I am considering the SD9VE as my first gun purchase

[s1mp13m4n]

Hello everyone. I am in the process of learning about handguns. I am learning things such as action, ballistics, striker vs hammer fired, handgun use and cleaning, you know the newbie stuff. I have taken and passed my CHP class and am working on getting my permit. I realize many buy a Glock 19 or 26 as a first gun or even an XD, but I do not have that type of budget. I have been looking at the SD9VE for its overall good value for the money. I realize there are better guns out there but they also cost more money. What I want to know is rather or not the SD9VE is a nice quality handgun for all around use from concealed carry self defense to car defense to apartment defense to practice at the range. I have read that seasoned gun owners are not a huge fan of the guns trigger, but for a new bie who does not know a good from poor trigger....will it matter? My local gun shop does not have the gun so I can not shoot it to see, plus they do not rent it. It would be nice to get a total package with gun, case, holster, permit, etc for $500. Thanks for the help. I am also looking at new guns to avoid the newbie mistake of maybe getting taken for a ride on something used when the new model is $50 more.

 

[a62rambler]

Actually, it is not a bad choice at all. It's a very good value for the quality that it presents. I can't tell you what the best gun for you is. Only you can make the best choice for you! I will say that money is better spent on training with ONE handgun than on buying new or better handguns.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I agree with you in that I feel you are better off to learn the ins and outs of the one gun you may own and become good with it. I do not want to be the guy that buys this and that, then trades it, and ends up spending a lot of money when I could learn to use what I have to the best of my ability. I know this....the gun is more accurate than I am so in my case a $1000 gun might be a waste on me because of my skill level. I understand that the gun snobs seem to knock this gun, but I am a newbie and I am do not care about impressing anyone with the gun I am using. I have family members telling me to stay away from S&W for some stupid political reasons they can not explain. What is that all about?

 

[mfc]

No it isn't a bad choice whatsoever. For the money it is a good piece. I bought one about three years ago and found my only complaint was the trigger pull was too heavy for me to prevent pulling to the left. You can either learn to adjust to the hard trigger pull or possibly have the trigger worked on.
I sold the gun for a S&W M&P 9mm Pro Series.

 

[44Steve]

Hi, Steve here. I like my 9VE . I normaly shoot revolvers , the trigger pull may seem a little rough. It shoots nice, its got good capacity. For conceal carry it could be as heavy or light as how much you put in the mag.You will have to practice with it on a regular basis to be ready ,if you use it for conceal carry.There is a lot of these out there so try to shoot one.

 

[CGhelofxr]

The SD line is an excellent starting point, the trigger out of the box is fine, when you get good trigger control you can look at putting in the APEX spring kit, with price of the VE line it leaves you money for accessories

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I am finding out that the origional Sigma was a Glock clone or copy and I see that it left a bad taste in the mouth of some folks. I guess my issue is that heck that happens all the time these days. Car companies copy other car designs and change them enough to make them not exactly the same, Microsoft does it to Apple all the time. That part of the Sigma/SD9 VE history does not bother me. My main concern is that it will make a good first handgun purchase. I want to find one to hold and shoot, but so far no luck locally.

 

[o3rugby1]

You cant go wrong with the sigma line. Its one of the best budget guns out there. Its my truck/car gun.

 

[JaPes]

I don't own a S&W SD9VE, but I've owned a bunch of handguns. Take this for what it's worth.

1. This is your first gun, it won't be your last.

2. Get the gun that fits your hand best. You won't go running 10 miles in uncomfortable shoes, so don't buy an uncomfortable gun.

3. For your first gun, buy one from a brand name manufacturer.

4. Buy the best gun you can afford.

5. Buy a gun chambered for a caliber you can afford to shoot often. Practice is the only way to get good.

6. The only opinion that matters is yours. Don't let anyone else make up your mind for you.​

If I apply good shooting fundamentals of stance, grip, sights, & trigger press, I can shoot any gun well. IMO, the majority of the people who incessantly complain about a trigger are looking for a scapegoat for their lack of skill.

I've dry fired a SD9VE. The trigger is decent. It has a predictable break & reset. It has the basics of what I would need to shoot well. It appears to be very new shooter friendly: easy field strip & basic cleaning maintenance. If the SD9VE gives you any issues, S&W is a big brand name company with an excellent customer service / warranty department.

