My first M&P impression

[ReidK15]

Hello there,

First time M&P gun owner.

I'm a deputy in Texas and everyone in the department carries glocks or Sigs. I was the oddball the carried practically the only Springfield XD. After an incident with cracking the slide on my XD, I was quickly looking for a backup weapon.

Bought a glock, hated the trigger. Spent over $100's in connectors and polishing, whatever you could do, I did it, could never get the trigger just right, but it was all I had for backup. Just couldn't get into it.

Saw an M&P at the local gun shop and people raved about the ergonomics. Honestly, my glock gen 4, and my springfield, both felt better despite the palm swells but it was still comfortable. Being that I have shot sigs, glocks, and XD's, and modded them all with trigger kits to get my desired result, I figured, what the heck, tax return season and lets test this one out.

Review after review hated on the M&P, demanding an apex kit to even be remotely viable from what I had been reading, stating the 6.5# trigger pull, which was 7.4# from my lymans, was causing shooters to pull the gun off target as they fired. Being very familiar with this phenomenon of heavy trigger pulls and my desire to trigger kit every weapon to get them to around 4.5-5#'s I could understand.

Wanting a full sized carry weapon, and not wanting to purchase another springfield, and not wanting to carry my glock 19 compact for duty, I figured I'd try out the M&P. As said, I measured it at 7.4#, but despite this *mushy, heavy trigger pull* as many reviews described it, I shot it perfectly accurate at 21 ft. The trigger had a little pre-travel, nothing out of the ordinary, but it stopped at a dead brick wall, and with a little more pressure, broke perfectly and very predictable, something I cannot say for the XD at all, and comparable to the glock partially.

Since I shot so well (first time shooting it), I pushed the target back all the way to 75' at the range. I clustered a barrage of bullets within nearly 3'' of the bullseye. Stunned at how I did that with a 7.4# trigger, I almost regretted ordering the apex kit.

I guess I kinda feel all warm and fuzzy inside because its an american made gun, but, I'm very impressed for a stock version of the gun (made in 2015) I don't even realize I'm pulling a 7# trigger because it breaks so predictably. I don't ever post on the forums, but I'd figure I'd throw some high praise out there from someone who shoots all the other platforms, with high dollar trigger kits. As soon as my Safariland Holster comes in it will be my duty carry. Just my .02 cents.

 

[Holmes375]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum!

It'll be interesting to hear your observations after you upgrade the trigger.

Enjoy that new shooter.

 

[Bob O]

Wow, sounds like you got an excellent pick of the litter! Glad you like it. I like my FS 40, the ergonomics are great, although mine could use some trigger work.

 

[Wishbone]

Good review! I love the new triggers on the M&P's out of the box. I have no plans to upgrade mine.

 

[robert1804]

Hey, ReidK15, Which M&P did you get? I just traded a full size M&P 9mm for a mid size M&P 45. I also have a shield 9mm. All three pistols are 2015 to 2016 production and have the same trigger weight and feel. At first, I thought these triggers were just too heavy and hurting accuracy. Shooting the new 45 proved that idea wrong. I'm happy to see some folks step up to defend the stock trigger on these pistols.

 

[moxie]

That's right. The triggers are "different." But once you stop comparing them to a 1911 or whatever...you discover they just work!

 

[GUNs and JEEPS]

Maybe that explains why I "like" mine........I had rarely been shooting in years and pistols not at all.....yes I did have some low left....but that is gone now......thanks to the Forum....and a new grip

 

[PirateJim]

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on selecting the M&P, I doubt you'll come to regret the decision. Nor would I predict you'll regret ordering the Apex kit. But let us know!

 

[boomerguy49]

My new M&P 9c has been great in every way, including the trigger which is very predictable. I only have one problem and I'm hoping it will pass -- it ejects Brass-to-Face. I've posted it in another thread and I will send updates there. I don't regret buying it at all. Great quality and performance as far as accuracy and trigger are concerned. I have the Safariland ALS holster which I like much more than my Blackhawk CDC.

