S&W Sigma 40VE Trigger Modification

[jtmckinney]

I am going to buy a home defense gun. This gun will also get enough practice use so that if needed myself and my wife will at least know the basic functions. I have settled on a single action 40 calliber semi-auto. We will probably not put 1,000 rounds of ammo thru it in my lifetime.

I went to a gun store today thinking I wuld buy a Hi-Point but could not make myself do it. The trigger was terrible and overall feel was not there even at the low price.

I also looked at a Glock 22, S&W Sigma 40VE and a couple of others.

The instant I held the S&W Sigma 40VE it felt like my gun. In looking at other post about this gun I am not alone. The feel and ergonomics were great but again the trigger was not what I want. I saw several post that the trigger could be improved. What should this cost? It there that much of an improvement?

Would I be better to invest in a used gun of better quality when it left the factory for maybe the same price?

Any actual experience with this trigger improvement is appreciated.

Thank You!
James

 

[wvshooter]

JT, you dodged a huge bullet when you nixed the High Point. Give yourself a high five. The Sigma is a totally different story. It may be the best value to be had in handguns.

I bought my 40ve four years ago and have run a couple thousand rounds through it. This may be hard to believe but I have never had a failure of any kind. It's lightweight, well balanced and comfortable in the hand, very accurate and as I said before utterly reliable. It's different from a lot of semi autos in that the trigger is a little like a revolver trigger.

That wasn't an accident on the part of the design team. The trigger is exactly as the designers intended. The trigger pull is longish and heavy. That makes it a safer gun. Although the Sigma's design is almost identical to a Glock the Sigma's unique trigger makes it much safer than a Glock. Many owners have modified the Sigma trigger to make it have a lighter pull but I personally would not do that to either of mine. (I also have a 9ve) The trigger does lighten somewhat with use. Also, if you ever need to use it in a self defense situation the last thing you will be thinking about is the trigger.

 

[Te Anau]

The instant I held the S&W Sigma 40VE it felt like my gun.

Thats the true beauty of a Sigma.I personally think that no other handgun made today fits a variety of human hands better.I'd rather have my SW9VE over a SW40VE but thats a personal choice.

That wasn't an accident on the part of the design team. The trigger is exactly as the designers intended.

Bingo! This is the fact that drives Sigma haters insane. The SW9VE has a perfectly designed trigger IMHO.

Although the Sigma's design is almost identical to a Glock the Sigma's unique trigger makes it much safer than a Glock.

Bingo again!

 

[ryan huddleston]

I have the SW9VE and have put over 1000 rounds through it with no malfunctions. I think the trigger is fine you just have to get used it is. It is actually a very smooth trigger its it just long and heavy which is perfect for your situation. I bought mine in january of 2007, got it for 300 with a $50 mail in rebate and a rebate for 2 extra mags. That is a STEAL.

I also own a XD9SC. Also a great gun. The trigger is allot nicer but other than that the SW9VE is every bit as good. I like the sights on the XD better and I can shoot i a good bit more accurately. But I like the slide release and mag release So much better on the SW. The only thin I did to the SW is dry fire it a ton. This helped the trigger allot. And put a hogue slip on grip on it.
This made it quite a bit more comfy.

The SW9VE is way under priced for what you get. It should probably be around 400-450 with no extra rebates. Also take a good look ar the Ruger SR9.

 

[hagar]

I have never heard of a Sigma going KABOOM either...:barf: Neither do you see 100's of them constantly been offered on sale on the various gun boards.

Love the 3 Sigmas I have, a 9, 40 and 357 Sig. Mine are all older models but I actually prefer the feel of them to the newer ones, they work fine, are accurate, and I actually LIKE the triggers. They are long, but smooth and break without creep, unlike the Keltec PF9 I shot, I almost gagged on that trigger pull.

 

[Leejack]

I would not modify the trigger on the sigma.

The gun is designed to be a defensive weapon. There is little chance of an accidental discharge. For it's intended purpose, it is perfect.The long DAO pull takes a little getting use to, but it is much like that of a DA revolver; no problem for me at all. Lightening the trigger only makes the gun more likely to have light strikes. That is something that you don't want, in any gun.

All the sigma bashers have managed to do, is keep the price down. Thank you!

I have the 9VE and it runs like a Timex watch.

Lee

 

[cwb]

from what i have read there is not much you can do to the trigger to make them better. but i could be wrong

 

[doc540]

Done this three times so it's a fact.

Call S&W Customer Service

Tell them the trigger is rough and gritty.

Do NOT tell them it is stiff.

They will email prepaid postage for you to return it to them.

The will, at no charge, smooth the trigger (it will seem like it's not as stiff, but it will still be around 10lbs, but MUCH smoother).

They will ship it back to you on their dime.

Got all three of mine back within two weeks.

 

[SW40F]

I am going to buy a home defense gun. This gun will also get enough practice use so that if needed myself and my wife will at least know the basic functions. ...We will probably not put 1,000 rounds of ammo thru it in my lifetime.

