Accuracy is coming: Apex M&P Barrels

[Randy Lee]

For what it's worth, in my experience the XDs are by far more consistent in the accuracy realm out of the box than most M&P9s. This can be explained by how the back end of the barrel locks up, and the dwell time.
Welding up the barrel bottom lug and hood work well with the XD design, but the benefits of doing this on the M&P are not as substantial.

The 2015 National Police Shooting Championships Production Semi-Auto Division Champion won that title using a FS M&P9 with our barrel. He was originally going to use his XDM, but the accuracy gains he saw at 50 yards swayed his decision.

Before the M&P was on the horizon, I used to compete with the XD. I even owned one of Rob Leatham's personal guns that had the barrel welded up and fitted by the Custom Shop. The gun shot well, however I could not get it to group as well as what we can do with the M&P today.

 

[Randy Lee]

Randy,

Appriciate you contributing to this thread. I want an apex barrel bad. Just want one that will have ports to match the holes in the slide. Do you guys have plans to make one that will have porting to match the holes in the slides of factory ported guns?

Unfortunately we don't have plans for ported barrels at the moment.
You could contact Mag-Na-Port, as I know they are equipped to locate ports in the correct locations.

 

[Ron AZ]

For those of you who are familiar with the grouping problem reported in this thread ... is it only on the full size M&P 9? How is grouping with the M&P 9 Compact?

 

[dben002]

I hear this more than I should .....I never had accuracy problems with my Shield 9 and I have no problems with the Shield 45.

Could it be some don't have the discipline to maintain proper breathing, grip and trigger control to be able to be accurate over an extended shooting session.

It takes concentration to accurately fire any weapon even after you have sighted the weapon in

A new barrel will not correct these deficiencies should one have them.

 

[Holmes375]

I hear this more than I should .....I never had accuracy problems with my Shield 9 and I have no problems with the Shield 45.

Could it be some don't have the discipline to maintain proper breathing, grip and trigger control to be able to be accurate over an extended shooting session.

It takes concentration to accurately fire any weapon even after you have sighted the weapon in

A new barrel will not correct these deficiencies should one have them.

The issue with the full size M&P 9mm pistols is very well documented and has been known for some time. It's a hit or miss problem relating to the design of the barrel lock up, dwell time, etc. Some pistols exhibit it dramatically while many do not. Even those that do not exhibit terrible accuracy seldom shine ion that department. The M&P 9mm full size has never been known for its accuracy out of the box.

Randy of Apex fame has commented upon this in the past and explains it quite well. It is not a phantom that afflicts less skilled shooters and it has nothing to do with the Shield series.

My M&P 9c (and most others I've worked with) out-shoot their full size counterparts handily. Others have noted the same. The compact models do not seem to suffer the same problem with their shorter barrels.

 

[Ron AZ]

The issue with the full size M&P 9mm pistols is very well documented and has been known for some time. It's a hit or miss problem relating to the design of the barrel lock up, dwell time, etc. Some pistols exhibit it dramatically while many do not. Even those that do not exhibit terrible accuracy seldom shine ion that department. The M&P 9mm full size has never been known for its accuracy out of the box.

Randy of Apex fame has commented upon this in the past and explains it quite well. It is not a phantom that afflicts less skilled shooters and it has nothing to do with the Shield series.

My M&P 9c (and most others I've worked with) out-shoot their full size counterparts handily. Others have noted the same. The compact models do not seem to suffer the same problem with their shorter barrels.

Thanks for answering the question Holmes375. (Post #394 is the classic reason I asked for a response from someone like you familiar with the full size problem.)

 

[Holmes375]

I should also make clear my belief that a full size M&P in 9mm of normal or average accuracy makes an admirable home defense or personal defense weapon. The real world and the competition world are two completely different realities.

The M&P 9 full size points well, handles recoil with aplomb and will more often than not deliver minute of bad guy at statistically illustrated distances.

If you get a stinker, hold S&W's feet to the fire until they make it right. Send that puppy back on their dime a dozen times if you have to. Painful? Yes. But they owe you a reasonable firearm which is what you purchased in good faith.

 

[clarkz71]

The issue with the full size M&P 9mm pistols is very well documented and has been known for some time.
It's a hit or miss problem relating to the design of the barrel lock up, dwell time, etc.
Some pistols exhibit it dramatically while many do not.

This is very true, I was lucky and got a good one

Mine will put 5 rounds in a 1" square (Sighting in target)
from a rest @ defense range of 21 feet.

Shooting technique is very important though with the stock
trigger. Unfortunaltly mine is 8.5 lbs. Apex FSS going in soon.

 

[Holmes375]

This is very true, I was lucky and got a good one

Mine will put 5 rounds in a 1" square (Sighting in target)
from a rest @ defense range of 21 feet.

Shooting technique is very important though with the stock
trigger. Unfortunaltly mine is 8.5 lbs. Apex FSS going in soon.

Amen! Many (most) of the factory triggers do nothing for the making of nice little groups.

5 in to 1" at 7 yards with the factory pull switch? You, sir, are a shooter and certainly deserving of a nice Apex trigger

 

[clarkz71]

Amen! Many (most) of the factory triggers do nothing for the making of nice little groups.

5 in to 1" at 7 yards with the factory pull switch? You, sir, are a shooter and certainly deserving of a nice Apex trigger

Thanks, but it's probably shooting since 1988 that helps.
If you don't get marksmanship in that amount of time.... lol

A good trigger does help, my Gold Cups would just drill
the bull at any indoor range distance.
Around me limited to 50 feet.

 

[Magload]

The Apex Barrel has made a totally new shooter out of my 9 Long. I had all the Apex parts already in the pistol and a Storm Lake barrel but the Apex barrel really helped. i shoot indoors 4 to 5 days a week and feel that after 22 months of practice I shoot petty well so can really say the barrel helped. You cant shoot any better then your gun and these guns are not target guns. For SD the FS 9 shoots just fine it is just when you want to reach out and shoot for score that the gun need some work.

My only complaint with the Apex barrel at least mine is it has a short chamber and the SWC reloads of mine had the be shorten.

T

 

[mdrd375]

Will Apex make a barrel for the Shield 1.0? On my Shield if I push down on the breech of the barrel is moves up and down about the thickness of a dime, if I push hard the slide moves back about 1mm and the barrel drops down and unlocks. Accuracy if poor as you could guess. This seems to be a common "problem" with Shields I try this on.