5000 rounds on an SD40......so what did I learn?

[ClaytonG]

A heck of a lot actually.
First of all........it's a pretty good gun for what it's designed to do.

The learning part came from using the SD40 in a pretty demanding way.

Lots of dry fire practice(modern guns can handle it......but it stresses the gun more than manufacturers say).

Installing the Apex trigger spring kit and shooting several hundred rounds makes for an almost ideal carry trigger...........with one thing to know.
You might get some light primer strikes with certain ammo.
As good as Winchester Ranger ammo is.........I got some light primer strikes.
Federal ammo.........Hi Shoks, Hydra Shoks and HSTs............800 rounds worth.........all fired without a malfunction. I thought the guy at Federal was full of it when I called him about their primers........but he was right.


IF you work the SD hard and break a part and don't wanna send it back to S&W.............get a parts kit from GunBusters.
You get all the parts except the polymer frame for about $60 bucks on Gunbroker.

Lastly........Sigma mags and the various SW40 mags work well in the SD.
Stay away from ProMag.

The SD40 passed a grueling test and now joins my 1911s and FNs in the carry rotation.

Hope that info helps out some of the newer members.

 

[Borderboss]

I've got a Sigma 9mm, which is pretty much the same as the SD guns. I put the Apex trigger in early on and it's never given me a bit of trouble.

What I especially love about these guns is that the grip angle is identical to the 1911, 18 degrees if I recall correctly. Since the 1911 is, IMHO, the most naturally pointing gun out there, this makes the Sigma/SD guns the same in pointability. I really like them.

 

[Echo40]

I just bought a used, like new SW40VE a few weeks ago. To me the trigger isn't all that bad, and I've confirmed that it's in its stock configuration with no modifications, which means that its a good 2lbs heavier than the newer SDVE pistols at least.

Is it a "good" trigger? Not really, but I'd rather have a "meh" trigger that makes the gun go bang every time I pull it than a better trigger which may cause light primer strikes.

Besides, on a carry gun with no safety, I prefer a heavy trigger.