It is my opinion that the SD9VE will give you a good foundation of first hand experience. That experience will give you a contextual reference on which to understand your fellow firearms enthusiast's reviews of other guns. You'll also discover your preferences which will help you tremendously when buying your next gun.

 

[JTaylor76]

This is my opinion and how I chose my primary handgun. I first decided on my budget. I had already decided on .40, so I skipped that step and began reading everything I could find on all the .40 handguns in that price range. Once I became familiar with features of each of them; those which distinguished them from other models, those commonly shared, those touted and criticized, then I went and sought each of them out at the stores and shops and handled each of them. I then chose the one which fit my hand the best. Proper grip is critical and you want the one which feels the most comfortable and will remain stable in your hand without a death grip. You can get used to different triggers, and recoil, but its awful hard to change the balance and feel. My personal choice was the Walther P99 and if I had to buy another it would be the Walther PPQ.

 

[chevythunder]

I have the SD40VE and can tell you its a very accurate, and very reliable weapon. Is it a great gun for you? Nobody can answer that except you. There should be a gun range close to you that has one for rent. I have out shot $1500 kimbers with this gun. But this gun works for ME. Only thing you can ask people is if its good,reliable, easy to clean. Everything else is your decision on how the gun works with you. Try to rent one to shoot, see how it works with you. I just did a 7hr tactical class with mine and the only complaint is the plastic grip can get a little slippery after a couple hrs of handling. That's it. Only issue i have with it. But its a $300 gun and that's an easy fix! I have 500rds through it now and brag about it to everyone i can!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[a62rambler]

I wanted to add a long bit of advice. Every gun owner starts out in search of the perfect one. It’s a phase you go through. Some never get out of that phase. That’s okay. It sells lots of firearms and it's fun. Here’s what I learned from my experience with that phase. Shooting is a skill just like playing piano. You need some basic lessons followed by lots of practice followed by more advanced lessons followed by even more practice. Thirty years ago I learned to play mary had a little lamb on an old Baldwin stand up piano with a cracked sound board. Today, if I bought a Steinway, I could still play mary had a little lamb and nothing more. Rather than spend money on a Steinway, I’d be better off taking piano lessons on that Baldwin and putting in hours and years of practice. Sure it’s fun to show off your Steinway to impress friends but that ends when they ask you to play something! Oh and I’ve yet to find a piano that fits my hand or is natural or instinctive. They all require skill to play. My mother learned to play on an old piano too. She could sit down at an organ or a Steinway and make beautiful music with them both. There’s a lesson in that somewhere but I can show you somebody in the buying phase that thinks if they just had a better piano they’d magically be able to skip the lessons and practice and dare I say work involved in being good! If only I had a Steinway, I could play Beethoven's 5th Symphony!

 

[oldafsp]

Each weapon is a tool, and as such, a specific job it does well.

The Sigma VE is economical, sturdy and a very good defensive weapon. It will do the job.

Your attitude and ability will play a huge part in how well you shoot it. As others have said here, try to borrow one to try. But then again, you won't be out $1000 if you don't like it.

I shoot mine pretty well. It's never failed to feed or fire or eject. When I have the need for a high capacity 9 it's my go to gun of choice.

Best to you.

 

[JoeyEcko]

Ive shot the SD9 and it feels very comfortable shoots great, looks grea, really reliable and great price. In my opinion its a grear gun to begin with i will choose the SD before a glock any day

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I wanted to add a long bit of advice. Every gun owner starts out in search of the perfect one. It’s a phase you go through. Some never get out of that phase. That’s okay. It sells lots of firearms and it's fun. Here’s what I learned from my experience with that phase. Shooting is a skill just like playing piano. You need some basic lessons followed by lots of practice followed by more advanced lessons followed by even more practice. Thirty years ago I learned to play mary had a little lamb on an old Baldwin stand up piano with a cracked sound board. Today, if I bought a Steinway, I could still play mary had a little lamb and nothing more. Rather than spend money on a Steinway, I’d be better off taking piano lessons on that Baldwin and putting in hours and years of practice. Sure it’s fun to show off your Steinway to impress friends but that ends when they ask you to play something! Oh and I’ve yet to find a piano that fits my hand or is natural or instinctive. They all require skill to play. My mother learned to play on an old piano too. She could sit down at an organ or a Steinway and make beautiful music with them both. There’s a lesson in that somewhere but I can show you somebody in the buying phase that thinks if they just had a better piano they’d magically be able to skip the lessons and practice and dare I say work involved in being good! If only I had a Steinway, I could play Beethoven's 5th Symphony!

