So I am about ready to finally buy a new APEX trigger FSS kit for my M&P9 Pro CORE.

Now they have this new Flat Faced trigger that looks and is reviewed to be pretty great.

This will not be a carry or duty gun .. it will be more for target shooting, competition (one day) type shooting.

So .... To go with the Flat Faced trigger or the regular trigger is the question?

Seems the flat faced has some great advantages.

Thanks so much for any help and feedback you can provide.

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M&P9 Shield, M&P9 CORE, S&W.38

I might have to try out the flat faced myself one day. Never tried on even on my 1911's.

I was under the impression that the pro core version would not show much improvement from the Apex kit. might ask around here before dropping that cash.

I have used both (mainly because my first FSS kit was before the flat trigger was available). Once I tried the flat trigger, I put that on all my competition guns. Just my opinion.

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Oh no ... The Pro CORE trigger still totally stinks really!

Seems everywhere I read they are being changed out along with all other M&P's

I know the Pro series are more upgraded in some way then the regular M&P's ... But they are still pretty damn bad overall when compared to new APEX trigger install I have been told numerous times.

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M&P9 Shield, M&P9 CORE, S&W.38

I have 6 M&P's, 5" pro's in 9 and 40, 5" performance center ported 40, and full size 9 and 40, and my EDC 40 Shield, all have the apex kits in one form or the other and all have benefitted from them. The shield, ported 40 and the 9 pro have the complete kits with triggers the other the competition kits in them. They are all great but different. Keep in mind that if you want to compete with it external mods such as triggers put you into different competing divisions depending on the shooting discipline.

I have a regular 5in. pro series .40 CORE with the polymer (plastic) curved apex trigger and AEK competition sear and spring kit. It made the trigger much much better!! I also have the Performance Center Ported 4.25in. CORE with the red anodized aluminum flat faced trigger FSS kit. It is awesome!! I like the flat apex trigger more than the curved apex trigger but either one is much better than the stock S&W hinged trigger. I hate that hinge. As far as the AEK kit goes, the regular CORE benefited greatly from it. The sear helped more than anything IMO. The Performance Center Ported CORE already had a great trigger. A much better stock Trigger than the regular CORE stock trigger. The FSS kits sear and springs didn't make as much of an improvement on the Apache CORE since it was already great. But the Flat trigger is IMO a better feeling trigger than the curved. I bought my red flat faced on Amazon a few months ago for cheaper than anywhere else. And it was also the only place that had the red color. If you do decide to get the curved, the polymer is cheaper but still very strong and solid feeling. Anyway sorry for the long post but this is my opinion.

Anything different in the Flat Faced kit over the regular curved trigger other then just the trigger itself?

I have never shot a flat faced trigger but everyone is telling me to go that route.

Do I need to buy anything else Other then this kit?

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M&P9 Shield, M&P9 CORE, S&W.38

The Flat Faced trigger feels wider then the stock trigger and some won't like that feel .. also where you place your finger on the trigger will make a difference whether you like it or not .. if you shoot with your finger over hanging one side of the stock trigger the feel may not be there for you ..

It does feel a little different but I found it easy to get use to ..

I shot it on a Smith & Wesson M&P40L Pro Series C.O.R.E. that a friend has he has the red one ..

Ya but the wide trigger may be a good thing.

If you are shooting with anything but the pad of your finger or if you are hanging your finger over the trigger into the crease then that is wrong as well.

thinking that something like a wider trigger may make me shoot better by keeping the pad of my finger on the trigger instead of hooking it like I often do with faster shooting.

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M&P9 Shield, M&P9 CORE, S&W.38

I recently dropped the flat faced Apex trigger in my C.O.R.E and went with the 4.5lb spring. It's simply AMAZING! Leaps and bounds better than the stock trigger.

So what is the difference between the flat-faced and curved triggers? Is it simply comfort, or is there some functionality added by the flat face?

Has anyone tried the flat-faced trigger and not liked it (and reverted back to the curved trigger)?

Thanks all.

Forgive my long answer that follows my short answer. Both triggers work the same, the forward facing or reverse trigger changes the outward appearance and might move you from Stock gun to Open gun class.

I bought a 9mm CORE with the flat trigger already installed. I already have an M&P 45 with the conventional shaped Apex trigger. Both are set up with the 4.5 lbs pull. Yeah your finger is in a different spot, but I really don’t see much performance difference.

I recently got back into Steal Challenge, shooting in the rimfire optics event. I saw they had a Law Enforcement Carry Optics class that included retirees, so I signed up for that class too. Selecting my 9 mm CORE with it’s new, super accurate Apex barrel installed and seeing I was the only person in the LE class at our small club, I thought I actually might have a chance of placing!

After the first station, a well meaning range Nazi (who was shooting revolver class) noticed the forward facing trigger and said since it changed the outward appearance of the gun, it wasn’t legal for the LE class and must be Open class. I tried explaining I was the only one in my class and a chubby old man that wasn’t very good to start with. But he was compelled to twitter off from our squad and report my class violation to the match director, who adjusted my shooting class.

Due to work related injuries from having played a rough game, I have a synthetic vertebrae, complete knee and complete hip replacement. I move slowly and lucky if I place middle of the pack and not really worried about my ranking. If you change to the flat facing trigger, it might put you in a class you don’t want to be in.

Thank Mike! I'm really wanting the red Apex trigger set for my M&P Shield 2.0, but they (Apex) doesn't make one as yet. So am having to default to the regular black trigger for now. That being said, and being that I'm opening it up to replace the trigger, I'm wanting to get a better feel (pardon the pun) for the triggers to determine if I want the regular curved trigger or the flat-faced. I've never used a flat-faced trigger, so am thinking I need to rent one in a similar config (compact, if they don't have one on a Shield) to see if it's what I'm wanting.

Will try to update the post if I'm able to find and play with one.

I haven’t gone flat faced on the M&P’s, but did on an AR. I want flat face triggers on everything now.

So what's the appeal of the flat-faced trigger? The feel, the pull, action, purchase, contact, etc... ?

Go with the flat faced trigger. It is head and shoulders above the stock trigger.

I'm no expert but I think it's that it feels the same across the face vs. curved so you can find purchase regardless of variables in hand and finger sizes. Also if you use the bottom of the trigger the leverage can reduce felt trigger weight.

I have a Timney triggers in a couple of rifles and while not totally flat faced they are very straight and I like them very much.

USPSA Production Div. - D4 Compliant

Rules have changed. As of May 15 the Apex trigger is legal for production.

Cheers