I was reading the forum comments on changing the plastic rod for SS. I decided to stay with stock plastic. I wanted to order another one but could only find SS aftermarket. I called S&W told them I wanted a Plastic recoil guide rod to have on hand for my SD9 ve. Asked how much & they are sending one free. Wow great CS.

Very nice maybe I should do the same thing

I was having a lot of trouble getting my SD9ve dialed in. Verry eratic groups. I replaced the plastic with a SS and either I just learned to shoot it or the rod makes a big difference. Shoots where I point it now.I feel very comfortable wearing it in any section of the city I worked. Several months ago I thought I had a small boat anchor.

S&W customer service is excellent. Before Christmas, I wrote them a note asking for a new set screw for a rear sight (M&P) that somehow got lost. I had looked all over for a replacement, but couldn't find one. The set screw arrived today in the mail - no charge.

I order parts from Brownells, Midway, https://www.speedshooterspecialties.com/, etc., when I need them for something I want to change or replace, and only ask S&W for a part when it failed, or when I cannot find it elsewhere. So far, they've never charged me. I repay their loyalty to the customer by buying their guns, which I think are the best value for the money anyway!

On metal recoil rods: I'm a fan. The gun works fine with the plastic rod, but I think the metal ones prevent some problems.

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S&W Rover

I notice my sd9ve does go a bit low to the left, while shooting my 686 is spot on, Do you think changing to a SS guide rod will help? I checked my physical shooting stance and style, its the same, So now I am thinking it may be the Guide rod> Thanks in advance! MK

When you say it shoots low and to the left, are you saying it has a reasonably tight pattern there?

That is not the problem. I had the same problem when I got mine. You're anticipating the recoil and flinching or jerking. There is nothing wrong with the pistol. I think it is more of a problem because of the much lighter weight. I didn't have that problem with my 38 revolver or heavy Hi-Point 9mm. Go to YouTube and search for shooting low and left or left and low. Some are good and some or not. My friend is a retired FBI agent and he is the one that told me what was wrong. He was right.

Yes, exactly

Thanks, I am 1 million % positive its the user! I really appreciate the help!
MK

You said you have a tight pattern that is low and left. If I had that issue I would adjust the sights.

If the pattern weren't tight I would work on shooting technique, in particular looking where the sights are pointing when the gun fires.

Use a two-hand hold, you probably are already doing this, and apply the greatest gripping pressure not with your gun hand but with your support hand. See if this helps.

Best Regards,
ADP3

My patterns were pretty tight and the problem was me. I was apparently pretty consistent with my mistakes.

If you do have a tight pattern that was low and left, why would you say you were making consistent mistakes?

In scanning this forum, and Youtube, there are many postings giving very different explanations for the bullets consistently going to the wrong place. Limp wristing, wrong grip, wrong position of the supporting hand, and many other faults, which vary from one posting to the next.

If you do have a consistent and acceptably tight pattern, it would seem, that you are either aligning your sights in some wrong way, or you simply need to adjust your sights to move the pattern.

Are you now relaxed enough so that you can see the sight aim point when the round is fired? Work on that before you change anything.

I'm a rifle shooter for over 72 years, but have been shooting pistols (other than random plinking at mistletoe) for only 3 years, but I have been able to see where the gun is pointed when it fires and the bullets seem to go to that place.

I knew it was me and not the sights because the problem went away after I relearned how to shoot and aim. I was sure it was the sights at first. I have several guns and I figured that if the sights were off on the SD9VE, then they were off the same way with my other guns because they all shot low and left. I figured that the odds of all of them being off the same way were slim to none. I have only been shooting handguns for four or five years and I am 68. I spent 50+ years shooting 22 rifles and single shot shotguns.

Sorry, we shouldn't have offered solutions. Your original post only mentioned the SD9.

Comment- It appears that we have combined the shooting issues of two different posters.

I just put the SS guide rod in from galloway- I immediately noticed that when the slide returns, the backside of the retaining screw touches the slide as it moves over it... I imagine this is going to eventually scratch/scar the hole a bit. But whatever

How can that happen?

You can see in the picture here. I have pulled the slide back just enough to expose the rod a bit... When slowly release you can watch the back edge of the retaining screw touch the outside of the slide before it is pushed into place by force.

And a slow-mo video...

Wow- I see what's happening and it would eventually do harm to your slide. There have been posts about SS guide rods losing the retainer screw but never one where the screw hits the slide.

Put the plastic part back in and call Galloway.

I never put one in my gun and have no plan to.

I expect some folks who have Galloway rods in SD9's will post next.

I may just do that - after inspection of the plastic rod, I've noticed it has the potential to do the same but because it is plastic you won't expect any damage to the slide

I don't see anything like that with my original rod but it's clear that the step up in diameter that holds the spring on is indeed minimal.

I have the Galloway rod in mine and have thousands of rounds through the gun with no noticeable wear on the slide, so theirs my two cents, if that's happening with your rod and your worried about it, put a dab of gun grease or oil on the end of the rod and you should be good to go. I do see whats going on there as well, its lifting your slide up a hair as it goes over the screw, I wonder if you just got a bad rod that's bent slightly or something? Or bad set screw setting? I don't know, but my rod and slide look fine.