Is the M&P just a Sigma in disguise?

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kd7nqb

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So I went to the range today and normally I go in, rent the .40 XD and disapear for a while. Today I go in and it turns out the rental XD is out on the range. I ask well then what's new in the case? The range queen hands me a S&W M&P in .40sw.

So I put 100rounds through it and honest to god I HAVE NEVER SHOT GROUPS THAT TIGHT. I was consistently putting 5 rounds under a quarter at 8yrds. I know thats not great by some of the standards on this board but it amazing for me.

So I went back out (to get more ammo because I was so happy) and got another box of .40sw and chatted with the range owner for a while. She said that my experience was pretty typical and that a lot of people love the gun, she mentioned she didn't like the trigger on it but was a solid gun. Then she mentioned to me that the M&P's are the old S&W Sigma's with some minor modifications. She also said that the Sigmas have had tons of reliability issues. Now I didnt have any problems with this gun but am wondering are M&P's considered reliable? And are they really just re-branded sigmas?
 
From my experience firing an M&P 9mm and from what I've read on the forums, the M&Ps have for the most part been very reliable. The only notable problem I've heard of is the mag drop issue (which I didn't experience on the one I used, though it might not have had enough rounds through it for the problem to surface). S&W seems more than happy to receive the gun for repair, though for some, the problem has reoccurred after getting the gun back and putting more rounds through it.

The more recent revision of the M&P supposedly doesn't have this problem; only time will tell as the newer guns get into the hands of more buyers.

I think it's a great platform and wouldn't hesitate to buy one if/when the bugs are worked out.
 
I had a sigma .40 and sold it because of the trigger pull. I recently bought a m&p compact 9mm and its moved into my #1 ccw slot...:)
 
I've only examined a Sigma at the gun counter - it was a nicely made piece, but the trigger was pretty stout and I can see why people don't like it.

I own an M&P Compact 9mm and love it. In fact, It happens to be today's carry gun.
 
my cousin had a sigma, first generation .40, and we only had problems with it stove piping with blazer. other than that it was a reliable gun, however not the most accurate. i have heard that subsequent guns past gen 1 were better. i am considering getting one for myself, but we will have to see. i have some other lofty goals too...haha
 
The two guns are very different, I owned a Sigma 40VE a number of years ago and grew dispassionate about it. I ditched it for a Glock 22 and was much happier, until I traded the Glock in on an M&P and now I'm extremely happy! However I should point out that I sold the Sigma to a friend who ended up liking it a lot and still has it.

I bought my M&P .40 earlier this year and I'm going on 5000 rounds without issue and its the most accurate and easy shootin gun I own. I did have some trouble with the mag release after about 500rds and had to have it replaced but since then I've put about 4500 rounds through it and it always goes bang every time with good or crappy ammo. Its my dedicated ccw and I would trust my life to it without question!

IMO far too many people compare the M&P to the Sigma and in reality they are two completely different breeds. S&W has had a long history of good guns, both autos and revolvers, just because the M&P is DAO like the Sigma doesn't mean that its the same gun.

Also keep in mind that many people out their own Sigmas and are perfectly content with them. Like I said my friend has my old one and I've never heard him complain about it and he enjoys shooting it. There were things about it that I didn't care for (mainly the trigger) and the fact it had trouble with certain types of ammo, but overall I won't say its the worst gun I ever owned.
 
because the M&P is DAO like the Sigma doesn't mean
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To pick nits, neither is DAO since the slide has to be partially retracted to "reset" the trigger and striker -- like a Glock, Kahr, XD etc.

--wally.
 
I agree that the M&P is a new gun - but I also own a SW99 as well as an M&P and I can see that S&W learned some things from Walther - that's a good thing. Quality companies both - a little cross-pollination between engineering communities doesn't hurt a thing.
 
The only things similar between the M&P and the Sigma are:

Both are pistols.

Both are polymer framed.

