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Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 9mm: Full Review

Smith & Wesson have kept the budget-minded shooter in mind with their new SD9 2.0. Here's a full review.

Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 9mm: Full Review
(Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

Smith & Wesson’s M&P “Military & Police” pistols are engineered to be tough enough for law enforcement use. The full list of features resulted in a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) that currently starts at $639 for M2.0 models in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45. Meant as an entry-­level alternative, the SD series starts at $399 and is available in 9mm or .40 S&W.

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The Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0 is a two-tone, polymer-frame, striker-fire compact pistol. With an MSRP of $349, it’s also the brand’s most affordable firearm. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The SD was an evolution of S&W’s Sigma, which was produced from 1994 to 2012. The striker-fired Sigma was the company’s first pistol featuring a polymer frame. In 2010, the SD was introduced. For 2024, the series has been updated with 2.0 enhancements. 

The previous generation of the SD was offered in 9mm and .40 S&W, but the 2.0 is only available in 9mm. With sales of new .40 S&W pistols in severe decline, it’s doubtful whether there will ever be an SD40 2.0. Meanwhile, the SDVE in 9mm and .40, and the SD40 are still available with a starting MSRP of $399, $50 more than the new SD9 2.0.

Like the generations before it, the SD9 2.0 is a polymer-­framed, striker-­fired pistol. The 2.0 maintains a stainless-­steel slide. For 2024, there are two versions. The only difference between them is magazine capacity: 16-­rounds or 10-­rounds for restricted jurisdictions.

The SD 2.0 is similar to the SD9. Holding them side by side, we noticed that the 2.0 has a different trigger design. The older trigger was a curved style resembling the standard unit from the M&P series, which hinges in the middle. The trigger on the SD 2.0 is a trendy, flat-face design similar to whats on the Performance Center pistols, but with a safety lever.

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The SD9 2.0 features contemporary styling with useful slide angles for holstering the pistol, and grooved front and rear serrations to confidently manipulate the corrosion-resistant slide assembly. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The slide serrations on the SD 2.0 are different, deeper and more aggressive than on the previous generation, and the slide exterior has been updated and is smoother. 

More Than Appearances 

Smith & Wesson categorizes the SD9 2.0 as “Compact,” but it’s one of the largest compact pistols you’ll likely find. It’s the same height and only half-an-inch shorter than the Glock 17, which is considered to be a full-­size pistol. Overall, it is 7.2-inches long, 51/2-inches tall, 1.29-inches wide, and weighs 22.7 ounces with an empty magazine inserted. The SD9 2.0 is not akin to a pocket gun, so you’ll need a holster to carry it.

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The Self Defense Trigger is a new design with a flat-face profile. With a smoother take-up than previous generation SD triggers, it features an audible reset and was tested to have a 71/2-pound triggerpull. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The SD9 2.0 has a 4-­inch, stainless-steel barrel with a slight bell at the muzzle, creating a decently tight lockup with the slide. All M&P pistols have stainless-steel slides and barrels, but they get a black Melonite finish, which adds to the cost. The two-­tone look of the SD models help them stand out, but between the stainless slide and barrel, and polymer frame, these pistols resist corrosion well.

A new addition to the SD 2.0 is the serrations between the front and rear sights on the flat-­topped slide. Ostensibly, they’re supposed to “cut glare,” but mostly they function to add style. (They’re a nice detail.)

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The polymer grip features molded checkering on the front- and backstrap, while M2.0-style rough-texture areas are on the sides of the grip and in a scallop above the front of the triggerguard. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The sights on the SD are similar to the basic three-dot sights installed on the M&P pistols. Both front and rear are dovetailed into place. The front sight is made of steel, but the rear sight is polymer, perhaps a cost-­saving measure. There is no option for mounting an optic to the slide.

The SD9 2.0 has clean lines. Guns & Ammo’s staff agreed that the angled serrations look great. The “SMITH & WESSON” mark on the right side of the slide and the “SD9 2.0” on the left are small and laser engraved. Other than the serial number marked onto a steel plate under the frame rail, the only other mark on this pistol is the warning at the top-right of the frame noting that it is capable of being fired with the magazine removed. Smith & Wesson has sold a lot of pistols to police departments, and some departments of the post-revolver era wanted pistols equipped with magazine-disconnect safeties. That trend was reversed by the late-2000s.

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Sights are a white three-dot post-notch configuration. Between them is a flat, serrated topstrap, improving aesthetics versus without. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

 There is a small notch at the rear of the barrel hood to allow inspection for a round in the chamber. Between the “loaded chamber indicator” and the 10-­round capacity, a version of this pistol should be legal for sale in just about every U.S. state, and these are being manufactured in Smith & Wesson’s Maryville, Tennessee, factory.

Recommended


The polymer frame is simple. It does not offer interchangeable backstraps as featured on M&P M2.0 models, but the SD9 2.0 was sized to fit most hands. The SD has more of a grip angle than the standard 18 degrees on the M&P; it’s closer to the 22-degree angle of a Glock. There is raised checkering on the front and back of the grip frame, and rough texturing on the sides that is finer but nearly as aggressive as the checkering. There are also dished, textured spots on both sides of the frame above the front of the triggerguard. These are meant to be a tactile index point for the support-hand thumb and an idle trigger finger.

