Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Semi-Automatic Pistols > Smith & Wesson SD & Sigma Pistols
o

Notices

Smith & Wesson SD & Sigma Pistols SD & Sigma Pistols in All Generations


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-19-2017, 10:03 PM
belizeanboy belizeanboy is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 46
Likes: 6
Liked 15 Times in 8 Posts
Default Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group

Guys only asking if your Sd9 or Sd9ve has a horizontal movement of the side (left to right; right to left) especially when magazine is removed and unchambered? My sd9 has a noticeable slide movement (side to side) as described and wanted to know if others experience the same movement with your sd9 or sd9ve? Let me say that it does not affect accuracy or reliability but does mess with my mind a little due to the noticeable slide play relative to the frame. Once chambered the slide does become tight - no side to side movement.

Anything for concern? Thanks.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-20-2017, 12:04 AM
jimtr6 jimtr6 is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Spencer, TN
Posts: 144
Likes: 1,057
Liked 222 Times in 87 Posts
Default

My SD9VE has very slight slide movement side to side that you can feel but not see, at least to my 69 year old eyes. My wife's Sig Sauer P238 has less movement, but my other SD9VE has more in that you can see the movement if you're looking for it that I never noticed before. Her Ruger SR22 is somewhere in between the two SDs. Hope this helps and not just muddy the water.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-20-2017, 12:28 AM
S&W Rover's Avatar
S&W Rover S&W Rover is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 1,255
Liked 1,134 Times in 521 Posts
Default

My SD9's slide has a little movement from side to side. It does not "rattle" per se, but can be moved by hand a fraction of an inch. This is fairly normal, I think.

A round in the magazine, pushing up against the bottom of the slide, makes the side-to-side movement a little harder to detect, but it is still there.

The inside of the groves in the slide obviously have to be just a tad wider than the outside edges of the rails, which is what allows this side-to-side movement.

This little bit of slop allows the gun to function reliably during the full movement of the slide on the rails. It also allows some extra tolerance for expansion and contraction of the metal parts under different temperatures, such as when the metal expands on a hot day or after a number of rounds are fired, or when it contracts on a very cold day (I'd expect a little more side-to-side movement on a very cold day).

But if the slide were absolutely tight on the rails, then there could be too much friction or resistance to movement by the slide. And taking up that bit of slop would require very precise placement of the rails and very uniform milling of the grooves in the slide, both somewhat difficult and more expensive to achieve. Since the rails on the SD family are part of the Sear Housing Block and the Locking Block (which are held in place by pins inserted through the polymer grip frame) the molded frame would have to be made extremely precisely -- and we know that SD9/40 and SD9/40VE frames can vary a bit from sample to sample.

This little bit of slop occurs on a lot of different pistols. I just checked my Sig P239 and a 25 year old Mdl 5906; both have a little movement (the 5906, with full length rails, has the least).

Do others notice the same little bit of side-to-side movement in their SD9/40 and SD9/40 VE pistols? In other pistols?
__________________
S&W Rover

Last edited by S&W Rover; 04-20-2017 at 12:46 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-20-2017, 11:05 AM
BlueArch91 BlueArch91 is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 68
Likes: 17
Liked 45 Times in 28 Posts
Default

I have noticed similar play in my SD9VE. It is more noticeable when unloaded and dry firing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-20-2017, 11:41 AM
TX-Dennis TX-Dennis is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: The Rugged Llano Estacado
Posts: 3,599
Likes: 21,376
Liked 5,422 Times in 2,234 Posts
Default

Every semi auto I own (8 of them currently) has some side to side play in the slide. It's just the nature of the beast.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-20-2017, 03:59 PM
leejack's Avatar
leejack leejack is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: The Alamo!
Posts: 1,172
Likes: 578
Liked 378 Times in 174 Posts
Default

I imagine it allows for flex when the gun is fired.
__________________
SD9VE, American perfection!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-20-2017, 04:43 PM
Rustyt1953's Avatar
Rustyt1953 Rustyt1953 is offline
US Veteran
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hamilton, Ohio
Posts: 44,098
Likes: 61,582
Liked 188,301 Times in 36,180 Posts
Default

I have run across 1911's that could moonlight as maracas.

No need for worry.
__________________
Music/Sports/Beer fan
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #8  
Old 04-20-2017, 04:45 PM
sixtwoniner's Avatar
sixtwoniner sixtwoniner is offline
Member
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Meridian, Idaho
Posts: 71
Likes: 25
Liked 65 Times in 33 Posts
Default

Yes, my SD9VE also has a slight bit of lateral play in the slide, both the newer one and the one with about 6k down the tube. My Glock 21 has a bit more but still minimal.
I don't notice any more on the well worn vs. the newer one. Must be an engineering thing.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-21-2017, 01:29 AM
Disabled1 Disabled1 is offline
Banned
Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group Not ranting nor raving - I love the sd9 - but have a question for the group  
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: South Of The North Pole
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 491
Liked 710 Times in 424 Posts
Thumbs up

Yep, all (5) of mine are like that.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ranting on Big Blue Erich The Lounge 35 06-28-2013 04:30 PM
PC gone stark raving mad! 25elk The Lounge 25 05-20-2013 06:06 PM
Question for the group.... deadin S&W Antiques 12 05-15-2013 12:48 AM
581/681 Raving Cpt. Obvious S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 30 04-30-2012 02:00 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:29 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)