My Shield originally had a factory trigger pull weight of 7.5 to 8.0 average according to my Lyman Digital Trigger Gauge. The weight was supposed to be 6.5 pounds from the factory.

I've installed an Apex Hard Sear (a straight part swap out taking just a few minutes, you'll need a 1/8" ROLLPIN PUNCH) and the trigger pull now registers 5 pounds 3 ounces to 5 pounds 8 ounces average with the Lyman Gauge. Trigger measurements were taken by hand holding, not securing the firearm in a vise. Note! A rollpin punch has a point that centers it on the rollpin, a PIN PUNCH just has a FLAT FACE and you could ding up the hole through the frame.


I need to go to a friends house (gunsmith) to use one of his Sight Movers as I absolutely cannot get the SHIELD'S Rear Sight to move, and I choose to NOT get a BIGGER HAMMER. The rear sight has to be removed to install the Apex Ultimate Striker Block. You have to be careful as a spring and cover plate are under the rear sight and could easily be launched to somewhere, causing you some grief.

The kit I have is for S&W M&P'S and is NOT a Shield SPECIFIC KIT. Their videos show you the installation procedures.

It's called the Apex M&P Duty/Carry Action Enhancement Kit (DCAEK). The kit list price is $89.95, I found it on-line in Colorado for $77 and change DELIVERED.

MOONMAN

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I used Apex DCAEK kits, USB and RAM in all my M&Ps. Apex did put an article or video on thier website that the standard M&P kits would work.

Thanks for posting. Great hearing from someone who has done it and things worked out. We won't have them here for a while. But with a state reg for a 10lb pull, I am going to get the Apex parts now, because a shield is in my future!!!

Good call on the rear site my 9fs wouldn't move either. I believe they us a hydraulic press, so just smashing it with a roll pin and hammer, probably isn't the best decision.

Hope you enjoy jor Shield, looks like we'll be waiting a while here!!!

UPDATE ON THE APEX TACTICAL DCAEK KIT FOR THE SHIELD. (Post #1)

I just got back from my gunsmith friends house, REMOVAL of the rear sight took a bit, it was a really TIGHT PRESS fit but with some lubing and his sight adjuster tool we got it out. We got the ULTIMATE STRIKER BLOCK installed.

I did 12 trigger pulls with the DIGITAL Lyman Trigger Gauge. I threw out the high and the low, the average trigger pull for the remaining 10 pulls was 4 pounds 6 ounces.

I just finished installing the TRIGGER RETURN SPRING that comes in the kit and the resulting DUTY/CARRY trigger pull is now between 5 pounds 4 ounces and 5 pounds 9 ounces.

So I'm leaving it as is for now at 5 1/2 pounds, if I want to change the Trigger Return Spring back I'll have a 4 1/2 pound trigger pull.

Time to get back running ammo through it.

MOONMAN

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Hey bro i got some bad news
For ya. The rear sight dose not
I repeat dose not move.

Robby3006,

I've got news for you partner, it's not an adjustable sight (REAR), BUT IT IS REMOVABLE, for the addition of AFTERMARKET NIGHT SIGHTS for one thing. The FRONT FRONT SIGHT is adjustable on the Shield.

In my case the rear sight HAS to be removed as the Striker Block is under it, and is replaced with THE ULTIMATE STRIKER BLOCK in the Apex trigger kits for M&P'S.

MOONMAN

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

My rear site came out with only a few taps.
Full DCAEK installed, with the factory reset being what it is, I saw no need to install the RAM.
I do wish they would hurry up and release the AEK trigger for the Shield though, Randy?

I thought I rear somewhere, maybe here on the forum that APEX is working on a one piece trigger for the Shield.

I almost added a 40 Shield yesterday, just because, I'm still debating that move.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Moonman - What did you use as a slave pin to install the Apex trigger return spring?

OpsMgr,

Really I just reached down in with some needle-nose pliers and pulled on the spring end while having the trigger pivot pin partially installed and I kept pressure on the pin. Wiggle things and finally the pin just went into place through the spring end loop.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

I used a $59 sight pusher that I got from Danny Fisher. It is a simple device, inexpensive, but worked fantastic for removing the rear sight of both my 9 & 40 Shields, with no problem

He sells them on Guns America and Ebay

alatour,

We had two different pushers on MY Shield, the rear sight was EXTREMELY TIGHT.

