Trigger trouble (SW40V)

[gnbrotz]

I've posted to the S&W forum too, but wanted to see if anyone here might have some insight.

Whether using live ammo or dry firing, I have a hard time getting the striker to release. I can make a full pull on the trigger and nothing happens. If I squeeze really hard, it will usually fire. Then I noticed something....after cocking, if I make a regular full pull (nothing happens), release the trigger and pull it a second time (without cocking it again), I consistently can get it to fire on the second pull. It's almost as if things aren't quite in the right position, and the first squeeze gets things lined up.

Also, if someone knows of a detailed guide (including photos) for tearing down the Sigma, beyond the 'field stripping' guide in the manual, I'd love to have a link to that too.

[Frenchy]

Sounds like your having the same problem an other Sigma member had, and it would be in the firing pin assembly, there is a plastic part in there that can break and may need replaced.

[Skuggi]

Yea, the firing pin assembly in the SW40V is worse than what I dealt with the newer model VE. I got it firing, but since the day I had bought it I had extraction issues. I also couldn't stand the heavy trigger pull.

My best suggestion would be to trade it in for something better.

Now if you want to check it yourself, take a fired casing that already has the pin hole in it from being fired, put some black tape or any tape for that matter solidly on the back of the spent casing. Load the casing into the barrel manually. Dry fire the gun.

See if a hole forms.

If a hole forms, then the striker is hitting but not with enough power for the primer to go boom.

This could also mean that when you do get it to work it will have ejection issues like mine did.

I really liked mine, except for the trigger pull and the extraction issue, if it weren't for that I'd have kept mine. If you really want, you should contact S&W they'll have you ship it back to them (Great thing about S&W is lifetime guarantee) they'll fix it up and ship it back to you.

just a note: You probably need either

1. Clean the assembly
2. replace the assembly (S&W will not sell you parts)

[gnbrotz]

Just talked to S&W on the phone, and I'm going to send it in to them. The guy on the phone didn't have a 'diagnosis', but suggested that perhaps the firing mechanism wasn't 'set' properly and the tab on the back of the trigger wasn't allowing the trigger to be pulled back far enough. He asked if I wanted to try filing it down.

I declined, since as described above, it consistently fires on the second normal pull, and this is a recent problem, with a couple hundred rounds fired 'normally'. I'd prefer to send it in for a look, even if I have to pay in the end.

[gnbrotz]

Well, UPS tried to return my pistol to me on Friday, but no one was home to sign for it. Unfortunately, the local terminal didn't have Saturday hours, so I'll have to wait until Tuesday to go pick it up.

Not sure what they did to it, but it must have been covered, since they never contacted me for non-warranty service pre-payment (required). I'll post the full details as soon as I have them......why does it feel like Christmas Eve?

[Mity2]

Hope its fixed for ya.

But that aside, i had a chance to take a real good look at one of Sigma in 9mm this past friday, and I must say that i do not care for them.

I'm not sure what was S&W's thinking behind trigger pull that is about as mushy as my ex's fat arse, and heavy as that of my DA six shooter.

[gnbrotz]

I picked up my pistol from the UPS terminal today. They tried to deliver it on Friday, but no one is home during the day.

The paperwork says that all they did was adjust the trigger bar and that it then passed inspection and testing. I haven't been to the range yet, but just from dry firing it, I can tell a big difference. All covered, no charge to me.

[dougsmom]

I am trying to find out some info on this pistol. I'm not looking for sympathy but answers. My son allegedly shot himself with one of these pistols. The "crime" scene pictures and reports don't really make a lot of sense to me. I've been to the S & W website and can't find some very critical information without contacting them directly. I think you nice people could help me more than they can.

What I specifically want to know is the muzzle velocity, the minimum and maximum grain weight of a live round, the directionality of the ejected empty casing, the distance of the eject and approx velocity of the ejected shell. Does it have a safety and is it ambidextrous (right and left handed use)? What type of recoil does it have? Is the recoil strong. I shot a .44 once, two handed and it threw my hands back over my head. Lucky I didn't shoot myself in the behind. What I really want to know: is the recoil strong enough that using one hand to fire the gun could it throw the gun out of a limp hand?

Now that I have seen there are inherant problems with this model, that may explain why there were live rounds throughout the scene. It may also explain why additional ballistics testing was done on the gun.

I may have other questions about this gun because answers usually lead to more questions. Again I am not looking for sympathy and I'm not a grieving mother who is in denial, looking for someone to blame. If my son did in fact complete suicide then I will deal with that but I know enough about crime scenes, guns and investigative techniques to know things just don't add up. You see I believe his father or his step-brother may have murdered him. His father is a retired Houston Police Officer and there is a history of bad blood between my son and his father.

Any help would be appreciated and you may e-mail me directly at mvotano58@yahoo.com or answer through this forum.

[pacodelahoya]

The sw40ve is a double action only pistol. In other words, after a round is chambered in the gun, the triggers is pulled to fire it and in so doing, the trigger both cocks the "hammer" (they don't really have a hammer), and then releases the "hammer" thereby causing the firing pin to hit the chambered round and firing the gun. The recoil of the fired round, sends the slide reaward and automatically loads another round from the magazine. This is all pretty simplified for laymans use. The sw40ve has no saftey per se, just a long and fairly stiff trigger pull, just like a double action revolver.

Would a gun like that just go off from recoil? Only if it was somehow mechanically not in good condition. I can only imagine that forensics tested the gun in question. As far as recoil, a .40 cal is somewhat sharp, as opposed to a .45 in my opinion, but being a semautomatic, the whole slide and reload takes a lot of recoil out of the equasion. Just as a pump shotgun has more kick than a semiauto, because some of the recoil is used to reload the gun.

Here is a site that has some ballistic info for you.

I used to own a .40swve, and I think that the brass was ejectected rearward and right, but it was a few years ago.

Sorry for your loss, hope this info was of some use, and remember, that I am just a guy that like guns, not any kind expert and I simplfied the workings of the gun, since transfer bars, as opposed to hammers really has no bearing ( i think )on you questions.

[dougsmom]

Pacodelahoya,

Thanks for your response but I think you forgot the site address.

I'm not looking for "experts". I'm a consultant myself and I know that experts side with whoever is paying them. I found this site by accident and I felt that user's of this particular model gun would probably be straightforward about the characteristics of it. I fully support the 2nd amendment and I know how you folks in PA love your hunting. I live in Texas and guns are a way of life here. My stepdad spent over 25 years in the USMC defending our rights to Keep and bear arms and I own a .410 myself. I use it to scare off critters because Magnolia is in the country. I thought about buying one of those guns but I can't spend $485 on it just because I have a hunch. I want real user experiences with it to rule out, or in, possibilities.

Again thanks for your response and any other info you may have or if you know an "expert" I would like to speak with him/her (I know you ladies pack heat too) if possible. I promise I won't use anyone's names or anything that could cause anyone a problem. All info provided would be kept anonymous and confidential.