Smith & Wesson Sigma Instructions Manual

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•Use only commercially manufactured ammunition with
internal ballistic pressures which are in strict accordance 
with the specifications of the Sporting Arms and 
Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI).
•Be certain all ammunition you use complies with the 
SAAMI specifications. If you are uncertain, contact your 
ammunition supplier for verification.
C.
MISFIRES
•If your firearm fails to fire when the trigger is pulled 
(misfires), keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, 
remove your finger from the trigger, and wait 10 seconds.
Only after you have completed all of the above steps, 
remove the magazine or open the cylinder and remove the 
cartridge from the chamber and dispose of it properly.
Keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction at all times.
•If you have heard an unusual sound or felt an unusual recoil 
on firing, stop firing, wait 10 seconds, unload the firearm, 
and examine the barrel bore for obstructions.
•Make sure your barrel is clear and free of obstructions.
If you see an obstruction, return your firearm to 
Smith & Wesson or take it to a qualified gunsmith. Never 
fire a firearm with an obstructed barrel.
D
.AMMUNITION SPECIFICS
•Use only ammunition specifically recommended by
Smith & Wesson for your firearm.
•Never mix ammunition.
•Never use a cartridge not specifically designated for use in 
your firearm. Pressure from the wrong type of ammunition 
may be beyond the capability of your firearm to withstand 
and may damage or even rupture your firearm.
•Whenever rimless pistol cartridges are used in the cylinder 
of a Smith & Wesson revolver, (except M547) full or
half-moon clips MUST be used to both position and extract 
such cartridges. Failure to use ammunition clips with
rimless cartridges may result in malfunction of the revolver.
•Additional ammunition calibers can be fired from the
following list of select calibers.
Caliber on Barrel
Can also Fire  .45 Colt .45 Schofield, .45 S&W
.45 S&W .45 Schofield
.44 Magnum  .44 Special  
.357 Magnum  .38 Special, .38 Special +P  
.22LR   .22L, .22 Short, .22CB, .22BB  
10mm  .40 S&W  (in revolvers only)
•In some cases, a round of ammunition not specified on your 
handgun may fit into the chamber or cylinder. Firing 
ammunition not specified on your handgun may cause it to 
rupture and cause serious injury or death.
AMMUNITION  CONT’D. 
						

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AMMUNITION  CONT’D.
E.AMMUNITION WARNINGS
•“Plus-P” (+P) ammunition generates pressures in excess of 
the pressures associated with standard ammunition. Such 
pressures may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the 
margin of safety built into some revolvers and could 
therefore be DANGEROUS.
•“Plus-P” ammunition should not be used in medium
(K frame) revolvers manufactured prior to 1958. Such
pre-1958 medium (K-frame) revolvers can be identified by 
the absence of a model number stamped inside the yoke 
cut of the frame. (i.e., the area of the frame exposed when 
the cylinder is in the open position.
•“Plus-P-Plus (+P+) marking on the ammunition merely
designates that it exceeds established industry standards, 
but the designation does not represent defined pressure 
limits and therefore such ammunition may vary significantly 
as to the pressures generated.
•“Plus-P-Plus (+P+) ammunition is not recommended for use 
in Smith & Wesson firearms.
•In the Model 940 revolver, some brands of 9mm parabellum 
ammunition may cause difficulty in extracting spent 
cartridge cases from the cylinder. If this situation occurs, 
thoroughly clean the cylinder charge holes with solvent. If 
this condition persists, we recommend changing to another 
brand of 9mm parabellum ammunition.
•Smith & Wesson has found wide variations in primer
sensitivity between some brands and types of .22LR
ammunition. Smith & Wesson recommends that before you 
put your .22LR handgun into regular use, that you fire
several boxes of your choice of ammunition through it to 
determine reliability of ignition. If “failure to fire” occurs, try 
different types of brands of .22LR ammunition until a
reliable loading is found. 
						

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MODEL NUMBER
IDENTIFICATION
MODEL NUMBER
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2b
Equipment Rail
Trigger Guard
Trigger
Grip
Magazine
Magazine
Release
Front Sight
FrameSlide
Slide Stop
Notch
Slide Stop 
FIGURE 2aSERIAL NUMBER
Rear Sight
Take Down
Catch 
						

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INSPECTING YOUR
PISTOL
When you inspect your pistol, you should first check for yourself
to ensure that it is unloaded. To do this, grasp the pistol with
your finger off the trigger and outside the tr
igger guard, point the
pistol in a safe direction, depress the magazine release, and
remove the magazine.
With the pistol still pointing in a safe direction, grasp the
serrated sides of the slide from the rear with the thumb and
fingers as shown in Figure 3, and briskly draw the slide fully
rearward in order to extract any cartridge from the barrel
chamber and clear it from the pistol. Do not obstruct the ejection
port because doing so can interfere with ejection of a cartridge
and thereby creates the risk of exploding an unchambered
cartridge and possible injury. Lock the slide in the open position,
by allowing the slide to move slightly forward from the rearmost
position while pressing upward on the slide stop. You are now
able to safety check the barrel chamber and magazine well
(opening) visually for any obstructions (Figure 3a). You must
follow this procedure every time your firearm is inspected,
cleaned, handed to another person, transported or stored.
Unload the magazine by holding it with the bullet end of the
cartridge pointing away from you and others and pressing each
cartridge forward and out of the magazine.
FIGURE 3
LOADED CHAMBER
INDICATOR
Currently manufactured Sigma Pistols come with a loaded
chamber indicator. This indicator can be observed by looking at
the top of the slide/ejection port, (Figure 4) noting an opening at
the rear of the barrel hood. By looking into this opening, you
can observe as to whether or not a round is in the firearm’s
chamber. You would see the actual brass or silver colored rim
through this opening if the chamber of the firearm was loaded.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 3a 
						

