SD9VE Project

[Disabled1]

I own both the SW9VE & SW40VE guns. My son just recently upgraded to an M&P.40,so, he sold me his 4 month old SD9VE.
I am going to use this gun as a project gun. Meaning, I am going to start upgrading it!
I ordered the Glock 19 (20#) Galloway guide rod in stainless steel. It should be here next week. I am a Prime member but this was not a Prime item. But, it's still FREE shipping.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Oxide-Steel-Spring-Retainer/dp/B0141GW18M/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1459991662&sr=1-1&keywords=g19+guide+rod"]Amazon.com : Guide Rod Assembly for Glock Gen 1-3 G19, G23, G32, and G38 Pistols : Gunsmithing Tools And Accessories : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41xWwj%2BxnhL.@@AMEPARAM@@41xWwj%2BxnhL[/ame]

I have to do a little bit at a time, being I am disabled and live on SSDI. 32 years of working in my trade and at age 49 I wake up one morning to go to work and realize that was when I became disabled. I have Faith in my Savior up above!
Anyway, my next item will be an rear slide cover plate. There are so many good ones to choose from, but, I think I have found the one.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Slide-Cover-Wesson-Veteran/dp/B018UCDZEW/ref=sr_1_11?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1459992034&sr=1-11&keywords=s%26w+sd9ve+accessories"]Amazon.com : Silver Rear Slide Cover Plate for Smith & Wesson S&W SD9 SD40 VE 9mm .40 US Flag Veteran Text : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514uvYP1FyL.@@AMEPARAM@@514uvYP1FyL[/ame]

After that, I should be healed enough to do some kind of part time work and make more money for better upgrades; APEX trigger kit, night sights, and maybe I will have a melonite job done to my slide.
As this project unfolds I will keep the SD forum updated and provide pics as well. It won't look like this after awhile;

 

[TriumphMan]

Also a member of Amazon Prime and have gotten lots of things from them.

I got a take-down plate, rear cover plate(wolf howling at moon) and the Galloway 17# slide spring and rod for my SD9VE.

Disabled1, if you notice some ammos not feeding/ejecting correctly from short stroking, it will be because of the 20# spring rate. The heavier the slide spring, the more force it requires from the powder to operate the slide from off-the-shelf ammos.

 

[bigdaddyrobb]

Same as me..Amazon Prime...20#guide rod, US Flag back plate, Apex trigger, glock take down bar, cerekote matte black and bead blasted the frame so it is not so shiny.

 

[Disabled1]

Same as me..Amazon Prime...20#guide rod, US Flag back plate, Apex trigger, glock take down bar, cerekote matte black and bead blasted the frame so it is not so shiny.

Hmmmm, it looks like someone beat me to the finish line.
Your slide looks great! But, I would still like to have the S&W factory etching on mine.
Is the Glock take down bar wider than the SD? I was going to order one made by Galloway.
Does the 20 # guide rod cause any FTE or FTF (Fail To Feed) problems with ANY grain ammo?
Well, I guess I can still continue my project and we can share any upgrade advice/tips with each other.

 

[OKFC05]

Does the 20 # guide rod cause any FTE or FTF (Fail To Feed) problems with ANY grain ammo?

It depends on the recoil impulse of the ammo (not just bullet weight) and the grip of the shooter. I put a 15# recoil spring in an M&P 9 (stock 16#) that was short stroking on beginners; I never had any trouble with the stock spring.

Personally, I think a 20# spring in an SD 9mm is a bit much unless you intend shooting a steady diet of +P. On the other hand, the stock SD 9 is nominally 19#, so its not much over.

 

[ou1954]

Still don't know what number the spring weight refers to.

Could be:
1. Spring rate in pounds per inch.
2. Initial force in battery, that is when sitting in a normal position.
3. Something else, maybe a combination of the above.

Sorry to ask this question again but I think it's worth understanding.

 

[OKFC05]

Still don't know what number the spring weight refers to.

ISMI, the manufacturer of S&W factory springs, defines their rating as the standard spring constant (commonly called spring rate) in pounds per inch of compression. This is what I was referring to in my comment that 20# is a bit much for standard 9mm.

As I'm sure you know, the actual force applied in a handgun depends on the installed length and decreases exponentially with use as the physical free length of the spring decreases. For example, a decrease of 1/2 inch in the free length of a 1911 spring causes about 23% decrease in slide force, which is why the old rule about discarding 1911 springs that have lost 1/2 inch off their new free length.

The flat wound springs used in the SW/SD and M&Ps lose their free length extremely slowly, which is why their service life is very long: many tens of thousands of cycles. They have been tested to 100,000 cycles, although nobody recommends using them that long in service.
Frequently Ask Questions

 

[ou1954]

Spring specifications

ISMI, the manufacturer of S&W factory springs, defines their rating as the standard spring constant (commonly called spring rate) in pounds per inch of compression. This is what I was referring to in my comment that 20# is a bit much for standard 9mm.

<snip>

The flat wound springs used in the SW/SD and M&Ps lose their free length extremely slowly, which is why their service life is very long: many tens of thousands of cycles. They have been tested to 100,000 cycles, although nobody recommends using them that long in service.
Frequently Ask Questions

Yes, I think we have touched on this, from a technical point of view, some time ago.