 

[walkin' trails]

Welcome to the forum. A Gen 1 G17 was the first center fire semi auto I acquired, and I put a lot of rounds thru it and a number of other Glocks, personally owned or issues over the years. I considered myself a die hard Glock shooter, and was pretty comfortable with the standard Glock trigger. I noted when S&W first released their M&P pistol. While I grew up with S&W revolvers, I never really liked their semi autos, and the Sigma mess made me skeptical of any pistol they built. Then in around 2007, I had the chance to put a box of ammo thru an M&P 40. While I had read that the M&P triggers really sucked and had no felt reset, I didn't notice the deficiency. I shot well, and also noted that I had faster follow-thru. A year later, my employer added the M&P line-up to their approved list and I bought a FS 45. I now have four M&Ps, which also include a FS 9, 9c, and 9mm Shield. Beginning with the 45, I did not have any issues getting used to the trigger. I don't have a scale, but they feel about a pound heavier than a standard Glock, break crisply, and have both felt and audible reset. I think the shape, angle, and ability to change the size of the grip has an effect on perceived trigger manipulation. The M&P isn't a perfect handgun design, but it's a practical handgun design. My 45 is very accurate. My 9c and Shield are decent. My FS 9, built in 2013 is not that tight of a shooter, but it's great out to 15 and acceptable at 25 and even 50. Just for reference, I still occasionally shoot my 1986 mfg G17 with Heinie Slant Pro sights at the same distances an d don't really see any better groups. Granted, the 17 has seen a lot rounds and abuse, but I've always kept the springs fresh. Overall, it's probably me and not the guns. I'm not a proponent of lightening the trigger of a carry gun, so good to hear another shooter's positive experiences with a stock M&P.

 

[Rastoff]

For a few years now I've been trying to describe the M&P trigger feel. This says it perfectly;

The trigger had a little pre-travel, nothing out of the ordinary, but it stopped at a dead brick wall, and with a little more pressure, broke perfectly and very predictable,...

What most see as a "gritty" feel, is really just the slack. Once up against the sear, the actual break is really very crisp and creep free.

The biggest problem with the M&P trigger is too much over-travel. The Apex kit will fix that.

 

[fdw]

Congrats and welcome. Glad you like your new Smith.

I love all of mine...!

edit: I'll add a bit. I put an Apex kit in my first 9 cause that just seemed like the thing to do. Haven't done the same for subsequent purchases though. After many 1000s of rounds, they really all feel about the same to me.

Best!

 

[lcswj]

Congratulations on your new purchase. Welcome to the M&P club. Back in 2011 I started shooting M&P's and started out with a Pro 40. I have found the M&P's to be (for me) some of the best balanced, most natural pointing, blistering fast, and some of the most inconsistently accurate pistols I've over owned. I eventually sold off all my other pistols and replaced them with various M&P's. Currently, I own the 40 Pro circa 2010, a 9mm FS circa 2014, 2 Shield 9mm's circa 2015, and a Compact 40 circa 2012. As for accuracy, the most accurate is the 40 Compact. I have put 20 consecutive rounds on 16 inch steel at 100 yrds standing and have won several IDPA BUG matches with it. The 9mm FS is next and have put 12 of 15 rounds on 16 inch steel at 100 yards. I obviously can't do that with the Shields but they both shoot tighter groups than the Pro 40. I haven't shot the 40 Pro in a couple of years giving up on it after putting Apex trigger kit and good sights, etc. on it. For a gun that is touted to be a target gun, a damn boomerang is more accurate. I'm considering a KKM barrel. I'd unload it but it was a gift from my wife (who bought it for me to shut me up) and the thing just feels good in the hand. I do notice that the barrel is designed differently in the lock up area. Smith has definitely done something different with their barrels after 2011 because all of my other M&P's have the same barrel design and are accurate.
I'd try getting another Smith barrel but haven't been able to find one. You can find just about every other part for an M&P but good luck finding a damn 40 Pro barrel and locking block. I have never dealt with a company who was so stingy with replacement parts. I called about a barrel, and the guy asked me what I wanted one for! You gotta be kidding me!! Then went on to say that the barrels are fine and then gave me shooting suggestions! I asked him if he was refusing to sell me a drop in replacement part for my gun, to which he replied "no" but they didn't sell them! I told him I had seen many M&P barrels for sale on Midway USA, etc. but they didn't have one in 40 Pro. After more BS about how the barrels are adequate, I finally hung up on the guy. Let me be clear. The CS person said they didn't sell them, not that they didn't have them. If there was ever a reason for taking a pass on an M&P, S&W's customer service is it. It's that bad.