Some people say their rear sight was removed rather easily, not mine though.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

If the hard sear, a single part, gets you down to 5#+/_, why do anything else?

There's more to triggers than just pull weight, reset point, over travel amounts, smoothness.

If I swap the trigger return spring back to the STOCK SPRING, my pull weight was 4 1/2 pounds. I'm going to the range to shoot with the 5 1/2 pound pull this evening.

Read up on Apex Trigger kits, parts, Duty/Carry Kits, and other Apex mods.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Glad to hear that Danny's sight pusher worked well on your Shield's. Mine is getting here today (bought Saturday on eBay) and I've had my Trijicon HD's since Monday. Installing them on a Shield 9mm and a M&P 45 FS. Bought the additional XD blocks as they also work for the front sights of a Sig. Won't be able to install them tonight when I get home as it's my wife's birthday.

Any tips on the sight pusher setup for the Shield?

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M&P SHIELD™ 9mm
M&P 45 FS

Looked on Ebay and can't find the pusher you got from Danny Fisher. Can you post a link?

Thanks. Thought a slave pin was in the works for the Shield install by Apex...

Handgun sight pusher, for front and rear sights | eBay

OpsMgr,

I believe Apex has a slave pin for the shield in the works.

My kit was existing and ON SALE.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Make sure you put some card board under the slide to get it high enough up on the sight pusher to raise it up on the flat part ABOVE the dove tail . Cut it just a fraction wider than the slide as a shim. Use a thin piece of card board long enough to fold over to have a shim that can be adjusted to get the slide to the proper height. Cut another piece of heavier cardboard to wrap under the slide in a U shape to protect the slide from scratching.

Do NOT place the pusher on the dovetail piece, if the sight is tight it can deform the aluminum on the pusher and indent the dovetail. Put some CLP between the sight and the gun. Go slow. Watch out toward the end so the spring will not jump put.

Measure your factory dovetail width with calipers. You may have to file the new front sight dovetail. The factory dovetail was .161 and the XS was .181. I used a flat jewelers file I got from Harbor Freight. The rears on the XS went right in.
The Trijicon SA37's had to file both front and rears. If you are installing Trijicon don't come with a set stew but the set screw on the factory sights work for the Trijicon. I imagine the same with the HD's.

I used a piece of brass rod about 3 to 4 inches long ground down to a thickness of the front sight dovetail and hammerd the front sight out.

Hope this helps.


Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

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'THE HYPNOTIZED NEVER LIE"

http://www.sightpusher.com/

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

__________________
'THE HYPNOTIZED NEVER LIE"

Thanks Gentlemen. Thought that might be the one...

I seem to remember seeing a vid clip about that on You Tube. May have to make one from an old drill bit or hex key...

Same here..I didn't have a slave pin. I actually didn't even use pliers. I looked from the top as I pushed the pin in and pulled the spring forward with my punch, lol. It worked. Not hard at all.

Thanks. I had thought of using a pick to pull the spring as well. Frau Ops has some really small needle nose pliers she uses for making jewelry. Maybe she will let me use them if need be...

If I do another Apex kit, and have NO slave pin, I think I'll try one of my dental picks to pull the springs loop and slide the trigger pivot pin back in. I know needle-nose pliers will also work now.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Sight pusher in hand and DCAEK due in my mailbox today. Moonman, what did you use to apply heat to the rear sight set screw to break loose the red loctite?

On my Shield the set screw just unscrewed without heat.

Penetrating Oil in set screw hole and rear sight, let set a bit, then use sight pusher. If a little heat is needed, maybe a BIC TYPE GRILL LIGHTER.

Set screw takes a 1 1/16 Allen wrench.

MINE (the Sight itself) was really TIGHT in the dovetail.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Thanks Moonman!

To apply heat to the lock-tight on the set screw the best way is to place the tip of a soldering iron on the head of the screw. A cheap wood burner would also work.

Dug my old soldering iron out of my junk box - Almost forgot where I put it...

The DCAEK kit I bought this month had a slave pin, so you should be in good shape if you don't t get an older package.

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Bob
NRA, MSI, SAF Member

Just finished installing the Apex Tactical DCAEK sear, sear spring and trigger return spring - Took me about 20 minutes.

The sear housing roll pin did not want to go back in as easily as it came out and I did NOT want to force it. Used the 1/8" roll pin punch to double check the alignment of the sear block in the frame and got her back in place with some light tapping.

