Looking at an SD9VE. What's the big deal?

[S&WCanada]

I've got back into pistol shooting last year after a long long time away from the hobby. I picked up a Ruger MK III .22lr to start back. Love that gun but it's time for a 9mm.

I went to the gun shop last week and looked at several options. One I fooled with a lot was the SD9VE. I had read lots of reviews and watched a bunch of videos. Overall the gun gets solid reviews except for the "awful" trigger. I dry fired the one I looked at a bunch of times and I have to ask what the big deal is?? I didn't find the trigger all that bad. Now I admit my trigger finger isn't as educated as some peoples, but besides the longish takeup I didn't really feel it was even near awful. It seemed smooth and broke nicely. I liked it better than a friends "tuned" Glock 17 trigger that I've fired quite a lot. I know a few dry fires in the store is different than live on the range but I think this gun is in the front running to come home by the summer for some shooting. Is it maybe this guns trigger isn't that bad and some gun snobby people are just spoiled by super tuned aftermarket triggers? And maybe because I used to shoot a revolver a lot I'm still used to a long pull.

 

[ou1954]

Don't worry about the trigger, it's just fine with me and surely would be natural for someone like you who is familiar with revolvers. This is a self defense, low cost, weapon. In a true self defense situation trigger pull wouldn't be a factor (Just my opinion, not based on experience).

Now at the range, it seems to me that the bullet goes where the gun is pointed when the gun fires.

I know I'll get a lot of flack about this note but I agree with you.

 

[mlk18]

As I tend to say over and over; the deal is that nowadays people expect the gun to replace training, practice and skill. Rather than learning to shoot proficiently with a handgun with a heavier (and potentially safer) smooth trigger pull they have to have an ultra-light (and potentially more dangerous) trigger to improve their ability to shoot well. The SD9VE is not a good gun with an awful trigger it is good gun period.

 

[rwsmith]

A Smith and Wesson....

A Smith and Wesson for a lower price. A Ford as opposed to a Lincoln.

 

[TX-Badger]

I really like my SD9VE, so much so I went out and got the big brother SD40VE. They are both fantastic lower cost options for self-defense and they eat all the ammo I put through them. Haven't had one FTE or FTF yet, they both eat everything. I don't think it's an awful trigger, it seems to break just fine for me, and it should not be any issue if you have a decent hand shake.

 

[S&WCanada]

I'm in Canada. So self defense isn't even really an option with a pistol. I'm just looking for something decent to take to the range that works when you pull the trigger, doesn't require a lot of babying and doesn't cost a whole lot. Again being in Canada "doesn't cost a lot" is relative with pistols.

 

[S&WCanada]

Hmm not all of my last post registered for some reason. The last part should have also read, "And the SD9VE seems to fill that bill nicely."

 

[mrburns05]

After endless reviews and videos- I myself went and picked up an SD9VE for Christmas. It's my first gun (not my first time shooting though ) I love it so far. I've put 400 rounds through it so far, no FTE or FTF here either- the trigger seems fine to me, my wife uses it too and has no problem with the trigger

After letting my brother try it out, he went and picked one up as well , put the first 100 rounds through it today with no issues and no trigger complaints.

 

[mlk18]

I remember reading once (in my youth) that when America first decided to take part in the olympics in Greece they were unsure of the units of measurement used in things such as distance and weight of shot puts. No one understood how to convert the numbers. Thusly the American athletes ran much further and practiced with much heavier shot puts, discus and javelins. When the day came to compete against the world they did very very well because they were trained on a heavier item. In fact they were able to produce the same results with the heavier shot put that most teams were able to do with the lighter Olympic standard shot put. Such is the world of the SD9VE/ SD40VE shooter.

My Dad is a retired LEO who frequently took me out shooting. He could set 6 pop cans spaced out on a downed tree, walk back 10-12 paces (approx. 30 yards) and quickly shoot each of them off one at a time shooting double action with a S&W Model 66. While very nice the DA pull on a 66 is not exactly a short and light.

