That's a lot of good questions!

I really like my S&Ws, and got a chance to tour the factory in Springfield last summer. Great people, working hard to make a good product.

As for a fully loaded magazine -- there might be enough room there as the spring breaks in a bit and relaxes, or if you tried another magazine. My advice is to not worry about it -- go with the one less than advertised. The top round pushes against the slide as it retracts, and it is a good thing for the stack to have the ability to move down a bit. Also, I never load a mag to the top and leave it there -- for fear of compressing the spring to the point it is wears out sooner than it should (learned in the days when we loaded 18 in a M-16 20 round magazine, and enjoyed better reliability as a result).

Older versions of the M&P (black striker) had some problems with dry firing -- roughly pre-2008 -- as the striker could break. Much less of a problem with the new (silver colored) striker. In any case, it is best to use a snap cap. You should "cock" the striker OF AN EMPTY GUN (snap cap only) by moving it back until you hear the striker catch, then let it go forward, then pull the trigger. Repeat manually, cocking the slide/striker for each trigger pull. Remember, lots of people have shot their family cat or TV thinking the gun was "empty." Always aim at something safe...

The trigger does get smoother in time -- probably noticeable after a couple of hundred rounds (or dry fires) and getting better as you go along.

The Apex DCAEK gets good reviews. If you want to keep the trigger pull fairly heavy, for safety reasons, you can add just the USB kit, which makes the trigger smoother and a little lighter. For a 9c, a carry gun, you may not want the 4-5 lbs trigger that results from installing the whole Apex kit (sear, spring, USB, etc.). The neat thing about the kits is that you can install them and change back if you don't like the results.

If you have a problem with your S&W, call the factory and they will send you a mailing label to ship it to them (guns have to go UPS overnight). I don't know if the factory would let you just walk in with a gun -- they have a lot of security at the gate -- so I would call ahead if you want to take your 9c there directly.

The Burwell sear mod reportedly works pretty well but you are right, it takes some smithing skills and the Apex kits are easier to do yourself. All you need is a 1/8 inch punch from Home Depot...

Reloading. I reload .40 S&W. I may re-load 9mm later (I am saving all of the 9mm brass I can find) but in general, reloading 9mm is not a big cost saver if you can find ammo for $10 a box. Best advice is to get a good re-loading manual (Speer, for example) and the ABC's of Reloading. I use both Accurate #5 and Unique, and follow the loads (min to max) from the Speer manual and the company reloading charts.

You can find reloading equipment of all types on web sites from Midway, Cabelas, Mid-South, Graf and Son, etc. Everybody has a favorite vendor for bullets, dies, etc. Some practical advice: it is fine to buy equipment on the web, but you can save the $25 UPS HAZMAT fee if you buy powder and primers from a brick-and-mortar store near where you live.

Whew, Ethan, you have a lot of questions. There are some possible answers to some of them. Welcome to M&P ownership and to shooting!