Customer Reviews for Smith & Wesson SD9 VE CO/MD Compliant 9mm Pistol

Being a first time pistol owner , I was extremely intimidated. I went through the process of constantly dry fire practice learning my weapon & handling it with great safety & proper use , which I will continue. Taking my first trip to the range under experienced guidance I became comfortable & confident to this point , I realized how great the S&W SD9 operated , going forward.

good pistol at a good price. Trigger is a bit heavy, but not too big of a deal.

First time Buds Gun Shop purchase for me and went smooth. Item delivered timely and Buds even helped me get my S&W rebate! Have already bought from Buds again. J.G

The SD9VE is an inexpensive striker-fired pistol similar to Glock except with a chrome slide. Average sights. Long trigger pull and reset. I would not buy again.

Smith and Wesson is always reliable but also ordering from budsgunshop was very easy and simple. Having a California compliant section makes it a lot easier to shop and I plan on using this site again in the future.

This pistol is great. You get what you paid for. I shot over 500 rounds and no issue.

Received very fast and it was exactly what I wanted!!!

I live in California thus need to ship to a local FFL dealer to transfer to pay an additional $97 (including background check, transfer fees and state tax) to get it in hand. Amazingly, this one has a really good finish and 2 chrome magazines. It's a budget one, but shall say very close to normal. I have lubricated it and would put some hundred rounds in shotting range before further comments.

Yep. The other reviews you’ve read are all pretty much in line with my experience. The sd9ve is a solid, solid bet. It compares nicely to the S&W M&P 2.0, but I think the sd9ve is a little smoother. For reasons unrelated to this review, I own the CA compliant version. It has an 8lb. trigger. I read a lot of griping about the trigger in relation to both this and the non-CA-compliant version. The complaints are nonsense when it comes to shooters operating a firearm in this quality tier. It’s priced right - and that will attract new shooters as well as those looking for a kind of all-purpose, reliable 9mm. It’s definitely that. Sure, expert marksmen will have all kinds of particular feelings about triggers and every other aspect of a gun. Folks shelling out $300 for an American made fire arm need to be less particular. I’ve fired a few hundred rounds of 115 and 124 grain. The l trigger pulls and the gun fires like putting butter on bread. It’s like drinking a glass of water. If you are looking for a great first pistol to learn with, the sd9ve is the way to go. I wanted to buy American, and I wanted reliability. S&W checks both boxes. Other reviewers report lower prices - but Bud’s included “free shipping,” so factor that into your metrics. The customer service at Bud’s is great also. Among the other advantages of the sd9ve as a beginner pistol is that 9mm ammo is about as cheap as it gets. This particular model has a pretty simple field stripping process as well, which is also good for beginners. You may not realize it yet, but learning to clean a gun is a whole other ball of wax - and you’ll need to learn to do so. The simplicity of the sd9ve in this regard is another advantage.
My experience on the range has been great. I enjoy shooting the gun. It’s got a great weight to it. You won’t regret the purchase.
Not the S&W lifetime warranty in light of the warranty Bud’s also wants to sell you. Compare and then decide.
The CA compliant version also has a safety feature indicating when there is a round chambered. I appreciate this function; it is a good guide rail to have when you are learning to handle a gun.

Being a budget gun, this was definitely worth the money. Trigger was terrible, so I replaced it with an Apex kit, sear spring, upgraded the striker and polished the rest of the internals. Put over 2500 rounds through it with no FTF or eject at all. Even using cheap ammo mixed from 115-147 grain. If you are looking for something that will go bang, every single time, this thing fits the bill. Just wasn't the gun for me, I always go back to my glove 19. The sd also fit in all my 19 holsters, iwb and owb. If your looking for a reliable gun that saves you $150 from a glock, this gun is good enough. Even after the upgrades, still didn't point and feel like my 19, but thats just my opinion. Sold it to a buddy and he still shoots the hell out of it with no issues.

Awsome fire arm. I love it and shoots great it's easy to maintain and clean. So far i have fired around 1300 rounds and never fails it always shoots i have never had a failure i have put literaly all kinds of ammo through it. I had this baby shipped to primo tactical in walmut creek. So if you're in the Bay make sure to check them out they have the best customer service the best prices lots of knowledge on fire arms that they love sharing with us gun enthusiastics. Oh and free refreshments! ������

Team Buds was awesome as usual. I have currently 300 rounds through the firearm with no malfunctions. The gun has been flawless and is a sweet shooter. The trigger takes some getting used to. For me, it is just a long pull. Not heavy or gritty, just long. I'm already getting used to it and really enjoying the gun. I am a new shooter and don't really have anything to compare it to. Did a lot of research and found the trigger was the main gripe. It doesn't bother me at all. For the price, you really can't beat it. It's easy to upgrade if need be, but I'll be leaving mine stock. It works and is 100% reliable. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Very satisfied. Great job S&W and thank you Buds!

