The SR9E only comes with one magazine whereas the SD9 VE comes with two. This should be considered when comparing prices. I would factor up the SR9E price by the cost of a mag.
IMHO the SR9E has a better trigger, albeit with a Glock-style "dingus;" dingus vs. hinged is a matter of personal preference.
The everlasting manual safety vs. no manual safety and mag-disconnect debates are not worth rehashing here.
The SR9E can be damaged by dry-firing with the mag out. This is a well-documented SR foible that really annoys some people but doesn't bother others.
The SR9E can be disassembled without pulling the trigger, and takedown pin removal is done with the slide locked back, making the process pretty goof-proof. The SD9 VE takes down exactly like a Glock, for better or worse; the trigger must be pulled on an empty chamber to drop the striker, and then the slide must be manually retracted "just so" while pulling down on the symmetrical takedown latches—it takes a little dexterity.
The SD9 VE takes M&P sights, which more-or-less guarantees an abundant aftermarket selection for the foreseeable future, although aftermarket support for the SR9E is pretty good too. (FWIW previous S&W Sigmas took proprietary sights and the factory front sight could not be removed non-destructively; however, this is no longer true with the current 3rd-gen SD series.)
jmr40 said:
I had a bad experience with one of the Smith Sigma's several years ago. I just can't trust the budget Smiths.
Two points:
- IMHO the well-documented extraction and ejection problems with the first-generation Sigma pistols (SW9F, SW9C, SW9M, SW9P, and SW9V) should not be counted against the subsequent 2nd-gen SW_E models and 3rd-gen SD models.
- That said, S&W quality control with the 2nd and 3rd-gen pistols seems to be hit-and-miss; anecdotal evidence suggests that most examples run like tops but a few are lemons. I've heard more of these anecdotes about the discontinued 2nd-gen models, but this may simply reflect these pistols having been around longer.