New S&W SD9 & SD40 VE

[David the Gnome]

What are you guy's thoughts on the newly released VE models of the SD?

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...4_750001_750051_757962_-1_757752_757751_image

Word got out a while back that S&W had stopped producing the SD-series. It seems they didn't really drop it so much as change it over in favor of this new model. The only negatives I can see is that it has a claimed 8lb trigger pull, versus the 6.5lb of the M&P series, and they ditched the front night-sight from the SD9/SD40-series in favor of a straight 3-dot non-night sight version. I definitely like the switch from the Melonite to straight stainless though. It looks a lot nicer to me than the original SD series did. And you definitely can't argue with the MSRP. All in all it looks like a decent gun. It also looks like they have officially removed the Sigma from their lineup with this model.

In any case, it looks like a really solid candidate for a car/truck/boat gun. If something happened to it you wouldn't be out a ton of money.

 

[10Ringmagic]

Is this the new "Sigma"?

 

[David the Gnome]

It looks like it is replacing both the regular SD-series and the Sigma. Both models are completely gone from the S&W website. It looks like it just goes SD9 VE - M&P now.

 

[Te Anau]

I've been expecting them to drop the Sigmas for years now.Maybe this is it.They look great and have a standard rail so thats good.Appears to have retained the Sigmas superior ergonomics.

 

[lee n. field]

What are you guy's thoughts on the newly released VE models of the SD?

Some of our thoughts when it first came out that the "SD is cancelled" still apply: unless this replaces the Sigma, there's not enough of a gap, pricewise, in the S&W line between the Sigma and the M&P to shoehorn a viable product. The price sensitive go with the Sigma, everyone else goes with the M&P..

If the Sigma's replaced, OK, fine. Think of this as the "gen 3 Sigma", rebranded.

This might be interesting, if I didn't already have a couple guns to fill that niche.

 

[Mrgunsngear]

Well, they're sold out already on grabagun.com ($308) so apparently the initial demand is there. If the trigger is the same as the SD's trigger it will probably be a good gun. Time will tell I suppose.

 

[David the Gnome]

From what I understand, MSRP on this is only $10 more than the Sigma it replaces. Seems to bypass that weird in-between zone that the original SD was in.

 

[carguychris]

I wonder if the new pistols take the previous SD-series magazine, the SW[x]VE magazine, or a new magazine. The S&W website doesn't currently make this clear.

If it's the first, this is Good News for current SD owners, since the prior SD9 and SD40 took proprietary mags that aren't offered by the aftermarket. If the new pistols take the same ones, aftermarket companies will probably pick them up and sell them for less than the $35-$45 S&W factory mags.

FWIW the floorplate on the new pistols looks similar to the prior SD's, which is a good sign.

 

[carguychris]

Sights?

Also, is it just me, or do those look like the same sights as an M&P FS?

This could be good news for those looking to take advantage of the M&P aftermarket. A common gripe about the Sigmas is the dearth of aftermarket night sights.