carguychris
New member
The SD series is the 3rd generation.9x45 said:
The 1st-gen pistols were the SWxF, SWxC, and SWxV (x = caliber); the F is full-size (roughly G17 size) while the C/V are compacts (roughly G19 size).
The 2nd-gen pistols were the SWxE, SWxVE, SWxGVE, and SWxP; these have improved extractors and ejectors, other internal improvements, some ergonomic changes, and a proprietary accessory rail. All are the size of the 1st-gen C/V compacts; the full-size was dropped.
The 3rd-gen pistols are the SDx and SDx VE. These have a different magazine design, an improved trigger, a standard Picatinny accessory rail, and take M&P sights; the latter is a Big Deal because the earlier Sigma front sights could not be removed non-destructively. The non-VE pistols had front night sights and matte black slide finish, and were sold alongside the SWxVE at a price point slightly below the M&P; S&W later eliminated the matte finish and night sights, added the VE suffix (with a preceding space), and replaced the SWxVE at about the same price point.
The 1st-gen pistols are the most "Glock-ish" but are NOT copies per se. I've never heard that ANY parts will interchange, much less the entire slide assembly. (You have a source for that?)
The lawsuit was settled out of court and the terms have never been made public. Published sources seem to agree that S&W made a minor design change to the sear assembly and paid Glock an unknown sum that is rumored to be in 7 figures, but anything else you've heard about the settlement is probably rumor or speculation.
The 1st-gen pistols were notorious for persistent extraction and ejection problems, and most sources agree that this was the reason for the redesign, NOT the Glock lawsuit and settlement.