SD9 VE

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore...NEWsd940ve.pdf

You beat me to the post! I almost thought I was losing my mind when I was this posted on facebook. And just when everyone thought the SD was dead.

Suggested retail price of $379??? That's only $10 more than the MSRP of the Sigma. What's going on here??? I'm going to have to ponder this one. Two pistols at approx. the same price point doesn't make sense which leads me to the conclusion that...

Senario 1. That the SD was slated to take over the Sigma all along. And Smith released the SD at a higher price point which people thought was a good deal then so when they lowered it by $100 everyone would think of how wonderful a deal it really was. Now it's a deal that cannot be beat and SD go flying off the shelf. S&W sits back and watches their master finally unfolding on their way to the bank.

Senario 2. Smith tried to fill a price point that wasn't economically realistic, SD at the price it was at just didn't make sense. So Smith backtracked, thought about it, and found it could make the SD for just about the same price as a Sigma, the focus groups and general public liked the SD more, and the SD didn't come with the stigma the sigma has. They quick shifted the SD to a lower price, put a stainless slide on it to differentiate it from the other SD's and viola! Another smith that people want to buy!

O.k. I have to stop thinking while I type. I also wonder how it's different than the regular SD.

Either way, now I really think the SD is slated to take over the sigma.

I see it doesn't have a front night sight.

Does this mean the APEX actually might make some more stuff for the SD like a trigger?!?!

I'm really excited about this. I love my SD and when I thought it was dead I was disappointed. Back from the grave!

The trigger is different. If they produce this thing with less than the horrible trigger pull on the Sigma, then they'll have a serious winner here.

Let's hope S&W has some brains and did just that.

Product: Model S&W SD9 VE - Std Capacity

Eh .. I will stick with the M&P line.

does this mean that the sigma line will be discontinued? wouldnt make sense to keep it around.

Just looked at those briefly on the S&W site...didn't spend any real time looking at them, but unless I am mistaken, the slide is stainless (color)? The previous edition of the SD pistols only had a black slide, as far as I know.

Between my M&Ps and my Shields, I am pretty well set for S&W polymers, but if I was in the market for another one, I'd sure look at one of these. I liked the SD9 I had for a while...ended up trading it in as partial payment on a 1911 I had to have.

If the trigger is better on this new model, I wonder if a SW9VE trigger can be upgraded.

Look like a Sigma to me.

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_It was love at first shot_

I wonder if the trigger sucks as bad as the Sigma? One of the few guns S&W has made I would not consider owning. If it's your cup of tea, cool, but I can't support such poor design out of S&W, even if it is value priced.

Maybe, I hope, they got it right this time.

At that price I bet the millwork will be only as good as the sigma. That means bust out the tools and do some trigger work. If APEX is immediately on board, I'm gonna be suspicious of a partnership. What's the point of getting a value gun if you have to drop more on a trigger job in order to like it. Nevermind, I'm just addressing issues that haven't even come about yet. Furthermore, I'm not even in the proposed market make up.

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Hold on. SWAT's at my door.

These do look interesting. Can't wait to hear of some hands on time by some fellow forum members. I'm about to do some research on what distributors will have them. It does look pretty clean overall.

I had hoped the SD Series was not dead. The SD is much better than the SIGMA in so many ways.

The SD had melonite finish and a front night sight. It looks to me like all they did was take the SD and take away the melonite and the front night sight.

The price is right and the SD Series Trigger is better than SIGMA.

It will never be good enough for those who want a pistol at this price point to be as good as a Performance Center 1911 in terms of trigger or accuracy, so I anticipate that every kitchen table gunsmith that thought they knew more about gun design than S&W will get right to work removing parts, claiming those parts are not needed, doing kitchen table "trigger jobs" or sending the pistols back to S&W for a "free factory trigger job under warranty" claiming the trigger as designed is somehow not right.

The SD is advertised with 8 lbs + or - trigger, and it is designed to be like a DAO. If you want an M&P or Glock trigger, then by all means buy one of those. Personally, I liked the SD Series when it first came out, and I like these better, because I do not think the melonite finish or the front night sight is needed for the intended use.

I will not be at all heartbroken if the SIGMA is completely replaced by the SD Series. After owning and testing both, I find more to recommend in the SD than in the SIGMA.

Around 1990, if memory serves, S&W was about to hit the market with a couple thousand K frames in .357 Magnum at a fantastically low price, supposedly to be made up from left over forgings for the 9mm revolver M547 4 inch line. That was an excellent idea until someone figured out that something just wouldn't work. I wish I could remember the details, but I just cannot without trying to look it up. That .357 Magnum was to be fitted with the Combat Stock and would have been known as the Model 547M.

In any event, this is 22 years later, and this new VE version of the SD Series finally brings that idea to reality - a capable self-defense pistol at a really good price and with the S&W name.

I don't think anyone would argue that a 14 shot .40 S&W that takes up less space on your belt than a 6 shot K frame is a great idea.

Good ideas just keep coming from S&W.

