If the trigger isn't ALL that different between the two guns (your opinion may vary) and the FO sights aren't all that great, considering the extra premium you're paying for FO sights and the trigger in the 'Pro' version, I'd be more inclined to to just get the standard M&P long version and add the sights I would be wishing I had gotten from the start--Truglo Tritium Fiber Optics. (TFOs) --or some brand of better TFOs anyway--there are several.

So for a few bucks more, I'd have a gun that has highly visible (Tritium) sights on it 24x7--for on the side of a dark road late at night, or in my bedside drawer at 4AM if something goes 'bump' in the night. Never forget that by and far, most self defense shootings happen at night and/or under low light conditions--are you ready? Do you keep a magazine of defensive ammo loaded up at home and other magazine/s of round points for swapping out at the range?

If I wanted a trigger job and unless the gun I got just happened to come with a trigger that wasn't 98% or better than what I've seen on the M&P's I've fired, I doubt if I would, and ony then would I do the APEX trigger job. I know some folks really feel a nice difference, but I mainly compete against my self or casually with a few buddys at the range--I'm not into hard core competition. Some of the Ranger Battalion guys I shoot with could nail the coin slot on a coke machine from 75 yards--I'm not going to embarass myself!

The difference in smoothness, pull/creep between all but the most extreme trigger jobs and most quality pistols isn't significant to me. On my Sigs--I couldn't imagine them being any better than 'stock'. On just about any gun, I can empty a magazine plenty fast already. if I could do so any faster, I'd be paying even more for ammo!. I don't feel that at least for me, that a 2.5 or 3 pound trigger is necessary or safe. A couple cups of coffee and I'd be downright dangerous!

More importantly, I don't think that God forbid a 'crisis moment' came about, that with my adrenalin pumping, that the possiblity of a nano second faster trigger would matter significantly. However being able, with top notch night sights, to squeeze off an acurate shot/s without needing that bit of extra time the typical standard issue three dot or Glock sights require for me, could make all the difference.

I haven't crunched the numbers, but I can't imagine there being a big difference in price between the M&P Pro versus getting the L and modding the sights as soon as you get it and if you really want, the trigger. I wouldn't care that it doesn't say 'Pro' on the slide. ( I do have someone engraving the Bill of Right's 2nd Amendment on one of my gun's slide though)

Instead, I would be happy that I got the gun I wanted from the start, instead of thinking "I coulda--I shoulda" and thinking about later on, having to pay extra $$ and time to get the gun I should've gottten from the start. Even if you buy the 'L' and swap out the sights and trigger to the setting you want (not what the factory that sets the Pro version trigger decides on) and find you've paid a few extra $$$ versus the 'Pro'--you've most likely got a better gun, something better suited for YOUR tastes and customized accordingly. Dare to be diferent!

I might 'tweak' a gun a while after I've ordered it the way I wanted, maybe changing the grips more than anything else (simple) but generally, if I can't order it just the way I like it from the 'git go', I like to have any modifications done ASAP, so that everytime I grab it and go, I'm not thinking 'One of these days, I still need to do this or that to it and then it'll be what I really want.' Life and money's too short these days for that. Hopefully, we can think it through and get it right the first time!