Wondering if anyone has changed out their MA compliant 10 lb. trigger with a lighter one. I am assuming that this is a spring issue but not much of a gunsmith. A friend was considering a trigger job but at $200-$300 it takes the gun into the $600 range and seems a bit much. Is there a simple fix to this issue?

In MA it is unlawful for a dealer to sell the gun without the 10 lb. trigger pull but there are no laws against owner modifications. Any tips or video links appreciated.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I’ve considered getting a shield 45 myself and as much as I don’t like the trigger I think I’d keep it at 10 pounds for carrying.

I believe Apex makes a full trigger kit for the Shield 45 that would probably do what you need.

Details

Interesting cover our butts quote from that website...

I guess I lucked out by getting a free state model instead of the dreaded MA-compliant model. It was a fluke. I don't think the dealer even knew (or cared).

I've done the trigger on a good dozen MA Compliant M&P's of various calibers and models. (They are pretty much similar internally.)
Personally, I find that just a $40 Apex sear added to the factory springs will usually result in a pull in the 5.75# range (+/-). It will also feel crisper.
It's all I do for my personal M&P.s There are plenty of Utube video's on how to change out the sear and no special tools are required other than a punch (which can be made from a nail in a pinch)


If you want improved reset, flat faced triggers, etc, then get ready to pay for it though. That's the version most shops push.

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Dave

If you plan on keeping the shield for along time....then the $ investment is worth it in the long run, as the MA trigger is heavy

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S&W BG380, S&W 915 9mm

I have two M&P's and I put APEX kits it them. Hardest part is removing the site. Well worth the $ as I will always own them.

Especially in the shield

I popped an Apex sear into my Shield 45. Big difference on reset and you can feel the hardened steel difference. But with the factory springs (Non MA) I felt it was too light for carry. I wrote Apex and they just sold me their heavier duty trigger return spring and it got the pull to about 5.5lbs. All easy to do when you follow their videos.

I put the Apex duty/carry trigger in my 45 Shield. About $130 and it is all you will need. My Shield trigger feels like a 1911 now and it turned it into one of the best handling, compact 45's I have ever owned.

While some promote a 10# trigger pull as. Sing “safer”, I disagree. When you need to pull the trigger in self defense you need your first shot especilly to be accurate. Heavy trigger pulls interfere with accuracy unless you are well practiced.

The 2.0 trigger pull is supposed to be 5-5.5#. Heavy springs make it 10#. Replace the trigger return spring and maybe the sear and striker block springs with a normal factory spring sets and you should get to the 5+# factory spec.

Go the Apex route if you want to invest in a better than factory trigger. No way you should have to pay hundreds of dollars for parts and a gunsmith install.

Being frugal (cheap) I was hoping that I could just change a spring and achieve the lighter pull. One of my buddies bought the Apex kit for about $125 but the local FFL wants another $200 or so to do the work. As I said in my original post, I just hate to take a gun that I thought was a bargain at $414 OTD and turn it into a $700 gun. And that was before I finally got my $75 refund after about 6 months.

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James Redfield
LM #497

No reason to touch the trigger on my Shield 45; felt great out of the box. I can't imagine being in a situation where the government is dictating trigger pull like that. Crazy!

Unfortunately here in the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts, the government brain trust decided that if they required a 10 pound trigger pull that it would prevent children from being involved with a ND. Not so sure about that. With my ever increasing arthritis, I think most children are probably stronger than me.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I agree. I've never been a fan of turning a $400 gun into a $800 gun.
Fortunately, the Apex sear, coupled with the heavier MA spring, is the right fix. You can just change the trigger return spring (Brownells sells them for $3.33) but the trigger gets big time gritty.

FWIW, local shop around me gets only $25 in labor if you buy the trigger parts from them.

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Dave

Simple.......do it.

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CERAKOTE Svcs.
Class 01 FFL

How does the trigger compare to a revolver's trigger which are often 12 lbs.

Why does a heavy trigger on a revolver make sense but we can't handle it on a polymer gun?

Is it the weight or trigger quality?

I feel that the extra weight is causing a flinch. Then there is aso the rebellious aspect too.

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James Redfield
LM #497

IMO a heavy trigger never makes sense as it interferes with accuracy and speed—two requirements for self defense shooting.

Lawyers and bureaucrats believe a gun with a heavier (10-12#) trigger is safer because it is harder to fire a shot accidentally. That is absolutely true, but it is also harder to shoot fast and accurately which is what you need in a SD situation.

Many “Traditional” Double Action (first trigger pull) and Single Action (all subsequent pulls) semi-autos attempt to take advantage of the safety of the first heavy trigger pull. Many DA/SA semi-autos have these heavy triggers. Very few independent, trained and competent shooters will keep a 10+ pound trigger pull on any gun they own. Only when mandated by employers.

There are semi-autos with Double Action Only (DAO) trigger actions that have heavier 6-8# pound and longer trigger pulls than the standard striker fired or SA semi-autos. Most tuned revolver DA’s come in around 5.5-6.5# but they are smooth and easy to learn to use. Kahrs are DA semi-autos with smooth 6# triggers, as is the Beretta PX4 Constant Action (partially cocked DA).

Trigger systems are mechanical linkages that can be adjusted and tuned to the user’s abilities and needs. It costs extra over a factory gun, but that is the price of getting the best equipment for your uses. If that turns a $450 gun into a $600 gun, it’s worth it to me.

I don't think an unusually heavy or rough DA trigger pull is particularly helpful for maximum accuracy with a revolver either. But at least with a revolver (well, most revolvers anyway) you can easily cock the hammer and use single action if so desired. Not so much on a mushy, striker-fired plastic wonder gun.

There is a good reason that most folks prefer free state models. There is also a good reason why the overwhelming majority of MA-compliant guns with nasty triggers get the Apex treatment or similar reworking/lightening of the triggers.

It should be pointed out that not all MA-compliant guns have ******, overly-heavy, often unusable triggers. S&W is uniquely and unusually bad in this regard. Others, not so much. Not sure why S&W's plastic pistols are typically worse than pistols from other manufacturers. Some think it may have something to do with S&W being located within our crazy state.

LOL!!! Love that rebellious part!

200$ to install an Apex trigger? Does this guy sell swamp land when he's not fixing guns?

The Apex kit is worth every penny especially if you're going to be carrying it and shooting it at the range, trust me. The aluminum trigger and all the springs, etc are top notch and make for a great kit, making the gun enjoyable. I shot my grandfather's stock shield after having my Apex shield for almost a year and I can tell you I did not like the stock trigger or pull. It's too curved. You can do the work yourself if you have a nice, brass punch, hammer and the correct punch for the frame pins (you should keep these tools handy anyways if you own a gun, never know if you'll need to repair anything.

The Mass compliant trigger bar is also different from the standard trigger bar. Dunno about the striker plunger spring.

Now, from the "other" S&W website, the Mass trigger assembly and a Performance Center sear in an otherwise standard M&P9 will give you a crisp 6 ish lb trigger with shorter reset and takeup. I expect the Apex sear would be a reasonable substitute for the Performance Center sear. I'd expect similar results in a Shield.

Or, you could install the standard trigger assembly (trigger, return spring and trigger bar) and see where you end up. However, make sure the parts you're swapping are intended for a Shield .45. There's a bunch of different parts between the 9/40 platform and the .45.