Anyway, I've been shooting ever since I could stand up. Best memories were of shooting with the old man growing up in the early 70's. Started off with a Security Six Ruger then S&W revolvers, went to 1911's during the mid 80's and early 90's, Glocks (which I absolutely REFUSE to own again, they shoot great but they look like a 5 gallon bucket of ****!... one ugly gun... no offense... just sayin), then Springfields, CZ, blah, blah, and now M&P's. I used to think that 1911's and string bikinis were the greatest things on earth, until I shot a Glock, a Springfield XD, and then an M&P. M&P's are very accurate. Make no mistake. However, there are those with significant accuracy problems. Too many good shooters have made too many of the same complaints. I almost find it insulting that people suggest there be something wrong with the shooter especially when shooting at a measly 15 yards. Hell, Ray Charles could have grouped a handful of rocks better than 5" at 15 yards for Christ's sake! There's my 2 cents worth on the accuracy issue. Your mileage may vary. If you have a gun that feels good in experienced hands and cannot consistently shoot sub 3.5 inch groups at 15 yards from a supported position, then there is a problem... with the gun.

Bottom line? M&P's are the only guns I currently shoot. I have no regrets and no plans to change anytime soon, and will probably buy more of them. They aren't perfect but they simply work for me. I have put thousands of the nastiest reloads you can imagine through mine. They never jam, don't need to be babied (I hate cleaning guns), can take whatever abuse you can dish out and are accurate. The only gun I've ever owned that is as reliable as my M&P's is my Saiga AK. To me that says a lot. A well tuned 1911 is a thing of beauty and will thread a needle but will never be an M&P, Glock, Beretta, Springfield, etc. in terms of reliability and trouble free use, and are 1/2 the $ or even less. I have seen a lot of $2500 1911's jam in matches and even a couple of Glocks (but is extremely rare). I have never seen an M&P jam in a match.

That being said, the M&P's that are inaccurate will shoot around a corner. I've had the best luck with the newer manufacture guns. If anyone has any ideas about how to tune up the accuracy on a circa 2010 40 Pro, I'd love to hear it. Enjoy your new M&P they are a lot of fun. If the yours has accuracy problems, do what I did and buy 5 more. One of them is bound to be accurate!

 

[triaxle]

I just picked up the M/P 9 full size L/E package 3 mags , night sights late Oct 2014 build with all updates I only have around 200 so far but flawless, the trigger is like yours take up then a wall , snap every time ,its not a 1911 but I dont need that , I have another L/E M/P 9 night sights etc, I put the apex sear in made trigger a little lighter and also the FPB which the one I took out was a little gritty ,both guns are about right

 

[lcswj]

If you are inclined to doing your own light gunsmithing work, you would be very surprised at how good a trigger job you can do yourself. Go to Burwell Gunsmithing- Your M&P specialist. They have a good pdf document with a lot of illustrations you can study to learn how the mechanism works and where the rough spots are. If you're not inclined to do any trigger work of your own, its still a good read on the M&P from a design standpoint. There are many expensive aftermarket parts that people get to clean up the M&P that are really a waste of money. This pdf may save you a lot of money in replacement parts.