 

[S&WCanada]

My Dad is a retired LEO who frequently took me out shooting. He could set 6 pop cans spaced out on a downed tree, walk back 10-12 paces (approx. 30 yards) and quickly shoot each of them off one at a time shooting double action with a S&W Model 66. While very nice the DA pull on a 66 is not exactly a short and light.

When I started reading reviews and watching videos on the SD9VE I thought the same thing. "Isn't it kind of like shooting a revolver?" Sure a revolver doesn't usually have the slack before the actual pull but the idea is about the same.

The SD gets a lot of hate on a Canadian forum I belong to. If a member mentions getting an SD and planning on doing anything with it besides just shooting it. By doing anything with it I mean spring kits or changing sights, polishing contact surfaces etc etc. The response is along the lines of "Why buy such a cheap pistol and change and modify it??" My response is why not? Gun people like to tinker with their toys. It's ok to buy a $1500 or more 1911 and basically throw out a ton of the factory parts and put in whatever flavor of the month aftermarket parts. But not with a $450 pistol like the SD?? Then the response is "Well save a little more and buy a better gun." What if I don't want to wait? Because I want to join the guys at the club shooting what we call IPSCish matches now and not a year from now because everyone thinks I should save up for a SIG or whatever.What if I'm ok with buying a less expensive gun now and if I decide a year from now the Apex kit sounds like a good idea?

Sorry. Went on a little rant there. I get cranky over snotty gun folks.

 

[Kronos]

I didn't really give much thought to the pull on the one I have,only reason I replaced the trigger on mine was I don't like the two piece hinged trigger S&W uses.

*ETA*

I've noticed it's cool on a lot of gun forums to hate on the SD9VE,but those same people seem to be the type who pose with their gun of choice in camo and acting like they're Rambo or something.

 

[ou1954]

I was at Bass yesterday to get a small case for my SD9VE, replacing the zip-up soft pack I have been using. I sort of thought the SD earned the same respect as the recently-purchased Colt .22 1911 Gold Cup, purchased just for fun and cost of ammo. Reminded me of my Navy days when I had a "real" one. Bass had them in the $1-3,000 price range and it was fun to look at them. They had no 9mm 1911s in stock but if I ever got a real one I would go to 9mm.

I have an acquaintance (son of a fellow diver back in La Jolla) who is retiring but does almost nothing than 1911 work. When I mentioned an interest in a budget 1911 he sort of sniffed at me over the phone. If you want to have some fun looking at a website, try Terry Tussey in Carson City. Here is a good URL to see what dream guns look like:

Tussey Custom Guns

(Terry had a bike accident about 10 years ago and is paralyzed from the neck down, but his arms still work and he has a van and elevated work benches.)

 

[Brien]

Personally I always go with how does the firearm feel in your hand. You can have a dozen similar pistols in front of you and I guarantee you one will feel better than all the rest. Things like triggers, sights and grips can all be changed.

 

[mak1965]

Yup, The SD9VE is a great gun out of the box. Leave it stock and train with it! It is not necessary to change anything at all!! It is made by a great company and I have run well over 3k rounds through it and it performs GREAT! Keep it cared for and you will be very happy with the value you get!

 

[WayneJessie]

The SD is designed to be an inexpensive pistol to defend yourself with. A trigger isn't a big deal when that's what you need. However, trigger pull becomes increasingly more important with a gun that you are trying to shoot quickly and accurately. When I purchased the SD I didn't buy it with the intention of it being a range gun. It serves as a cheap, reliable truck gun that wouldn't bring tears to my eyes if someone stole it or if it received permanent damage.

 

[ou1954]

Modify or not

Yup, The SD9VE is a great gun out of the box. Leave it stock and train with it! It is not necessary to change anything at all!! It is made by a great company and I have run well over 3k rounds through it and it performs GREAT! Keep it cared for and you will be very happy with the value you get!

I'm another one of the luddites in this forum and found no need to modify my SD9VE, with one exception. Early on I found my fingers were bruised when pulling up* the barrel stop/takedown lever, so I installed a longer one from NDZ, which solved my problem. I suspect that by now I would do just fine with the original but it's not worth the effort to change it back.

