How To Reassemble The SDVE Frame

[@chuckhollins9891]

I know this is an old video I just wanted to thank Scott and Apex for this video , I followed instructions exactly as shown and had the install finished in no time and luckily I didn't have to do any filing or any adjustments , dropped right in and functions properly

[@saltyd2137]

I was going to change the slide lock release lever. My big dogs came in and I jumped and so did the spring. I could not see where it went back in. Thanks to your video at 4:12 I could see where it went. Great job!!

[@thatdudepaydro3445]

Just did the trigger and spring kit and lemme tell yall these videos made it a lot easier I was intimidated at first but i went in balls deep and got it done feels amazing

[@apextactical]

Glad they helped you through the install process.

[@debl9957]

Many, many thanks for this video!!! I use my S&W SD40 VE coup!e of times each month at an outdoor range. The slide lock lever broke last weekend. I ordered the part online but the fix wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! When I took out the pin and lever, the spring popped out, so of course I got in over my head by taking apart more pieces. Then I jumped online and looked at about ten vids before I came across this one. Totally helped me! Took me about half an hour to get all of the pieces lined up for the pin insertion, but got the job done. 👍

[@apextactical]

Glad we could help.

[@MegaChuck51]

This trigger/ spring kit was a piece of cake to install! Thanks!!

[@russellcoxwell1981]

I absolutely love this video I've already figured out 2 of them just by knowing a little about guns I did a trigger upgrade I'm happy to see even real gun smiths think it's a hassle to get the slide lock lined up

[@apextactical]

Glad you like the video. We appreciate the feedback.

[@DayBowBow]

thanks for the video, helped alot. this was my first gun, and my first time tinkering with a gun, it was alot easier than i though. the only tricky parts were lining up those tiny springs.

[@budburr66]

Amazing photography!

[@Project_B_Official]

I accidentally drove the sear pin out from left to right during removal, but it got stuck halfway near the magazine disconnect. I then realized that the left side of the pin is splined. I pushed it back the other way, and it came out fine. Could the frame be damaged, or is it just the sear housing? If it’s the sear housing, I can still order that part brand new.

[@leviburklund7630]

I got the flat trigger and im having trouble trying to find where to attach the trigger to the trigger bar. Do i slide the bar inside the trigger or do i atach it to the plastic peg thats on the trigger?

[@brentfoto]

Recommending a gunsmith to perform the reassembly is well warranted at least in my case. I tried literally for hours to get that darn slide stop in place and aligned with the trigger pin and I was unable to do so. Maddening. Since I also have the enhanced trigger I might as well have the gunsmith do that because it may require filing etcetera for overtravel and I just can't deal with it anymore with respect to that slide stop / release. At least I was able to install the Springs contained in the SD spring kit and also was able to remove the magazine disconnect, which consisted of four parts. So that at least was good. I think your videos are very informative but they are for people more inclined mechanically than I. This is the last time I will ever attempt a detail strip and reassembly for anything other than, perhaps, a Glock. Thanks!

[@Deschuttes]

Trigger return spring was likely caught on the pin if it just abruptly stopped and wouldn't go through even though the opening looked clear. Either that or the slide lock was inserted such that the colored spring was in front of it instead of directly over it (meaning, the spring was in the way of the pin)

[@adviceman5211]

Wonderful, clear & concise videos, guys !! I have a couple questions regarding the SDVE series of pistols. 1) Will the replacement striker block for the M&P work in the SD ? 2) Your competitors at Galloway Precision state that my SD is "shot out" due to the amount of rounds I've fired through the pistol (apx. 6,300 rounds) and should be "deadlined" !!! Is this true ?? I like my pistol and it still shoots accurately !!!! 3) Have you ever contemplated manufacturing a smaller replacement slide lock lever ?? The stock unit is somewhat over-sized !!! 4) How would I obtain a schematic/ parts list for the SDVE ?? S&W seems reluctant to furnish/ publish one !! BTW, welcome to AZ, specifically Peoria, a town we lovingly refer to as a "pizza oven", LOL !!!!!

[@paddymack3224]

adviceman52 I’ve heard this 5000 rounds and it’s dead theory also. I’m at 3500 and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. I would say that as you get more rounds thru it, inspection during cleaning should increase for sure.

[@shadowwolf7622]

@@paddymack3224 I've heard the 5000 round and it's dead too story. I'm not sure about it. But I know my guide rod looks like hell after 50 rounds. Smith told me that is normal wear and not to worry about it. The tech I talked to told me he had 10,000 rounds through his SD 9. He said he had never changed his guide rod. He said it looked real rough but was still going. They did send me a New one, for free.

[@kingspade420jb]

Is it suppose to be extremely easy to punch the trigger pin out left to right or right to left? I followed instructions as is the first time about 3 months ago and it was flawless.along with 1 other resource as well. the audible click is very weak this time and concerns me that pin will fall out when firing.

[@TangDynasty1983]

Just installed mine. I think I filed too much material off from the back of the trigger body. Did it shorten the trigger travel? Is that something I should be worried about? Thanks.

[@antoniogriffin7135]

Did you find any solutions?

[@shanemouton7606]

thanks for the video... i just got done installing here and went to put a couple of clips through the pistol only to find that the slide locked open 3 x in 20 rounds - I thought it was failure to extract or possibly the sear spring but looked down in the chamber and saw the round still in the magazine... thinking maybe i over tensioned the slide lock or something to the effect? any ideas for me to resolve this or is this just something that I am going to need to put a couple of rounds through to break in? The pistol was brand new when I got it and have not had even one misfeed yet through about 170-200 rounds so has to be something to be with this modification over the pistol itself.... any ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated

[@apextactical]

Your best bet, as with all cases of an installation issue, is to contact our customer service. The number, which is on the packaging card, is 623-322-0200. Our customer service can assist you in troubleshooting what is happening and how to correct it.

