Smith & Wesson SD40 VE
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 102 mm
- Weight, empty
- 641 g
- Introduced
- 2012
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE (Self Defense, Value Enhanced) is a full-size striker-fired semi-automatic pistol chambered in .40 S&W, introduced in 2012 alongside its 9mm sibling, the SD9 VE. Sharing the same frame, slide profile, and control layout as the SD9 VE, the SD40 VE offers increased stopping power with its .40 S&W chambering while maintaining the budget-friendly price point that defines the SD VE series. The pistol features a 4-inch stainless steel barrel, 14+1 capacity, a lightweight polymer frame, and a stainless steel slide with a two-tone satin finish. Like the SD9 VE, it incorporates Smith & Wesson's Self Defense Trigger with an integrated safety lever providing a consistent trigger pull. Weighing 22.6 ounces unloaded, the SD40 VE includes front and rear white dot dovetail sights, front and rear slide serrations, an integral Picatinny accessory rail, and an aggressive textured grip. The SD40 VE serves as an affordable alternative to premium .40 S&W pistols such as the Glock 22 and Glock 23.
The SD40 VE represents Smith & Wesson's commitment to offering affordable defensive firearms across multiple calibers. While the .40 S&W cartridge has faced declining market share as law enforcement agencies increasingly transition back to 9mm, the SD40 VE continues to find buyers among those who prefer the harder-hitting .40 caliber round, particularly at its budget-friendly price point. The pistol serves as a direct competitor to the Glock 22 at roughly half the price.
The SD40 VE is mechanically identical to the SD9 VE except for the barrel, recoil spring assembly, and magazines, which are engineered for the higher-pressure .40 S&W cartridge. The .40 S&W chambering reduces magazine capacity from 16 to 14 rounds due to the larger cartridge diameter. The trigger pull is the same heavy approximately 8-pound pull as the 9mm variant, and the same aftermarket trigger spring kits are available to reduce it. The SD40 VE was designed as a budget competitor to the Glock 22, offering similar capacity and performance at a significantly lower price. A 10+1 restricted-capacity version is available for states with magazine capacity limits.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Smith & Wesson
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2012
- Variant of
- Caliber variant
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 102 mm
- Overall length
- 183 mm
- Height
- 140 mm
- Width
- 33 mm
- Weight, empty
- 641 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Double action only
- Trigger pull
- 36.0 N
- Capacity
- 14
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Stainless steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Finish
- Satin stainless
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 308 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 546 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
- Maximum range
- 1800 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Self defense trigger
White dot front sight- Two dot rear sight
Front rear slide serrations
Picatinny rail
Textured grip- Constant action trigger
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 641 g | 734 g | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 183 mm | 185 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 102 mm | 102 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 14 | 11 | Holds more rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE
How much does the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE weigh?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE weighs 641 g (1.41 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE is chambered in .40 S&W.
How many rounds does the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE hold?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE holds 14 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE is 183 mm (7.20 in) long overall, with a 102 mm (4.00 in) barrel.
Who makes the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE is made by Smith & Wesson (United States).
When was the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE introduced?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE was introduced in 2012.
How does the Smith & Wesson SD40 VE operate?
The Smith & Wesson SD40 VE uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
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List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/smith-wesson-sd40ve' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "smith-wesson-sd40ve", "name": "Smith & Wesson SD40 VE", "manufacturer": { "id": "smith-wesson", "name": "Smith & Wesson", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1852, "website": "https://www.smith-wesson.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "6e259a578cb1b21d72610d761d652c983ff25806b9e736e2db8d2938596e9202" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2012, "barrel_length_mm": 101.6, "weight_empty_g": 641, "action_type": "short_recoil"}