SW SDVE

[watebo]

Our local Academy store has this pistol on sale for $279. Is this a good pistol? I would like to hear any first hand reports. Thanks

[38superhero]

I have the sigma sw9v, the trigger sucks but you get used to it. It's accurate and reliable. Oh and you can get a spring kit to upgrade trigger if you absolutely hate it.

[carguychris]

Define "good."

The general consensus is that they're reliable, durable, safe, and reasonably accurate pistols with some cheap and crude touches and a heavy trigger. Factory service is very good, as are ergonomics and ease of use. Routine disassembly is reasonably easy if you can live with pulling the trigger each time—clear that chamber first!—and you aren't intimidated by having to precisely line up the takedown markings. Aftermarket is not great but not terrible either; they take M&P sights, which is a major plus over the SWxVE and Sigma lines they replaced.

If you want to spend minimal dough on a major-caliber brand-name pistol that goes BANG! and puts holes in stuff every time, they're a good choice; just don't expect match-pistol accuracy, fine finish, or admiration from the jealous shooter in the next lane at the range.

[Chettt]

Buy it. Its a great gun at any price and for $279 its fantastic.

[Buckeye!]

I have owned several SD9VE pistols and now own a SD40VE .. 279 is a great price . For a solid pistol

[Dufus]

I bought 2 from Academy @ $269. One is wife's carry gun and the other is mine.

I bought 2 more for $279 a little later. One for daughter and one for son.

I have had eight different people, adults, female, & kids shoot them and no one has said anything bad about them.

I consider them ideal as they are rather inexpensive, so I won't cry much if I have to surrender one to LEO's as the result of an incident. I won't carry an expensive (>$500) for that reason. If you are ever unfortunate enough to be involved in an incident, you can almost guarantee that you will forfeit your carry gun and quite possibly will not get it back.

As far as the SD9VE, it is accurate and fun to shoot. If you are one of these people that has hang ups because of triggers, then I don't recommend it.

I can learn to shoot just about anything, so triggers do not bother me unless they are too light.

PS: they will not let you snap a trigger at Academy.

[marine6680]

They might if you tell them you need to try the trigger before making a decision...

Decent pistols, heavy trigger though. But if you learn to shoot it well, you will be able to shoot any pistol well.

[Mosin44az]

Mine was generally reliable, but I got tired of the heavy trigger. I think Smith does this so it won't cannibalize M & P sales. You can put in an Apex trigger but there goes much of the price advantage.

[Dufus]

They might if you tell them you need to try the trigger before making a decision...

I was told that if I pulled the trigger, the transaction was over.

I would say if you wanna find out, go try it and see what happens next.

I wanted the guns.

[TunnelRat]

I consider them ideal as they are rather inexpensive, so I won't cry much if I have to surrender one to LEO's as the result of an incident. I won't carry an expensive (>$500) for that reason. If you are ever unfortunate enough to be involved in an incident, you can almost guarantee that you will forfeit your carry gun and quite possibly will not get it back.

If I have to use my firearm to defend my life, that $500 will be the least of my concerns, both at that moment and likely long term. I've carried $500 pistols, I've carried $1200 pistols. If I had to lose it to an investigation it would likely be the best money I ever spent as if I'm alive to care then the pistol served its purpose.

All that said, if you find the SDVE works for you as well as any other then carry it and rock on.

[marine6680]

I guess it depends on the sales person... I was told for a serious potential purchase, they would allow trying the trigger.

[carguychris]

Originally Posted by marine6680

I guess it depends on the sales person... I was told for a serious potential purchase, they would allow trying the trigger.

I've never had an Academy Sports clerk agree to even take the trigger lock off until it was clear that I was purchasing the firearm.

[g.willikers]

What's the difference between the SD9VE and the Sigma?
Anyone know?

[kraigwy]

First: Regardless what pistol/revolver/rifle I'm buying, if the clerk tells me I cant try the trigger, I go elsewhere. Even Rimfires, I demand they come up with a snap cap so I can try the trigger. If they want me to use snap caps on others, fine, as long as I can try the trigger.

Back to the Topic: I have a 40cal Sigma. Its trigger is a big heavy, but its not a target pistol. In my opinion its a SD pistol. I believe the heavy trigger is an advantage, as in a panic situation and someone FAILS to keep his finger off the trigger (do to lack of training or whatever) there is less chance of an unintended discharge.

I'm more of a revolver guy. I don't think the trigger is any worse then most of my revolvers.

Mine fits my hand perfectly. It shoots well. Mine is a 40 cal. I bought it on a whim because I didn't have a 40 Cal pistol. But I wished I'd got the 9. Not that there is anything wrong with the 40 Cal. I load all my pistol ammo on an old Dillon RL 1000 (fore runner and commercial version of the 1050). Dillon doesn't make shell plates for the RL1000 because there weren't many around in the Mid 70s when they sold this progressive loader. So I have to load it on a Turret Press, with is a bit slower for my taste.

Excluding that problem I like my Sigma. Had it for years and never had a problem with it. I cast bullets and haven't had any problems with any bullet I've tried once, (like all semi's) once I got the load that will work the action. I don't load it hot, if it tumbles steel and pokes holes in paper and works the action I'm happy.

