The 4 Best Smith & Wesson SD9 VE Sights

The Smith & Wesson SD9 VE handgun is excellent for self-defense and concealed carry.

The original sights are good, but an upgrade can bring your defensive or target practice to a whole new level. I’ve found what I think are the best Smith & Wesson SD9 VE sights on the market.

We’ve selected some fantastic sight upgrades for this review. I hope you can feel comfortable choosing from any of the five on my list.

Best Budget Buy	Trinity Compact Red Pistol Laser Sight—	Laser Sigth Fits on a Picatinny rail Can be used day or night Not recommended for long-distance shooting	$35 Shop NowClick to read my review
	TruGlo Fiber Optic Handgun Sight Set	Fiber Optic Contrasting red and green optics Visible in low lighting Difficult to install	$46 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	Meprolight Smith & Wesson Tru Dot Night Sight	Night Sight 12-year warranty White dots are best at reflecting light Warranty is limited to the inserts	$89 Shop NowClick to read my review
	XS Sights DXW Big Dot	Dot Large front dot is easy to focus on Rear sight removes vision obstructions Not usable at night	$75 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Trijicon HD Night Sight Sets for Smith & Wesson	Night Sight Tritium inserts last up to 12 years or more Inserts are capped with sapphire for protection Most expensive option on our list	$117 Shop NowClick to read my review

How to Choose the Best Smith & Wesson SD9 VE Sights

The factory sights on the SD9 VE might be decent, but upgrades can take the gun to the next level. With so many choices for aftermarket sights, you might find yourself confused. No two sights are alike and each kind will have its pros and cons.

There are certain factors that might help you choose the best sights for your SD9 VE:

Now that we’ve covered the basic criteria, let’s look at our handpicked SD9 VE sights.

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The Top Five SD9 VE Sights

Trinity Compact Red Pistol Laser Sight

The Trinity Compact Red Pistol Laser Sight is durable. The construction is quite simple, a hard-anodized aluminum body encasing a red laser. The design is inconspicuous and smooth, fitting underneath the barrel of your S&W SD9 VE. This laser sight weighs an ounce, measuring close to 1 inch in both height and length. This is for handguns with MIL-Spec Picatinny rails under the barrel. It can fit rails with lengths of at least 1.75 inches.

If you want to move away from fiber optic and tritium, this laser sight is for you. With a laser, you don’t need front and rear sights. Instead, you get one piece that fits underneath the barrel of your S&W SD9 VE. This SD9 VE sight allows for quick and easy target acquisition whether night or day. This sight can operate from 10°F to 130°F temperature.

The laser is powered by 3 AG-9 batteries, which are included with purchase. The laser dot gets bigger at farther distances, from 5/16 of an inch at 7 yards to 3/4 of an inch when at 24 yards. This makes the sight easy to spot from afar.

What we say — The Trinity Compact laser sight is quick, easy, and efficient. It will mount easily on your S&W SD9 VE’s Picatinny rail. You can use it any time of the day in a wide range of temperatures. Since it runs on small batteries, you can carry several spare batteries effortlessly. This laser sight is also affordable and I’d say it’s a good deal.

TruGlo Fiber Optic Handgun Sight Set

The listing for these fiber optic sights from TruGlo says that they are compatible with S&W V9 models except the VE. However, various reviews attest that they work well as SD9 VE sights. The Tri-Dot aiming system offers contrasting colors on the front and rear sights.

A bright red fiber optic is visible at night on the front, and two green fiber optics in the rear are easy on the eyes. The rear sight features a classic U-notch. All three fiber optics are housed in durable materials with Truglo’s Fortress Finish.

What we say — When you can’t spend on tritium night sights or don’t require them, fiber optics is the way to go. We like the contrasting green and red fiber optics in the rear and front sights, respectively. The green sight will be softer against your eyesight. Meanwhile, the red optic is strong enough to be visible in low-light situations.

