SD triggers are also better right out of the box.

If you want the 40 cal version I say go for it. I also just bought a Glock 17 and I'm not sure the Glock was worth the extra $250 I paid over the SD9VE I bought new for $289.00.
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I thought the difference in floor plates made an issue. I get GLOCKs are Blue Label prices.
 
mgmorden said:
Nothing wrong with them but I wouldn't buy one right now - everything is too expensive so unless you're buying a gun that you have a need for (eg, you just turned 21 and you need a gun to carry), then I wouldn't buy almost anything at the moment. Wait for things to settle down some.

When that time comes go ahead and get one for the $200-250 that they typically sell for. Heck it was 3 years back but I got a SW357V (the Sigma in .357 SIG - somewhat rare as they only made like 1,800 in that caliber total) for $230 off of Gunbroker.
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I remember seeing the SW357V guns being auctioned off. They are pretty rare.
 
The 1st generation Sigma's were pathetic. They EARNED a reputation as a POS. But to their credit Smith apparently did correct the issues and by all accounts the newer guns are much better. I still can't think of a good reason to buy one though.

I owned one of the original guns for about 5 months. I never got a full box of ammo through the gun and it went back to S&W 3 times in that 5 months. The gun literally was only under my roof for maybe 5 days out of the 5 months I owned it. This was about the time Smith was introducing the "improved" version and after the 3rd failure in less than 50 rounds of ammo I convinced them to just replace my gun with one of the new versions.

I never fired the new pistol. The shop where I made the initial purchase allowed me the full purchase price I'd paid 5 months earlier for the unfired Smith in trade for a new Glock. I never looked back at the Sigma.
 
mgmorden said:
Your statement is correct, but just so that everyone is aware: the floor plates are different, but compatible. It's just a visual aspect and you don't need to swap the floorplates.
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I was under the impression that the older floor plates caused an issue where the magazines wouldn't properly fit the newer SD line.

I recall playing with both of them at SHOT when Big Blue was still making the SW9/40VE line and they just introduced the SD line when it came from factory with a melonite finish and night sights. The S&W rep said something about the mags not being compatible.
 
jmr40 said:
The 1st generation Sigma's were pathetic. They EARNED a reputation as a POS. But to their credit Smith apparently did correct the issues and by all accounts the newer guns are much better. I still can't think of a good reason to buy one though.

I owned one of the original guns for about 5 months. I never got a full box of ammo through the gun and it went back to S&W 3 times in that 5 months. The gun literally was only under my roof for maybe 5 days out of the 5 months I owned it. This was about the time Smith was introducing the "improved" version and after the 3rd failure in less than 50 rounds of ammo I convinced them to just replace my gun with one of the new versions.

I never fired the new pistol. The shop where I made the initial purchase allowed me the full purchase price I'd paid 5 months earlier for the unfired Smith in trade for a new Glock. I never looked back at the Sigma.
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interesting because I loved my first Gen 15 shot .40 Sigma. Many boxes of ammo through it and it never missed a beat. Good trigger too. I sold it to a buddy and he still has it and it’s going strong. I would gladly buy it back.
 
I bought one.
It felt great in the hand, and it never jammed but I couldn't hit anything with it.
Of course the trigger was terrible like everyone mentions, but I don't know if that's the only reason or not.
I traded it off.
 
Miami_JBT said:
I recall playing with both of them at SHOT when Big Blue was still making the SW9/40VE line and they just introduced the SD line when it came from factory with a melonite finish and night sights. The S&W rep said something about the mags not being compatible.
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Nah - I own both and can assure they can swap back and forth :).

EDIT: Well, let me correct that - as long as you have the "V" version of the Sigma they will swap back and forth. The "F" version of the Sigma does use a different magazine, but those are a bit rarer.
 
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i had one of the Sigma VE guns about 20 years ago, it was a good gun for the price. the sights were like the cheap Glock plastic sights and the trigger had a longer pull than a Glock but very nice compared to most revolvers.
 
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I had a VE gun in 9mm. Just like with a boat, 2 happy days. The gun worked, but there was nothing nice about it. Crap trigger, crap accuracy, but very dependable. Mine was somewhere to the tune of a 6 inch gun at 7 yards with the majority of the group low and left. If I shot it instinctively it was centered on target better but still was a 6” gun at 7 yards which for my purposes at the time meant it was worthless due to failing accuracy tests. I wouldn’t even use it as a backup while deer hunting. I sold it to a coworker as a nightstand gun. That was at least a dozen years ago balms I bet he still hasn’t shot it.

Long story short, skip it.
 
Well, my local pawn shop swapped the mag for me. So that seed will never germinate in my garden. Got a 13rd XD-45 for it.

Oh well.....

I do recall the Tennessee State Police issuing the SW9F for a very short period of time and them having nothing but issues with the gun.
 
I bought 6 9mm and 6 .40 first Gen Sigmas from a going out of business gun shopin 95 or 96 . I sold the ones I thought were the lesser ones for $300 each (I paid $2500 for the lot wit a pile of extra magazines) , gave away a couple to sons and a couple to friends and kept the best 9mm and .40 one for myself. They all ways functioned 100% for me, I had 10 extra mags for each and put special lightened trigger springs in and smoothed the interior parts a bit . They were great guns and gave the last 9mm away to twenty two year old grand daughter who is a night nurse in Oregon this year. The .40 is still a truck gun with 7 loaded mags in the locker in truck. It is plenty accurate for defensive uses to 25 yards !
 
That first gen SD was one of the most comfortable grips I've ever handled; I remember it all these years later.

The rest of the gun, though......

Larry
 
I have the SW9VE, and while the trigger is sorta....crappy, It shoots where you point it.
I think it's a good looking gun, comfortable and all that, but I really don't like the "rail".
 
jhb said:
once ya pull that awful trigger you'll be cured. seriously it's that bad.
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Have you shot an ORIGINAL, PRE-LAWSUIT SW40F? Because the trigger was as good as any Glock trigger I have. After they had to put a bunch of extra springs in them for the SW40VE or whatever the crap it was, yes, the triggers were bad.
 
1KPerDay said:
Have you shot an ORIGINAL, PRE-LAWSUIT SW40F? Because the trigger was as good as any Glock trigger I have. After they had to put a bunch of extra springs in them for the SW40VE or whatever the crap it was, yes, the triggers were bad.
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yes, and other post lawsuit versions as well. the direct glock copy was sort of close to a glock trigger I agree, but i didn't feel it was as good. obviously debatable, but so is whether a glock trigger is any good either.:) many seem to want to change them for some reason. I dont mind glocks but that's for a different thread.

isnt op talking about the post lawsuit ones or did I get lost on that? if I went astray my apologies to the op for being way off the mark.

the post lawsuit ones are really really bad. they make the p11 trigger seem useable for a range gun.
 
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