I bought my M&P9 fullsize back in mid 2013 when it was still on roster. Despite the gripes about the trigger I liked it. About a year later I read about "upgrades" such as the H trigger bar and new slide stop. So I purchased them and did the easy upgrade. Not bad at all. About a year after that I came across a sear housing block that contained the performance center sear so I jumped on it. Another easy upgrade and did improved the break and reset. I also did the Burwell trigger job to the extent I could. In the end not bad at all.
Last year I bought the ported 5" slide kit to turn it into a pseudo CORE. Topped it with a RMR. The CORE slide had an improved striker block (like the APEX USB). A bit of tweaking the loop and I was quite pleased.
Later last year, S&W did a fire sale on 2.0 grips so I grabbed a bunch of backstraps and grip tools to go with my CORE backstraps. Still have the CORE grip on it.
Finally, last week, I received a 2.0 sear housing and trigger bar. The install was drop in. A leap in improvement and no dang loop to tweak. Still a far amount of takeup to disengage the striker block, but once it hits the sear, the break is crisp and clean. Reset is vastly improved. Naturally the H trigger bar is gone but the 1.0 slide stop is still in.
So from a plain jane, on roster, M&P9, to a nearly 2.0 CORE, (OK, let's call it v 1.5), all using S&W parts.
Now some will say (OK perhaps many), what a waste. I should just bought a 2.0 or dropped in an APEX and be done with it. Perhaps you're right. Still, it's been an incremental improvement, a learning exercise and rewarding to know I didn't screw it up (so far).
Here are a few pics along the way.
The day I picked it up in original form.
My CORE Slide Kit
Sportin' the CORE
Bunch o' grips
1.0 vs 2.0 sear housing
On to pricing for those who must know
M&P9 - $499 plus tax and dros
H stamp trigger bar and improved slide stop - $20
5" Ported Slide kit - $357 delivered
Box full of 2.0 grips - $15
RMR06 Type 1 - $350 (on sale)
2.0 SHB and Trigger bar - $52 delivered
So approx $1360 so far and I still have all of the original parts.
Next off to the range. But that will be a different post.
Last year I bought the ported 5" slide kit to turn it into a pseudo CORE. Topped it with a RMR. The CORE slide had an improved striker block (like the APEX USB). A bit of tweaking the loop and I was quite pleased.
Later last year, S&W did a fire sale on 2.0 grips so I grabbed a bunch of backstraps and grip tools to go with my CORE backstraps. Still have the CORE grip on it.
Finally, last week, I received a 2.0 sear housing and trigger bar. The install was drop in. A leap in improvement and no dang loop to tweak. Still a far amount of takeup to disengage the striker block, but once it hits the sear, the break is crisp and clean. Reset is vastly improved. Naturally the H trigger bar is gone but the 1.0 slide stop is still in.
So from a plain jane, on roster, M&P9, to a nearly 2.0 CORE, (OK, let's call it v 1.5), all using S&W parts.
Now some will say (OK perhaps many), what a waste. I should just bought a 2.0 or dropped in an APEX and be done with it. Perhaps you're right. Still, it's been an incremental improvement, a learning exercise and rewarding to know I didn't screw it up (so far).
Here are a few pics along the way.
The day I picked it up in original form.
My CORE Slide Kit
Sportin' the CORE
Bunch o' grips
1.0 vs 2.0 sear housing
On to pricing for those who must know
M&P9 - $499 plus tax and dros
H stamp trigger bar and improved slide stop - $20
5" Ported Slide kit - $357 delivered
Box full of 2.0 grips - $15
RMR06 Type 1 - $350 (on sale)
2.0 SHB and Trigger bar - $52 delivered
So approx $1360 so far and I still have all of the original parts.
Next off to the range. But that will be a different post.
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