Slightly dissapointed.. S&W sd9ve guide rod failure

[Analogkid]

I have a newish sd9ve I purchased in October new at a local gun store. I have ran about 700 or so rounds through it. All powdercoated 125gr TC over a 3.6gr load of Titegroup. I run this same round in every 9mm I own. I noticed it getting a little slouchy in the action during the trip. No FTF but I was surprised it didn't with how it was running.

I broke it down at the range and noticed the plastic guide rod had chipped the flange at the barrel end . The gun has been kept clean and lubed. I had my Gen3 glock 19 with us so I tore it down and checked its factory guide rod against the Sd9ve's guide rod. They looked close to the same save for a thicker flange at the barrel end. I swapped the complete Glock guide rod into it and it ran fine and was actually a little quicker to get back onto target. We ran about 85 rounds through it after that. Glock Spring seems to be a little heavier than the stock spring.

Disappointed a little bit I guess. I know it is a fairly inexpensive gun. But it is a little embarrassing when my buddy next to me is running the crap out of a $75 pawn shop special Hi-point c9 without a care in the world.

I guess I will just get a new Guide rod for my g19 and keep this one in the sd9ve unless you guys know a better alternative. I sure don't want to go back to a the S&W part with that super thin flange. The g19 rod is plastic as well but its got a ton of ammo ran with it.

No other complaints with the sd9ve other than that. I don't even mind the trigger all that much.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Call S&W they will make it right.

FWIW I too have ran a G19 guide rod in an SD9VE as well. Thought I was the only one to ever try it! I did it out of curiosity and had an extra guide rod and spring laying around from a G19 that had a lighter spring in it.

 

[DeadEye9]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Sounds like a defect or something though. Why not just let S&W fix it for free? They have lifetime warranties. The sD9VE isn't a bad gun. I have a ton of high end gear but still owned and enjoyed an SD9VE as well. I had an Apex trigger kit in mine and Hogue grip. I also ran a metal Glock guide rod. Factory plastic Gen 3 guide rods worked fine as well. I put over 5k rounds through mine and the only issues it had was with a few rounds of +P+ 124gr Buffalo Bore. The gun has a fairly loose chamber so the brass would expand so much it would stick in the chamber. Any other ammo I ever fed it functioned 100% though. Anyway, I wouldn't let this get you down as they are typically super reliable pistols, and will serve you great for the price. Also like I said S&W warranties them for life so if it does fail, contact them and they will take good care of you.
Oh and hey I have a couple extra like new factory 16rd mags for the SD sitting in my safe still, I'll send them to you really cheap if you want. They never went with the sale of the pistol and the rest of the mags.

 

[ny32182]

If it takes Glock guide rods I would just get a Glock non-captured steel rod to put in it; it will make changing the recoil spring far easier; will add a little weight to the front, it will be more durable, and they are pretty cheap as well. No reason not to if it fits right (I don't know if they are 100% interchangeable).

 

[Analogkid]

From what I read there maybe some potential damage if you use metal guide rods to he sd9ve frame. I don't know if it was a particular manufactures metal guide rod or what. I see them for sale for the gun but I do not want to take the chance on it without knowing for dang sure.

The Glock spring rod combo seems to be working rather well. And I'd wager to bet the pistol is easier to get back on target. The glock spring seems to be a few pounds heavier. I ordered and have received a factory glock guide rod and spring and have already installed it back into the 19. It was like $9 I did see some comments on the sw boards about S&W being stingy with parts so if it continues to run fine with the glock rod I'll keep it and send it in if something else happens to it. I don't foresee that through since most issues I see are guide rod related with it.

I ran a 100 more rounds through the sd9ve on Saturday and it ran just fine. It was a mix of steel cased garbage, brass 115 and my 125gr reloads.

No issues with any of them. I tried to hang it up. Even tried single handed firing and limp wristing it. Other than the bad factory guide rod it seems to a runner. Fun to run the plates with!

 

[DeadEye9]

Stock Gen 3 Glock 19 Guide rod will serve you well. I ran ~2500 rounds through mine with that spring setup without a single failure. I did go to a stainless rod after that and ran another 1000 or so rounds without an issue either, but didn't notice any difference in how it shot. I do know that from the factory both the 9mm and .40 version SDVE use the same spring and guide rod. This leads me to believe it's a pretty stout spring weight to begin with, but the Glock may be a bit heavier still. I've never looked it up.

 

[Jim K]

What works works, but are you sure the guide rod that was in the S&W was a factory part? Once folks start swapping parts around , it is hard to be sure what is factory and what is not.

Jim

 

[DeadEye9]

The original poster bought his used, so it may be aftermarket who knows. I know mine was stock because I bought mine brand new. When I was looking for a backup recoil spring I found the original was rated at 17# for both the 9mm and .40 SDVE. I had heard from a gunsmith friend that the Glock guide rod and spring works fine in the gun, so I had ordered one to try and it worked flawless.

 

[SeanSw]

Thanks for sharing, I'll keep an eye on my guide rod. I bought mine used so not sure of the round count. I didn't mind the trigger and installed an Apex kit anyway, though in retrospect I got better bang for the buck just by polishing the parts. There's no changing the dynamic of the trigger and lightening it a small amount made no real difference. I would like to reinstall a heavier trigger return spring as a matter of fact. It shoots really well for an inexpensive gun and I love how light and ergonomic it is. Most of my heavier 9mm pistols have more felt recoil and I can shoot this one more or less on par with my Hi Power, and better than my CZ (heresy, I know)

 

[Analogkid]

As a update if anyone is interested.

I have since put another 1000 rounds through this sd9ve with the glock 19 guide rod. Still runs great. I like the stock trigger....I am leaving it alone.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

I was doing the Apex trigger job on a SD9VE, when one of the plastic spring cups on the firing pin went flying into my carpet. I couldn't find it and figured I'd have to buy a replacement, so I broke down a Glock 17 to see if I could just order the Glock part. It was identical to my Smith's.

I managed to find that part a day or two later, so I didn't have to buy anything. But if parts that small are interchangeable between the Smith and the Glock, I figure pretty much anything is.

 

[Drail]

Building something like a guide rod out of plastic is so stupid it defies belief.

 

[SeanSw]

My sd9ve and CZ PCR both have plastic guide rods. No failures in either. I saw someone damage the guide rod on their sd9ve through improper installation once, cut up the barrel lug end real bad trying to force things together. Amateur mistake.

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

Parts break, period. Even new guns have failures. I bought a Kimber Ultra-Elite (predecessor to the the CDP, I think) for a little over a grand back in 1999 or 2000; within 300 rounds the extractor broke. Kimber replaced it and it's been 100% ever since.

I also have a S&W Sigma 40ve, and I can't tell you how many rounds I've fire through it, with absolutely zero problems (well, except when I used the 10-round Clinton-era magazines). On a long road trip, this is the pistol that always goes with me.

Sam

 

[Analogkid]

The Smith guide rod is garbage. I have already messed with a few others that you can actually see the deformation at the barrel leg end on both. There are plenty of fantastic plastic guide rods out there. The Factory part isn't one of them.