earthtone31
Member
Good for you on replacing the plastic guide rod with a stainless steel one, you won't regret it. I did the same exact thing after about 500rnds on my SD9 and SD40 due to the end warping and deforming. The factory guide rods in these guns seem to have different lifes to them in everyones guns somehow lol. I can't figure that out, but I do know my steel guide rod has thousands of rnds on it and looks brand new and the slide frame is still in perfect condition, so its not damaging my gun. M&P's have metal guide rods for a reason as well so why not use common sense and put one in your SD40 and keep it reliable for a much longer time on a hardworking part like a spring guide rod. Anyways welcome to the Forum. The funny thing about this forum is you'll say you upgraded or put a aftermarket part in your gun and explain why and explain that since upgrading or putting aftermarket parts in, that your gun is more reliable and feeling and functioning better than ever, you'll still have some know it all person comment something negative about your gun and for upgrading it after them reading what you said about how good your guns doing now compared to when it was completely stock, even when you tell them the stock part failed on you or wore out wayyyy prematurely. LOL!! SDVE means self defense value enhanced which to me means they cut some manufacturing corners here and there to give us consumers a value priced S&W firearm of a intermediate level of quality in SOME of its aspects. And that being said, you can make these guns better in my opinion, like for example I think the polymer they use is of a less heavier, less stronger quality especially on the guide rod. But its my opinion. The guide rod is the only part I feel really needs replaced, other than that learn the gun because everything else is fine and built good and the way it was intended to function.
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