While browsing a distributor’s website looking for something unrelated, I noticed a couple items from S&W that I didn’t recognize.
S&W Self Defense
Polymer frame. 4" barrel. Stainless steel slide w/ Melonite finish. Steel fixed rear sight/front tritium night sight. Industry standard equipment rail. Ergonomic design.
Part numbers appear to be 220400 for the .40 (14-round) and 220900 for the 9mm (16-round). Also shows part numbers for models with 10-round mags for restricted states. MSRP is $520.
These are listed and described separately from the Sigma and M&P lines, so I ass-u-me it’s a completely new design. S&W’s website doesn’t list anything. Anyone got any intel?
I think it’s a Sigma. Sigma’s have 4-inch barrels and capacities exactly like the ones you mentioned.
I do hope they make a mid size M&P 9/40 soon, though. The Glock 19 is Glock’s most popular model, and it’s a mid size. Hell, even Baretta made a mid size (compact) PX4. If they can do it, S&W can do it.
I thought they might be a distributor exclusive version of the Sigma, too (those part numbers don’t appear on S&W’s website or any other distributor’s site that I have access to), until I read “industry standard rail”. That would require a new frame mold and would be a fairly big change. I’d also think they would retain the SW9/40 nomenclature, but these were simply listed as “Self Defense”.
I do hope they make a mid size M&P 9/40 soon, though. The Glock 19 is Glock’s most popular model, and it’s a mid size. Hell, even Baretta made a mid size (compact) PX4. If they can do it, S&W can do it.
This has been discussed on the board before.
The M&P fullsize is only about 1/4" of an inch longer in slide and gripframe length than a G19.
Could be a happy medium for lots of folks. Looks like they made some good changes (front night sight, standard accessory rail, better grip texture); hopefully they dropped the M&P trigger pack into this bad boy, rather than continuing to burden their customers with that godawful Sigma trigger…
That appears to be a Sigma with some M&P-ish styling cues. One wonders about the reasons for making such a pistol but perhaps the explanation is more parts/component commonality between the two, allowing for economized production of the Sigma line…which for some reason still seems to sell.
Cheap ass idiots, mouthbreathers (I got this Sigma for $250 and it’s better than a Glock that costs twice as much!) and bulk purchases by armed security companies…
Well, it looks less ugly than the original Sigma, at least. I’ll reserve judgment until reports on function and reliability are officially in. If they make it reliable and cheap, then it might just do alright.
I just called S&W, the rep said it is more Sigma than M&P. No changeable backstraps, it has the Sigma trigger but it has lighter pull…8 pounds. I asked him for the height but he said he didn’t have that information. He did say they would most likely have one or two at the NRA Convention in Charlotte, NC next week. I’m going so I’ll check it out but based on what I know at this point I’m glad I picked up another G19 (RTF2 with straight serrations) last week.
