MP9 - Trigger Question

pdog15

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
After 300 rounds, I'm noticing that the trigger has quite a long creep, a second very short creep, and then it is ready to fire. While it is consistent/predictable, this is not a great thing. Is it a common occurrence and if so - what are some effective corrections?
 
Register to hide this ad
Apex Tactical has a line of easy to replace parts that cover this. Sear, trigger kits, springs, etc, with excellent video instructions.
 
I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at. The M&P has about 1/4" of take up or slack, then a little bit of creep before it releases the sear.

Are you speaking of the initial slack as "creep" or is there some other issue?
 
Yes, it is the initial take up of slack that I'm referring to as "creep". I'm in Canada so, right now, getting anything resembling gun parts from the U.S. is a huge problem but I will keep checking to see if I can find an Apex trigger group. One gunsmith tells me that the gun is operating just as it was designed to do.
 
Apex Tactical has a line of easy to replace parts that cover this. Sear, trigger kits, springs, etc, with excellent video instructions.

I have the Pro & Im glad I put the Apex full kit in thanks to guys here & at the gun store where I purchased it,makes a Huge difference,only thing its overpriced but damn what a change ,its been said countless time here from guys that made the change ,that it should come from the factory this way,Im sure they would sell tons more if they did,its that good .
 
Yes, it is the initial take up of slack that I'm referring to as "creep".
OK, that's what I thought. Yes, that is normal. For defensive purposes it can actually be good. It allows you to put your finger on the trigger and have some movement before it releases the sear. This can add confidence for some shooters.

The Apex Forward Set Sear kit is what you want to eliminate this. It can be found here: https://apextactical.com/store/product-info.php?pid54.html Of course I don't know if you can have it shipped to Canada.
 
The Apex Forward Set Sear kit is what you want to eliminate this. It can be found here: https://apextactical.com/store/product-info.php?pid54.html Of course I don't know if you can have it shipped to Canada.

I'm in Canada, have a new M&P9 using for IPSC as passed down my CZ Shadow to my son as he is shooting IPSC now. Just started looking for Apex parts, so far only source found is Wanstalls Online, not full selection though.
 
As much as I love my M&P's, I wouldn't have one that didn't have the Apex kit in it...oh and night sights, too...
 
"Creep" is used to describe a hesitant, jerky and noticable movement of the trigger/sear interface in single action type trigger mechanisms. It really doesn't apply to a double action trigger like that of the M&P pistol line. I'll also note that the pistol was designed as a service pistol.

Now, the first, longer part of the trigger stroke is simply takeup of the slack to get to the actual trigger stroke. The second part of the stroke is the actual trigger pull. The entire process is very similar to a trigger stroke of a very well tuned double action revolver.

At 300 rounds, you really need to put more rounds through it to finish the breakin process. BTW, if you 'ride the reset', it really shortens the trigger stroke. That is, the trigger is held all the way to the rear during recoil and until the weapon is back on target. At that point, the trigger is returned only to the point where the trigger resets and allows the next shot. This eliminates the initial takeup of the slack.
 
After 300 rounds, I'm noticing that the trigger has quite a long creep, a second very short creep, and then it is ready to fire. While it is consistent/predictable, this is not a great thing. Is it a common occurrence and if so - what are some effective corrections?

As noted, a fairly long first stage "take up" (not really creep) is normal for this gun. The second stage of this two stage trigger design has some challenges that will produce the characteristics you note.

Pulling the trigger pushes the trigger bar (TB) rearward. After travelling a certain distance without any engagement (a safety feature; first stage of a typical two stage combat trigger) the TB engages two different items:

1. The sear, which will release the striker, and
2. The striker block(SB), which blocks the striker from moving until the striker block is pushed upward. It is an additional internal safety.

The engagement surfaces of the stamped metal TB are rough. Until they are polished, you will get a gritty feel.

As well, the sear and striker block are not highly polished. The resulting engagement of these four surfaces is grittiness and extra pull weight because of friction.

This tends to dissipate somewhat after many many hundreds of trigger pulls (dry and live firing) as the parts slowly polish themselves from contact/friction. The trigger pull may actually lighten just a little as it gets somewhat smoother. This is a very slow, and for me frustrating process. I'm not very patient. I want my trigger to work right, right away.

The TB moves horizontally. The SB and the sear have to move vertically. Transforming horizontal movement to the vertical requires the surfaces to slide against each other for some (small) distance. If the four surfaces are not highly polished and at the optimum angles, you get a gritty, heavier trigger pull.

While S&W claims its standard M&P triggers are supposed to be ~6.5 (stage two, sear release), many seem to be coming through in the 8+ lb. range, and they are often gritty.

Apex makes replacement sears and striker blocks that are highly polished and have different dimensions and angles to greatly improve the M&P trigger system. However, polishing the TB engagement surfaces is still necessary, done by you. These changes will smooth out trigger pull sooner and better than waiting for the "firing polish". To lighten the pull lower than ~6.5 lbs. and/or change the trigger system engagement points (e.g., shorter first stage pull distance) requires different springs or other special parts (Apex).

If the Apex parts are not an option, you can achieve a vastly improved trigger feel by polishing all the mating surfaces, ensuring that the TB engages both the SB and the sear at the same time, and by enlarging and slightly rounding the SB engagement surface.

Here is a good guide to such work, although if you feel this is too challenging, a gunsmith should be able to do this quickly and not too expensively using just the parts in the gun.

http://www.burwellguns.com/misc/M&Ptriggerjob.pdf

Good luck. Congrats on your purchase of a very fine handgun.
 
"Creep" is used to describe a hesitant, jerky and noticable movement of the trigger/sear interface in single action type trigger mechanisms. It really doesn't apply to a double action trigger like that of the M&P pistol line.
I would agree that creep doesn't really apply to a double action, but the M&P is a single action; the trigger only does one thing.

Here's how the trigger works in an M&P:
 
CB,
That was a very nicely written post. I wish more would write that way. It's extremely clear and you didn't leave any acronyms to guess work.
 
Back
Top