The IMSI website makes a good point about why piano wire springs are inappropriate for most compression, or other crigical applications. Interesting that they say that a valve spring in an INDI 500 race goes through 2,500,000 cycles in a race. Wow!

The missing part of my understanding is how much pre-load is on a spring in an SD9 and related guns. Clearly there is some, enough to almost hurt the fingers when you set the spring/guide rod into place.

I've never measured it and have never had a spring off the guide rod so I don't know the free length. Maybe, some day, if I buy a metal guide rod, I'll know the free length and thus the pre-load.

 

[OKFC05]

The missing part of my understanding is how much pre-load is on a spring in an SD9 and related guns. Clearly there is some, enough to almost hurt the fingers when you set the spring/guide rod into place.

I don't have a spare SD 9 spring on hand, but I do have the M&P, so let's use it as an example.
M&P full size captive installed spring length: 3.1"
M&P full size stock 16# free length: 5.7"
Amount of compression installed: 2.6"

2.6" times 16# per inch = about 42# preload

I put a 15# spring in one FS loaner for beginners, which lowered the preload to 39#, which doesn't sound like much, but it eliminated ejection problems with cheap commercial 9mm ammo and limp grip beginners.

The "green spring" that is on the new M&P 40s is an 18# spring, with about 47# preload installed.

Hope this helps

 

[ou1954]

Preload and spring rate

I don't have a spare SD 9 spring on hand, but I do have the M&P, so let's use it as an example.
M&P full size captive installed spring length: 3.1"
M&P full size stock 16# free length: 5.7"
Amount of compression installed: 2.6"

2.6" times 16# per inch = about 42# preload

I put a 15# spring in one FS loaner for beginners, which lowered the preload to 39#, which doesn't sound like much, but it eliminated ejection problems with cheap commercial 9mm ammo and limp grip beginners.

The "green spring" that is on the new M&P 40s is an 18# spring, with about 47# preload installed.

Hope this helps

It helps a lot and shows that preload is an important issue beyond the spring rate. Clearly preload will affect recoil action. I haven't seen preload discussed or disclosed here or in the vendor listings.

If I were a vendor I would include that value, and not just the free length and rating because, I assume, most shooters just want to get to the bottom line without having to analyze and/or compute preload, etc.

I believe it's important but have no idea how vendors should address this issue.

It may be that OKFC05 and I are discussing non-issues but I wonder whether other folks on this forum consider preload to be about as important as spring rate.

 

[Disabled1]

Ok, now that the thread hijacking is over, (or, is it? ) does anyone know if a Glock take down bar will work in the SD9VE?

 

[bigdaddyrobb]

Hmmmm, it looks like someone beat me to the finish line.
Your slide looks great! But, I would still like to have the S&W factory etching on mine.
Is the Glock take down bar wider than the SD? I was going to order one made by Galloway.
Does the 20 # guide rod cause any FTE or FTF (Fail To Feed) problems with ANY grain ammo?
Well, I guess I can still continue my project and we can share any upgrade advice/tips with each other.

The guide rod has not caused any FTE/FTF issues. I went with the 20# based on a recommendation that it would reduce recoil a bit and make it easier to shoot for my girls. Doesnt seem to be much different so now I consider the stock one a spare.
The take down lever is slightly wider so I can get my fingers on it a lot easier. It is an easy shooter right now and very smooth.

 

[Disabled1]

I just ordered a S&W M&P factory rear sight & set screw from Brownell's for my SD9VE. My wide take down bar should be here by no later than this Wednesday.

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-pa...od23206.aspx?avs|Price_1=15xzzx00+TO+29xzzx99

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/plate-Wesson-pistols-Galloway-Precision/dp/B00BIMNFYM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1460884237&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=sd9ve+take+down+bar"]Amazon.com : Wide body take down plate for Smith & Wesson SD-VE and Sigma VE pistols by Galloway Precision : Gun Stock Accessories : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31nfO15bpHL.@@AMEPARAM@@31nfO15bpHL[/ame]

 

[DougCanada]

i recommend dropping an Apex trigger spring as i find the stock 8LB trigger to be a bit heavy, drop in an apex trigger for a more rugged trigger(find the hinged stock trigger a little flimsy) and also a more positive/audible reset. Galloway 17lb spring/guide rod is a good bet as well, i'm unsure about the reliability but others on this forum have insured me that replacing the polymer guide rod with a stainless steel one wont affect reliability.

 

[Disabled1]

i recommend dropping an Apex trigger spring as i find the stock 8LB trigger to be a bit heavy, drop in an apex trigger for a more rugged trigger(find the hinged stock trigger a little flimsy) and also a more positive/audible reset. Galloway 17lb spring/guide rod is a good bet as well, i'm unsure about the reliability but others on this forum have insured me that replacing the polymer guide rod with a stainless steel one wont affect reliability.

I installed the Galloway Glock G19 20# SS guide rod. Since the install and well over 500-600 rounds of various grains, NO problems yet!