Smith & Wesson SD9 VE

[Lon]

Was in my local shop to get a Holosun 507c and saw a SD9 in the used case for $199. Came w 3 mags. Since I have kicked myself for the last year for not getting the last used SD9 I saw for $199, this one went into layaway after they told me they’d sell it for $200 OTD.

[OlongJohnson]

It's a simple enough action, easy to clean it up and smooth it out. Except for one part: The bore in the slide for the striker block plunger was drilled really, really rough on the one I had. I wasn't able to smooth it out enough to make the trigger reasonably smooth, so it went down the road. Every other part of the action got nice and smooth. If you can check the bore of the striker block and find a clean one, it should be fine. Like @Tom_Jones, I do like the fundamental robustness and safety of the mechanism.

The striker that was in mine when I got it was bent like a banana, so the firing pin hit the inside of the slide before exiting. I'm guessing that might lead to a problem with ignition reliability. S&W sent me a new one just for asking.

The recoil spring assembly self-disassembled itself while sitting on my bench as I was cleaning. The two plastic parts that are snapped together let go of each other. Read on the blue forum, it's a thing that happens. The solution that worked for me was getting a G17 RSA for $7, popping the head off the end, and trimming the main part to the right length for use in the SD9VE. Easy. Use the S&W spring, not the Glock spring, duh. It's fiddlier to reassemble after a field strip due to the assembly being non-captured, but at least you have a one-piece guide rod that won't turn the gun into a lightweight, awkwardly shaped striking implement at the worst possible time.

[willie]

Mine worked reliably. My lgs pays $100 for these pistols in like new condition and sells same for $175. Some consider them marginal. They have poor resale value in my area. My opinion is that they are ok. But remember that S&W makes these to sell as an economically priced handgun aimed at a certain group of buyers. I doubt if this model would prove satisfactory if issued in large numbers to a police agency. I have known cops who carried Kel Tecs and Charter Arms weapons as backups. I know a recently retired Army Ranger whose concealed carry weapon is a Taurus pistol. When a person has already bought a pistol, then he wishes not to hear criticism.

[hufnagel]

*IF* I ever get ahead of the money curve again, this is still on my list of guns to buy, if only to have.

[JonInWA]

Reading through the thread, my thoughts are while it's likely to per viable, my constrained dollars would more likely to be spent on a Sigpro 2022 in this "credible but inexpensive" niche.

Best, Jon

[john c]

I just shot a friend's SD9VE last Saturday. Every time I do, it seems like it shoots better than my G19, in terms of smoothness. I think they're simply excellent for the money, and superior to the Sig 2022. Admittedly, I've only ever shot a Sig 2340, which I owned for a while, but it's the same basic pistol.

I wonder what an Apex trigger and spring kit would do to one of these.

[David S.]

Reading through the thread, my thoughts are while it's likely to per viable, my constrained dollars would more likely to be spent on a Sigpro 2022 in this "credible but inexpensive" niche.

Buds and Grabagun show SigPros a hundred bucks more than a SD9. The Pro's magazines are also twice as expensive.

I guess it depends on how constrained your dollars are.

[sparkyfender]

Yes.

Well worth the asking price. I know a couple of people who carry them regularly as their mainstay, I consider them well armed.

[mmc45414]

I wonder what an Apex trigger and spring kit would do to one of these.

I snapped them at the NRA meeting in ATL last year and was very impressed. They make a trigger and a spring kit, and the one they said only had the trigger was pretty darn nice.

I have about nine M&Ps, and wonder about this because the striker is (obviously) not fully tensioned. Is it not even partially tensioned? I am perversely intrigued by them.

ETA: $269 shipped:
https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst....cfm/ID/116856

[JonInWA]

Buds and Grabagun show SigPros a hundred bucks more than a SD9. The Pro's magazines are also twice as expensive.

I guess it depends on how constrained your dollars are.

True, but keep in mind that the SIG P2022:

1. Comes with an inherently quite decent triggerpull out of the box;

2. Comes with OEM trijicon nightsights.

3. Quality MecGar magazines as OEM

Arguably, it's a case of "a little more outlay gets you a lot more value," or you're paying incrementally more initially, but likely less than you're likely to end up paying in the long run on the Smith to achieve the same quality of performance.

Kind of depends on where you're at, and your mindset perspective. Regardless, both are quite decent pistols.

Best, Jon

Best, Jon