Sigma, SD, or M&P. Three good choices.

S&W will love you no matter which one you choose.

So after all the "SD series has been discontinued" nonsense it turns out all they did was lower production costs a little bit and reintroduce it. Funny because that's exactly what they did with the Sigma series a long time ago. It also explains with the product code stopped showing up. I have an SD9 with an Apex spring kit and it is one awesome shooting machine. 100% reliable and very accurate. With a few thousand rounds down range this gun just keeps getting better. I will own an SD9 VE as soon as one shows up locally.

Personally I preferred the black melonite slide. No shiny slides for me for self-defense pistols!

That is an SD frame with an SD slide. Seeing as it has the SD frame it will have the SD sear assembly. Looks just like an SD minus the finish and front night sight guess that was how they dropped the price calling it VE (value enhanced). Makes me really wonder if they will keep the Sigma now there really is no reason to as price is so close it doesnt matter.

Guess im glad I got one of the original SD40s now

LOL you nailed it with that one

That is a SD minus the night sight and frame finish nothing to do with metal quality at all. It has the SD trigger as it is an SD

In the world of S&W the V simply equals bare stainless steel. People love to call the E enhanced, but the word has never actually been associated with the designation of E. I presume it is a product code that means lower price, like E for essential. So just like with the SW9VE, the SD9VE is just an SD9 with a bare stainless slide that costs a little less to produce and thus can be sold for a little less. But since S&W is lowering the price point it does make one wonder of the SW9VE is on its way out of production.

Id say so the SD has been out for a while so it has been tested, with the price so close there just isnt any real reason to keep the Sigma alive any more. It would come down to sales of Sigma vs cost of running a separate production line. My guess is they will see if the new SDVE sells more than the Sigma if so then no more Sigma

Why just why? The SDVE line is just $10 more (MSRP) than the Sigma. Why don't Smith and Wesson just kill the SD line OR kill the Sigma line.

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Don't look, reload and shoot!

For me I'm glad to see the SDVE come out. This will make Sigmas leave stores in used,excellant conditions for cheap prices. The last 2 sigmas I bought were 425.00 total!!! Triggers after several hundred rounds much better. And they only make qualification w/ my dept.'s M&P 40 much better. I had been holding off on an SD purchase,but something tells me before this summers over I'll have an SDVE in my household!!!

Because, if you kill the SD you won't sell the SD buyer a Sigma, and if you kill the Sigma you won't sell the Sigma buyer an SD.

S&W might as well use the tooling they have bought, and use the labor force they have, to make both and cover the market.

The gun is an SD (which is no longer offered on their website) all they did was ditch the finish and night sight to save money. With only a $10 difference from the Sigma I just don't see the Sigma lasting long before they pull it. Basically its a much improved Sigma for only $10 more so why would anyone want the Sigma? With modern CNC machines all you have to do is load them with a new program.

Why wouldn't a Sigma buyer buy a SD for only $10 more if the Sigma was not available? I would and will!

Smith: Hey Wesson, I cancelled the SD line.

Wesson: What? I loved that one!

Smith: Well, we were out of the front sights so....

Wesson: But we still have a cases and cases of the lower thingabobs and unfinished slides!

Smith: Hmmmm.......

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

Why not use the manufacturing capacity of the Sigma or SD for the M&P lines? The Shield & Pro Series are in extremely short supply and higher volume could lower price or just fill demand.

As most of us multiple weapon owners know - it all started with ONE. Maybe S&W's new slogan should be "Can't just buy one!" So one entry level than move to M&Ps.

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VE40 2010 22A 1110 MPc40 706

Id say because the SD, Sigma, SDVE move more volume than the M&P line. Most first time gun owners look at price more than anything. The Sigma and now the SDVE can not be touched as far as price vs value. The SDVE is such a better value compared to the overpriced Glock with plastic sights.....man I hope they bring back the 2 free mag deal that was the best money I ever spent. Under $300 out the door with 4 mags.

But with the M&P there are many different choices at that price point that are about on equal grounds with the M&P.

Smith and Wesson's own press release says VE stands for value enhanced. I got this off of S&W's facebook page, leads to a PDF.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore...NEWsd940ve.pdf
Personally I think "value enhanced" sounds like a spin for cheap. It may be a spin for cheap but it doesn't have to sound like it. They should come up with something different.

Buds already has a placeholder on their website listing it at $320. Might have to pick one up when it becomes available.

Great questions, guys! While I am no Grand Vizier of Marketing, I would bet that 'killing' either the SD or the Sigma would not result in buyers switching to the 'other' gun just because it was available.

Buyers are funny, and I don't think the $10 means a lot either way. It could be any difference in how the guns feel, or subtle difference in the appearance. Shoot, it might come down to the buyer thinking that the "Sigma" has a 'real' name and the "SD" sounds like a computer component...

I also bet they aren't running all of their assembly lines full blast on any one product, but instead they run until they have some calculated amount of shelf stock and they then switch to another model.

Anyway, this is my $0.02 worth of opinion.

