SW SD9VE or Walther PPX

Waldo666

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I am looking for a good beginner 9mm to plink away with and I have narrowed it down to the SD9VE or the Walther PPX. Which would be the better one?
 
I am looking for a good beginner 9mm to plink away with and I have narrowed it down to the SD9VE or the Walther PPX. Which would be the better one?

Without any doubt the Walther PPX and even better the Walther PPX range kit. I have nearly 1,000 shots on mine (see pic) and I love that pistol. Trigger pull is excellent (4.1-5.5 lbs measured). Recoil nearly non-existent. A very accurate pistol. The range kit comes with THREE Italian made mags which is a big plus. I've shot the whole spectrum of ammo brand: 115gr Barnaul, 115gr PPU (Privi Partizan), 124 gr Sellier$Bellot, 115 gr Western Metal reloads, 124gr FOC reloads, 115gr Blazer Brass and 115gr PMC Bronze without even one hiccup. It fits my large hands like a glove.
I read a few reviews about the SD9VE and it has a few problems.
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My brother has a PPX. Very nice pistol, especially for the money. Trigger is INFINITELY better than the SD9.

Not to muddy the waters, but I suggest you consider a Canik TP9SF range kit as well. They are an excellent value for the $. Essentially a high-quality clone of the Walther P99.
 
I've owned both, the SD even had an Apex trigger kit installed. If on a budget, I would still go with the PPX, better trigger, range kit, better ergonomics...range kit will get you started out of the box if you happen to want to shoot IDPA. My $0.02....
 
The negative with the SW is the trigger. But I don't find it that bad once you start shooting. I actually really like mine. It's sort of like a a Glock 19, but unlike the 19, the S&W actually fits my hand. There was a really great sale a few years ago. No regrets.

Walther ppx. Very nice pistol. Negatives are the height of the slide and it's a hammer design. It's a hammer design rather than striker fired which is likely part of the reason the height of the pistol seems high. The trigger is good, it shoots decently.

If the same price or close, I'd go PPX. That being said my favourite pistol is the more expensive PPQ. Save up, get the PPQ and don't look back.
 
My brother has a PPX. Very nice pistol, especially for the money. Trigger is INFINITELY better than the SD9.

Not to muddy the waters, but I suggest you consider a Canik TP9SF range kit as well. They are an excellent value for the $. Essentially a high-quality clone of the Walther P99.

What he said. The SD is an upgraded Smegma (Sigma) not one of S&W's better products. I was impressed by the Canik I shot recently at our range and the talk around them seems good.
 
Walther ppx. Very nice pistol. Negatives are the height of the slide and it's a hammer design. It's a hammer design rather than striker fired which is likely part of the reason the height of the pistol seems high. The trigger is good, it shoots decently.If the same price or close, I'd go PPX. That being said my favourite pistol is the more expensive PPQ. Save up, get the PPQ and don't look back.

Actually the Walther PPX is a "DAO Pre-cocked Hammer" design. That's why it has such a nice trigger. Some reviews say the PPX is nearly on par with the PPQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EbLTzLMMMM. Actually, I agree with that video.
 
Actually the Walther PPX is a "DAO Pre-cocked Hammer" design. That's why it has such a nice trigger. Some reviews say the PPX is nearly on par with the PPQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EbLTzLMMMM. Actually, I agree with that video.

I'm not sure if your "actually" is some attempt to correct me when I stated that the ppx is a hammer design by adding a few details and confirming it's a hammer design. Or if you were just adding more details. Either way, I believe it's likely the main reason for the high bore/slide.

It's not on par. I've shot both. I own a PPQ. But the PPQ is at a different price point. The ppx is very good at it's price point. I would consider it an excellent lower cost pistol.

With regards to the video. His trigger weights seemed off. The PPQ felt like 5 and a bit pounds but the ppx I shot was heavier. Very smooth but not as light as the PPQ. Walther lists the PPQ trigger as a pound lighter than the ppx. That seems about the difference I felt.

Ultimately I found the PPQ pointed better, was less blocky and shot exceptional accurately for me. For me the proof is in the pudding. But again it's in the next price up with the Sig P320, HK VP9 etc.
 
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I'm not sure if your "actually" is some attempt to correct me when I stated that the ppx is a hammer design by adding a few details and confirming it's a hammer design. Or if you were just adding more details. Either way, I believe it's likely the main reason for the high bore/slide.

It's not on par. I've shot both. I own a PPQ. But the PPQ is at a different price point. The ppx is very good at it's price point. I would consider it an excellent lower cost pistol.

