Hello fellow gunners. Newbie here. I've got a few questions if you don't mind. I just purchased my 1st s&w its a M&P 40 , I love the way it shoots so I plan on keeping it. 1st question what should I upgrade 1st the trigger or sights. And can I get some advice on what would be good budget trigger mods and some good affordable sights. Thanks in advance .
1st upgrade questions?
- Thread starter Jaxb_65
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Take your new M&P 40 out and shoot it as is. Then shoot it more. You may find out you don't need any upgrades. Only you can figure out how you want to personalize your handgun. I have 3 M&Ps and the only "upgrading" I have done is buying quite a few extra magazines.
Ranger17
Member
Hi OP, you mention this is your first MP not sure if its your first gun overall but I would say to just spend any extra coin on ammo and practice and then practice some more with it. I would run plenty of rounds thru it and then see if something "mechanical" can improve your shooting or enjoyment.
My toys are all stock though to be fair my Shield is a PC model so comes stock with some goodies.
Regardless of what you go with, welcome aboard. This forum has given me plenty of help.
My toys are all stock though to be fair my Shield is a PC model so comes stock with some goodies.
Regardless of what you go with, welcome aboard. This forum has given me plenty of help.
Assuming this is a new gun, the trigger will smooth out some with use, and you can also help that along with some judicious polishing. There were some links around here somewhere, or check on YouTube. I still ended up adding the APEX kit, which tightened up my groups even more, but again, if you're "handy" it's possible to make those same modifications yourself, but it's easier to buy the parts.
I started out with an M&P 9 FS, built a full 40 slide assembly, and just swap between 9 and 40, depending on what I'm doing. I did find that the 9mm is much more sensitive to ammunition brands, so added adjustable Williams Firesights to the 9mm slide. The 40 ammunition brands didn't vary as much, so when I finished that slide I added fixed tritium night-sights, and normally leave the gun configured as a 40 as one of my home defense options.
On the other hand I haven't had to do much of anything to my M&P Shield 40 trigger. The trigger smoothed out enough with use. I did add florescent paint to the sight dots, and eventually added a Crimson Trace green laser.
I started out with an M&P 9 FS, built a full 40 slide assembly, and just swap between 9 and 40, depending on what I'm doing. I did find that the 9mm is much more sensitive to ammunition brands, so added adjustable Williams Firesights to the 9mm slide. The 40 ammunition brands didn't vary as much, so when I finished that slide I added fixed tritium night-sights, and normally leave the gun configured as a 40 as one of my home defense options.
On the other hand I haven't had to do much of anything to my M&P Shield 40 trigger. The trigger smoothed out enough with use. I did add florescent paint to the sight dots, and eventually added a Crimson Trace green laser.
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Thanks this is a used gun less than 250 rounds through it. I own 3 other guns , and shoot all of them decent. The m&p is my favorite by far. The trigger is gritty and the reset seem long, I guess with more rounds through itll get better. I'll stay with it buy more ammo keep practicing and see what happens thanks for the feed back
This is one version of trigger fix. There are several. Polishing on my M&P did wonders. THEN I put the apex sear(only) in for a smooth #4-1/2 pull. Polishing is free. Parts are not.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_r-J4zAJHo&t=751s[/ame]
Rastoff
US Veteran
Resist the urge to change your gun from the stock configuration.
I love to tinker. Every gun I've owned has been stripped and reassembled many times. It makes me familiar with the gun. It also makes me comfortable with the operation. The more I know, the better able I am to understand why something goes wrong.
So, I agree with the idea to shoot it a lot first. If you have quality shooting form, you can overcome a mediocre trigger.
Now that I've said all that, if you still want to upgrade, look at the trigger. The Apex FSS is a brilliant upgrade to the M&P. Easy to install and vast improvement in trigger feel.
I love to tinker. Every gun I've owned has been stripped and reassembled many times. It makes me familiar with the gun. It also makes me comfortable with the operation. The more I know, the better able I am to understand why something goes wrong.
So, I agree with the idea to shoot it a lot first. If you have quality shooting form, you can overcome a mediocre trigger.
Now that I've said all that, if you still want to upgrade, look at the trigger. The Apex FSS is a brilliant upgrade to the M&P. Easy to install and vast improvement in trigger feel.
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
A better trigger will do more to improve your shooting enjoyment than new sights. Still, I recommend you shoot it first before making any changes. Not just a box of ammo, but 400 - 500 rounds. You will appreciate any improvements more that way.
zymurgeist
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The question you have to ask yourself is do you want to double the price of your gun or just buy another gun to go with it. There's a lot you can do for very little money but it's easy to spend a fortune chasing that last 1% of improvement.
To the above I'd add that you'll probably never get your money back out of those add ons when/if you sell the gun.
Don~Z~
Member
Anyone want to add a comment about the legal side of modifications?, if you actually have to use it for self defense.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
zymurgeist
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Unless you do something so overwhelmingly stupid that you make a gun unsafe all you need to do is be able to explain why the modifications were made. That and avoid things that make you look like an idiot. "Smile wait for flash" is a funny joke but not something that's going to endear you to a jury.
Bonephish
Member
^The best improvement you can do for a M&P^
Don~Z~
Member
I live in Illinois, and I left my EDC completely stock, I can hit a paper plate with every shot in my magazine from any distance that would apply to an intruder coming into my house(longest distance is about 22 feet). I am also guessing that if I ever used my EDC in a defensive situation out in our crazy world, it would be at a pretty close distance and it would happen very fast. What I'm trying to get at is... my EDC/Home protection pistol needs to function properly and hit the target/body mass... smoothness of the trigger won't matter to me at the time of any defensive incident... that's just my viewpoint, it's not right or wrong... I carry a shield 45, I did modify my bodyguard 380, but that was before I really started carrying... now I only carry my stock shield 45
I honestly pray that I don't have to ever use my gun towards anyone, but I train so if it happens I will know how to respond.
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I honestly pray that I don't have to ever use my gun towards anyone, but I train so if it happens I will know how to respond.
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TruckinThumper
Member
Legal smeegle......If you add a trigger, argument would be....I want to hit my intended target, I dont want to miss and hit an innocent. Same for the sights.
I swapped both my M&P triggers in less than 500 rounds ( did this in one day of shooting). APEX for the win.
I also swapped the EDC sights with iDots.
THe CORE is getting a set of Dawsons.
I swapped both my M&P triggers in less than 500 rounds ( did this in one day of shooting). APEX for the win.
I also swapped the EDC sights with iDots.
THe CORE is getting a set of Dawsons.
Bonephish
Member
If you shoot someone by accident (ND) there's a problem, but a shooting in self-defense is a good shoot, regardless of the modifications done to your firearm. However, some states don't allow firearm mods, but that's a separate issue.
zymurgeist
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[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdHK9RLkx7g[/ame]
Don~Z~
Member
Good video, I still am able to shoot very accurate with out upgrading my gun, just my 2 cents... good info though, thanks
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
CBStuard
Member
go here:
S&W M&P Trigger Job
Click the 'I agree' button and find a really good DIY trigger job. I have not done any of the filing to change shapes. I just polished the areas to make everything smoother. Costs almost nothing and really helps.
S&W M&P Trigger Job
Click the 'I agree' button and find a really good DIY trigger job. I have not done any of the filing to change shapes. I just polished the areas to make everything smoother. Costs almost nothing and really helps.