Both are made by S&W.

Both share a hinged-trigger design.

Everything else, including the internal workings of the trigger that make it suck or not suck, is completely different.

Mike
 
This seems to be a common confusion. Yes the Sigma is a entirely different pistol, but many people seem to believe the M&P is from the same linage. Hopefully the M&P is able to shake the Sigma history.
 
am wondering are M&P's considered reliable?
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Just to add my input on this one...
Yes, my M&P40 has been very reliable!! It is my only carry gun, and it has proven itself. 1900 flawless rounds, and the first 800 were done without cleaning or lubing the gun out of the box. It has never failed to go bang with many brands of ammo, including flat-nose wilderness rounds.
 
The M&P is more advanced by a wide margin. Not only that, but it nearly made me forget about the XD, much as I like THAT gun. It has even better ergonomics.
 
Sick Of The Bad Mouthing

I have a Sigma in 9mm. It is a "SW9VE" model, the later one they put into production in 99. Contrary to what has been said here, this gun has earned a reputation for reliabiltiy and is popular with police departments. Afganhistan ordered 22,000 of them for their Army.
As far as the trigger goes, I've read reports of 10 and 12 lb triggers. Again, I can only conclude people are thinking of the first run Sigmas, which were made from 94-98 and don't have the "E" after the "V". The trigger on mine feels like it's about 6lbs. and it isn't a long or heavy pull at all.
 
i also have the sigma in 9mm. stop picking on my gun! when i bought it, i had to choose between the XD and a glock 19. i didn't care for the glock's grip, and the wanted waaaaaaaaaay too much for the XD. i did get to shoot with the glock, but i shot the sigma better, because of the grip. so what, they ripped off glock. thank G*D they didn't rip off the grip design...
 
Contrary to what has been said here, this gun has earned a reputation for reliabiltiy and is popular with police departments.
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I have never once seen a Sigma used by a police department.
Afganhistan ordered 22,000 of them for their Army.
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And was this based upon its merits, or a sweet deal offered by the US and/or S&W?

Mike
 
I have never once seen a Sigma used by a police department.
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The WVU DPS Officers (yes, they are real police) use S&W Sigma .40's.


I actually just bought a Sigma 9mm yesterday. I liked it's ergonomics and ease of function and field stripping over the nearest priced competitor, the Taurus PT-111. Ran me $330 at Cabela's.
 
The WVU DPS Officers (yes, they are real police) use S&W Sigma .40's.
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While I would NEVER disparage a college or university police or security officer (lord knows they are dead center in the crap sometimes, like in VT, and they take enough grief from the budding lawyers in the dorms), this is not an endorsement of the Sigma by any means. At UMD, the administration issued Sig-Sauers (great!) in 9mm (OK!), and mandated that they use subsonic ammunition (uh?). A local college near me has full-service sworn officers, and refuses to issue them firearms at all. This is despite the facts that they're in the worst part of the city, have arrest powers and the same requirment to act as the city police, and all of their vehicles say "Police" on them, so someone might try to kill them based upon hatred of cops, or run to them seeking protection.

Imagine a government agency, run by touchy-feely, kinder-gentler, ivory-tower academics. Imagine the purchasing and procurement decisions that body will make with regards to *gasp* guns! *gasp* Will they sometimes be sound? Yep. Will they sometimes make no sense? Yep. Will they be driven hard by budget? Absolutely.

I'm not surprised that a Uni PD got saddled with the Sigma. Cheap? yep. Worst example of the lawyer trigger in a duty gun? Check. meets the minimum requirements of arming our police, so we can stop debating this and move on to extolling the virtues of Marxist theory? Check. ;)

I will admit, though, that your example does indeed include a PD that uses the Sigma, so I can now raise that number from 0 to 1. ;)

Mike :D
 
Simplest answer...HELL NO! In my opinion, the M&P is one of the best polymer pistols on the market.
 
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