SD9 + Apex = Awesome

[mlk18]

Right out the gate I began to go back and forth on buying an SD9. I loved the way it felt in the hand, it has a very slim profile, it is definitely well made and they are clearly priced right. But... I already have several M&P's, a few S&W 3rd Gen DAO's and even a Sigma SW9E (not to mention others). All of my M&P's feature an Apex DCAEK. In fact I consider the Apex kit to be a required purchase when I buy an M&P. With 1,000's of rounds down range I trust Apex like I trust S&W. So when I found out Apex made a spring kit for the SD9 I decided it was time to buy one.

My new SD9 arrived last week and was a well made defect free example. The ergonomics are excellent and I think I may (note I said may) prefer the grip to the one on my beloved M&P 9mm FS. The slide serrations are sharp and robust, the front night sight is a nice add on and the guns feels solid in the hand. I dry fired it about 100 times and the trigger was just what I expected, around 8lbs and a little mushy. My Apex kit arrived the same day and installation was a breeze (although not quite as easy as the you tube video). I decided to hold off on any polishing I may do until after I put some rounds down range. Post installation I began my dry fire routine again. And again, just as I expected; around 5lbs and smooth with a firm break. Better than most off the shelf striker fired guns, especially those designed in Austria. I have allowed a number of people to dry fire this SD9 and they all give me the same surprised look of approval.

I made it out to the range for a brief visit and put a quick 100 rounds into some steel plates. I had no issues hitting what I wanted to hit, had no reliability issues and had no issues with reset or light primer strikes (not that I expected any). Of course 100 rounds is not enough to declare the break-in period complete, but it's off to a good start. Another 300 rounds or so and I will do some light polishing. I will also swap out the rear sight for a set of M&P tritium take-offs. And of course my Department Armorer is all hot and bothered about stippling the grip, which I may or may not go for.

With a mere $340 NIB price tag on the SD9 and $20 on the Apex kit I feel like I ripped someone off. I was going to call the SD9 an "amazing budget gun", but since I am confident this gun can easily compete with guns well outside of its price range that may not be fair. So I will call the SW9VE a budget gun and the SD9 and under-budget gun. As in you went out looking to spend $500 and got an SD9 under budget. All the gun without all the cost.

Now I just need that Apex kit for my "budget" SW9E...

 

[blkpitbull]

Nice sir, I love the trigger on my new m&p9c....u recommend a apex kit for it?
And I can't wait till apex makes a kit for our beloved sigmas....

 

[TangoFoxtrot]

Nice pic mlk18. I really like my SD9 as well. I was torn between the M&P 9 and the SD9 when I was out to buy one. I'm actually a Glock guy , but I'm sick of paying an extra $100 for a decent pair of "metal" sights.

 

[mlk18]

When it comes to the M&P it seems like the triggers are hit and miss. I have handled some where the trigger was great out of the box and I have dry fired a few where the trigger needed some help. But what I know for a fact is when I install a DCAEK from Apex Tactical, the trigger is always awesome. And consistently awesome from one M&P to another. The same seems to hold true for the SD series as well.

I was a Glock guy for a long time myself, I got tired of Gaston's people not caring about what his customers wanted. After having nothing but problems with dozens of 3rd Gen .40 Glocks, I went back to 9mm. I then waited a long time for the highly disappointing 4th Gens to come out and when I first got to hold one (about 6 months before they came out publicly) I decided to make the jump to S&W. A very good decision that I do not regret.

 

[allglock]

When it comes to the M&P it seems like the triggers are hit and miss. I have handled some where the trigger was great out of the box and I have dry fired a few where the trigger needed some help. But what I know for a fact is when I install a DCAEK from Apex Tactical, the trigger is always awesome. And consistently awesome from one M&P to another. The same seems to hold true for the SD series as well.

I was a Glock guy for a long time myself, I got tired of Gaston's people not caring about what his customers wanted. After having nothing but problems with dozens of 3rd Gen .40 Glocks, I went back to 9mm. I then waited a long time for the highly disappointing 4th Gens to come out and when I first got to hold one (about 6 months before they came out publicly) I decided to make the jump to S&W. A very good decision that I do not regret.

I would like to know, what the dozens of problems you had with your Glocks? I have personally owned about 100 Glocks , and only ever had a problem with one... A 17L. Other than mag springs,or user error, I can't imagine what problems you had?

