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S&W Sigma
- Thread starter kell
- Start date
Personally, I would advise against doing so. Contrary to popular belief, Smith & Wesson didn't include those springs for the sole purpose of making the trigger heavier as part of some agreement with Glock which only exists within the realms of Internet Urban Legend.
Both of those little springs are return springs, one of them is merely to reset the trigger safety and really doesn't make much of a difference to the overall pull, so removing it doesn't really reduce the weight of the pull and is potentially dangerous as it allows the trigger safety to disengage with simple momentum/gravity. The other spring is the trigger reset spring which is where most of the weight comes from, but is more important that you might think. Without the trigger return spring in place, the trigger/sear can potentially fail to reset when firing full-power heavyweight ammunition as the recoil impulse holds the trigger in a reward position.
Folks who prefer lightweight standard pressure 115gr 9mm Luger, 155gr .40 S&W, or don't actually train with anything but target loads at the range are unlikely to ever encounter this issue, hence why so many folks swear by removing/replacing the springs in the trigger with no reservations whatsoever.
However, if you plan on shooting heavier loads like 124gr-147gr 9mm Luger +P or 180gr .40 S&W (depending on what your Sigma is chambered in) then it's not recommended, especially if your Sigma is a .40cal SW40/SD40 model, as the issue is most common with .40 S&W.
Personally, as someone who carries a SW40VE as a primary carry gun, I left my pistol in it's stock configuration for the sake of reliability. A long, heavy trigger pull can be overcome with training, and frankly the oh-so-heavy 8lb-12lb DA Trigger on the Sigma Series of pistols isn't all that different from a stock DA Trigger on a S&W Revolver, which police carried for the better part of a century without any trouble. Folks these days are just spoiled by the lightweight SA Trigger of the 1911 or short, precocked DA Trigger of Glocks, and tend to arbitrarily label heavier triggers as absolutely impossible to shoot accurately with as a scapegoat for their own lack of finger strength/skill. Besides, that trigger pull is going to feel much lighter in the event in which your body is flooded with adrenaline in a life-or-death scenario.
That being said, if your Sigma is mostly going to be a range piece (why?) or if it's a SW9/SD9 which you plan to load with standard pressure 115gr 9mm Luger ammo, then you can go right ahead and replace the trigger return spring with a lighter aftermarket spring, and it most likely won't cause you any trouble whatsoever, but don't outright remove either of the springs if you intend on using it for Self-Defense, regardless of how many folks may come along swearing it's perfectly safe and won't effect reliability whatsoever.
Both of those little springs are return springs, one of them is merely to reset the trigger safety and really doesn't make much of a difference to the overall pull, so removing it doesn't really reduce the weight of the pull and is potentially dangerous as it allows the trigger safety to disengage with simple momentum/gravity. The other spring is the trigger reset spring which is where most of the weight comes from, but is more important that you might think. Without the trigger return spring in place, the trigger/sear can potentially fail to reset when firing full-power heavyweight ammunition as the recoil impulse holds the trigger in a reward position.
Folks who prefer lightweight standard pressure 115gr 9mm Luger, 155gr .40 S&W, or don't actually train with anything but target loads at the range are unlikely to ever encounter this issue, hence why so many folks swear by removing/replacing the springs in the trigger with no reservations whatsoever.
However, if you plan on shooting heavier loads like 124gr-147gr 9mm Luger +P or 180gr .40 S&W (depending on what your Sigma is chambered in) then it's not recommended, especially if your Sigma is a .40cal SW40/SD40 model, as the issue is most common with .40 S&W.
Personally, as someone who carries a SW40VE as a primary carry gun, I left my pistol in it's stock configuration for the sake of reliability. A long, heavy trigger pull can be overcome with training, and frankly the oh-so-heavy 8lb-12lb DA Trigger on the Sigma Series of pistols isn't all that different from a stock DA Trigger on a S&W Revolver, which police carried for the better part of a century without any trouble. Folks these days are just spoiled by the lightweight SA Trigger of the 1911 or short, precocked DA Trigger of Glocks, and tend to arbitrarily label heavier triggers as absolutely impossible to shoot accurately with as a scapegoat for their own lack of finger strength/skill. Besides, that trigger pull is going to feel much lighter in the event in which your body is flooded with adrenaline in a life-or-death scenario.
That being said, if your Sigma is mostly going to be a range piece (why?) or if it's a SW9/SD9 which you plan to load with standard pressure 115gr 9mm Luger ammo, then you can go right ahead and replace the trigger return spring with a lighter aftermarket spring, and it most likely won't cause you any trouble whatsoever, but don't outright remove either of the springs if you intend on using it for Self-Defense, regardless of how many folks may come along swearing it's perfectly safe and won't effect reliability whatsoever.
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MCARBO makes an aftermarket spring which puts it in the 5 lb range.
