Hey all, this is my first post here. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I bought an SD9 the other day, and like it a lot. I'd like to do several things to it though. First off, I want to put in a lighter spring set, and a different trigger kit on it as well. I also heard some good things about upping to a 17-20lb stainless recoil rod/spring. I'd also like an easier to grip/wider take down plate, and some sort of upgraded sights.

I found the spring set, wider take down plate, and recoil rod/spring, all at gallowayprecision, but I don't know where to get a trigger kit that will fit, or sights for it.

Does anybody have any links to where I can get sights and trigger kit? Thanks everyone!

Ok so after looking and reading some more, I've decided to stick with my stock recoil spring/rod, and just get a trigger and spring kit. And the wider take down plate. Sights are a bit spendier than I thought they'd be, and I don't want a laser because then it won't fit in my holster.

I put an m&p rear sight on mine for $17. Apex tactical has springs and triggers.

Thanks for the reply! I am getting the apex tactical spring and trigger kits, and I'll probably just go with the take down plate from gallowayprecision as I can't find one elsewhere that's any different. As for sights, what's the difference in those M&P sights and what is currently on my gun? Again, it's an SD9-VE. I was hoping to get more of an upgraded sight, like fiber optics, but the prices I've seen are pretty steep (70+).

You can't beat the NDZ Performance slide stop (Take down lever) Only 1 mm longer but so much better. Black or clear, stainless, laser cut. Great performance with minimal width increase. No hanging in a holster.

The primary difference I've heard of between the sights in various reviews is plastic on the SD and metal on the M&P.

Thank you!

Can you post a link to the one that would fit my SD9-VE?

This one fit my sd9ve perfectly , what a huge difference. watch out for the spring pushing against it that it doesn't fly out

For Smith Wesson s w SD9 ve 9mm Extended Slide Lock Lever Esll Black | eBay

Norm

The only mod I ever made on a SD9VE was the M&P steel rear sight. The spring mods may compromise reliability, I don't take the gun down except for cleaning so the extended take-down latch seemed unnecessary and I always felt the original recoil assembly transferred less shock to the gun and hand than a steel version. I did have separate "range" and "carry" RS assemblies so the range one got the wear. I spent the money I saved on mags, again I have separate range and carry mags, and ammo.

Best Regards,
ADP3

I've been doing a video series of upgrades that I've done to mine. I think I've done just about everything you can do but the series starts here with the slide lock

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Awesome! I have already seen this video actually. How much did you pay for those sights?

If shooting mid-high grain ammunition opposed to 115g, would you recommend switching to a 17 or 20 lb spring, up from the stock 15? I watched a video where you could clearly see less recoil when someone upgraded to a 20lb, but that's just a video. It could still be the stock poly rod, just a stiffer spring.

What about just the apex tactical trigger kit, and not a spring set? Would that also compromise reliability? Apex encourages the use of the factory sear, compared to others who include an aftermarket one, if that makes a difference.

This is my carry gun, cleaned and inspected every day, regardless of use. I need reliability!

Some will tell you that you should never do any modification of the trigger to your carry gun due to legal reason. I have yet to see however any actual evidence of a court case where someone was prosecuted on that basis. Still that is a choice for you to make.

As to the Apex kit, I would really advise doing both the trigger and spring upgrade. If you have to wait, do the trigger first, at least IMO, it's a more noticeable upgrade. Again, here is the video of my trigger upgrade. I had to do mine separately and I really should have done them all at once, it's far less annoying having to take the gun apart twice.

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Do I need to buy a special tool kit to do it myself?

No, not at all, Apex has their own video on installing it. Just need some simple hand tools you probably already have.

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As for the spring kit, i may not want to do that on my own. I haven't the slightest clue what a pawn shop gunsmith would charge to do it for me, but if it was affordable I'd probably do that.

