M&P9 Trigger

[bnoonan]

Why change the trigger mechanism? It's a personal choice.

As an NRA Certified Advanced Pistol Instructor and Training Counselor, my preferred firearm is the M&P 9c or 40c. I also have a M&P Shield 9mm. All three of them have had Apex DCAEK (Duty Carry Action Enhancement Kit) replacements. I did this for several reasons.
The trigger pull felt "gritty", not smooth. Also, it seemed that the compacts had a "false reset" prior to the actual reset, which wasn't easily felt or heard. There was a slight over travel of the trigger which resulted in a visual and actual jerk seen at the muzzle. All of these problems were resolved with the new Apex parts. I purchased the kits online. The labor cost from my gunsmith was about $50 each for the compacts, and $60 for the Shield.
Not every M&P has those problems. For example, my FS M&P 9 Pro CORE has a very smooth trigger pull.

 

[CubJ3]

If it is a Massachusetts model M&P, you may want consider the Apex as the trigger pull is firmer than non MA compliant models. I put the Apex in mine and it makes a BIG difference as mine IS (was) the MA model.

 

[adams484]

Really have to agree...

Why are they telling you this? Is your trigger bad? Have they shot it? Are they experienced shooters? OR are they just saying it because they've READ ON THE INTERWEBS that all M&P's have crappy triggers?

I've bought 7 M&P's in the past few years...ALL STILL HAVE STOCK TRIGGERS, and for my needs NONE NEED trigger work, apex or other wise.

Well put but I couldn't resist asking, why have you bought 7 M&P's? One or two isn't good enough?

 

[Bkreutz]

Well put but I couldn't resist asking, why have you bought 7 M&P's? One or two isn't good enough?

They're like "Lays" potato chips, you can't just have one.

 

[Johnbrow]

Gee whiz, still with the gritty trigger stuff?

We have seven M&P 9mm pistols of various types, including a Viking Tactics (my favorite, modified with a Glock recoil spring and a polished seer, but stock trigger), and also we have two Shields. I've polished the seer and surfaces on the older ones, and I put an Apex kit in the M&P Pro, but otherwise all are stock triggers and stock pistols. All have been fine for all purposes, despite the number of rounds through any of them. I notice a little difference when I shoot the Apex (lighter, shorter travel, faster break), but I don't prefer it and I do not recommend either the cost or the perceived benefit. I stopped at one Apex. I think the so called "gritty trigger" has to be coming from people who do not keep their guns clean or who have read too many gritty trigger posts, or maybe those very few early purchasers who have a very low serial number and who did not polish any surfaces. This is not to say that polished surfaces in a clean gun do not improve the feel. I believe in cleanliness, FP-10 oil and a little of Brian Enos's slide glide for all the M&Ps. Smooth guns with good triggers. There's a big industry devoted to selling you trigger kits that I don't think the M&P, or most any other stock 9mm pistol, needs. Most everything discussed here falls into "preference" rather than "need." Don't change the trigger unless you don't like it or can't shoot with it. Then, the problem is likely you and not the trigger anyway, but go ahead and get whatever you like. No one can tell anyone else what they prefer-you should have what you want. I recommend to everyone that they just try the M&P and the Glock and buy or shoot the one they like. There are hundreds of available mods and kits for either, but none of them really 'needed,' at least in my opinion. Best wishes for responsible and fun shooting with something you like.

Oh, and why seven, plus two Shields? Well, there are different models with varying benefits, but mostly so I can carry one and have the others all over the house within easy reach, mixed with Ruger revolvers. On the rare occasion there might be a child in the house, they all go into the gun safe, but otherwise either of us can get to a familiar pistol very quickly, without carrying in the house. All have Crimson Trace lasers, too. The M&P is our preferred "at hand" defensive weapon.

 

[Stanggt24]

Depends on where u live I live in ma and we have a 10 lb trigger here and it's way too heavy so I put the apex trigger kit in my m&p 40 c which lightened it to 5.5 lbs which is so smooth now absolutly love it now.

 

[josboy]

As many have said, triggers are very personal things. When I choose to buy a gun, its trigger, grip angle, ... are things I take into consideration. I rarely buy a new gun which is going to require a lot of modification (for me) going in. That being said, if I bought a gun, and after, at least, a thousand rounds or so, I concluded that there were no defects but yet the trigger was not what I felt I needed (note some have pointed out that what you may want on a range may be very different from what you want to carry) only then would I think about either swapping out of a gun for one that worked better for me or doing some modifications. New trigger kits for Smith, Glock, Ruger, Walther ... are out there, and tend to be pricey (over $100). There are lots of things you can do to modify the trigger on any of these guns without spending that kind of money. A few bucks for a spring, or connector/bar of some kind for less than $20, not to mention a little cleaning up of the movement between parts that rub against each other, can yield surprising changes. In working on the mechanism of a friends gun (he complained about a gritty and inconsistent trigger reset) I found a friction point between a bar and the inside of frame of the gun. No grinding, but just polishing the surfaces in question produced a totally acceptable trigger. Cost? About an hour of a buddy's time and about 13 cents worth of jeweler's paste. Bottomline, don't even think about modifying anything unless you feel your present set up is lacking in someway (just not something you read that the trigger on this model is too heavy). And should you decide that the trigger needs something, be clear in thinking out what it is that is needed, bearing in mind the purpose that you want to put the particular pistol to. At that point, if you have the experience and some skills, think out what in the pistol could be addressed to take you in the direction you want to go. Talking to a tinkerer buddy who has a track record with gun mechanics would be a good way to start. Or if you have a gun smith who you trust either on the basis of your own experience or those of friends, you may want to talk to him. A radical remedy like putting in new trigger at more than $100 would certainly be a last resort. And I say this having modified range guns to both smoother and lighter pulls (in some instances by more than two pounds) at a cost of less than $15 - $20. Repeating myself, think through whether you have a need or not your self and (to paraphrase an old top tune) don't let the sound of someone else's wheels drive your crazy.

