Apex kit on shield 7Lb pull

[OakleyFreak]

I bought a Lyman Trigger Pull Gauge
We used it on my sons shield 9mm and my shield 9mm an got around 8lbs we were kinda surprised.
My son took it home and used it on his AR and got 4lbs, he seemed to feel that it was accurate

So we put the Apex D kit in my son's Shield today, Trigger feels way smoother and the reset is a huge improvement.
But the pull on the Lyman was at 7 lbs

We have not done my Shield yet.
I was just wondering if my Lyman is off, or is it really just a 1lb improvement over what ever your shield came with from the factory?
Or should seek out another trigger gauge for a comparison?

 

[Doug M.]

If that's the duty/carry kit, I can see the improvement in feel with only a modest reduction in actual trigger weight.

 

[OakleyFreak]

If that's the duty/carry kit, I can see the improvement in feel with only a modest reduction in actual trigger weight.

this is how the web site advertised it below.

The APEX Shield Carry Kit Kit (SCK) was designed to provide the M&P Shield pistol owner a smooth, consistent 5 - 5.5 lb trigger pull with the advantages of shorter over-travel and more detectable trigger reset. All of the components work together to provide a pull weight within the acceptable range for a top end, service pistol. The kit itself is engineered to be drop-in and should not require further gunsmithing. However, armorer or gunsmith installation of the USB into the Shield slide is strongly recommended**.

 

[Dino1]

Try using the stock trigger spring and see what that will do for it.

 

[F4D]

I had a 7lb pull after installing the duty kit also. Called Apex and the said to reinstall the original spring. It is now 4.4lbs.

 

[mb66]

For me the improvement wasn't necessarily in the trigger pull weight per se, but the significant reduction in the 'break' of the trigger.

 

[OakleyFreak]

Thanks all
The trigger is indeed nite and day difference.
I will recommend my son reinstall the stock trigger spring and see what that yields

 

[gnystrom]

My Shield came from the factory with a 8# trigger. The Apex sear (no spring changes) brought it down to 5-3/4#.

 

[78Staff]

Same results as others have posted, came in around 7.5-8 from the factory iirc, Apex kit + keeping stock spring brought it down to 5.5.

 

[OakleyFreak]

Yea
Im gonna check it at the range
My son and I tried the gauge again tonight and same results 7lbs

Im not sure whats going on
But a comparison will be the only sure way to validate

 

[SpringGunTunes]

Use the factory trigger spring.

 

[OakleyFreak]

So we installed all of the parts that came with the Apex kit in my gun today.
My trigger is pulling at 6.85 on my gauge
The none LED mechanical trigger pull at the range was showing 6.5
So I feel my gauge is accurate.
Gun shot real nice , no gritty trigger and good reset
I will leave it alone.
It is also much smoother
This was the best range session I have had with this 9mm

 

[CB3]

Have you polished the trigger bar to a mirror finish? Have you polished the inside of the striker block channel? These two additional friction-reducing efforts may drop another half pound off the pull and further improve the feel.

I agree that changing springs will now have the most productive results, but polishing sometimes really helps also. The Apex parts are polished when you get them, but not exactly to a mirror finish.

800, then 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, then a Dremel with a felt polishing tip and some polishing compound. Does wonders.

 

[OakleyFreak]

Have you polished the trigger bar to a mirror finish? Have you polished the inside of the striker block channel? These two additional friction-reducing efforts may drop another half pound off the pull and further improve the feel.

I agree that changing springs will now have the most productive results, but polishing sometimes really helps also. The Apex parts are polished when you get them, but not exactly to a mirror finish.

800, then 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, then a Dremel with a felt polishing tip and some polishing compound. Does wonders.

We may give that a try
Seems the general consensus is to put the stock trigger spring back in and see if it drops

 

[78Staff]

I think while Apex advertises a lower pull, ie 5-5.5 lbs or so , they probably base that off of S&W's advertised 6lb pull. Which we know doesn't happen, at least not out of the box. The kit does reduce pull by about a lb, so if you start with the typical S&W Shield 8lb trigger out of the box, then dropping to 7 sounds about right. IOW, the kit drops about a lb from wherever you start, it doesn't automatically create a 5 lb trigger. But the feel of the trigger is the real benefit - less creep, no more grit, less reset.

I ran into a similar issue and after putting the stock trigger spring back in did get it down to 5.5 lbs, which is about as low as I want to go on an EDC. I just added the alum enhanced trigger as well, but have not been able to shoot it yet - hope to get to the range early next week.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Try using the stock trigger spring and see what that will do for it.

I followed this advice this morning.

I like the factory spring a lot better than the Apex one.
The rest of the kit was a big improvement in the gun.