What I found remarkable is that the NDZ bar is less than 1 mm longer than stock. Did it really help or did I just improve my technique?

*Yes, technically down, but it depends on how you visualize the gun during takedown.

==================
Definition of Luddite. : One of a group of early 19th century English workmen destroying labor saving machinery as a protest; broadly : one who is opposed to especially technological change.

 

[EBK]

I've got back into pistol shooting last year after a long long time away from the hobby. I picked up a Ruger MK III .22lr to start back. Love that gun but it's time for a 9mm.

I went to the gun shop last week and looked at several options. One I fooled with a lot was the SD9VE. I had read lots of reviews and watched a bunch of videos. Overall the gun gets solid reviews except for the "awful" trigger. I dry fired the one I looked at a bunch of times and I have to ask what the big deal is?? I didn't find the trigger all that bad. Now I admit my trigger finger isn't as educated as some peoples, but besides the longish takeup I didn't really feel it was even near awful. It seemed smooth and broke nicely. I liked it better than a friends "tuned" Glock 17 trigger that I've fired quite a lot. I know a few dry fires in the store is different than live on the range but I think this gun is in the front running to come home by the summer for some shooting. Is it maybe this guns trigger isn't that bad and some gun snobby people are just spoiled by super tuned aftermarket triggers? And maybe because I used to shoot a revolver a lot I'm still used to a long pull.

I would say its your experience with revolvers that os doing it. Standard striker fire triggers are in thr 5-6 lb range. Double action revolvers are int the 10-12 lb range the SD series has a roughly 8 lb pull. The old sigma series was 10-12lbs. Couple that with the long pull of the SD and people complain. I like the longer (deliberate) pull but used the apex springs to bring the pull weight down to normal 6 ish lbs. Made a big difference in trigger control for me.

 

[RJJ 1971]

The SD9VE is like that girl that was 2nd or 3rd prettiest in your class.
Maybe not the best looking, but for some reason a lot of GUYS SURE LIKED HER A WHOLE LOT.
Think the word is RELIABLE, yeah that's it, Reliable.

 

[jmoffitt36]

Had mine for over month now shot about 1500 rounds to break it in, cleaning every 150 to 250 rounds. No issues at all.

The trigger is just fine. It was a bit stiff at first but after 300 or so rounds the springs loosened. Trigger is smooth and breaks well. I'd say 7 to 8 Lbs, exactly were I want it. My .357mag 4" has a 10 Lb Double Action string. I can still get 6 shots on target even with Mags.

To many people buy a new pistol shoot a box of ammo and then give it a bad review. Need to shoot at least 500 rounds to break it in

 

[S&W Rover]

For me, the SD9VE is fine - the trick is to shoot it first in any given range session. What's hard is to go back and forth from a light, crisp trigger break on a different gun to the longer pull of the SD. The finger "muscle memory" and the brain have a bit of trouble making that adjustment. A magazine or two into shooting it, and I've got the rhythm and spacing of the SD back, and do just fine. I can actually achieve some good practical accuracy with it - and a useful technique is to make a smooth, full trigger pull rather than going slowly and tentatively trying to feel for the point where it breaks (because it ain't going to break like that $1500 1911).

You can expect negative comments from those who are used to nicely tuned single-action guns with very crisp, well-defined trigger breaks. But, as others here have said, that is more of a "target shooting" attribute. Without this experience with single-action guns with "good" (e.g., light) triggers, many first-time pistol shooters who get their hands on a SD are able to deal with the trigger just fine and wonder why reviewers complain about it so much.

As for range rat snobbery -- that is hard to beat, because we humans invest so much in that sort of thing. I don't really look at other people's guns that closely when I shoot -- maybe they aren't really looking at my SD9VE and judging me. But if they are, I am at the point where I can live with it.

I've tried the Apex trigger in my SD9, and found I didn't like it that much -- although it reportedly lessens take-up, over-travel, and under-travel. It is a fine addition, if you can set it up right in your SD and like the change.