S&W Sigma 40 Review

[plouffedaddy]

Sigma pistols have a mixed record among the shooting public with many saying they're complete garbage while others saying they're a great bang for your buck. Here's what I've found of them over the years as well as specifically the Sigma 40...

Pros:
-Price. These guns can be had for roughly $300 +- $50 even today
-Fairly accurate pistols. In terms of inherent accuracy, this gun groups around 3'' at 25 yards with most defensive ammo (seems to like 165gr loads)
-Reliability. I know some will (truthfully) report otherwise but every Sigma pistol I've laid my hands on has been very reliable.
-Easy to maintain
-Easy to field strip
-Good amount of aftermarket support
-14+1 capacity
-Smith & Wesson has excellent customer service
-Requires very little cleaning/lubrication to run reliably
-Ergonomic frame
-Trigger has a positive reset

Cons:
-Trigger. This has been slightly improved in the newer "SD" models but the Sigma trigger is heavy (this one around 9lbs) and has an overly long reset point. This really is the biggest "con" of the gun and ruins the gun for a lot of folks out there.
-The rail doesn't work with most modern lights/lasers. There are adaptors (as shown in the video) available however.

All in all it's a decent gun for shooters looking to not spend a lot of money but still have a reliable platform. Would it be my first choice? No, but there are worse options out there in my opinion.

Here's a video with a little shooting, disassembly/assembly of the pistol, a size comparison with other guns, and a discussion of the pros and cons of the pistol:

[diverwcw]

I have one in 9mm, I've never had any problems with it.

[BoJackUSMC]

Decent gun for decent price.. I rather have Glock, but Sigma is good working gun.

[Bodh1]

Yeah, my dad has a sigma 9mm that my brother uses when we go to the range. He prefers it over my glock 19, and he's better with it. Probably the heavy trigger helps him - somehow.

[David-K]

I've got one in 9mm and 40S&W as well. Fun to shoot and tinker with.

[CZ9]

The sigma is a good gun, but I think I might sell mine to fund the newer sd series. Everything I like about the sigma, but with a lighter trigger.

[postal]

Had a sigma 40 compact years ago. Hated it. It worked fine, but the trigger was awful.

The thread going around a number of months ago, "what was your worst gun?" ...sigma was about the most common answer.

[benjamin101677]

You can switch the trigger spring out of the gun to make the trigger pull like a Glock, but the hard trigger pull can be kinda gun for some people.

I purchased one new and liked it for the price, I don't think you can find a better gun for the price. Around $325.00 brand new hard to beat, it isn't a glock, but you are paying several hundred less than the glock for this gun too.

for the price range the best gun brand new you can get at the price

[Zedrek]

I got mine in the Disaster Kit.

[vintagedude88]

Thanks for putting up a decent honest review.

This was my first pistol and it ran great for me when I had it. Its reliable like an AK and simple to use. Considering that it has no external safeties, the hard trigger pull can be a good thing for some. There are some tutorials on the Internet about how to reduce the trigger pull and make the action smoother.

I sold mine not too long ago after having upgraded to an M&P. Despite all the internet hate for these, I had plenty of takers looking to buy and this was way before the panic.

[Bodh1]

My dad's SW9V gets a FTF (only the last round in the mag) when my dad and brother shoot it. I haven't experienced it when i'm shooting it. I'm suspecting some limp-wristing going on.

[chrisf]

My .40 sigma has never failed me yet. I posted a video of burying it in dirt, throwing it etc. With no FTF FTE at all. Not one problem. I haven't lubed it in god knows how long. I love it.

[89 Vision]

I have one in 9mm, and I sold the one I had in .40 S&W. Funny thing is, I owned Glocks for years before I bought either one of them. So I've gone backwards in a sense. On the other hand, I love the stainless finish. Other than the overly-stout trigger, I have no other complaints, my Sigmas have been very reliable.

[PatrickRyan]

I absolutely love my sigma. I've put over 1,000 rounds through my sigma .40 with ZERO PROBLEMS. The gun just works. People say its a poor mans glock. I say it is just as good as a glock. Go ahead, rip me apart, but my sigma is one of the most reliable guns I have ever shot. And it cost me NOTHING! I ****ing love this gun.

[benjamin101677]

Best gun in the price range, I have one that I carry in my truck behind the seat just in case I ever need it. For the $300 price range this gun is the best in that market. I know a sheriff's department in central california that carries these as a duty weapon option