S&W Sigma SW380: Less Than Meets the Eye 

Hop is reviewing pawn shop guns again, the time-line is healing.

Hope's finally on the Sigma grindset.

My sister bought one and liked it. It broke and she sent it in for repair under the Lifetime Warranty. They couldn't fix it, they did not make it anymore so they could not replace it with another, so they replaced it with a model 908 9mm. Which has worked perfectly with thousands of rounds through it since then. Can't beat that for customer service.

4:52 the little puff of smoke out of the empty denali has me rolling

I really like the look of these guns. Talk about minimalist design!

Seeing the backup scene from the mid 90's explains more of the "Revolvers just work" mindset. I wouldn't ever give something like that to an inexperienced shooter.

I can always count on Hop to review some totally obscure, outdated, and utterly worthless handgun. Keep doing what you do Hop!

Definitely need more Saturday night special videos.

That thing is reviving all the bad memories I had becoming a gunowner in the 90s. Things like $100 Glock mags and $1500 Bushmaster rifles. Other than Glock there was such a dearth of innovative designs. The only things worth getting from that era were dirt CHEAP milsurps, pre Freedom group Remingtons, Marlins, pre lock Smith revolvers and Eagle Arms rifles because Carl Lewis was one of the guys who set up the company so you were getting a proto LMT rifle that had pre ban features still being sold almost into 1996.

When I first started getting into guns, a friend of mine donated a Cobra .380 pistol that he'd gotten from a relative. I finally took it with a friend to shoot and after a mag was like, "That sucked but not as horrible as I expected." It was my first gun so I was kind of giddy. I let my friend have it to try and while I was fiddling with something else, he tapped my shoulder and I looked back and saw that as he had tried to rack the slide he'd actually somehow managed to disassemble it. Needless to say I didn't keep that pistol long.

I've never heard of this line of handguns, but damn, I really like how the Sigma SW40 looks. I'm a sucker for that smooth look, just like my brain.

I sold all of my low rent pistols like this back 2 years ago after 2+ decades of them just sitting around collecting dust I let them run free. All of mine worked, fired only a few times at best, didn't really lose any money but certainly didn't make any either. One of the more obscure was a Heritage Arms C-1000 Stealth, 9mm. I don't miss them one bit.

Hop! You made a video about crappy, cheap handguns. What a nice Friday present!

So there's the pistol I drew as a kid.

When the gun you drew in 1st grade pulls up on you

I enjoy these random rare low price gun reviews. We have been spoiled the past couple of decades with firearms manufacturers putting out pretty reliable guns. Hell even Taurus is making reliable guns as a standard now days.

Many years ago my cousin unloaded an AMT Backup 380 at a pack of punks I was chasing down the street after they pulled a knife on me. Hit nothing, but made lots of noise. Ah, the good old days.

I remember when these came out. S&W marketed the sigma line to smaller departments with small budgets that wanted to transition their officers from revolvers to automatics but couldn't afford Sig's, Berettas, Glocks or the 5906 series of auto loaders. It seems like the cost per pistol was about two hundred dollars less for the Sigma. Several friends were issued the Sigma in 9 or 40 as a duty weapon and the .380 Sigma as an off duty/back up gun. Most guys kept carrying their .38 snubs as the .380 had reliability issues with hollow point ammo. Really enjoyed the video, brought back some fun memories of policing in the 80's and 90's.

Ah, finally. Hop comes down from on high to brighten a dreary day.

I bought an SW40F in 1994 and it was a great gun. Even at the time the 380 was known to be a POS. The magazine setup is idiotic for one thing. Great vid as always.