My experience was awesome with buds gun shop as well with the smith and Wesson sd9ve. Finally got it out to the shooting range and had a blast. I am looking forward to making more purchases using there wonderful layaway program. Thanks buds.

If ever there were a handgun totally under rated in its time, it is the S&W SD9VE! Perhaps it's because it is perceived as a "wannabe" Glock, and regardless of whether it's as good or better in areas is overshadowed by the sheer comparison. Perhaps it's because even S&W hasn't really promoted this model as it quickly moved on to the M&P line which has excellent stand alone appeal. In any case, the lack of popularity is your gain. The price on this pistol is just over $300...for a thoroughly modern, polymer-frame, striker-fired 9mm that is basically a Glock by another name...albeit two-hundred dollars cheaper! Ergonomically it is "better" with a much better fit to the hand, better trigger reach, and natural pointing angle. The controls are basically Glock...same slide release lever design, zero external safety, yet a nicely sculpted, stainless slide that removes the blockiness associated with the Glock slide. Surprisingly, there is a bit of an aftermarket for this pistol, though nothing like that for Glock. So, enough with the comparisons, this gun stands on its own merits. The SD8VE is made by Smith & Wesson...a company known for building top-quality firearms, and this can be seen and felt. On range-day "one" the gun digested 200 rounds of generic ball ammo, and another 50 or so "remanufactured" ammo, without ever missing a beat...and isn't that really the essence of a good handgun? I would recommend this as a "buy" even if it were priced comparably to the Glock, but at 3/5ths the price it's a walk-away steal for someone interested in maybe adding a few, high quality 9mm handguns to their collection.

this is a great gun, shoots everything ive put through it , new & reloads ,, never a ftf or fte ,, totaly reliable,,,

Great gun as described in the description cant be no happier.

I was a gun buying Hamlet about this gun, to buy or not to buy. So I did and while it was in the 10 day waiting period, I had a gunsmith put in the Apex spring kit. You don't have yank on the trigger. The trigger weight is around 5 pounds but a long range of travel. I really like it. I shot a box of Blazer 9 mm and it shot well. I have bought more than a dozen guns from Bud's, sold them 4 guns. You should buy this gun if you live in California, while you can. Buy this gun from Bud's.

Finally got around to head to the range to break in the Smith & Wesson and I was pleasantly surprised on how it shot. I shot 3 of the cheapest ammo found at Wal Mart and it ate through it with no problems what so ever. I'm not a fan of the trigger at all but I'm also not expecting a Glock trigger for $200 less than a Glock. If you want something that will shoot when you pull the trigger this gun is for you. The rail on the bottom is a nice addition to add a light to for home security as well.

Finally broke it in.. Not only does it look great it also fires great. Aim is dead on at 15yds (indoor range). I don't know what the big fuss is with the trigger but it didn't seem heavy to me. And it is a 'S'elf 'D'efense weapon so it should be. The price was right for a California approved handgun. I threw away money, though, by purchasing Buds warranty when S&W already offers a lifetime warranty.

I have to say that I am EXTREMELY happy with this weapon. I have only shot 10 rounds of Federal Premium 115 grain thru it but am very impressed with the SD9VE so far. Small enough for Concealed Carry but large enough to be accurate. Fires as it should and feels great in my hand. Would definetly purchase another Smith and Wesson product. Great weapon, Great Value, Great company! This was my first purchase from BUDS and it was flawless. They kept me up to date on EVERY SINGLE MOVE the weapon made during the transfer via email. I will highly recommend BUDS to all of my Soldiers, Family, and Friends. MSG Wapniarski, K ~ Engineer, US Army

I picked this handgun based on a friend's personal recommendation and I couldn't be happier. I fired 50rds today and not one jam or misfeed. As a former Infantry guy, I must say that reliability, accuracy, practicality and ease of use is a must for a handgun. Do not be fooled by the inexpensive pricing of Smith and Wesson, you will not be let down for what you get out of the box.