							LOADING
•Do not load the pistol until you are ready to use it.
Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready
to fire.
WARNING: SMITH & WESSON SIGMA SERIES
PISTOLS ARE CAPABLE OF FIRING EVEN WHEN THE
MAGAZINE HAS BEEN REMOVED IF THE TRIGGER IS
PULLED.
If the magazine is removed with a round left in the chamber, be
sure to holster or otherwise safely secure the pistol under your
direct control while the magazine is being reloaded.
•Only use Smith & Wesson magazines specifically
manufactured for your particular model of pistol. Do not
interchange magazines from one model pistol into another 
model pistol.
•Smith & Wesson has provided you with a magazine 
designed to operate in your specific model of pistol. While 
your magazine may be able to be inserted into another 
model pistol, it will only function properly in the specific 
model for which it was designed.
•Follow instructions in this manual and any other specific 
instructions which may be marked onto, or accompany, a
magazine. Failure to use the particular type of Smith & 
Wesson magazine specified for your model and caliber of 
pistol may result in a malfunction.
•Load the magazine by pressing a cartridge head (rear of 
cartridge) downward on the forward portion of the magazine 
follower (or downward on the case of the previously loaded 
cartridge) and sliding the cartridge fully under the lips of the 
magazine until the cartridge head is against the rear wall of 
the magazine. Repeat the procedure for the number of 
cartridges you wish to load, up to the magazine capacity.
Do not attempt to load your magazine with more than the 
specified number of cartridges because doing so can cause 
a feeding failure.
•Inspect your pistol as previously described in the “Inspecting 
Your Pistol” section. Hold the pistol in one hand while
pointing it in a safe direction and with your finger off 
the trigger and outside the trigger guard. Insert the loaded 
magazine into the magazine well (opening) with enough 
force to ensure that it is locked in place.
15
FIGURE 5 
						

							WARNING: Do not use excessive upward force when
inserting a loaded magazine into the pistol. Excessive
upward force could cause the slide to move forward,
chambering a round and making the pistol ready to fire.
•To make sure that the magazine is fully and securely
inserted, apply some removal pressure to the exposed 
portion of the magazine butt plate.
•Press down on the slide stop to release the slide and allow it 
to carry fully forward. This strips a cartridge from the 
magazine and seats it in the chamber of the barrel.
•Take this opportunity to look into the loaded chamber 
indicator. If the loading procedure has been properly
followed, you will observe the rim of the cartridge that 
you have just loaded into the chamber from the magazine.
The pistol can now be fired  by pulling the trigger to the rear.
•If you wish to restore the magazine in your pistol to its full
capacity, depress the magazine release and remove the 
magazine from the pistol. Remember that there is a round in 
the chamber; therefore, the weapon should be holstered or 
safely secured during this process and the trigger should 
never be moved. Load one cartridge into the magazine to 
replace the one which was chambered when you allowed the 
slide to carry forward.
•Re-insert the loaded magazine into the magazine well of the 
pistol until it is locked in place. To make sure that the 
magazine is again fully and securely inserted, apply some 
removal pressure to the exposed portion of the magazine 
butt plate.
•Your pistol is now fully loaded and will fire when the trigger is 
pulled. Remember to keep your pistol pointed in a safe 
direction under all conditions and always keep your finger or 
any other object off the trigger and outside the trigger guard 
until you have made the commitment to fire the handgun.
Never leave a loaded firearm unattended.
LOADING CONT’D.
CAUTION
16 
						

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FIRING
•Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction and your finger 
outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. Each 
shot will be fired in the double action mode. While holding 
the grip firmly, pull the trigger fully to the rear. As the trigger 
is drawn fully to the rear, the striker assembly is released, 
striking the cartridge primer. Upon firing the slide moves 
rearward thereby extracting and ejecting the spent cartridge 
case. The slide then returns forward feeding the next
cartridge from the magazine into the barrel chamber.
WARNING: When viewing the loaded chamber
indicator, you must always remember to keep the
firearm pointed in a safe direction with your finger
off the trigger and out of the trigger guard.
(Figure 7)
•After firing you must allow the trigger to move forward fully 
before you can fire another shot. Failure to do so will prevent 
the lockwork from fully cycling and will prevent your being 
able to fire the next shot. Keep your finger off the trigger and 
outside the trigger guard until you are ready to fire again.
This sequence can be repeated until the last round has been 
fired, at which time the magazine follower exerts upward 
pressure on the slide stop causing it to engage the slide and 
to hold it in the “open” position.
WARNING: Upon firing the pistol or releasing the
slide from the slide stop, the slide moves rearward
or forward with significant force and speed.
To avoid injury be sure no part of your body
interferes with the slide movement or ejection of
fired case.
FIGURE 7 
						