I bought the Sigma .380 when it came out and IT STILL RUNS PERFECTY! I STILL CARRY IT in hot weather! IT HAS NEVER FAILED through at least four hundred rounds of all kinds of ammo, including lots of hot self-defense hollowpoints. Other than having a polymer grip it has nothing to do with the Glock at all! It has a brilliantly simple design. Ya, ya, the slide is Zamak and will OBVIOUSLY not last long if you shoot a lot (who shoots their pocket backup a lot?) But the fixed barrel/ramp is STEEL and is Very Accurate--if you just add a drop of typewriter correction fluid to that tiny front sight! You are allowed to paint your sights, right? It is actually a perfectly designed deep cover backup piece: a double action only trigger that is always safe and never cocked except by the deliberate long heavy trigger pull; the magazine is simply impossible to drop accidentally; and the light grip is extremely well shaped for comfort and control. If S&W had only made it with a steel slide they would still be selling the PERFECT SMALL BACKUP PISTOL...........................elsullo

Carried one as a backup gun for a few years after putting it through a self-designed torture test of mud, sand and water. Other then the mag occasionally popping loose, it never failed to fire. The roll pin did want to migrate left after firing strings, but nothing unworkable. All told I probably put 2000 rounds thru it over several years, always worked.

I like the Infront of the camera format. Specifically for the shorter stuff.

Some more content on the SWVE and SDVE would be cool. I'm loving all the cheap pistol content

Let's meme S&W into making a Sigma Grindset pistol like we unsuccessfully did with the HiPoint

My fellow officers back then called the full sized units Smegma's and NO ONE carried them for fear of dying 1. when they failed the user or 2.Of shame! .Never saw anyone buy the .380 to the point that one shop offered a case of ammo with each one and still only sold a few. One guy allegedly kept the ammo and left the pistol!

Came here to watch and renew my disdain for this gun, which I owned briefly back in the day. Came away impressed with your presentation and subbed! Good stuff.

Hop is just the easiest guy to listen to and follow along with. Always good reviews.

Definitely an improvement over the s&w ligma

Where I live. the Saturday night specials are highly sought after. In case one has to use a gun in self defense. the courts seldom return legally owned weapons after the case has been resolved in one's favor. It is a small price to pay for saving one's life. Great review Hop!

Hop, in case you ever forget - you shoot at an absolutely beautiful spot. I marvel at the vista from your range. Keep up the good work.

My entire Afghan police district were issued Smith & Wesson 9mm SW9 (the newer sigmas whatever they were called), and they were very reliable. I also was tasked with training dignitaries so they could carry. We gave them the Sigmas also. They were damn good, I bought one when I got home.

That’s sure a long trigger pull. And roll pin hammering out must be fun.

He just keeps pulling out Saturday night specials. Hop, do you secretly collect Saturday night specials like I do? I just can’t get enough Jennings J22s. I wouldn’t trust them, but I love collecting them. I’d loan you one for a review, but it would probably cost 3 times what it’s worth just to ship it back and forth, lol.

Watching Hop fire these guns is like watching a kid listen to a vinyl record... at least they know how far things have been improved. Way to take one for the internet to feel just how bad things were before modern firearms.

I had one of each back in the day. The full size 40 was okay but the trigger felt mushy. I carried it for a little while thanks to Uncle Mike. The 40 was pretty much a Glock clone with even the take-down method being the same. The plastic felt cheaper though and it always seemed to flex in places I didn't expect it to. The .380 though felt very cheap and I hated the pinned-in-place slide. I think I put at least 50 rds of .380 ball through it but it always felt like it was going to blow apart with the next shot. When I discovered the Kahr K-9, I sold it as fast as I could. The 40 stuck around a little longer but not by much. Also the Sigmas used steel mags which made a lot of people "more comfortable" with the idea of using plastic in the frame.

You have the best channel man. I mean you would straight up do a yelp review on White Castle and that is what this country needs. A long honest look into the toilet.

Love your reviews, Hop. Yes, 95% of the stuff is something I'll never use or even have any significant interest in, but your channeling of Sgt. Joe Friday's "just the facts, ma'am" with the added seasoning of that dash of your dry wit makes your reviews the ne plus ultra of all guntubers. Keep up the great work!