After 500 rounds or so my trigger smoothed out considerably. As far as accuracy, with 115 grain and 124 grain bargain priced brass case ammo groups fired offhand with a two handed Weaver stance at 50 feet are consistently in the 2 1/2" to 3" range. That is as well as I shoot with any handgun except a target grade .22. The SD9VE is a real bargain -accurate, reliable, controllable, reasonably powerful and all at a decent price. My best advice is to shoot it a while before you make any modifications. I've owned more guns than I care to admit over 50 years of shooting but the SD9VE is one of my favorites.

Best Regards,
ADP3

I think I found mine on eBay or some vendor.

I see from my comments in the envelope where the stock part is kept that the OEM part is 28.52 mm long. The new part is 29.50 mm long. I was really surprised at the difference in finger wear and even more surprised when I measured the two parts.

The envelope says it's an "Extended Slide Lock Lever Stainless Steel".

The envelope has a phone number and an email address:

203-438-7784
[email protected]

(That's the only change I will make on my SD9VE. I like it as is but did have sore fingertips before replacing the lever)

Went and picked up some home defense ammunition. Absolutely love them! Awesome bullets in so many ways. 115g Hornady Critical Defense FTX hollow points, with patented flex tip technology.

I shot a 2x4 at 10 yards, once with standard 115g, once with the FTX 115g. The standard had a hard time exiting, the FTX took a chunk with it. I really like the reduced muzzle flash these bullets have too, and the amount of power achieved from only 115g. I'd pick these over 147 grain defense ammunition any day. These had much higher velocity than the 147g. Almost a buck a pop for em though. 24 bucks for 25 rounds.

I never mess with my trigger unless I have a problem.

I really don't like the trigger on this gun. Don't like the way it looks, and I don't like how heavy it is (over 8lb). It also feels spongy to me, which is undesirable. I have heard nothing but good things about the Apex Tactical trigger kit, but I am always open to opinions and recommendations.

Both shots at 10 yards. One round of Critical Defense FTX, one standard round. The standard round had trouble exiting, if it even did.. The FTX went through like butter.

Forgot to say, that is really hard wood. Dunno what kind of wood it is, or if its just a hard section, but standard rounds were going right through other 2x4's quite easily. The exit on standard rounds usually has split wood and a sizable hole. This 2x4 was much lighter in color than the other boards I shot.

Are the SD9-VE's safe to do dry fire practices with?

(Y) S&W says yes, according to several posts I've seen.

(N) At least one person said dry firing broke the firing pin off the striker assembly. S&W replaced his striker I believe.

I use snapcaps, just in case, while practicing holding a steady aim. - however I don't use one after a cleaning.

Whatever you do you need to keep loaded magazines far away from your gun when dry firing. (I have a CA version and you have to have a magazine in the gun for the trigger linkage to connect.)

I just bought a new SD9VE and plan on replacing the slide lock with the extended version and also replace the plastic guide rod with a SS one. I also really wish the thumb slide release extended out from the gun more but I can't find an extended version and I doubt it would be an easy replacement if I did.

i never use the slide stop as a slide release better too rack the slide !

Agreed.

Bill

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Are you guys talking about when the slide is locked back, the little locking lever? Then are you saying its better to not just release the lever and let it slam, but rather rack it back into position? Thought that's what you're supposed to do?

Honestly, it doesn't really matter either way for modern guns. The only one I know of where is matters is the XDs, the manual actually suggest using the slide stop to load a round into the chamber due to it's construction.

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It sounds and feels sketchy to me when it happens, but not necessarily like it's a bad thing, or like it's gonna break anything. Just sounds like it's hard on the gun unnecessarily.

So I've been doing trigger pull practices at home, using a AA battery balanced on it's positive end right at the front sight. I try to pull the trigger without making the battery fall. It's hard to get it to balance even just holding the gun, let alone while pulling the trigger. But I got it down

I see lot's of confusion here. The original poster was, I'm pretty sure, talking about the bar/stop/lever you have to hold down when disassembling the gun, not the slide lock that holds the slide back after the last round has been fired.