 

[PJS50]

I agree with some of the others here; if you aren't having problems hitting what you are aiming at, while shooting at reasonable/defensive distances, then why change it? A compact gun is a defensive gun. If you are hitting "stuff" even at 30-40 feet (which is WAY farther than you probably would EVER use it for defense), then why mess with a good thing?

I don't own an M&P, but friends of mine have done the APEX kits and been happy with the results, but again, these are very experienced shooters too. Make this trigger upgrade an option for later on, when you are wanting to make smiley-faces in the target at 40 feet, and you have the skills which make you CAPABLE of shooting that well....

Your mileage may vary...
Never eat spinach with a stranger....
;-)

 

[NCavi8tor]

LOVE the Apex DCAEK in my M&P 45C!! And the Trijicon HD sights are sweet too.

NC

 

[NCW Ray]

Well put but I couldn't resist asking, why have you bought 7 M&P's? One or two isn't good enough?

lol, well 3 were for me, a 40c was an anniversary gift from my wife, then I bought myself a 40fs and a Shield 40. And I also bought my wife, son. daughter and son-inlaw M&P full sizes. Prior to giving the pistols to my family I, of course, fondled them!

And I in-turn ask you...can you ever have too many M&P's!

 

[harleygeorge]

Shield trigger

The only thing my S&W 9mm Shield lacks, is good eye and a steady hand.

 

[Squash15B]

I have owned six M&Ps over the years and have had the Apex trigger kit in two of them. Also have the RAM kit in two.

f you want to spend 20 bux, the RAM is the way to go to get the trigger reset for reliability.

 

[rmbrad]

I have to admit that I do not own one of these firearms, Lots of others, but not one of these. Like most mechanical things, they tend to get smoother and lighter with use. This doesn't mean that you have to put 500 to 1000 rounds down range. Buy some snap caps, and dry fire the gun. The gun will wear in and you will probably learn more about the gun and how you will shoot it than putting rounds down range. I am not saying that you don't need to put rounds down range, just saying it is an easy way to wear the gun in. You can do the dry firing at home, and work on your shooting technique while you are at it. The gun and you will become smoother. If at the end of several hundred cycles, you still think the trigger needs work, go for it.

 

[Sy Brule]

M&P 9

New owner of M&P 9 C. I found Stock trigger pull was a bit long and stiff but it had to be Massachusetts compliant. An ace smithy just changed a couple of springs and it made a big difference for $25.00.

Sy Brule

 

[Model 15-4ever]

I just made more popcorn.

 

[roadcykler]

As a couple of folks have alluded to, any modification may have ramifications if you have to shoot someone. If you never plan on carrying it or using it in any self defense situation, I'd follow those who said, put a few hundred rounds through it (or Snap Caps) and see if things "improve".

 

[kg4tyr]

As an employee at a large gun store. I work almost exclusively behind the handgun counter. I handle many handguns everyday. I just bought the M&P 9c, for the feel of the grip, but not the trigger. The Shield trigger is better than the compact model. Even my inexpensive DA hammer fired pistol felt better than the 9c. I will either put in an Apex or have the trigger worked on by a local (well known) gunsmith. It is gritty, and heavy. To those that argue the legal ramifications of doing work on your gun. I would rather have a good trigger and be confident in hitting what I am aiming at, rather than pulling the gun off of the aiming point, and possibly harming other innocent bystanders.

 

[KertP]

Gritty Trigger?

I purchased one of the first M&P40 pistols that made its way into my state. Mine had the proverbial "gritty triggerpull". Even after a thousand rounds through it, the trigger was still gritty. I did not send it back to Smith & Wesson, but rather chased down the source of that gritty feel. Turns out, the stock striker block had relatively sharp radius shoulders and the machining was not as smooth as it should have been (i.e. there were tiny ridges in the finish). A warranty fix? Yep, could have been, but I chose instead to remove the striker block, chuck it in a drill, and polish a better and smoother radius in the shoulder. Reinstalled the striker block and, voila, smooth trigger. If your pistol has a trigger pull to your liking, I wouldn't mess with it. I've installed a number of Apex trigger kits in other M&P pistols, including my own M&P9 Shield, and they work as advertised. They are not necessary, especially if you like the trigger as it is now. Enjoy our M&P pistol and always remember, 'A Warm Barrel is A Happy Barrel!' So get out there and warm the barrel with some bullets downrange.

 

[NCavi8tor]

As a couple of folks have alluded to, any modification may have ramifications if you have to shoot someone. If you never plan on carrying it or using it in any self defense situation, I'd follow those who said, put a few hundred rounds through it (or Snap Caps) and see if things "improve".

There has never been a case with a "good shoot" where gun modifications made any difference. This has been debated on here ad nauseam. I have a Duty/Carry Action Enhancement Kit installed. Let's not hijack another thread. Thanks!

NC

 

[jbow34]

M&P Trigger.

The M&P trigger is a dream out of the box compared to many if not all of the other poly frame handguns on the market. As a new shooter you would feel the difference in a trigger upgrade but I agree with your assumption learn techniques, shooting skills firearms safety and range etiquette. If you concentrate on the fundamentals, trust me the upgrades will come and as you gain experience you will better understand which upgrades you want or need.