S&W SDVE 9MM

I got one a few years ago when there was a rebate. They advertise it as having an 8# self defense trigger. I am used to revolvers so I don't really notice

Buy a shot timer. Just add a little aderaline. You won't notice the pull.

I had a SW9VE I did a trigger job on based on a couple of YT videos that I gave to my son and replaced it with a SD9VE and I like the trigger on that gun just fine. I really don't see a big difference between the S&W trigger and my Gen3 Glock trigger except the reset was longer. And because I have shot revolvers double action for so long I guess the triggers aren't a big deal to me. In a stressful situation you really don't need a light trigger.

You say the trigger is 8lbs plus? is that just a guess or did you actually measure it? Have you shot the gun yet? If not I would shoot it first and then decide about doing any work to it. Its an internet "thing" to bash these triggers and guns. Most change their perceptions a little after they shoot them. And they really change their minds after they shoot a couple thousand rounds without a single failure of any kind. I have never had the slightest bobble in my guns.

My favorite video on these guns. If this doesn't change your mind then nothing will.

I had a 9mm and a 40 sw. They turned into a 45 1911.. I couldn't shoot them well. They turned me off on SW semi-autos for a while. I took a chance on a the SW 380 EZ. Im very happy with it. Terry i hope you get your 9mm working the way you want.

I bought one in .40 cal. years go and it was as accurate as expected and functioned perfect, but that trigger pull was too much for me. I sold it for what I payed and bought the pistol I always wanted, Springfield Loaded Target in .45apc and have never looked back.

Terry G said:

I got spoiled as all of my CZ's had very good triggers out of the box. I ordered the APEX kit so the deed is done. I didn't buy this gun for a self defense purpose.

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Lots of good feedback on the APEX trigger kits. A plus is that the guns are easy to work on. I am curious, if you didn't buy it for SD what did you buy it for? I thought an inexpensive, super reliable SD gun was their reason for being. And that Hickcock45 video makes it look perfect for that purpose.

Talking about your gun and watching that video I posted inspired me to order a couple more S&W factory mags from CDNN Sports. Just in case they pass some law limiting mag capacity I like the idea of having a few extra Hi-Cap mags rat holed away.

Terry G said:

It's a disease. My Wife's no help. I was weighing buying a Hellcat or a SIG 365 and she said "Oh, just buy both."

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Sounds like you have a great wife. And you have the best $300 gun you can buy. Mine is my truck gun and has been for close to a year now. Before that it was an SW9VE that was my truck gun for many years. I flat out trusted the gun to go off and function if I ever needed it to. Work on the trigger and test it again. Me personally I like the heavier trigger because I am not going to be nearly as prone to fire the gun by accident under stress. I like that since there is no safety and no magazine safety. A well thought out gun in my opinion.

I have a brand new Glock 17 Gen3 and doing a side by side comparison I am not sure the Glock is a $300 better gun. I'm glad I have it and its not for sale but S&W did a good copy of the gun. And did it for a fair price. The biggest difference from the Glock is the longer trigger reset. I can live with that.

I have one I put the above Apex trigger into, it works great!
Huge improvement.

My SD9VE with an Apex trigger is superior to my SW9VE with the same. They feel very different to me. The pistols are similar but not exactly the same. The SW9VR feels heavier and more robust with stronger springs and trigger.

Mine eats everything… accurate… has its place in my den .. loaded with 124gr HST

I've got an Apex kit in mine.

I'm torn about the Apex kit. No doubt it is well made and almost halves your trigger pull immediately. But $60 for trigger + springs pushes the SD9 away from the budget category and towards the price of a Glock, which already has a pretty similar trigger.

Mosin Bubba said:

I've got an Apex kit in mine.

I'm torn about the Apex kit. No doubt it is well made and almost halves your trigger pull immediately. But $60 for trigger + springs pushes the SD9 away from the budget category and towards the price of a Glock, which already has a pretty similar trigger.

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I gave $250 for my SD9VE in 2019. There was another one sitting there for $200 but it only came with 1 magazine. A decent holster and a couple boxes of ammo gets you towards the price of a Glock. Might as well have a nice trigger in your economy gun.

Terry G said:

Because I'm a terrible impulse buyer when it comes to firearms. It was at a Gun Show and I had no intention of buying anything. I was there selling a Glock 17 and was heading out the door when I spotted the S&W and bought it. More than a few have ended up in the safes that I had no intention of buying. It's a disease. My Wife's no help. I was weighing buying a Hellcat or a SIG 365 and she said "Oh, just buy both."

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You sound like me, and your wife sounds like mine. I was looking at a new Python not too long ago. She came up and asked if I was going to buy it. I told her I had two of them. She said "I don't have one. Buy it."

I've owned a couple of those S&W SD9's of various alphabet combinations. The only trouble I had at all with them was the first one malfunctioned with my reloads, which were my first atttempt at reloading 9mm, and I knew I had loaded them light. With factory ammo, and later more properly charged reloads, no problems at all. I didn't find the triggers awful with either but I'm another old revolver guy. I never did anything to them, but mostly because I'm lazy. I kept the guns around for a while in both cases, then sold them off to guys who were looking for an inexpensive handgun for security jobs they were taking. But I really liked those guns. I really wish I'd held onto the first one. That one had a black slide/frame and just really looked great.

I've been watching U-tube video's recently about them, and they've almost got me convinced to watch for another at my LGS, but darn, I've got a Glock 19, and a CZ-75 and a couple other 9mm's that I don't shoot enough to justify them as things are now. I know. I know...What's "need" got to do with it...right?

Let me go check the LGS's website. If I'm lucky, they won't have one.

Mr. Guns & Gear did a decent review on the SD9VE

I have a 40 sdve. I bought a Boudica trigger from Galloway Precision and it made a big difference. Make no mistake, it will never have a "match" trigger feel, but it was well worth it for me. The sdve line are actually pretty darn good pistols for the money.

I have an SD9VE and installed an MCARBO spring kit which dropped the trigger weight to about 4.5 pounds. I’ve been very pleased with the results.

I tried the Boudica trigger, but it wasn’t for me so I went back to the stock trigger. Even with swapping springs and what not, my SD9VE has run perfectly with all ammo I’ve fed it.

Terry G said:

I sold my Glock 17. I never did like it. My CZ 75b, which is comparable, is just twice the gun the G17 is. My opinion of course. With the Apex trigger installed I like S&W much better than the Glock. Before I get labeled a Glock hater, I really like the G21, I even bought a .22 kit for it.

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I've had 2 Glock 17's in the past and sold them. I never could shoot a Glock 17 as well as I shoot my Glock 19 and Glock 26 / 27.
I have love hate relationship with the Glock 21. I love that it will feed just about anything. I hate that the grips are too large for my hands and I don't shoot Glock 21's very well. I still have one in the safe but will eventually trade it off for something else.