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A loaded chamber indicator is located at the rear of the barrel hood, revealing the cartridge case if the chamber is loaded. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The two-­slot accessory rail on the frame measures 2 inches, which accommodates compact lights including the popular Streamlight TLR-­7  and Nightstick TCM-10. The bezel of full-­size lights stick out beyond the muzzle though.

Smith & Wesson’s M&P pistols sport reversible or bilateral controls to accommodate left-­handed shooters. The SD has single-­sided controls. The slide stop is an extended steel lever on the left side. While flat to the frame, it’s long enough that using it as a slide release with the thumb doesn’t require much effort. Similarly, the magazine release is a small, checkered button. 

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The rail will accept lights and lasers available for existing SD9 pistols. Lights and lasers will cover the serial number. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

Magazines feature stainless-steel bodies with numbered index holes on both sides. Markings on G&A’s sample were shallow, only visible in bright light. The SD pistols ship with only one magazine, certainly another cost-­saving measure.

The triggerpull on G&A’s SD 2.0 was noticeably different and inferior to the M&P models. The SD 2.0 trigger exhibited a lot of takeup with some “crunch” before each shot The total measured triggerpull measured 71/2 pounds.

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Controls are simple and given a serrated-pattern texture. Unlike the M&P M2.0 series, the SD 2.0 controls are located left-side only. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

Disassembly of the SD 2.0 is different than the M&P. To remove the slide assembly is identical to that of a Glock, so it is familiar to many. After removing the magazine and ensuring the pistol is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction, then pull the trigger. Pull the slide rearward a quarter inch and pinch-and-pull down the takedown catch on both sides of the frame. With that down, the slide will come off the front of the gun.

The SD9 2.0 uses a single flat-wire recoil spring around a polymer guiderod. Internally, the pistol is about as simple as it gets, an advantage of striker-­fired guns. That simplicity is one reason the SD9 2.0 is so light for its size. It weighs roughly 5 ounces less than a similar-­size M&P 2.0.

While simple, the SD9 2.0 works and points well. The flat top of the slide seemed to aid aiming. Though the sights are basic, they are functional.

At the Range

The SD9 2.0 was tested using a variety of hollowpoints and a high volume of full-metal-jacket (FMJ) ammunition. Worth noting, the problem with a pistol supplied with only one magazine is that if you experience a problem while shooting, there’s no way to know if it’s the gun or the magazine until you acquire a second magazine. Spares retail for $42. During testing, G&A’s staff reported only one issue using the Federal Gold Medal Action Pistol load having a 147-­grain bullet. Activating the slide-release lever on a full magazine caused the flat nose of the bullet hit the barrel’s feed ramp, preventing the slide from going into battery. “Slingshotting” the slide by hand chambered the round without an issue. Otherwise, there were no malfunctions while testing the SD9 2.0 with other loads including defensive ammunition. It proved reliable with all hollowpoints — and quite controllable. 

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The SD9 2.0 is available with 16-round magazines or 10-round mags for users in restricted locations. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

While not heavy, the size of the SD9 2.0 was comfortable to shoot. The undesirable triggerpull wasn’t as noticeable at the range as it was when being dryfired, but it did make accuracy testing a challenge on the bench.

Worth It?

The price difference between the SD 2.0 and the M&P is not inconsequential. The similar-size M&P Compact has an MSRP of $598. The SD9 2.0 retails for $249 less. It will likely be sold across the guncounter at or below $300. Some, including many first-­time buyers, choose a pistol based on price. (That’s not typically advisable.) The fact that Smith & Wesson is offering a dependable option priced low enough to attract our attention is a good thing.

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Disassembling the SD9 2.0 is similar to striker-fire Glock models and clone pistols. The muzzle of the barrel and front of the slide demonstrated a tight lockup. (Photo by Michael Anschuetz)

The SD9 2.0 is an affordable, reliable gun supported by a well-­respected manufacturer. Whether it’s a person’s first handgun or an experienced gun owner’s impulse buy, any of our staff’s criticisms seem acceptable given the price. The SD9 2.0 is intended to give shooters “everything you need and nothing you don’t,” as the saying goes. It’s a good size, offers capacity, features, and reliability. It’s more than capable of defending your home or person. 

Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0

  • Type: Recoil operated, striker ­fired, semi­automatic
  • Cartridge: .9mm
  • Capacity: 10+1 rds. or 16+1 rds.
  • Barrel: 4 in., stainless steel
  • Overall Length: 7.2 in.
  • Width: 1.29 in.
  • Height: 5.5 in.
  • Weight: 1 lb., 6.7 oz.
  • Mterials: Polymer (frame); stainless steel (slide)
  • Safety: Firing pin safety, trigger safety lever
  • Sights: 3-­dot; post, steel (front), notch, polymer (rear)
  • Trigger: 7 lbs., 8 oz. (tested)
  • MSRP: $349
  • Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson, 800-331-0852, smith-­wesson.com
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