I don't know as much about the Sigma as Forte S+W, so I'd defer to his advice. Either way don't forget to test your pistol afterwards. If this is for self defense, some folks advise running it with a couple hundred rounds or more, preferably in the same bullet weight / recoil range as your carry round. In fact, I've seen some guys post that they run 200 factory premium rounds through it before carrying it. I never had the money for that, so I reload instead!
I don't know as much about the Sigma as Forte S+W, so I'd defer to his advice. Either way don't forget to test your pistol afterwards. If this is for self defense, some folks advise running it with a couple hundred rounds or more, preferably in the same bullet weight / recoil range as your carry round. In fact, I've seen some guys post that they run 200 factory premium rounds through it before carrying it. I never had the money for that, so I reload instead!
wild cat mccane
New member
Before the SD9 and SW9EV, wasn't there 2 gens of Sigma?
Might want to know that too, but I can't offer any help if the strings are all compatible across Sigma, SW9EV, and SD9.
Might want to know that too, but I can't offer any help if the strings are all compatible across Sigma, SW9EV, and SD9.
gbclarkson
New member
Galloway Precision also makes reduced power spring kits for Sigmas.
44caliberkid
New member
I went with tossing the pig tail spring and replacing the coil spring with the one a guy sells on YouTube for $5.00. I've got about 400 rounds through that setup and it works fine.
wild cat mccane said:Before the SD9 and SW9EV, wasn't there 2 gens of Sigma?
Might want to know that too, but I can't offer any help if the strings are all compatible across Sigma, SW9EV, and SD9.
Correct, there are four generations of the Sigma Series.
- First Generation -- SW40F, SW9F, SW9M, SW380M
The Gen 1 Sigma came in two basic configurations, the Full-Size Model with an F prefix and the Micro Compact with an M prefix. - Second Generation -- SW40V, SW9V, SW357V
The Gen 2 Sigma only came in one configuration, it was a reduced price model with a stainless steel slide and a more compact size similar to the Glock 23/19 with a V (for Value) prefix. - Third Generation -- SW40E, SW9E, SW40VE, SW9VE, SW40GVE, SW9GVE
The Sigma Gen 3 was updated with the addition of a Melonite FNC Finish on the Slide/Barrel, a proprietary accessory rail on the dust cover, and more aggressive checkering on the grip, marked with an E (for Enhanced) prefix. In addition, S&W went on to include a lower cost alternative with a stainless steel Slide/Barrel sans the Melonite finish, marked with the VE (Value Enhanced) prefix. There was also a limited run of models with an Olive Drab Green frame marked with the G (Green) Prefix. - Fourth Generation -- SD40, SD9, SD40VE, SD9VE
The Sigma Gen 4, aka the "Sigma Delta" was originally marketed not as a replacement for the Gen 3 models, but rather as a premium alternative offered as a sort of mid-range option for those who desired a firearm with more features than the value-priced SW40VE and SW9VE yet a smaller price tag than the top of the line M&P Series. The SD Series offered a Melonite FNC treated Slide/Barrel with front/rear slide serrations, a Meprolight Tru-Dot Tritium front post night sight, an impoved frame with better ergonomics, a picatiny rail, a ligher 8lb double action trigger pull, and a form factor similar to the M&P Series, which made the SD Series compatible with most external M&P accessories. Unfortunately, SD Series proved to be rather unsuccessful, with most folks either opting for the cheaper Gen 3 Sigma or the more expensive M&P, so Smith & Wesson cut their losses, discontinued both the Gen 3 Sigma and the SD, and replaced them both with the SD40VE and SD9VE, a value-priced alternative with the exclusion of the Melonite FNC treatment and the night sight. However, the SD eventually was brought back into production as a dealer exclusive, albeit with a couple new frame colors in Flat Dark Earth & Charcoal Gray, and the Tritium front post sight was replaced with fiber-optic front/rear sights or standard 3 dot sights.
Changes were made between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 series as a result of a Lawsuit filed by Glock against Smith & Wesson for Patent Infringement, which was settled out of court by Smith & Wesson paying Glock royalties on all Gen 1 models sold. However, the extent pf these changes were relatively minor, yet just enough that they no longer would have to pay Glock any further royalties.
The changes implemented in the Gen 2 Sigma weren't changed until Gen 4, so any parts for a Gen 2 SW40V or SW9V will also work with a Gen 3 SW40VE or SW9VE, but not a Gen 4 SD Series model. As far as I know, there was never an aftermarket trigger spring kit offered for the original Gen 1 SW40F and SW9F, so any Sigma trigger spring kit is for 2nd/3rd Gen models, and those for the SD Series are simply marked as "SD" compatible because Smith & Wesson never commercially marketed the SD Series under the Sigma name, despite the fact that it is a Gen 4 Sigma.