S&W Sigma 40 ve problem. Any advice?

[bigbayou87]

Went to the Bass Pro range today with a buddy who was packing his sigma ve (bought used from pawn shop). Hes owned the gun for a couple of months, but this was his first time shooting it (not much free time).
Long story short, the striker isn't re-cocking. It shoots, the spent brass is extracted and ejects fine, the magazine is feeding, but when you pull the trigger again it feels like the "hammer" isn't cocked. Racking back the slide or just pulling it back enough to re-cock it allows for another shot or 3 before acting up again. Tried Winchester and American Eagle (federal) ammo, but had the same results from both.
Its going to a good gunsmith later in the week, but is anybody familiar with this issue or know what may be causing it?

 

[Birdmang]

Pull out the striker and clean it, then try again.

 

[bigbayou87]

Im not familiar with breaking down a weapon that far, but it would be nice if thats all it is. Ill mention it to the gunsmith.

 

[AZ Five seveN]

I would just say good luck with that Sigma. They aren't known for their reliability...

 

[bigbayou87]

What other reliability issues have you heard or come across? The gun definitely lost at first impressions.

 

[Birdmang]

After cleaning and doing some small trigger work, which I LEARNED on youtube, my sigma is perfectly fine (sw40ve)

I am not a gunsmith, I just like to mess with stuff. Its basically a glock clone with a horrible trigger. Pick them both up and you will feel a difference, I prefer the sigma better, but love the feel of a 23/19 model glock. I have both a sigma and a g23 and both shoot great and are reliable. In fact the sigma shoot crappy steel ammo better and more consistently with no jams, so it gets shot more.

Edit: mention its a glock clone to a glock fanboy and they will freak out, but the lawsuit for patent infringement is proof

 

[AZ Five seveN]

It IS a Glock clone, but a Glock will still be 20x more reliable.

I have no specifics on Sigma reliability issues, I just know it by reputation, and it's reputation is not very good.

 

[bigbayou87]

I'm going to have to check out youtube and convince my buddy to give it a try. Ill even help just to learn something new. Something I noticed during my google searches is a lack of any real problems experienced with the 40ve besides the stiff trigger which doesn't bother my friend anyway. I'm willingly to give it a second chance.

 

[JTQ]

The Sigma has a very good reliability reputation.

The biggest problems with Sigma's are their stiff triggers and a proprietary rail.

 

[carbuncle]

Have your buddy send it back to S&W, they'll fix it and probably throw a free magazine in the box for his trouble.

 

[Xinowulf]

Well I'm the buddy. I took out the striker and cleaned it. It looks as though it might have something to do with the trigger and/or the inner workings of the frame. As stated before it does fire, eject, and cycle the next round so that's why I'm thinking it's nothing to with anything in the slide because I cleaned and went over it thoroughly. Does that make sense?

 

[Lonestar49]

Maybe

...

IF it has, or had, a disconnect/safety, I've heard of problems they create on the triggers and some take out the mag disconnect/feature and swear the trigger improves greatly, but maybe something was not put back together right..?

I shot, can't recall the make/model, a polymer framed 45, full size, and the owner told me that he had a trigger job done to it, as it is a DAO type trigger action.

But the grip was on the thin size (very nice, natural grip to me) and being it was a CA. gun with the 10 round, double-stacking mag, max, limit and mag disconnect safety. It was a joy to shoot, one of the best 45's I have ever shot (and for the first time) this type striker-only, light recoil, very accurate gun, and the mag disconnect was in effect.. working.

Other than that, if your guns trigger is being affected by a mag disconnect feature, then maybe a trigger job is the call or simply having the mag disconnect safety, disconnected, or checked by a gunny to see where and what the problem is with yours not recocking the striker..

Luck,


Ls

 

[sarduy]

I would just say good luck with that Sigma. They aren't known for their reliability...

that's not true,

sigmas are as reliable as any other weapon (m&p, glock, ruger) they just have a heavy trigger pull like a DAObecause they were build that way.

to the OP, take the gun apart and WD-40 the hell out of it, clean with a towel and let it dry. to disassamble the slide is easy just follow this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ws0gAQlpY

make sure to clean and oil (wd-40) everything specially the fireing pin. also clean the channel with Q-tips. no need to remove the extractor.

 

[sarduy]

if you need more help let me know and i can do a live video with you to show you.

