The year is 1994. I’m just born. But more importantly, polymer-framed guns are coming into greater popularity. Smith and Wesson just released their Sigma series of pistols. First comes the SW40VE.
You decide to get one.
I don’t know if you got one or not, but I have a comprehensive review of the firearm to help you decide if it is currently a good idea to pick one of these up.
The going price for a Smith & Wesson SW40VE is extremely affordable. It is usually in the $200-250 range. I got mine as a birthday present, but my dad was able to pick it up for $219 from Cabela’s.
A good deal, if you’re willing to dig around, can have you snagging one for sub-$200.
The initial idea of the Sigma was to answer the growing popularity of the Glock pistols. They copied the polymer design so well that it resulted in a lawsuit by Glock.
Due to some issues with the construction of the Sigma series, it has now faded into obscurity, while the Glock has maintained its position as one of the top-selling firearms of all time. The Sigma series has been replaced with the Shield series of firearms, and it’s proven to be a smart choice for Smith & Wesson.
No matter your stance on whether Smith & Wesson stole Glock design or not, you can’t deny that getting a sub-$200 firearm from a reputable firearm manufacturer is a very cool prospect.
I’m not here to sway your opinion one way or another. I am here to give you the important information so you can make the most informed decision for your purchase. When it comes to defending yourself and your family, safety is not the area to skimp on.
Stats
Barrel Length: 4.25 in.
Overall Length: 7.5 in.
Height: 5.5 in.
Width: 1.2 in.
Weight: 27.45 oz.
Safety: passive trigger safety
Magazine: 14-round
Aesthetics
The aesthetic appeal of the Smith & Wesson SW40VE is easy to notice.
The firearm is beautiful. I have it in a 2-tone silver slide with a black grip. The design of the slide is a lot less squared off than the Glock, which is something I really appreciate.
The Glock handguns just don’t appeal to me personally because of the squareness of them. They look like boxes with grips.
The rounded look of the slide makes for a more appealing firearm, and I appreciate that. If you don’t like the look of what you are using for personal protection or sport shooting for that matter, you will never be able to perform when it comes time.
Included in the aesthetics are the sights. They are very comfortable to look down. It’s a simple 3-dot sight, but they are very appealing and easy to line up down-range. The coloring is simple white on black. This doesn’t help with nighttime shooting in the event of a home defense scenario, but there is a rail that allows for installation of a flashlight or a laser.
My biggest complaint with the aesthetics is the fact there are no grips to change, but that is the price you pay going with polymer frame firearms.
Ergonomics
When it comes to the ergonomics of the firearm, I find it to be extremely comfortable.
The smaller size of the firearm makes it a bit smaller than the full-size that I am used to for a pistol. I typically carry my Sig Sauer P229.
I’m used to carrying a firearm with a hammer, so the striker fire handgun makes it a little easier to clear my clothing during drawing the firearm.
There are grooves on the slide that make it very easy to pull back and put one in the chamber.
The grip is comfortable and fits my hand well.
That being said, I have large hands. It may not fit well for others. I always recommend handling as many firearms as possible to help make the most informed purchase.
Again, when it comes to personal and family safety, do not skimp on price. I understand choosing the right firearm may be a bit of a strenuous and pricey project, but if it ever comes to a situation where you have to use it, then you will be happy to have the best firearm for the job.
Function
I know a lot of people discount this firearm immediately simply because of the trigger. It’s a very heavy trigger pull at 10 lbs. or more depending on the luck of the draw when you get the firearm.
After putting roughly 2,000 rounds through the firearm I can safely say that it will fire the first shot every time. The problem is with the ejecting of the round casing.
It seems the casings have no set way to eject. Some fly to the left, some to the right, I’ve even had a couple come back at my face. This is especially bad for an emergency situation because it can cause potential burns and throw off my sighting for the next shot.
Not only is there a flaw here, but I had trouble with simply ejecting the spent round at all. It jams on a pretty regular basis, which is annoying at the range, and very dangerous as well.
When it did fire consistently, it was pretty accurate up to 10 yards. I didn’t really have accuracy issues until I went to 15 and 20 yards.
Unfortunately, I didn’t track the kind of ammo I used. Let’s chalk that up to ignorance and immaturity being that I was freshly 21 when I got it.
The plus side of the gun is that it seems, due to multiple reports online, to work consistently well with higher-end ammo. There is also a simple upgrade you can make on the trigger spring by upgrading to the APEX trigger to greatly improve the functionality of the firearm.
Personally, I don’t trust the firearm enough to make it my daily carry. It is a solid backup, and it’s pretty fun to shoot every now and again. The biggest problems I have with it, allegedly, can be fixed with some minor upgrades. Due to having a Sig that I primarily use; I haven’t wanted to deal with doing any sort of upgrading.
In conclusion, I think there are more reliable options out there, even at this price range. The only real reason I would suggest people picking one up is if they are collectors, or just want one for the fun of it.