The TruGlo Fiber Optic Sight Set is the best choice for an inexpensive SD9 VE upgrade from the original sights. The contrasting colors on the front and rear sights provide better target acquisition. These also happen to be the least expensive option within this review.

Meprolight Smith & Wesson Tru Dot Night Sight

This set of front and rear night sights is aluminum, with an anodized matte black finish. There are three tritium inserts: two in the rear sight and one in the front. A white-painted dot surrounds each insert. This white dot reflects light and provides a contrast against the green tritium. The glare reduction and contrast allow easy target acquisition.

This sight is compatible with full-size and compact 9mm and .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistols. Meprolight also offers a 12-year manufacturer’s warranty on the tritium inserts.

Keeping it easy, the green tritium and white painted dots contrast very nicely. Some gun owners choose different color painted dots because they’re easier on the eyes. For reflecting light and glares, white is the best. With the 12-year warranty, it’s hard to go wrong. Keep in mind, this warranty is for the tritium, not the housing. The classic U-notch rear sight is similar to your original SD9 VE sights, so it should be an easy transition for you.

What we say —  If you’re ready to take the leap toward night sights, consider this offering from Meprolight. It’s simple and isn’t too expensive, either. These are the best tritium SD9 VE upgrades while staying close to the original sight’s design.

XS Sights DXW Big Dot

The Big Dot sight from XS Sights is a popular and unique offering. This is not a night sight, but it’s a great upgrade without diverging too much from the classic three-dot system. The rear sight is a slightly curved piece, featuring a single white dash to line up with the front sight. It has also been designed to prevent obstruction of the front sight while moving.

The front sight itself is where the “big dot” comes into play ― the large, white-painted ring improves target acquisition and accuracy for those who need a little more assistance focusing. The white-painted areas on the front and rear sight will reflect light glares. This, in turn, provides better visibility in low-light situations.

Diverting from tritium night sights, the Big Dot set from XS Sights is one-of-kind. This option is best for people who have a difficult time focusing on small dots. This option also features reflective white paint, but this uses a single line on the rear sight instead of a pair of dots

As it offers a single line to focus on, you won’t lose sight of the big dot when you move your weapon. If you’ve never experienced this style of sights before, it may take a little getting used to. But you’ll improve your overall accuracy in the long run.

What we say ― This style of sights for your S&W SD9 VE is the best choice for those who need a larger focal point. Maybe your vision isn’t what it used to be, or you just need a little extra assistance.

Trijicon HD Night Sight Sets for Smith & Wesson

Finally, we come to the popular Trijicon night sights. Trijicon offers a set of both front and rear sights. Each set includes three green tritium inserts: two in the rear and one in front. It is available to purchase with all-white painted rings, an orange front ring, or a yellow front ring.

The paint reflects light glares and offers your choice of contrasting tones to enhance your accuracy and speed. Each tritium insert is capped with a sapphire jewel to evenly distribute light output and protect the lamp from solvents and punctures.

You’re going to get one of the best levels of quality from Trijicon. Plus, you’ll get a warranty on the tritium. All of the painted rings contrast with the inserts, but the orange and yellow will be softer on the eyes. The paint rings also give you a wider focal point to aim with. The only downside to all these features is that you’ll be paying for it. This is the most expensive option within this review.

What we say ― The Trijicon night sight set for your Smith & Wesson is the best choice for those who want multiple options. There’s no guesswork involved.

Our Favorite Smith & Wesson SD9 VE Sight

Our favorite sight for the Smith & Wesson SD9 VE is the Meprolight Tru Dot Night Sight. We’re always going to pick a night sight over fiber optics or no optics at all. If it’s this affordable, why not choose one that allows you to aim during any lighting situation. The classic painted white dots are the best for reflecting lights, which the fiber optic sights are also lacking. Plus, tritium is practically a no-maintenance optic. The inserts last for well over a decade if they’re well taken care of. On top of that, it comes with a decent warranty. 

Our best budget pick is the Trinity Compact Red Laser. For less than $50 you get a good mid range sight that works both day and night.

Any of your favorite sights we missed out?

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