With regards to the video. His trigger weights seemed off. The PPQ felt like 5 and a bit pounds but the ppx I shot was heavier. Very smooth but not as light as the PPQ. Walther lists the PPQ trigger as a pound lighter than the ppx. That seems about the difference I felt.

Ultimately I found the PPQ pointed better, was less blocky and shot exceptional accurately for me. For me the proof is in the pudding. But again it's in the next price up with the Sig P320, HK VP9 etc.

Shot both and prefer the ppx to the ppq.
 
Quote Originally Posted by 05RAV View Post
Actually the Walther PPX is a "DAO Pre-cocked Hammer" design. That's why it has such a nice trigger. Some reviews say the PPX is nearly on par with the PPQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EbLTzLMMMM. Actually, I agree with that video.

With regards to the video. His trigger weights seemed off. The PPQ felt like 5 and a bit pounds but the ppx I shot was heavier. Very smooth but not as light as the PPQ. Walther lists the PPQ trigger as a pound lighter than the ppx. That seems about the difference I felt..

Read my post #2. I measured a trigger pull on my PPX and it was 4.1-5.5 lbs. The average from 5 readings was 5.0 lbs.
The hammer on the PPX is not a typical hammer. The clue is that word "pre-cocked". That makes the trigger pull so good. Every review on a PPX points out an excellent trigger pull. Like I said in my post #2, I've already had 1,000 rounds through my PPX without even the slightest malfunction. Furthermore, we in Canada can buy a PPX range kit which is not available in the States. It comes with 3 Italian made mags (see a pic of my kit in #2) which by themselves constitute a value of at least $150. The "Canadian" PPX range kit is one of the best values on the handgun market. I also shot a PPQ but gave it up because of price and settled down on the PPX range kit (I bought it for measly $419). IMHO I don't feel that the PPQ is so much better for such a huge price difference.
 
Read my post #2. I measured a trigger pull on my PPX and it was 4.1-5.5 lbs. The average from 5 readings was 5.0 lbs.
The hammer on the PPX is not a typical hammer. The clue is that word "pre-cocked". That makes the trigger pull so good. Every review on a PPX points out an excellent trigger pull. Like I said in my post #2, I've already had 1,000 rounds through my PPX without even the slightest malfunction. Furthermore, we in Canada can buy a PPX range kit which is not available in the States. It comes with 3 Italian made mags (see a pic of my kit in #2) which by themselves constitute a value of at least $150. The "Canadian" PPX range kit is one of the best values on the handgun market. I also shot a PPQ but gave it up because of price and settled down on the PPX range kit (I bought it for measly $419). IMHO I don't feel that the PPQ is so much better for such a huge price difference.

Well your trigger pull isn't what I've experience from a sample and Walther lists them as 6.5 pounds with the PPQ at 5.5 pounds. In reality I don't find that weight difference to be anything as long as they are both smooth. Which they are. But just pointing out that, I'm seeing some PPX claims that go against the company line and what I found when I shot one. Which is great if you get one like that, but not so good if that becomes an unrealistic expectation.

Currently the best price I've seen on the PPX range kit is $540 with the worst being $600. Back when the PPX was at the $400 range, Frontier had the PPQ M2 on sale for $712.50. Now you're looking at around $850. So a $300 difference roughly. The PPQ comes with 2 mags vs the PPX three mags. One mag difference only. In the grand scheme of things and how much money you're likely to go through in ammo, that difference is actually pretty minimal over the long haul. But this is an entry level gun and it's price point/features etc make it excellent for that. Yes I would get one over the S&W.

I agree the PPX range kit is a very good value. But the reason I'm asking for more is that I also bought a range kit. The M&P 9 in fact for $500 a couple of years ago at the big Reliable sale. Great pistol by all accounts. Well made, fits great. Great value, 3 mags, holster and firearm. The trigger is Meh to bad, but everything else is there. I train on a 12 pound DAO pistol so I can deal with triggers that are difficult. My 12 pound DAO boat anchor pistol will easily out shoot that M&P9 in terms of accuracy. I'm actually disappointed in my M&P9 due to this. While the PPQ is a hand gun laser. It makes me look great at the range. It's also quick to point and get on target.

I will also add that it depends on what type of shooting you are doing. I know a lot of the IPSIC guys seem to like pistols that are a bit heavier due to quicker follow up shots. In my case, it's more IDPA style, or target shooting. In my case, accuracy is a priority. Plus I find the PPQ being lighter than the PPX, having a lower bore axis and in the case of the ones I've shot, having a lighter trigger to be an asset to how I shoot. This is better for the type of shooting I do if shooting a more IDPA style. It may not be better for the type you or someone else does. For many who have the M&P9 range kit, I've seen them argue that the accuracy is more than acceptable for what it was designed to do. I could probably have accepted that if I didn't own a PPQ and if my long term loaner 12 pound DAO triggered pistol didn't shoot rings around it for groups. I've seen a number of PPQ pistols shoot exceptionally for accuracy. I have seen and had the PPX shoot well (better than the M&P9) but not as good as the PPQ.