I think the price mentioned is a good price. I think if I found one in 9 at that price I'd jump on it as a companion piece for my 40 Sigma.

[carguychris]

Originally Posted by g.willikers

What's the difference between the SD9VE and the Sigma?

The SD series is basically the 3rd generation of S&W budget polymer-frame auto pistols. The "Sigma" brand name technically only applies to the first generation, along with a couple of VERY poorly regarded 9mm and .380 single-stack subcompacts of essentially unrelated design. (The latter two pistols—the SW9M and SW380—are orphans that were quickly discontinued and share little or nothing with later S&W designs.) More info can be found in my previous writeup here:

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=11

In addition to what I wrote earlier, the SD series pistols take different magazines than the earlier pistols.

[cc-hangfire]

I've owned a SD9VE and currently own it's pedecessor, the SW9VE, as well as a bunch of other handguns. My summary:

For a reliable, no-frills handgun, that is a very good price and a good gun. You'll need to practice (dry fire practice costs nothing) and become familiar with the trigger. It's not a traget gun, not a competition gun, and not a gun that will impress friends and family. But it's well made, has great customer support by one of the best gun makers, likely more accurate that the shooter, and reliable.

As mentioned, the trigger is heavier than most other polymer striker fired pistols sold now, but it's on par or better than double action revolver triggers (especially those in this price range, ie: Taurus and Charter and Rock Island). Now the SW9VE, that is one bad trigger!!

[osbornk]

I've had a SD9VE for a few years and it has been very reliable. I looks, shoots and takes down just like a Glock 19. The trigger improves the more you shoot it. Mine feels good to me after 600-700 rounds (I don't know when that exactly was). I was happy to pay $289.99 for mine and $279 is the cheapest I have ever seen one advertised.

[tallball]

I got one LNIB in 40 caliber when that was the only ammo I could easily find. It went bang every time. The trigger was poor. The magazines were nice. It would have been fine for SD. I traded it away after I got a 40 with a better trigger that was more suitable as a range gun.

[FNS-40]

If you're just looking for a good quality affordable pistol, I would get a Taurus PT111. They can be had for around $200 bucks.

http://www.kygunco.com/Product/View?ItemNo=107071

[g.willikers]

carguychris,
Thanks for the explanation.

[roarshock]

I shot mine the other day after sitting around awhile. I was surprised how well it works in fast draw and shoot drills, which is its primary purpose. Reliable, safe, and accurate enough. For the money vs. quality, it's hard to beat as a defensive pistol. I paid $299 online plus shipping, transfer fee. Have seen them as low as $269 free shipping. Mine did jam a lot at first and the trigger was impossible. Memory is foggy, but jamming was mostly on Silver Bear steel 147's though. I would't shoot any bimetal or brass alloy bullets at all now. The fact that the SD is for all intents and purposes a Glock 19 without finger groove (of perhaps cheaper materials) should make it respectable enough. After several hundred rounds the trigger is much, much better. A little grease where the trigger bar rubs against the frame, etc. Is a big help until parts wear in. You mustn't over oil it or the firing pin will get stuck in the gunk. Keep it clean. It aint a Glock!

[DMK]

I have two of these guns; an SD40VE and an SD9VE. Both are the latest gen.

I really like them a lot. As osbornk and roarshock said, the trigger improves with use. I tried the Apex upgrades and it only caused problems. I went back to the stock springs and just shot them a lot. Now, comparing the triggers to my S&W Shield, they are not bad at all. Just a little heavier than the Shield, but just as smooth. Nowhere near as heavy as any double action. No striker fired gun will ever ever be comparable to a nice single action trigger.

Both my guns have been 100% reliable (except for when I screwed around with the Apex parts) and they have been shot a lot. They have good ergonomics and are actually really fun to shoot.

Even though I have many other handguns, nearly all more expensive, I keep the SD40VE with a light mounted to it as my bedside HD gun. The SD9VE goes with me in the car on road trips as a backup to my on body CCW. So that shows how much faith I have in them.

I think a lot of the bad remarks about these guns are actually about the earlier gen guns. The current gen SD VE guns are very good handguns for a great price.

[djont57]

I have had my SD9VE for almost 2 yrs. & I like it a lot. The trigger never bothered me, but I shoot a lot of DAO revolvers.

[Lohman446]

I had an early model Sigma in .40. I have reached a point in life where I buy more expensive guns but this line from S+W represents a tremendous value. I never had any failures with mine.

[carguychris]

Originally Posted by DMK

I think a lot of the bad remarks about these guns are actually about the earlier gen guns.

That's the first thing to understand about the SD series.

Most of the major problems with the platform were fixed with the 2nd generation SWxE ("E" for "Enhanced") pistols. The 3rd generation went further and eliminated a few weird design foibles of the 1st-2nd gen, notably the proprietary accessory rail and the front sight that can't be removed non-destructively.

The second thing to understand about the SD/SWxE/Sigma series is that they are NOT Glock clones or copies except with respect to broad and general design aspects. Much of what you may read online about "Swocks"—e.g. parts interchange with Glocks, S&W is still paying Glock royalties—is mythical.