Enjoy shooting, and shoot many guns!

Seems like S&W kept this new model hush hush, I posted about 2 weeks ago we couldn't get Sigmas anymore and I think most of you thought I was nuts. I even sent them an email asking about discontinuing the Sigmas and didn't get an answer back. I guess they wanted to keep it quiet and this is what they were planning all along. I'm anxious to see the new ones at work soon.

A brief review: The Firearm Blog * S&W Nerfs the Model SD: Introducing the Model S&W SD40 VE

I don't like the SD frame "feel" as much as I do the Sigma. I like the SD trigger better

Agree my Sigma feels much better than my SD the SD feels thicker but shorter from front to back. But the rest of frame is much thinner than the SD.

Quite a price drop and retailing at $320. should fly off the shelves. Like a Sigma with a better trigger.

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US Army 1965-1971

Glad I got my Sigma when I did...and yes looks just like a Sigma. I paid 249.00 for my 9VE, I hope the difference is the trigger pull...then again I dont want two Sigmas, even if they call it something else.

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SW9VE, Tactical 12GA, S&W 22A

I thought the VE meant Victory over Europe (Gl*ck) excuse my Austrian.

Geoff
Who notes his wife likes the grip and trigger on the Sigma 9VE.

One of my LGSs got a SD9 VE in today. $329. These are shipping already so start looking/calling around if you want one.

That stainless SD slide would look sharp riding on a dark earth frame.

Just sayin.

Out
West

With the new SDVE its good news bad news, Bad news if you want to sell your Sigma....good news if you want to buy a used one.

The prices of used Sigmas will hit rock bottom now.

Gentlemen; If I had a dime for every almost new SIGMA that gets sold to the LGS after the "Newby" couple or Individual buys one at Academy for $299+tax, and discovers they cannot handle the long, stiff trigger pull at the range, I would be very wealthy. While we know that the current SIGMA series pistols are fine with break-in and/ or a polish job, the Neophyte new owner knows none of this. Some new owners attempt to adjust the trigger and sear, making the weapon unsafe(I have seen many used SIGMA's altered in the sear spring area!) or take it to the LGS to sell it in disgust and get whacked on a trade-in deal as most LGS's don't allow much money on a used SIGMA. New owner now has a bad taste in his mouth for S&W. Not good for future sales. Originally, the SIGMA was heavily researched and S&W spent a bunch of money on the design in an attempt to get LE market share back from Glock. The original SIGMA came with a 5lb trigger pull and they were entirely shootable. Only problem was, it was a Beta model as the Investors wanted the pistol out to make money, and it just wasn't ready. Result was serious SIGMA function failures in the field w/ LE and LE gave the SIGMA a bad name that it carries to this day. The SD series trigger is far and away a much better assembly that comes from S&W at roughly 8lbs, with a quick take-up and pretty decent reset. Well broken in, the trigger pull will drop to 6-7lbs. SD's really handle and shoot very well! With the VE series enhancement's, S&W's MSRP is under $400 and once Academy gets a hold of them, $299.99 a copy, perhaps. And none of the SIGMA stigma. New pistol owners will stay happy with their purchase and S&W will see the "SIGMA" line finally making money and NOT being so damn high maintenance w/ owners and users. The SIGMA VE series line will probably be discontinued and the SD will now fill the slot. When I heard that the SD was being discontinued, I told S&W that they should "VE" the SD and drop the SIGMA. Of course, S&W was way ahead of me. I applause the decision, if they drop the SIGMA into the history books. Much as we love 'em, we are definately in the minority. The "King" is dead, long leave the "King"
I will get a new SD VE just as soon as Academy knocks them out at $299 a copy. You betcha'!
FWIW
Ofc.JL

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LEO, Instr, Armorer, Gov's 20

I cannot add much to the many good comments here, but I'd like to say I really like my SD9 at $320 from Bud's two years ago; I did not like my Sigma at any price; I think the Sigma is done except perhaps for a large scale foreign military assistance run (like IRAQ/AFG during the past couple of years); and I think the SD-VE has taken it's place.

The used gun market on Sigmas was always low, however you still don't lose as much on a Sigma that you would on an M&P or a glock. I don't think having the SDVE will make the used Sigmas drop much.

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Don't look, reload and shoot!

Some local shops here in FL priced used Sigma's HIGHER than the current selling price of a new one in a different display.
My Sigma has a good trigger pull 9VE but I compare it to a .357 Ruger Security Six.
Geoff
Who doesn't understand.

I wonder if the original SD's will end up being worth more over time because they'll be hard to find. As it is I never see them around. I don't think either Academy here in Tulsa even has them anymore. I think people will really like the new SD's at such a low price which could make the sleek looking melonite version more desirable.

When will the newly announced SD9 VE be available

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5906,M&P5",9c,Shield,9VE, .45c

I held one in my hand yesterday at the LGS!

Just picked up a new SD9VE at Academy in Plano, TX for $299.00.... was the only one they had. I'm a SW40VE owner and quite pleased with it, hope the SD9 is even better.