Threading the trigger pin back through the trigger return spring was a little tricky. Used a very thin punch to hold the return spring loop in place from the right side of the frame while pushing the trigger pin in from the left. Had to whisper words of encouragement to the pin and spring - My old dog thought I was talking to him. A slave pin would have made the task stupid simple.

Still have to install the striker block. Hoping the rear sight is not a PITA to remove.

I'm very pleased with the resulting trigger pull on my Shield with the sear, sear spring and trigger return spring installed. Can't wait to make a trip to the range.

Thanks to Moonman and others for answering my questions and a big thanks to Apex Tactical for their fine product!

The slave pin included in the kit does not work for the Shield...

The Slave Pin included in the Apex DCEAK kit FITS S&W M&P'S BUT NOT the M&P SHIELD (it's Narrower).

Apex is supposedly working on Slave Pin for the Shield, until they do, use some needle-nose pliers or a dental pick to pull on the spring to fit the end to the pin.

Opsmgr,

Keep us updated on your progress with the rear sight removal.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Had a go at the rear sight removal last night. Sight set screw was easily removed w/o applying heat. Soaked the rear sight dove tail in CLP for over and hour. Lined the slide up carefully in the sight pusher BUT could NOT get the rear sight to budge!

Gonna contact my buddy who is a gunsmith for some help. If that doesn't work then I'll have a good excuse to send the slide off for some new sights, USB install and maybe a new finish on the slide...

Thanks texas48! Worked great with rear sights for M&P Shield and FS M&P 45. Had a 'smith swap out the front sights.

Received an eMail last night from Jon at Apex stating that they don't have M&P Shield Slave Pins yet. At this time, he recommended using a Pin Punch to line everything up and keep the trigger spring in place while sliding the trigger pin in from other side.

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M&P SHIELD™ 9mm
M&P 45 FS

I received a newsletter yesterday from Apex that had an interesting tidbit of information on trigger kits for the Shield.

Here's the quoted info from Apex pertaining to the new kits:

"Shield Kit Pending Release- Scott
We've been hinting at a new drop in kit specifically for the new M&P Shield since the guns release in April and now it's about time to deliver. We've gotten in the final components and are working on assembling Shield kits now. They're going to be called the Shield Carry Kit (SCK). They'll set the trigger pull to the mid 5lb range, smooth up the over all feel of the trigger and shorten reset, everything you need in a reliable slim line carry pistol. We have the release of the SCK set for Thursday July 12th. The SCK will be available to our network of dealers and distributors for the release day."

Sounds like good news!

I chose the bigger hammer option and it still didn't come off. Needed an excuse to put a 10-8 sight set anyway. It's at a GS friends getting removed. I did the comp kit. It's what all 4 of my M&P's have. I noticed with installing the USB the trigger was very crunchy so I put the stock trigger spring in for now. I'll report what it's like after the USB install.

Also You can use a awl or scribe align your trigger spring in the gun. It's really quick.

My Shield, after 400 rounds, and hundreds of dry fires still had a factory trigger that was just under 8# with a crisp break and no overtravel. OK, but a little heavy for my tastes. I ordered a Apex Hard Sear to see what it would do for me. With the great information on YouTube including a video on removing the safety, if needed, to get the sear pin out, I started.

I went very slowly and carefully. I used a straight pin punch and it did not mar anything. Sear assembly came out easily with a little wiggling of the trigger as I was pulling it out. The safety is kind of like a kids puzzle and it can be manipulated into a position that will not require removal. Watch yourself when removing the sear pin. I was not totally prepared for the force of the spring under the sear but I could have easily lost the plunger if I was not aware of what was under the sear. The new Apex sear dropped right in place. I did spend a lot of time making sure I did not force the sear assembly back into the gun. This took up 75% of the entire install time as I went very slowly not forcing anything. As per the YouTube video I checked the guns functions. All OK and good to go. Start to finish under 15 minutes.

New trigger has a longer takeup or "free play" to a clean break at
5-3/4# with no overtravel. Perfect for a SD gun. I am not currently feeling any real grittiness in the pull at all. I am going to give it a few hundred dry fires and a lot more rounds downrange before I decide on any other trigger mods. If I feel the need, I will do them after I find a set of Meprolight TruDots to put on.

Thanks to Moonman, the OP, and all others in the this thread that helped me make the decision to do this mod myself. It was a piece of cake.