The stock Sigma will do this easily with absolutely no modifications necessary.

The feel and ergonomics were great but again the trigger was not what I want.

Well, I can't know what you want in a trigger, but I can make this suggestion. If it is possible for you to rent a Sigma, put a sheet of plain letter paper at about 3-7 yards. Load the magazine with 6 rounds and put it back on the table in front of you. Count down "3-2-1" or something like that, pick it up, point it at the paper and squeeze off all 6 shots at about one round per second.

You should try to shoot faster while in control, and don't worry about fine sight picture. Keep the front sight pointed at the paper, squeeze, repeat...

You should find this to be fun, and I promise that you won't notice the feel of the trigger. Oh, and you will probably be surprised to find an acceptable group on the paper. It is my opinion that, in home defense shooting, the trigger feel does not and will not matter. What you feel as hard and gritty won't get in the way of the gun doing its job to protect you.

In a nutshell, the Sigma is not a finely-tuned target gun, it is a dependable, reliable self-defense gun. Treat it as such, practice with this in mind, and you will probably be happier with it.

Would I be better to invest in a used gun of better quality when it left the factory for maybe the same price?

I can't tell you what would be better, and I can't tell you what better 'quality' is since those come from your values. I can say that you will find some very good used guns, at reasonable prices, that will be just as effective for home defense and practice as a new Sigma, or any other new gun for that matter.

Best of luck to you as you search.

 

[jtmckinney]

An above post said to dry fire the gun a lot that this would improve the trigger smoothness.

This definately goes against my teachings. I was tought to never dry fire a gun. I do dry fire my other guns once afer cleaning to make sure the mechanism is working correctly but keep it ot a minimum.

Will it hurt this gun to dry fire it?

My only other handgun is a family heirloom Ruger Mark 1 22LR bought by my older half brother new in 1954. This is my home defense weapon now, of course it is too light to be ideal. One of the reasons I want another gun for home defense is if I had to use it I might loose it to law enforcement. I am not sure how that works but they would probably want it for evidence or something and I do not want to loose my Ruger or have to spend a lot of money on lawyers to get it back.

I now realize that expecting the 40VE to have even close to the same trigger feel as my Mark 1 is not realistic.

Thanks for all the info and opinions. I will probably purchase the 40VE and learn to shoot it.

Once again thanks!
James

 

[mordis]

I can remember not to many years ago people on this board berating the sigma. My how times have changed.

 

[kraigwy]

My Sigma isnt very old and personally I dont see anything wrong with the trigger.

I will admit I'm a revolver guy, carrying a model 28 for twenty years in LE, and kept shooting it in 16 years of retirement, plus carrying a 642 as a pocket gun, is the probably the reason.

I bought the Sigma (40 VE) for the so reason I didnt have a 40 cal and I found one on Tradio (radio want adds) so figured, what the heck. I was really impressed.

180 grn cast bullets are extremely accurate in mine. Cheap shooting except for brass.

Anyway my problem with the Sigma is finding the brass after shooting it. You need a spotter if you expect to recover it.

I did notice you can dern near double the weight by stuffing in a full mag.

 

[DBAR]

I've worked over a couple of triggers for the Sigma series of guns, and now I just tell people to get a different gun if they want a different trigger. It's not that what I did didn't work, because what I did, worked. In fact it worked well, the trigger on the Sigma just isn't designed with much room for change. Notice, I say change, not improvement. I'm trying not to bash the Sigma, but with that said, I won't be owning one anytime soon.

DBAR

 

[TRguy]

The best Sigma trigger job to be had is from LSG Mfg in Comanche TX, Phone - (325)885-2700.

He is a certified S&W Armorer and Retired LEO. Guy's name is Frank Smith

http://www.lsgmfg.com/index.htm

I have sent guns to him before and he is reasonable in price and superior in work and turn around time.

before you ask the price, hell if I know. Call him and ask.

 

[ryan huddleston]

The only gun I wont dry fire is a rimfire. Othere than that I dont care. I think ruger even sugests you dryfire there guns. If you dont feel good about it get snap caps.

 

[roaddog28]

An above post said to dry fire the gun a lot that this would improve the trigger smoothness.

This definately goes against my teachings. I was tought to never dry fire a gun. I do dry fire my other guns once afer cleaning to make sure the mechanism is working correctly but keep it ot a minimum.

Will it hurt this gun to dry fire it?

Hi,
In order to field strip the Sigma you have too dry fire the gun before removing the slide. This is according to the S&W manual. Dry firing the Sigma will not hurt the gun. The action will get better but it will never be the action as say a Beretta, CZ or 1911. I have a SW40VE and love the gun. So far, I have not had a issue with the Sigma. The trigger is fine because I am used to shooting revolvers. My accurately on the range is good. My groups are tight and other than being a inch or two low they are more than good enough to get the job done.
Like other members, I feel the Sigma is one of the best semi-auto values out there.

Good luck with your decision,
roaddog28

 

[doc540]

S&W does them for free.

as in "no charge"