New Shield question
- Thread starter Codfish04
- Start date
Jaysq
US Veteran
Welcome from North Carolina.
Maybe some others can give you some answers, I really liked my trigger out of the box.
Maybe some others can give you some answers, I really liked my trigger out of the box.
Gomez93
Member
I'm with Jay. I have 7 striker fired pistols and the Shield is as good as any of them.
Yes. Rent or buy a SD9VE and shoot it (or even dry fire it) for a while. Then you will appreciate the Shield for having a better trigger.
Now, that was somewhat facetious...I have owned several SDVEs (9mm and .40) and I like them. But, in all honesty, the trigger is heavier on them than on the Shield. I've owned many pistols, of various makes and models, and the best triggers of all that I've owned are on 1911s. The M&P line, and especially the new Shield .45 that I just bought, is very good for a polymer, striker-fired pistol. It's not 1911 good, but then it's not a 1911.
My advice is to shoot yours for several hundred rounds, and see how you feel about it then.
Sunsetview45
Member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2016
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Not that I am an expert by any means but it really helped the feel of my shield's trigger when I started using my finger tip to pull the trigger and not the bend in my finger.
Sunsetview45 "I'm a girl [emoji151]" Smith & Wesson 9mm Shield, Sako Finnwolf VL63 243cal, Marlin 60 1982 model
Welcome to the Shield family. I shot mine enough that I needed to improve the trigger. All I did was to replace the stock sear with the Apex tactical sear and it made a world of difference to me. It reduced the heavy wall I felt before the break. It's such a great gun to have that I added the 45 Shield. It has a better out-of-the-box trigger than the 9mm Shield and my Glocks.
Shield9mm
Member
without the apex sear, there is no other way to reduce the trigger pull. I installed the duty carry kit and it works really great, also if you want to reduce overtravel get the apex aluminum trigger. Before the apex kit trigger pull was over 7lb now is under 6lb.
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coachray
Member
I agree. My shield is the best trigger of all my pistols but then I don't know what you're comparing it to. Welcome to the shield family though. I'm sure you'll figure it out.
Dry fire it ad nauseam. Shooting/dry fire, or if your up for it polishing the interactive trigger pieces will help. You'll still get a wall, but is should become smoother and more crisp. Apex is nice but frankly i wasn't blown away by the difference. I wouldn't go any further than that though. Light springs in a ccw rub me wrong.
kmanick
Member
a good gunsmith can fix this up for you without any Apex parts. Mine has done my shield and 9C and they both have excellent triggers now (not so much out of the box)
I always suggest strongly that any defense/carry pistol be broken in with at least 300-500 rounds to assure it is settled in and running reliably. That won't make a night and day change, but it will very likely both somewhat improve the smoothness of the release and also allow you to become accustomed to the way the trigger is. After that, if you aren't happy, the Apex duty/carry kit isn't that expensive, nor particularly hard to install.
I was actually happy with my Shield's trigger. So happy that I bought a 5" Pro Series for the bedroom. Its trigger was worse than the Shield's, so in went an Apex kit. Then I wasn't happy with the Shield's trigger... Another Apex kit and now I'm just generally happy.
I was actually happy with my Shield's trigger. So happy that I bought a 5" Pro Series for the bedroom. Its trigger was worse than the Shield's, so in went an Apex kit. Then I wasn't happy with the Shield's trigger... Another Apex kit and now I'm just generally happy.
Mal Cap
Member
I'm hearing and understanding everything suggested in this thread. I'm happy with my 9 Shield as is although an Apex job would be nice. The "but" is, if you carry it for defense, sophisticated attorneys and expert firearms witnesses suggest NOT to change the stock trigger in the handgun. Juries are not receptive to trigger adjustments or replacements and view most as negative. "Hair Trigger Syndrome." Just do it for your range gun. Only exception is a friend of mind raised the trigger pull in his Glock to about 7lbs from the standard 5.5. I'm just "observing" here guys.
You know, I have read this old chestnut on internet forums and discussion groups as long as the internet has been around. To this date, I have not read one case evidence example showing that any prosecutor or jury has used this in any case. if someone has PROOF that trigger adjustments or replacement has been used as evidence in any CRIMINAL case or even any civil case, I would love to read it!
rbmorse
Member
Keep shooting it. The trigger on mine went from bad to acceptable at about 400 rounds.
Lots of fun to shoot, though, and 9mm is pretty cheap, so I didn't mind at all.
Lots of fun to shoot, though, and 9mm is pretty cheap, so I didn't mind at all.
New here, but kind of feel the same as Jakpro. The only time I could see a trigger job being questioned, was if you claimed it was "an accident", or just went off... i.e. ND. Otherwise if I state that I intended to shoot the assailant, then what does it matter what you did with the trigger if you meant to fire, and it was a "good shoot"?
Bill In Texas
Member
One word; Apex!
Mal Cap
Member
Give a look at the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network for the lawyers who have handled self-defense cases and expert witnesses such as Massad Ayoob. Ask, question and then decide. It is always better to prepare in advance with proper advice.
Put in the Apex duty/carry kit but KEEP all factory springs in your pistol. Trigger is smooth and breaks at 5.5lbs. (I put in the entire kit with the Apex springs and it was as bad as the factory trigger pull. I replaced all the Apex springs with original factory springs).
Here's a couple of threads to start with...
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concea...facts-about-light-trigger-pull-liability.html
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concea...onsider-regarding-gun-mods-carry-weapons.html
Shield9mm
Member
That's what I did too. The duty/carry apex springs raise the trigger pull to avoid being too light.
Patton1970
Member
Compared to my Beretta NANO, the Shield trigger is bliss.
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