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CLEARING MISFIRES
•If, during firing, a cartridge fails to fire, the chamber must be 
manually cleared. Wait ten seconds while keeping the pistol
pointed in a safe direction. Grasp the serrated sides of the slide 
from the rear and briskly pull the slide fully rearward to eject the 
misfired round. Keep your finger off of the trigger and out of the 
trigger guard. Do not obstruct the ejection port, and do not 
attempt to catch the round by placing your hand over the ejection 
port. (See figure 8) Also, remember that any time you release the 
slide while a magazine containing cartridges is in the pistol, you will 
have reloaded the chamber
PRODUCT WARNING
All Smith & Wesson Handguns Capable of Double Action
Firing
•It has come to our attention that some users of 
Smith & Wesson pistols capable of firing in double action 
may stage the trigger in anticipation of firing a shot in the 
double action mode. Staging is the act of pulling the trigger 
rearward toward — but just short of — the point where the 
hammer falls and the pistol fires. Such manipulation of the 
trigger can reduce the user’s control of the handgun and can 
result in an unintentional discharge. Furthermore if the user 
decides not to fire, release of the trigger from a position 
close to the firing point in the staging process could result in 
a discharge.
•Obviously “staging” the trigger violates a basic rule of firearm 
safety which warns you to keep your finger off the trigger and 
outside the trigger guard until ready to fire.
•We warn all users of our pistols capable of firing in double 
action to refrain from “staging” the trigger. 
						

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FIGURE 8FIGURE 9
UNLOADING
•Point the pistol in a safe direction, grasp the serrated sides of 
the slide from the rear with the thumb and fingers as shown in 
Figure 9, and briskly draw the slide fully rearward in order to 
extract any cartridge from the barrel chamber and clear it 
from the pistol. Do not obstruct the ejection port because 
doing so can interfere with ejection of a cartridge and thereby 
creates the risk of exploding an unchambered cartridge and 
possible injury. Lock the slide in the open position, by allowing 
the slide to move slightly forward from the rearmost position 
while pressing upward on the slide stop. You are now able to 
safety check the barrel chamber and bore visually for any 
obstructions. You must follow this procedure every time your 
firearm is inspected, cleaned, handed to another person, 
transported or stored. Unload the magazine by holding it with 
the bullet end of the cartridge pointing away from you and 
others and pressing each cartridge forward and out of the 
magazine.
WARNING:
You should never rely completely on the loaded
chamber indicator only, but should always
perform a visual check. With the pistol’s slide
locked open, visually check the pistol’s chamber
and magazine well (opening) to ensure that they 
are empty.
FIELD STRIPPING
DISASSEMBLY
WARNING: SAFETY GLASSES SHOULD BE WORN
DURING THIS  PROCESS.
•Point the pistol in a safe direction. Make sure your finger is 
off the trigger, and the trigger is in the at rest or forward 
position. Depress the magazine release, and remove the 
magazine. (Figure 10)  With the barrel still pointing in a safe 
direction, and with your finger off the trigger and outside the 
trigger guard, grasp the serrated sides of the slide from the 
rear with the thumb and fingers while holding the firearm in 
an upright position, and briskly draw the slide fully rearward 
in order to extract any cartridge from the barrel chamber and 
clear it from the pistol. 
						

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FIGURE 11
FIGURE 13FIGURE 14
WARNING: The recoil spring is under pressure.
Control the recoil spring and the guide so that they
do not fly out and cause injury.
•Remove the recoil spring and barrel. (Figure 16)
NOTE:
No further disassembly is recommended, as the pistol may be
properly cleaned and lubricated when field-stripped as described
above.
•Make certain that the
chamber is clear. (Figure 11)
•With the pistol still pointing in 
a safe direction and the slide 
closed, pull the trigger once 
and remove your finger from 
the trigger and out of the
trigger guard. (Figure 12)
•Move the slide approximately 1/8” (Figure 13) to the rear and 
depress the takedown catch/barrel stop on both sides of the 
frame with your thumb and forefinger. (Figure 14)
•Allow the slide to return forward while depressing the
takedown catch/barrel stop.(Figure 14-15)
•Grasp the slide from the top, just behind the front sight and 
remove the slide by pulling it forward while being careful to
retain the recoil spring and guide rod assembly. (Figure 15)
WARNING:
To complete disassembly, you will be required to
pull the trigger. If you have failed to properly
unload your pistol and a round is left in the chamber, the
pistol will discharge and may cause injury. Therefore, you
must visually inspect the chamber and magazine well
(opening) to ensure that they are empty before pulling the
trigger.
FIGURE 12
FIELD STRIPPING DISASSEMBLY CONT’D.
FIGURE 10