If you go to any gun counter salesman worth their salt and mention the Smith & Wesson Sigma Series to them, a soured expression will appear on their face. The SW9 was Smith’s earliest effort to make a striker-fired polymer gun that competed with Glock. Well, it competed, maybe too closely. Glock sued Smith and essentially won with an agreement made outside of the courtroom. Regardless, the SW9 possessed a hellaciously long and heavy trigger that rivals any that claim to be the worst trigger. The ergonomics were meh. Stippling and aggressive texturing were not standard features back when Schindler’s List won Best Movie. However, the market was limited especially during the Dark Ages of the Assault Weapon ban. Eventually, the ban was lifted and gun culture in the U.S. exploded. Eventually, the SW series was replaced with the SD series.

The SD9 (and 40) series was popular. They were budget-friendly pistols that were marketed for beginners. Yes, they were basic, especially by today’s standards, but they were reliable and easily attainable. The trigger was better, but not great. The SD9 used a hinged mechanism for its safety, which I hated. For me, it continually pinched the skin on my trigger finger. Otherwise, it was fine. You got what you paid for. At the closing of 2023, after a thirteen-year run, the SD received an extensive facelift.

SD9 2.0

To understand what Smith is trying to do, let’s take a direct line from their marketing material: “Built from consumer feedback on what was missing, but keeping true to what made the SD so popular, this package is perfect for those who are looking for an affordable option from the most trusted brand in firearms.” That’s a bold statement in today’s age where every move a manufacturer makes is critiqued. So, does it live up to that? Let’s go into a bit of a deep dive into the nuts and bolts of the handgun.

First off, the trigger has again been upgraded. This time it is strikingly familiar to the M&P family. It is flat-faced and uses a center trigger safety that must be fully engaged before the striker is released. I maintained a great disdain for the previous hinge design—thankfully I no longer must feel such hatred. S&W claims the trigger gives better feedback when shooting. If it’s a carbon copy of the ones on their M&P line, then that will hold.

Outside of the trigger, the body of the gun received a tune-up. Additional slide serrations were added to aid in better traction during slide manipulation. The underneath rail was standardized to fit a wider range of accessories, mainly lights and lasers. The grip angle is still at 18 degrees, just like the 1911. There is grip texturing, which is always a positive, however, it might not be aggressive enough for some. The gun uses basic white dot sights and the pistol ships with a single 16-round mag (I wish it was two, but Smith wanted to keep costs down).

Closing Thoughts

On paper, the SD9 2.0 seems like a legitimate budget pistol that’ll be in direct competition with the Taurus G series. It checks off most boxes for beginners. Better yet, it’s made right here in the United States by one of the more reputable firearm manufacturers. That means the pistol is backed by Smith’s Lifetime Service Policy. But the best part—Smith lists the MSRP of the SD9 2.0 at $349.00. Better yet, the street price will be $299.00. That’s an excellent value in today’s world. The SD9 2.0 will be hitting dealer shelves shortly.