 

[sigmashooter]

I bet somebody modded the trigger to lighten it up. It's acommon practice to pull one of the sear springs (there are 2, 1 inside the other) wich can casue the reset isue you're having. Others put a lighter striker spring in, but that usually causes FTE with hot +P rounds. Lastly, the pigtail spring is sometimes removed, and could cause your issue as well. Look on YouTube for Sigma trigger mods, and see if yours has both springs in the sear block. If the outer spring is light, brass, and looks like it came from a Gov't pen, it probably was swapped out to lighten the trigger. Stock springs and setups, and the Sigma is rock-solid dependable. The more you shoot it, the smoother the trigger gets. (Dry-firing won't hurt it, either) I've got 1200rds thru my 40VE, runs flawless wih any ammo. Good Luck!

 

[stonecutter2]

I had my SW9VE for several years and it ran like a champ. Not one problem.

Every manufacturer has occasional issues with their product. The Sigma (not the VE model, the first version) had problems with their design initially. The pistol gained a poor reputation as a result.

I've heard quite positive reviews of the VE model of Sigma, with occasional issues.

It does sound like something isn't functioning correctly, and it's beyond your control.

I would call up S&W and see what they can do for you.

 

[stonecutter2]

I bet somebody modded the trigger to lighten it up. It's acommon practice to pull one of the sear springs (there are 2, 1 inside the other) wich can casue the reset isue you're having. Others put a lighter striker spring in, but that usually causes FTE with hot +P rounds. Lastly, the pigtail spring is sometimes removed, and could cause your issue as well. Look on YouTube for Sigma trigger mods, and see if yours has both springs in the sear block. If the outer spring is light, brass, and looks like it came from a Gov't pen, it probably was swapped out to lighten the trigger. Stock springs and setups, and the Sigma is rock-solid dependable. The more you shoot it, the smoother the trigger gets. (Dry-firing won't hurt it, either) I've got 1200rds thru my 40VE, runs flawless wih any ammo. Good Luck!

Interesting points - might be worth the OP's friend's time to check this out. Could be as simple as ordering a spring to replace one that's modded or gone.

 

[1KPerDay]

I had a first-gen Sigma .40 and had ZERO problems with it. Not one malfunction. Sold it to a buddy and wish I had it back.

 

[mingo]

Yep I agree that the previous owner changed some springs....call smith and wesson for a shipping label and send it in to have it changed back to original...it will be worth the effort....I prefer to buy semi-autos new for this very reason. The gun new out of the box is awesome...I have one and they are nice guns.
mingo

 

[1KPerDay]

Why send it back? Swapping springs or anything else on these is easy as cake.

 

[h20fowl]

I had a one of the first generation Sigma's. To this day its the only gun I have sold. I had constant problems with the slide locking back with rounds left in the magazine.

 

[mingo]

It's a good option to send it back and have them check the gun out and have it come back shooting just fine. I would if it was my gun. If it's more than a spring problem then it's a no worry deal....yep slap a spring in and that's not the problem....just saying.
mingo

 

[psyshack]

I like my sigma 9ve and the trigger is modded to heck and back. Sear is decked, everything polished, pigtail pulled and outer sear spring changed out. Slide polished, bore lapped out with a hint of polish, yada yada yada. The only issue I've ever had with the pistol is the extractor broke at the 5k round mark. I bought the part from Numrich, fitted it myself and got back running quick.

It runs retail ammo and my reloads without issue. YOU DO have to let the trigger out all the way after a shot or know where the reset point is or the trigger will not reset. And the pistol can be limp wristed also.

While I own a M&P .45 FS. And like it very much. I see no reason to dump my Sigma and run out and buy the M&P.

 

[Xinowulf]

Well I did let the trigger return and even pushed it forward when it didn't fire. I just don't understand what the problem is.

 

[Onward Allusion]

sigmashooter
I bet somebody modded the trigger to lighten it up. It's acommon practice to pull one of the sear springs (there are 2, 1 inside the other) wich can casue the reset isue you're having. Others put a lighter striker spring in, but that usually causes FTE with hot +P rounds. Lastly, the pigtail spring is sometimes removed, and could cause your issue as well. Look on YouTube for Sigma trigger mods, and see if yours has both springs in the sear block. If the outer spring is light, brass, and looks like it came from a Gov't pen, it probably was swapped out to lighten the trigger. Stock springs and setups, and the Sigma is rock-solid dependable. The more you shoot it, the smoother the trigger gets. (Dry-firing won't hurt it, either) I've got 1200rds thru my 40VE, runs flawless wih any ammo. Good Luck!

Ding ding ding!