The problem is that different folks call this part different things. I have already posted several times on a good replacement that is just 1 mm longer than stock but laser cut and not stamped.

I see from my comments in the envelope where the stock part is kept that the OEM part is 28.52 mm long. The new part is 29.50 mm long. I was really surprised at the difference in finger wear and even more surprised when I measured the two parts.

The envelope says it's an "Extended Slide Lock Lever Stainless Steel".

The envelope has a phone number and an email address:

203-438-7784
[email protected]

If someone wanted to spend a lot of money, could they customize an SD9-VE to be one of a kind? Like a custom metal frame (that would be so neat!), improved hardware materials, custom grips, custom stamping, maybe some sort of custom coating.

I know some will say why? I will say cause I like the gun, and why not? Some will say it's putting lipstick on a pig, I say it's turning that pig into some amazing bacon.

What do you guys think?

I don't actually ever plan on doing these things, but I am just curious as to if it's possible. Wouldn't it be neat?

A custom metal frame would make it a totally different gun and one need to find someone who can machine it out of a chunk of stainless steel for example. That would require a 3D scanner that can transfer the data to a CNC machine. If that would be possible it would also pretty dang expensive. Who ever does that job would also need to have a manufacturer FFL if that would be done for anyone else than the person who actually does the work. There might also be legal issues coming up with S&W when you copy their design. If you want a full metal gun - add another gun to the collection.

Also one might want to have the slide milled out in certain spots to reduce weight, or put a reflex sight on. I've seen pictures of other pistols like Glock's or M&P's that got that treatment. But then again, the SD series is a $300 gun and customization of those kind would probably cost more than the gun itself.

A way easier and cheaper way to customize your SD would be the ceracote route which would gave you the option of different colors on the slide and frame.

The only thing that I did to my SD9VE was putting the Apex spring kit and trigger in. That reduced the trigger pull to about 6 lbs., reduced the take up and eliminated the over travel. Also have the +3 mag extension on one of my mags which gives me 19 rounds now. I also put a Hogue slip on grip on it to increase the grip circumfence and enhance the fit to my hands.

Thanks for the reply! Man that would be pretty cool, if I had a 3D scanner and machining systems that could punch out custom frames and hardware. I didn't actually plan on doing anything like that, I was just curious if it was possible.

I like the gun a lot, but I'm probably gonna put different sights on it, wider take down lever, stainless guide rod, custom rear slide plate, the trigger kit, and maybe the spring kit. Have you had any trouble with the lighter spring kit? Someone said they didn't like it as it caused light primer strikes.

I paid too much for mine I've realized after seeing what others paid. Got it at a Fred Meyer (kinda like a fancier, more expensive Wal Mart), paid 370 plus background check (10 bucks).

I like mine for what it is. I did replace the barrel stop with one just a mm longer because the one on stock model was hard on my fingertips.

Other than that the gun does exactly what it was designed to do. It provides affordable self protection.

I just can't imagine what metal sights would do to improve my safety in a dangerous situation, nor do I see how coating the gun would make it better for the intended purpose.

If I wanted a target pistol, and had the cash on hand for that hobby, I would buy a target pistol. I had my life of target competition over 60 years ago on the NROTC rifle team. I had my life of carrying a sidearm in the Navy. I had my hunting life during High School with a rifle received at Jr. High Graduation.

I just don't see any of the "upgrades" discussed here as improving the gun for it's intended purpose or making it more reliable.

Beyond all those experiences I only have one desire . . . I'd like to own a classic 1911A just for the pleasure of owning a classic.

I got the stainless one both go in real easy and make a big difference!

You apparently got the one by NDZ, the best version in my opinion.

It's incredible how much difference the added 1mm* length makes. Took me from having to use a towel to protect my fingers to a 1 second release.

*I did measure the stock and NDZ versions and the 1mm increase is correct.