[@CheeseDanish85]

It took a LOT of filing to get the trigger down to the right size in my SD9VE - easily the work that took the most time. Particularly difficult steps: aligning the slide stop lever for the trigger block pin, and aligning the mag lock spring and lever for the rear frame pin. Very happy with the trigger pull after the upgrade - definitely a lighter and smoother pull, but filing the trigger down was really tedious...

[@TangDynasty1983]

I didn't take off the trigger to do the filing, just used two fingers to hold the safety then filed it while it was in the frame...saved me some time.

[@CheeseDanish85]

@@TangDynasty1983 I did the same, still took me a long time. Maybe I wasn't using a coarse enough file.

[@eastonbresee2407]

When I broke down my pistol I found the magazine disconnect spring had broken in half. I have been looking for a place to get a replacement but haven’t had any luck. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement spring?

[@nimbly1693]

Y'all did that wrong. The magazine disconnect safety components should be seated fully in the garbage can.

[@willyshrader6139]

Yeah, I did what you said too, despite seeing warnings all over forums about stuck slides and it was a piece of cake. I was more interested in getting rid of the take-down lever that's attached to the magazine disconnect, but 3 pieces left out during the disassembly, which if you're watching, is kind of what Apex manages to say, and the SD is so much easier to use. No problems with slide removal, and the magazine stuff all works like non-CA states. It's also easier to undo that mod for say, a S&W warranty return.

[@thatdudepaydro3445]

So just leave the disconnect,pin,and spring out and it will still function?

[@willyshrader6139]

@@thatdudepaydro3445 Yes, that was my experience. If you just leave then out on reassembly, the trigger works with magazine out, and the slide comes right off with A) slide out and b) holding side release tabs down. On mine the magazine dropped smoother as well

[@Jusangen]

My trigger kind of sticks when I press it, back towards the grips. Like, it does spring back to the normal position. Is that normal?

[@apextactical]

That is a great question best directed to our customer service staff. You can reach them at 623-322-0200.

[@Jusangen]

@@apextactical Will do!

[@Jusangen]

@@apextactical Doug did a great job helping me! Turns out the trigger spring was a little pinched and I simply retraced my installation, reset it, and now it works great. Looking forward to trying it out this weekend at the range! Thanks again!

[@apextactical]

@@Jusangen Glad he could help you diagnose the issue and get it corrected.

[@chrisminblkdiamond]

I got the "enhancement kit" the trigger was worse than the stock and was more sluggish not firing correctly.

[@apextactical]

Call customer service at 623-322-0200. It's likely you had an issue with the install, and they will assist you in figuring out what's going on.

[@wildbill2456]

The trigger pivot pin should re-assemble from left to right. It is extremely difficult to reassemble from right to left, because of the groove in the trigger pivot pin. Everyone else on the internet says to install from left to right; I had to purchase a second trigger trying to install right to left. Definitely, a bad tech tip.

[@nickdzhuga2036]

gun not firing what could be the issue

[@apextactical]

Contact our customer service at 623-322-0200 and they will assist you in troubleshooting the install.

[@icheckraise]

what size file is that?

[@kevinlove2002]

Small.

[@NmE_insane]

Why in the hell would you tell us to reassemble everything when you did not even show first that we need to file down the trigger body before putting it back in? Now I have to disassemble the god damn thing which some parts were a pain in the ass to do...

[@apextactical]

In many cases you do not need to file the back of the trigger. You won't know until you reassemble and do the function check.

[@LeafFreedom]

Reading or watching instructions fully prior to attempting a job is what is always recommended.

[@kennethvelazquez26]

Mine didnt need filing thankfully

[@chuckhollins9891]

@@kennethvelazquez26 neither did I need to do any filing or adjustments and it works flawlessly

[@wildbill2456]

This video states: “Re-assemble the trigger pivot pin from right to left.” Do not re-assemble from right to left. The groove on the trigger pivot pin will get caught up in the trigger assembly. Re-assemble the trigger pivot pin from left to right, like everyone else on the internet says to do. The pivot pin became stuck and I had to order an additional trigger. Once I received the new trigger, it went right in from left to right. Definitely a bad tech tip from “the manufacturer.” If you want to pay for the trigger twice, re-assemble from right to left.

[@deucedeuce1572]

Never heard of a Locking Block being called an "unlocking block" before. I had to google it to see if that's what it's really called. If I search SD9VE "unlocking block" I get only a couple results... but if I search "locking block" I'll get 100's of thousands of results. That's not to say it's wrong though. It's just not the common way to say it I guess. I thought that maybe S&W called it that, because they needed to make it seem more different than a Glock (like when they got sued)... but I think they still call it a Locking Block though. (If anyone knows, was Glock the first handgun to use a "locking block"? I know the Browning tilt-action has existed for a long time before Glocks, but I don't recall any specific models that used a locking block like you see in this gun, in Glocks and in many other firearms.)

[@Deschuttes]

Public Service Announcement: If the pin gets stuck when trying to secure the slide lock, make sure the trigger return spring isn't caught on the pin. Also, the slide lock is a PAIN IN THE ASS to replace in general, much much worse than the sear spring because you can't see WTF is going on, you need to fish a number of things onto the pin (the block, the trigger body, the trigger return spring) and the lock spring is tight / no good way to get leverage on it. Just kind of a luck thing tbh

[@charleswilson577]

Does anyone have gunsmith phone no. Haha

[@gillmccuddy]

Worst gunsmith video I've ever seen. Did anybody watch it before it was posted? Out of frame, off center..