 

[mlk18]

I was my department's Glock Armorer for almost a decade and we had/have Glock 22's and 23's fail regularly. The two most common issues we have is broken strikers and sheared off frame rails, but we also seem to replace a lot of extractors. And that is with our replacing entire recoil spring assemblies every thousand rounds. I don't think we have a single department Glock that hasn't been rebuilt more than once and now every gun must be tested every 6 months. Issues with .40 Glocks are well known in the LE world and even Glock has acknowledged it. The entire Gen4 line is response to these issues. I have had more than one Glock rep try and explain why all the design issues and failures while urging we just change to the Gen4's. Fortunately I now have the rank to make decisions and my agency will be all M&P by the end of the year.

 

[allglock]

I was my department's Glock Armorer for almost a decade and we had/have Glock 22's and 23's fail regularly. The two most common issues we have is broken strikers and sheared off frame rails, but we also seem to replace a lot of extractors. And that is with our replacing entire recoil spring assemblies every thousand rounds. I don't think we have a single department Glock that hasn't been rebuilt more than once and now every gun must be tested every 6 months. Issues with .40 Glocks are well known in the LE world and even Glock has acknowledged it. The entire Gen4 line is response to these issues. I have had more than one Glock rep try and explain why all the design issues and failures while urging we just change to the Gen4's. Fortunately I now have the rank to make decisions and my agency will be all M&P by the end of the year.

That is interesting.......I have (6) Glocks in .40 with probably 50, 000 rounds through them, and never had a breakage... I would think LEOs would not ever shoot that many rounds?
Maybe these were models made after 2004? I will not own one made after that. That is when they went to the nickel plated rails... Just a thought.
My father in law was a Detective here in Pa. when Glock first introduced the .40, and he was the first to get them for his department, back in 1988 I think it was.
He personally put about 40,000 rounds through his own Glock 22, with no breakages.
I would like to know the serial # range, that you had all these problems with?... I am willing to bet it was after serial #s HZZxxx. Thats when quality went away.
Or you may have had the infamous E series Glocks with the frame recall, because of sheared rails.
One thing about a Glock, if something does break, they will keep running! .. at least thats what I have heard.

 

[J Rich]

allglock, You can talk it up all you want. You certainly won't convenience me to buy one at their inflated prices.

 

[mlk18]

I don't have one in front of me right now but our first purchase was in 2001 and none of those guns are still in service. They were all replaced by Glock after major striker failures occurred during break in period. The replacement guns were also received in 2001 and not one of them sports its original frame. Very few have their original striker assemblies or extractor. We are not one of those shoot once a year departments; a new officer will shoot over 5,000 rounds in his or her first year on the job. Even then most of these guns began failing well before that point. Glock makes a good product, but they are hardly the infallible super pistol some fan-boys make them out to be. They have had as many issues as any other major manufacturer, which is partially while they are their Gen4 version (which is actually major revision number 9 or 10).

But as J Rich said, and to get back on target here, the SD9 is every bit as good of gun as say the Glock 19. Only it feels better in the hand and costs a whole lot less. Same might be said about the SW9VE too.

 

[allglock]

allglock, You can talk it up all you want. You certainly won't convenience me to buy one at their inflated prices.

What? I was trying to clarify something... Sorry I stepped on your thread. I was even looking at the SD40 for a house gun because of the price and features.
"Inflated Prices" belong to HK and Sig... Glocks are worth the price when you can shoot 100,000 rounds out of them.....:/

 

[allglock]

I don't have one in front of me right now but our first purchase was in 2001 and none of those guns are still in service. They were all replaced by Glock after major striker failures occurred during break in period. The replacement guns were also received in 2001 and not one of them sports its original frame. Very few have their original striker assemblies or extractor. We are not one of those shoot once a year departments; a new officer will shoot over 5,000 rounds in his or her first year on the job. Even then most of these guns began failing well before that point. Glock makes a good product, but they are hardly the infallible super pistol some fan-boys make them out to be. They have had as many issues as any other major manufacturer, which is partially while they are their Gen4 version (which is actually major revision number 9 or 10).

But as J Rich said, and to get back on target here, the SD9 is every bit as good of gun as say the Glock 19. Only it feels better in the hand and costs a whole lot less. Same might be said about the SW9VE too.

Sorry for getting off subject, but I was just trying to clarify something about your Glocks. Seems as though the problem Glocks you had were from the E-series frame recall?
Like I said, I was considering the SD40 as a dedicated house gun. That is when I started reading your posts about the Bad Glocks. I have been shooting Glocks since 1987, and was trying to determine what was the problem with yours. Sorry about stepping on the thread.
Good to know you are a M&P "fan-boy" ..... I think I will stay a Glock "fan-boy" for now

 

[RayDog26]

I was thinking of getting the apex kit for my SD40 but I also was looking for a different recoil spring but I haven't found anything. I seen somewhere that the sigma 9ve springs fit, does anyone know if glock recoil springs fit ?

