Smith & Wesson SD40VE....are they worth a damn?

[ABNAK]

Title says it all. Is it worth it to buy one? Obviously about $100+ less than a comparable Glock 23, just wondering if these were POS or actually decent for the price.

[.45fan]

Find a police trade M&P for a similar price. The last couple years with cops dropping that caliber the M&P's were dirt cheap.

Those "value line" guns are garbage. Think Hi Point as a comparison.
It might go bang most of the time but the rounds might also go around corners and there is no after market support for them.

[ABNAK]

Find a police trade M&P for a similar price. The last couple years with cops dropping that caliber the M&P's were dirt cheap.

Those "value line" guns are garbage. Think Hi Point as a comparison.
It might go bang most of the time but the rounds might also go around corners and there is no after market support for them.

They're that bad?

[anachronism]

They're that bad?

It's not a "professional" grade firearm. In it's previous life it was called "Sigma", and was known to be problematic with functioning and accuracy issues. I had one of the very first Sigmas in .40, and although mine functioned "okay", accuracy was abysmal. S&W lost their asses on that gun design and ended up losing Glocks lawsuit for patent infringement. S&W ended up renaming the gun twice I believe, as has been just about every product with the word "value". In addition to the rename, and some cosmetic changes S&W ended up having to drop pricing to "saturday night special" levels just to get rid of them, I remember seeing them in gun stores new for perhaps $225.00 or so. I was so pissed at my POS Sigma that it was almost twenty years before I purchased another S&W semi-auto. The M&P is/was a great improvement.

[Alpha-17]

We've had a few come through work. Honestly, they really do seem only a slight improvement from a Hi-Point. Seriously, Glock has better ergonomics, and I HATE how Glocks feel. I can't comment on how reliable they are, but the cheap plastic and poor balance don't inspire confidence.

[everready73]

AIM Surplus has the M&P 40 LEO trade in for $279.99. Much better gun for the money

https://aimsurplus.com/products/leo-...o-thumb-safety

[Bret]

I have a SW9VE and a SW40VE. The SW series is the predecessor to the SD series. The problems with the original Sigma series turned so many people off that S&W could hardly give away the SW and later SD series pistols. Never having owned a Sigma, I was willing to give an SW40VE at try because the price was certainly right. It's been 100% reliable and is a good pistol (especially for the money) save for the heavy trigger pull. It's like shooting a revolver. I like the ergonomics and the sights. I liked it so much that I purchased a SW9VE. My experience with it is the same. I could only be happier if the trigger wasn't so heavy. I'd purchase an SD series pistol which in theory should be an improvement over the SW series, but the differences are too minor to justify it. M&P's are better pistols, but not better for the money pistols. Let your budget and your willingness to have a heavy trigger pull be your guide.

[kerplode]

Those "value line" guns are garbage. Think Hi Point as a comparison.
It might go bang most of the time but the rounds might also go around corners and there is no after market support for them.

Let's get real here...It's not the pinnacle of modern duty handguns, but it's a hell of a long way away from a Hi Point. Like miles better.

[5.56Geo]

They cant be that bad, just saying. Smith & Wesson Received $15 Million Order for SW9VE Pistols from US Army for Afghanistan National Police. In 2005, Smith & Wesson shipped a total of 22,500 pistols for use by the Afghanistan National Army and the Afghanistan Border Patrol. At total of 22,500 pistols for $15,000,000, that's $666 per gun, great, a devil gun! I know that not exactly the SD40VE that the OP is inquiring about, but a close relative.

[.45fan]

They're that bad?

Yes

My uncle owned one and it was junk. I've seen several at the range that malfunctioned and or shot around corners so to speak.

Most people that own them "claim" they are great, because who wants to admit they bought a turd?