You typed what I think as well. Rather than blaming the gun or any other items for being a bad item....I should rather work on my skills. I got in to old school wet shaving back in 2009. People on the forum were always looking for a better DE razor, a better blade, a better shave soap. They spent a ot of money on getting a great shave. I prefered to get one razor, one brand of blade, and one soap. I got it down to a skill and can get a great and cheap shave with it. It took time to learn the skill. I think that shooting a gun will be the same way. It is more about the skill of the shooter more than what gun I buy. The SD9VE seems to be a great value and a good platform to learn from. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ruger Nut]

My first ever striker type pistol was a Sigma SW40VE. I liked it so much I bought a SW9VE. Like an idiot,I sold both of them! I do plan on getting a SD9VE in the future! I have always gone to the range and test drove something before I bought it.What feels good to one person might not to another. But,I will say this,if you DO choose the SD9VE,you will have made a great choice! Keep us posted.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I know now that this is a quality handgun. Now to find one locally and get the $500 my cousin owes me.

 

[GKC]

I know now that this is a quality handgun. Now to find one locally and get the $500 my cousin owes me.

That's one lesson you need to learn for sure: never loan money to relatives!

I was interested to read your thread in this section, after interacting with you on your thread in the other section. I think you would be well served with a SD9, and I would recommend that over the SW9VE, although that is just a personal preference, and that the SD9 has a better trigger than the SW9, IMO.

You might check at Academy Sports. They have the SD9 listed for $299, but the ones here don't have them in stock. They have the SD40, ironically, but not the 9mm.

I would also encourage you to continue to look for a new gun, versus used. At this price point, there isn't that much difference in price...and with a new S&W, you have the lifetime warranty. S&W has been known to take care of guns for the second or even subsequent owners, but the warranty does specify original owner and they might not cover a used gun.

I would worry about the political reasons for not buying a S&W that your family mentioned...some people resent S&W for past actions, particularly agreeing to the Clinton-era gun limits, etc. If we limit our purchases to companies who only have a lily-white history, I doubt that we would ever buy very much. Besides, if your family can't explain why they don't like S&W, I wouldn't consider that criticism as very valid.

Good luck with your purchase!

 

[s1mp13m4n]

Hmmm

That's one lesson you need to learn for sure: never loan money to relatives!

I was interested to read your thread in this section, after interacting with you on your thread in the other section. I think you would be well served with a SD9, and I would recommend that over the SW9VE, although that is just a personal preference, and that the SD9 has a better trigger than the SW9, IMO.

You might check at Academy Sports. They have the SD9 listed for $299, but the ones here don't have them in stock. They have the SD40, ironically, but not the 9mm.

I would also encourage you to continue to look for a new gun, versus used. At this price point, there isn't that much difference in price...and with a new S&W, you have the lifetime warranty. S&W has been known to take care of guns for the second or even subsequent owners, but the warranty does specify original owner and they might not cover a used gun.

I would worry about the political reasons for not buying a S&W that your family mentioned...some people resent S&W for past actions, particularly agreeing to the Clinton-era gun limits, etc. If we limit our purchases to companies who only have a lily-white history, I doubt that we would ever buy very much. Besides, if your family can't explain why they don't like S&W, I wouldn't consider that criticism as very valid.

Good luck with your purchase!

Several months a go my cousin's wife lost her job and his was the only income for a while. I had the money at the time to loan him so heck he is like a brother to me, so I had to do it. He told me that he would have the money for me this month, but so far I have not seen it. He offered me a Springfield 1911 Mil Spec or the money, I wanted the money over that gun.

 

[GKC]

Several months a go my cousin's wife lost her job and his was the only income for a while. I had the money at the time to loan him so heck he is like a brother to me, so I had to do it. He told me that he would have the money for me this month, but so far I have not seen it. He offered me a Springfield 1911 Mil Spec or the money, I wanted the money over that gun.

I was just kidding you...but if your relatives are like mine, it's a "gift" not a loan.

As for the gun versus the money, if the Springfield is in good shape, I'd take it rather than the $500! But then, I like 1911s.