Bought an SW380 new in late 90s and carried it on my boat and in my car. Qualified for my first CCW with it and kept all shots in the 8 ring. After 20 years or so, eventually sold it to guy who really dug it, particularly since I had original box and paperwork, for about what I paid for it. It always worked and within 7 yards it shot pretty good groups. But I don't miss it since my handgun tastes have become a little more refined.

Seems to be a cross between a HI Point and a Glock.

This reminds me of my top of the line chrome look Davidson P-380 pistol "where your life depends on a maybe 🤔 but at least it's shiny!"

I carry one of these super simple very reliable never had any issues with my sw380.

I honestly really like the way this gun looks

Love these obscure gun videos

This is what I imagined full size Lego guns would look like. Cool.

Gawd I could *feel* the *pain* shooting those two other tiny .380s. Ow. You're a hero of the people Hop.

the SW380 looks like a blank gun converted to fire live rounds. Fun video hop

Was at a gun store several years ago. Had a sw380 under the counter for $125. Bought went back the next day and the BG380 was just released and sat in the same spot my sw380 was in. Instantly traded the sw380 back in and paid msrp for the BG380. Love it still to this day.

Happy to see you got to keep your fingers shooting those pimp guns lo!. Thank you for sharing.

I picked one of these up for like $100 a few years ago, and it's definitely not fancy, but it's a fun little shooter. And a cool addition to the collection.

Got an SW380 out in the safe, believe it or not it was the hideout gun near our front door until surprisingly recently. Probably haven't fired it in 20+ years... Also used to have an AMT Backup, hell I even had the DAO version they came out with, had about a 20 pound trigger pull...

I loved the detour into the Saturday Night Special guns. I see the AMT .380 Backup on GB all the time. I do own two iconic AMT guns: an Automag II .22 WMR 6" and a Lightning .22 LR 6" bull barrel. They did get swept up in the whole 'Ring of Fire' ATF crackdown, but some of their stuff was excellent. Would love to pick up the Automag III in .30 Carbine.

I used to have a Sigma .40, it was my fist pistol. They weren't too bad if you remove the pigtail spring on the trigger.

It’s like if a Glock and a Makarov had a dwarf baby

Your face on the first shot of the AMT...🤣

Cool video 🍻 I definitely remember that thing was on the cover of every gun mag back then 🤣

Great video Lou Diamond Phillips!

Nice review! Clear... Concise.... Thanks for the info

Honestly need to get myself a Sigma one of these days. Or I guess you can say a "Sugma" hurdur

I think it's a good looking gun dang. I love how smooth they are both the full size and the baby

It's so plain and smooth, it looks futuristic.

I was behind the badge when these came out. There was a perception that you had to transition away from revolvers. FUD fear existed at that time also. But on police salaries the cheep things did get some use. But most kept the .38 snubbie. If you ever carry in an ankle holster for a couple weeks, you would see why, the guns got filthy! And most would have to clean them every couple weeks. It was standard to see officers hose revolvers down with break cleaner just to get the crud out. And many just didn’t trust automatics under those conditions.

The SW9VE was the first gun I bought. Cheap, reliable, and still shoots whatever ammo I put through it

AMT Backup is not a terrible idea. Terribly executed though.

sigma memes in 3 2 1

Thanks Hope, great video

This is a niche I didn't realize would be this interesting. Great video, Hop!

I got in my hands not so long a go sw380 and feel very nice

Glad I bought the SW Chief Air in SS .38!

What a time to be a gun guy... As we speak , I have in my pocket, a pistol smaller than the Saturday night Smith , hold more ammunition, and chambered in 40sw.

I bought a SW380 in 1996. I learned very fast about keeping my thumb down and not behind the slide. It was garbage and I sold it quick.

All I know is that I got those plastic airsoft versions of the full size version before lol, and now I'm just saving up for both real and licensed airsoft products.

