SW9VE & SD

[Telecaster]

This model just seems to soldier on, and on. Everyone seems to hate it, but they must be buying them or they wouldn't still be in production.

I've read the negatives, they don't seem much different than a lot of guns. Unloved trigger, mostly. Seems like a sleeper; an underdog. Not the latest flavor or the New Kid In Town (Eagles song) or with top mounted TV screens. Is it the equivalent of a moped? Fun, till your friends see you riding it? Or is it an "I wish I hadn't spent the money, now I can't get rid of it" kind of gun?

I'm a fan of simple and durable, so this might be fun as a "who cares?" gun to take to the range now and then.

 

[OKFC05]

Having actually owned at least two of the Sigma series pistols at any given time since 1995, and used them as rentals and loaners for IDPA matches and Oklahoma CC classes, I have found them to be sturdy and reliable in stock form. The well-used ones subsequently sold were notable for the smoothness.
The stock trigger in the SDs is notably better than the original SWs, although money spent on trigger "improvements" in either would be better invested in an M&P pistol, particularly if you like tinkering and making changes. The aftermarket goodies and more available and diverse.
IMHO, the most vocal complainers about the SDs are looking for an excuse for blaming the gun for poor shooting. One friend who blamed his poor IDPA scores on his "Cheap Sigma" shot no better scores when supplied with a "full house" APEX M&P 9. But then he just quit coming to IDPA, so maybe better to let complainers have their excuses.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

These are sturdy, serviceable combat accurate firearms that do the job with no extra's and a lower price because of the less expensive but serviceable internal materials. They may become the polymer equivalent of the Models 908 and 915 "economy models" which now are classic shooters. If maintained they will likely soldier on with the more expensive models. It is all in what you like. They were supplied in the tens of thousands to Afghan and Iraqi police who have no doubt since turned many of them over to hostile forces. There is a difference between hating something and simply preferring something else. I am glad that you like yours.

 

[growr]

I now carry my SW 40VE instead of my 9mm 3913....that 9mm is simply too powerfull.....and besides 4 is smaller than 9 right????

The SV is totally reliable with anything I put into it. Has never failed me and is very accurate.

Randy

 

[Guevera]

THe story of these S&W models is a lot like that of the Walther PPX, although Walther quickly killed the PPX off in favor of the PPQ.
This Walther is a perfectly serviceable pistol, accurate and dependable, but homely as a mud fence, that was sold pathetically cheap before it disappeared entirely. I can't imagine the SW9VE isn't headed to the same dark corner of pistol development as the PPX.

 

[Ruger Nut]

This model just seems to soldier on, and on. Everyone seems to hate it, but they must be buying them or they wouldn't still be in production.

I've read the negatives, they don't seem much different than a lot of guns. Unloved trigger, mostly. Seems like a sleeper; an underdog. Not the latest flavor or the New Kid In Town (Eagles song) or with top mounted TV screens. Is it the equivalent of a moped? Fun, till your friends see you riding it? Or is it an "I wish I hadn't spent the money, now I can't get rid of it" kind of gun?

I'm a fan of simple and durable, so this might be fun as a "who cares?" gun to take to the range now and then.

You're in the wrong forum. We have a forum for these fine firearms just above this forum.

 

[DMcBB]

THe story of these S&W models is a lot like that of the Walther PPX, although Walther quickly killed the PPX off in favor of the PPQ.
This Walther is a perfectly serviceable pistol, accurate and dependable, but homely as a mud fence, that was sold pathetically cheap before it disappeared entirely. I can't imagine the SW9VE isn't headed to the same dark corner of pistol development as the PPX.

It’s interesting that the PPX was replaced by the Creed, just like the Sigma was replaced by the SD models. I looked at the Walther website and even the Creed is gone now. Those marketing boys really tried to get those pistols to be hits (although Creed has got to be the worst name for a pistol), but they just couldn’t get them where they needed to be.

 

[Telecaster]

Clarification, I don’t own one. Can anyone compare/contrast the trigger with other more well-known guns? All I’ve read is it’s gritty and heavy, but DA revolver triggers are heavy as a safety feature. I wouldn’t mind that in a semiauto.

 

[Ameshawki]

Bought one a few months ago. Mostly to complete my Smith 9mm collection (39-2, 6946,5906, SW99, M&P, Shield and now SV9VE). Straight from the box the trigger was 8 lbs, but had none of the grittiness often associated with these. It was in fact quite smooth. An APEX spring kit took it down to six pounds and I'm perfectly happen with that.

I like the gun. The grip fits my smallish hands very well, almost like a 39. Sights are big enough to see. Gun has been reliable and decently accurate. I've carried it a few times, tho it's at the upper end of the size range for a carry gun, for me at least. Honestly I think it's the best bang for the buck in a Smith 9mm.

 

[galilman121]

I have to say I bought a SD40 VE a few years ago as it was dirt cheap, and just set it to one side. Recently a friend had been having trouble getting a HomeBrew Polymer80 kit build running, and as a PD Glock armorer I agreed to rip it apart to see what was going afoul. As I looked at his frame, my mind started doing the math calculating the money spent on populating the frame, and the SD40VE came out about $175 dollars ahead in cost. Other than the novelty of the Polymer80 lowers, I'd prefer to have a polymer lower made under stricter QA standards, bought second, third, fourth hand than his home-brew Glock like pistol......which I did get to function correctly after I had him remove more of the channel material.

 

[oldcop71]

I have the SW9VE, replaced the trigger spring with an apex to lighten the trigger some. Having been initially trained on double action revolvers, the SW9 is to me, a shooter at a cheap price.

 

[dsk]

Clarification, I don’t own one. Can anyone compare/contrast the trigger with other more well-known guns? All I’ve read is it’s gritty and heavy, but DA revolver triggers are heavy as a safety feature. I wouldn’t mind that in a semiauto.

I find it comparable to a Glock with the New York trigger spring. It's smooth and springy, but heavy. My SD9VE is currently serving as my home defense gun, partially because with that trigger I can be assured that I'm not going to accidentally fire the gun during a panicked, half-awake grab for it in the dark nor will I shoot an intruder before he forces me to.

But for a range or target gun... not so much. At my usual ten yard practice distance it's difficult to keep all the shots in a nice impressive cluster. With my M&P 2.0 Compact however it's easy to tear one big hole out of the target at that distance.