This is my range and home defense gun so although making the trigger lighter for the range is a plus I am holding off since it is also a home defense gun and heavier trigger isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

[J Rich]

What? I was trying to clarify something... Sorry I stepped on your thread. I was even looking at the SD40 for a house gun because of the price and features.
"Inflated Prices" belong to HK and Sig... Glocks are worth the price when you can shoot 100,000 rounds out of them.....:/

Your right HK and Sig are among the inflated chain of firearms. I just don't see buying a glock when I can get 2 Sigmas for the same money. And it's not my thread your stepping on. I just don't know why you're on the S&W forum defending the many glocks you have fired or held in your life.

 

[Fat B]

Plus one on the Apex kit from me. I can't say the trigger is perfect now but it's a lot closer. And for only $20, it's a steal in itself after seeing what some people are spending on their M&P Apex kits. I'm looking forward to hearing about the new trigger Apex is supposedly putting out. (Still waiting patiently!)

With a mere $340 NIB price tag on the SD9 and $20 on the Apex kit I feel like I ripped someone off.

Wow! That's a good price! Thanks for the review too.

This is my range and home defense gun so although making the trigger lighter for the range is a plus I am holding off since it is also a home defense gun and heavier trigger isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I had the same line of thinking you do but was glad I did it once the kit was installed. The stock trigger isn't that bad and a heavier trigger isn't a bad thing. But my 8 1/2# pull went down to 5 1/2#, not a hair trigger by any means. Plus there still is a ton of travel. I still feel very confident that the gun won't fire unless I want it to. I'm not trying to convince you to get the kit, but I thought for $20, why not try it? And I'm very happy with the results.

 

[mlk18]

While it is surely more difficult to accidentally or negligently fire a gun with a 8lb trigger than a 5.5lb trigger, in the real world it's the safety device between ones ears that truly counts. We all have to choose the guns and the options that we feel most comfortable with and fits into our individual level or training and skill. Personally I think the Apex SD9 still has a good pull weight and break for safe defensive use. But I can also see the argument for leaving it stock.


And allglock, I am not an M&P fan-boy, I am a Smith & Wesson fan-boy. Just wanted to set the record straight.

 

[allglock]

Your right HK and Sig are among the inflated chain of firearms. I just don't see buying a glock when I can get 2 Sigmas for the same money. And it's not my thread your stepping on. I just don't know why you're on the S&W forum defending the many glocks you have fired or held in your life.

Well................if you read the entire thread, you maybe could see why I was defending the Glock... But I suppose you have better things to do..... and you chose to hone in on my post. I know their are many Glock haters out there, and I imagine that you are one of them. Good luck with those Sigmas you own!
I own many S&Ws, but ony revolvers. Oh yea and some of their evil black rifles JFYI.

 

[J Rich]

Well................if you read the entire thread, you maybe could see why I was defending the Glock... But I suppose you have better things to do..... and you chose to hone in on my post. I know their are many Glock haters out there, and I imagine that you are one of them. Good luck with those Sigmas you own!
I own many S&Ws, but ony revolvers. Oh yea and some of their evil black rifles JFYI.

I did read the entire thread. That man stated he had to fix many glocks and stated the problems he saw on a day to day basis. So maybe you got a good one.

I guess I'm picking on you(in all fairness). I don't see what is so special about glocks, I guess if it cost more it must be better.

If glock is so great how come they only make semi-auto plastic pistols?(except the rare and infamous G18)

 

[allglock]

I did read the entire thread. That man stated he had to fix many glocks and stated the problems he saw on a day to day basis. So maybe you got a good one.

I guess I'm picking on you(in all fairness). I don't see what is so special about glocks, I guess if it cost more it must be better.

If glock is so great how come they only make semi-auto plastic pistols?(except the rare and infamous G18)

What would you like them to make?.. Frying pans?
I dont know how many guns out there can be submerged in water, and still perform (either underwater or out of water), dunked in mud or sand, frozen in ice, and still perform?
Let me know when you get 100,000 rounds through that Sigma, with only mag spring changes....
Unofficial Glock Page

 

[allglock]

Im done. Please continue on with the original topic.

 

[J Rich]

What would you like them to make?.. Frying pans?
I dont know how many guns out there can be submerged in water, and still perform (either underwater or out of water), dunked in mud or sand, frozen in ice, and still perform?
Let me know when you get 100,000 rounds through that Sigma, with only mag spring changes....
Unofficial Glock Page

LOL!!!!! We have already discussed this in this section of the forum.

Funny though I don't see anywhere this submerged the gun in mud, sand, snow and ice. That just seems to be the conditions he was in. FYI Smiths fire underwater too!

Wish I had the money to waste on 100,000 rounds and a trip around the world just to say my Smith will perform.