My first 9mm was j 9 Jimenez I shot 50 rounds through it of fmj thought alright had it ready rock then five years later I started office job started watching hicock 45 and Paul Harrell thought I need to practice more 200 rounds later my j9 craped out 💩 at the shooting range I bought the Taurus g2c never looked back now I have quite few different pistols ars and shot guns keep up the good videos hop 👍👍👍 I was very uneducated of guns now I'm better thanks good informative videos on RU-vid

I like mine, great hide a way gun.

I thought hop couldn't sound less enthusiastic with the world, I was wrong.

terrific we really needed a fucking "sigma" gun lmao

Fuggin excellent video, as always. Hop's the best.

Oh what, I wasn't ever shown this video, even in my subscription feed

Imagine opening your company up to legal liability just to sell such a mediocre pistol

It's a shame that all the 80s and 90s saturday night specials look so god damn cyberpunk cool. Reminds me, gotta watch for some cheap polymer judge auctions so I can live my dreams.

My very first sidearm was a Sigma 40. That was the fastest gun...I ever sold.

I love the blank, minimal, blocky aesthetic.

Lmfao!!! 🤣🤣💯! I literally had to subscribed on just the fact, is that your literally and possibly the only person that have this gun( RU-vid wise) that’s American did a actual review on it 🤣! Yes I’m guilty of having one of these antiques!! Might have to send some rounds through my ole girl too see if she still got it!! Great video of knowledge!

This video has really peaked my curiosity in the baby Sigmas. So much so that I bought both a SW380 and its slightly bigger brother the SW9M on Gun broker and going to go pick them both up later today.

good info, thanks

Smith Sigma. Less than meets the eye! Da da da da da! Smith Sigma! Jennings in disguise!

Nice review! The S&W redeemed themselves with the Bodyguard for sure.

Honestly, 3000rds is leagues ahead of what I'd expect from most other potmetal pocket guns, I've seen brand new "Ring Of Fire" .25s blow out their breech block out the back of the slide in a couple of rounds. As 'minimalist' as the Sigma .380 is, to use a charitable word, it honestly doesn't seem awful for what it is, if not great or nice in any particular way.

😂 Thank you! I couldn't remember what the name of this pistol was. I bought one new right when they came out. One trip to the range and I knew it was junk. I cleaned it and took it back to my LGS and got full store credit for it. I think I eventually rolled it into a Rossie .357 Thanks for the memories!

Had one back in the day, lil bigger than modern pocket 380s, but way more easy to shoot. Still could fit in my pocket, those sights were garbage. I actually love the mag release for a backup gun, trigger was better than a keltec or first gen lcp. The biggest problem..... couldn't find a single hollow point that it would feed. Ran ball just fine.

Dude lol this was my 1st ever gun purchase!! Still have it

Just when I thought you couldn't stoop any lower you surprise me again excellent review man

When the Glock you used to draw in kindergarten gets pulled on you

So many highpoint vibes.

There was a BRCC ad on your vid, I now have cancer thanks.

Good info.

Hey Hop don't hate on the AMT Back Up .380. That thing's in my "church gun" rotation. I've had it for almost 30 years and the Noisy Cricket is still chugging along... With FMJ only anyways. Man I forgot about the Sigma .380. Cheap old guns are fun... If they work. Good stuff.

We bought our s&w .380 at an auction...the gun tends to run okay, it will sometimes stovepipe on the last round...we shot it more when we first acquired it, but researching the gun we quickly slowed that down, as it only has a shelf life of 3,000 rounds (per s&w), and we might need it (shudder!) some day...parts are not available...I worry about the magazine more than anything, it breaks, the gun is toast...but as noted, it runs a little okay, I shoot it once a year (just a couple magazines, fmj only, it is a little snappy), clean it, and back in the safe it goes...s&w was out to lunch when they let this gun out the door...the bright side: we are saving someone else from owning this gun...

Everytime I see you shoot pistols, I scream at my TV for you to relax your shoulders

OMG the AMT backup. My cousin bought one that was recalled. Activating the safety fired the weapon LOL