 

[Whitwabit]

I've had and carried my 40c model number 307703LE - for a year now and have left it completely stock and have no plans to changing anything .. The trigger is 6.2 pounds .. has a short amount of take up .. reaches the wall before a crisp break with a reset of around .2 inches !!!

It was gritty probably over 7 pounds trigger pull till it had somewhere around 5-600 rounds before it started smoothing out .. I do enjoy shooting it ..

I have around 1200 rounds through it with out any type of failure using 180 grain Winchester Train and Defend ammo .. for a 40 it is comfortable to shoot ..

 

[pbpvusa]

I thought the trigger pull was heavy, after apex FSS kit, it feels like butter, the travel is reduced by over 1/2. It feels like butter after that.

 

[kthom]

I'm an old revolver man who shoots them double action only, so the trigger weight on the M&P's does not bother me. Add to the mix, like you, I shoot my M&P's very well. Both the 9MM's and my .45ACP are the softest shooting semi autos I've ever fired in these calibers. Their accuracy is more than I need for my purposes for personal defense. They have been totally reliable thus far. I purchased an Apex trigger kit pretty soon after my first M&P purchase after reading about them. But I just kept shooting it, and you know what? That Apex kit is still in the package!

As with most firearms, after several hundreds of rounds, my impression was that the trigger had improved. Maybe I just got more used to it, and maybe it was a combination of both. I decided if it ain't broke, leave it alone! I've owned several different semi autos, and for me, the M&P's are the only ones I shoot and carry. Got a Shield, plus the 9MM and the .MP45. I love 'em! All have the OEM trigger systems and all of them have improved with shooting. They still shoot about the same on the targets, but the triggers got better with use. I recommend shooting it and see what happens before you install the Apex kit. It might make things better, and it might not. Won't hurt anything to find out!

I removed the ambi safety lever on my MP45 since it was in the way and I didn't use it anyway. My M&P's shoot just like my revolvers, ... draw and pull the trigger, and they are just as safe as my revolvers. It works for me very well since I am so "programmed" to shoot that way. I still carry some of my revolvers, but sometimes I like the added round capacity of the semi's. Best of both worlds, as far as I am concerned!

 

[ReidK15]

If you are inclined to doing your own light gunsmithing work, you would be very surprised at how good a trigger job you can do yourself. Go to Burwell Gunsmithing- Your M&P specialist. They have a good pdf document with a lot of illustrations you can study to learn how the mechanism works and where the rough spots are. If you're not inclined to do any trigger work of your own, its still a good read on the M&P from a design standpoint. There are many expensive aftermarket parts that people get to clean up the M&P that are really a waste of money. This pdf may save you a lot of money in replacement parts.

Sounds good. This was an M&P 9mm full size 4.25 for those curious. Appreciate all the responses. Mine has been very accurate and my safariland holster came in. Has already replaced my glock and springfields immediately.

The one thing is, once you hold an XD, its hard to compare guns that feel better in your hand. If you're holding an M&P over a glock, yes of course, but even the gen4 does feel ok. Springfield will always feel the best in my hand, but regardless of the trigger kit, the Springfields are going to always be spongy and unpredictable as you pull the trigger to the very back. I'm a huge fan and have been showing the M&P with my now new apex trigger kit on it. A lot of officers carrying glocks "with their own custom trigger work" are saying wow and they now want one.

I'm just more disappointed i've bought so many handguns and never decided to touch an m&p or smith and wesson because a few internet reviews made them seem unreliable because they FTF/FTE like 1 time out of 500 bullets. Go figure.

I'll make a comment about the night sights. The rear sight drifted out very easily. The front sight with a vise, steel punch an large hammer budged about a 1/4''. after pounding, and more pouding.... wow, that front sight took an act of god to actually move. I ended up taking it to a gun smith after a few bent punches. That thing is in there.

 

[deaheat]

Need to grab that apex barrel now!!!!!!