Anyways, that's where I'm coming from with this. Your mileage or results may vary.
 
Quote Originally Posted by 05RAV View Post
Read my post #2. I measured a trigger pull on my PPX and it was 4.1-5.5 lbs. The average from 5 readings was 5.0 lbs.
The hammer on the PPX is not a typical hammer. The clue is that word "pre-cocked". That makes the trigger pull so good. Every review on a PPX points out an excellent trigger pull. Like I said in my post #2, I've already had 1,000 rounds through my PPX without even the slightest malfunction. Furthermore, we in Canada can buy a PPX range kit which is not available in the States. It comes with 3 Italian made mags (see a pic of my kit in #2) which by themselves constitute a value of at least $150. The "Canadian" PPX range kit is one of the best values on the handgun market. I also shot a PPQ but gave it up because of price and settled down on the PPX range kit (I bought it for measly $419). IMHO I don't feel that the PPQ is so much better for such a huge price difference.

Well your trigger pull isn't what I've experience from a sample and Walther lists them as 6.5 pounds with the PPQ at 5.5 pounds. In reality I don't find that weight difference to be anything as long as they are both smooth. Which they are. But just pointing out that, I'm seeing some PPX claims that go against the company line and what I found when I shot one. Which is great if you get one like that, but not so good if that becomes an unrealistic expectation.

Currently the best price I've seen on the PPX range kit is $540 with the worst being $600. Back when the PPX was at the $400 range, Frontier had the PPQ M2 on sale for $712.50. Now you're looking at around $850. So a $300 difference roughly. The PPQ comes with 2 mags vs the PPX three mags. One mag difference only. In the grand scheme of things and how much money you're likely to go through in ammo, that difference is actually pretty minimal over the long haul. But this is an entry level gun and it's price point/features etc make it excellent for that. Yes I would get one over the S&W.

I agree the PPX range kit is a very good value. But the reason I'm asking for more is that I also bought a range kit. The M&P 9 in fact for $500 a couple of years ago at the big Reliable sale. Great pistol by all accounts. Well made, fits great. Great value, 3 mags, holster and firearm. The trigger is Meh to bad, but everything else is there. I train on a 12 pound DAO pistol so I can deal with triggers that are difficult. My 12 pound DAO boat anchor pistol will easily out shoot that M&P9 in terms of accuracy. I'm actually disappointed in my M&P9 due to this. While the PPQ is a hand gun laser. It makes me look great at the range. It's also quick to point and get on target.

I will also add that it depends on what type of shooting you are doing. I know a lot of the IPSIC guys seem to like pistols that are a bit heavier due to quicker follow up shots. In my case, it's more IDPA style, or target shooting. In my case, accuracy is a priority. Plus I find the PPQ being lighter than the PPX, having a lower bore axis and in the case of the ones I've shot, having a lighter trigger to be an asset to how I shoot. This is better for the type of shooting I do if shooting a more IDPA style. It may not be better for the type you or someone else does. For many who have the M&P9 range kit, I've seen them argue that the accuracy is more than acceptable for what it was designed to do. I could probably have accepted that if I didn't own a PPQ and if my long term loaner 12 pound DAO triggered pistol didn't shoot rings around it for groups. I've seen a number of PPQ pistols shoot exceptionally for accuracy. I have seen and had the PPX shoot well (better than the M&P9) but not as good as the PPQ.
Anyways, that's where I'm coming from with this. Your mileage or results may vary.


Sure, I agree with a number of points you made. No, I’m not the IPSIC guy at all. I just shoot paper targets up to 20 or 25 yards which is what my two ranges, where I have membership, provide. I must also admit that I’m “cheap” if it comes to handguns. So, my philosophy is that if I can make around 85-90% (from a 10 shot string) at a 20 or 25 yard target with a certain handgun, obviously if I do my part, then that handgun is good enough for my purposes. That’s why I immediately jumped at the PPX range kit when I saw it for sale for $419 (at Tenda, by the way).
Returning to the question asked by the OP in this thread, the Walther PPX range kit is an infinitely better deal than the SD9VE. That’s the message I wanted to convey to the OP.
 
The sd9ve is horrible. If it's all you can afford save up longer and buy an m&p range kit.
The ppx is a fine choice for a budget pistol.
 
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