OK, so what do I mean by third time’s the charm? Simply this… S&W’s original “value” 9mm pistol was the Sigma.
Introduced in 1994 in an effort to compete with Glock, the SW9F had mixed reviews. The trigger was the culprit. It was not so great. You experienced a long and gritty trigger pull, with a pull weight that made it difficult to keep the front sight aligned with the target.
So, in 2012, they introduced an upgraded model, the SD9VE. (The SD-VE stood for Self Defense, Value Enhanced.) They made both of these pistols in .40, as well.
Even considering the cost-saving methods employed by S&W, this pistol was better than its predecessor. The trigger was lighter and less gritty. The sights were decent, and the gun handled pretty well. I owned two of them. They sold fairly well as competition to other compact, polymer-framed 9mm pistols in the Glock 19 size class. Its sights were passable, and it handled well. I remember dry-firing the gun 500 times to break in the trigger a bit; it worked. The trigger was notably smoother after the exercise.
With a 16-round magazine, SD owners were not under-gunned, and its stainless construction was not only handsome but also protective.
That gun was accurate and handled several different 9mm loads with ease. I recall that my only complaint (aside from the trigger) was that the grip was not sufficiently textured. My hand kept slipping when I shot it. I fixed the problem with a soldering iron, stippling it. That caused it to stay planted in my hands.
Even with a better trigger than the Sigma had, the cottage industry that sprang up building replacement triggers thrived. My guns were both reasonably accurate and soft-shooting. SD9/40VE sales were decent.
Fast-forward to December 2023. S&W decided to upgrade the SD pistols by introducing the current version, the SD9 2.0. I’ve learned to pay attention when S&W calls something “2.0.” I own a Bodyguard 2.0 .380, which is a major improvement over the original Bodyguard. I just reviewed a new model of that pistol made by the Performance Center that includes a slotted barrel and slide as a muzzle compensator. It works. Slotting the barrel and slide is a cost-effective way to cut felt recoil and muzzle rise without having to screw a separate compensator on a threaded barrel. Those work, too, but add length and weight to a pistol. I would imagine they are the costlier of the two solutions.
Anyway, back to the subject at hand… This “2.0” means something. This gun is light-years ahead of previous models in terms of construction, grip texturing, and trigger.
Let’s look at its specifications.
- Width: 1.29 In
- Length: 7.2 In
- Height: 5.5 In
- Weight: 22.7 Oz
- Caliber: 9mm
- Size: Compact
- Capacity: 16
- Action: Striker Fired
- Barrel Length: 4 inches
- Grip: Polymer
- Sights: White Dot
- Optic Ready: No
- Safety: None
- Color/Finish: Gray/Black
- State Compliance: DE
- Threaded Barrel: No
- Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
- Frame: Polymer
- Laser: No
- Number Of Magazines: 1
This gun has a full MSRP of only $349… I imagine that’s why you only get one magazine with it. At least it’s 16 rounds. Compatible mags are $42 on the S&W site.
Photos
Let’s take a look at some pics I took. The gun is very photogenic!
The grip and flat-faced trigger. There was some take-up, but not a lot of creep, and it broke right at 5.5 pounds.
Close-up of the grip. Texturing is spot on, something that couldn’t be claimed for its predecessors…
Need to hang a light? Go ahead. Also note the textured pads over the trigger guard. You can rest your trigger or support fingers there when not otherwise engaged.
Note the slight swell at the muzzle. That’s one thing that helps to lock the barrel into battery.
Very clean machining.
Slide engraving. Note the “Maryville, TN” marking.
Cleaning The SD9 2.0
The gun comes apart like a Glock, takedown lever and all. There is no tricky part to it. Just make sure the gun is empty before you start. Been there, done that with a (loaded) “unloaded” gun. No joy! It does require a trigger pull to release the striker before the slide will come off.
Range Time
My shooting skills are gradually coming back after three stents were installed in my plumbing, so these targets will be nothing to write home about. My experience with the two SD9VEs I owned was that they were more accurate than I could take advantage of, and that’s likely the case with this one as well.
Anyway, I shot three 115-grain, FMJ loads at 20 yards in my backyard range. Here are some sample targets.
Federal Brass was the worst of the three.
Fiocchi Range Dynamics
PMC
None of the three were terrible, but I would like to experiment with several more brands and bullet weights to find the one that this gun shoots the best. For a self-defense pistol, it will work.
Summing Up
If you are in the market for an inexpensive 9mm higher-capacity handgun, the SD9 2.0 is worth a look. To be able to buy a S&W for only $349 (lower, of course, in shops and online – I’ve seen it for $299) is saying something.
The gun is the third generation of “value” pistols by S&W, and as such, is worthy of a look. A good friend who regularly carries a Walther commented that of all the budget-friendly 9mm pistols, this one was the best. He’s had experience with many of them and should know.
I tend to agree. I’ve seen a whole lot of lesser-expensive 9mms throughout my writing career, and think that this gun is one of the best of the bunch. Is it perfect? No, but it checks enough of the right boxes to be worth a look. For three hundred bucks, you could do worse.
Where To Buy
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