Exactly what part of a full size m&p controls the weight of the actual trigger break? I'm perfectly fine with the pre travel and reset so im not looking to address that, I was just wondering what part of this gun specifically controls the break and if its possible to just lighten that specific aspect alone?
Question about trigger weight...
- Thread starter Joe511
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Johnmuratore
Member
Joe,
The trigger return spring, the striker block spring, and the shape of the striker block all affect the trigger pull weight.
The trigger return spring, the striker block spring, and the shape of the striker block all affect the trigger pull weight.
If you just want to lighten up the trigger pull I can recommend the Apex DCAEK kit (duty/carry kit). Install it and leave the trigger return spring stock and that should make for a nice trigger pull weight. If you want it lighter, keep the stock sear spring. Though doing that you might have sear flutter.
Johnmuratore
Member
Oops. I forgot the sear spring.
Thanks A.
Thanks A.
TBH it's easier to install an APEX kit either FSS or DCAEK. If you want to do it yourself download the .pdf from Burwell:
S&W M&P Trigger Job
S&W M&P Trigger Job
Rastoff
US Veteran
...and the sear engagement...and the friction from contacting the frame...and the pivot pin.
Joe511,
While I applaud your idea, it's just not as simple as "fixing" one part. If it were, S&W would be doing it to sell more guns.
Now, change that to, "What part has the most influence on trigger pull weight" and we can start addressing it. There are definitely some parts that have more affect than others.
The first, and most obvious, is sear engagement. Polishing the sear and striker tang will help. Reshaping the sear will help a lot more, but is very risky work. Screw up the sear and you'll be wishing you had called Apex at the first.
On my Shield I put in only the Apex sear and the trigger pull went from 8.5 pounds to 5 pounds. I also polished the trigger bar.
On my full size I started out with a trigger pull at 8 pounds 2 ounces. I decided to put in the Apex FSS with polymer trigger. I kept the stock trigger return spring and polished the trigger bar. The pull is now 4 pounds 2 ounces.
I'm thinking about using the standard Glock trigger return spring to lighten it further for competition use.
On my full size I started out with a trigger pull at 8 pounds 2 ounces. I decided to put in the Apex FSS with polymer trigger. I kept the stock trigger return spring and polished the trigger bar. The pull is now 4 pounds 2 ounces.
I'm thinking about using the standard Glock trigger return spring to lighten it further for competition use.
Joe what weight is your current trigger pull? Are you going to carry your M&P? Getting the appropriate full APEX kit also gives you a much better physical trigger. This isn't something to do by half measures and it's very easy, don't let removing the rear sight scare you off
Joe what weight is your current trigger pull? Are you going to carry your M&P? Getting the appropriate full APEX kit also gives you a much better physical trigger. This isn't something to do by half measures and it's very easy, don't let removing the rear sight scare you off
I actually don't know what the trigger weight is as i don't have a way to measure. Its a recently purchased vtac 9mm, the trigger is not bad by any means, its actually very smooth in the take up and there isn't really any over travel, reset is great too. I just think the actual break can be a bit lighter. Thats why i was focusing on just that because everything else feels great. This is a home defense and range piece.
Joe put a full APEX FSS kit in it you won't regret it. BTW great gun
It actually is pretty great, the trigger weight thing is more of an after thought. Jut wanted to know what simpler options i have in order to slightly reduce it. I may just leave it the way it is, admittedly i am used to lighter triggers but this trigger works well enough.
Bkreutz
US Veteran
Just add to what Rastoff says here. Trigger pull weight is the cumulative friction of all the parts of the system. I've been playing with the pull weight on my competition gun for a couple of years. (I'm retired and have bunches of time). I just finished building a new gun and put all the things I learned into the new one. I polished all the contact areas; sear pivot pin, trigger pivot pin, the sides of the sear, the underside of the sear that contacts the loop, the loop itself, the trigger bar where it contacts the striker block, the hole that the striker block rides in, but the one thing I didn't touch was the sear engagement surface. I was saving that for "if needed"
. Here's a picture of the pull gauge when I was done.
P.S. I didn't feel the need to polish the sear engagement surface after this.
I don't recommend this on a pistol that will be used for anything other than competition. Be safe.
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Rastoff
US Veteran
Yes, I have and I'm sure many others have as well.
In an attempt to save a few dollars, I bought the Apex hard sear first. Yes, it made the trigger better, but not great. In the end I went to the full Forward Set Sear (FSS) kit and haven't looked back. The kit addresses many of the points that cause most of the heavy pull weight.
Having said that, let's talk about why pull weight is important. You see, there's a lot more than pull weight to a quality trigger. I'd rather have a 6lb trigger with almost no creep and over travel than a 2lb trigger with lots of creep and over travel.
The biggest problem with the factory M&P trigger is not pull weight, but over travel. It has a lot of over travel. That's the beauty of the Apex FSS, it's a drop in kit and eliminates most of the over travel. It took me about 15 minutes to install it.
So, the goal here is a better trigger. In turn this will help put rounds on target more consistently.
Bkreutz,
Did you "upgrade" a FSS kit by polishing all those parts or was that pull weight obtained with factory parts?
Bkreutz
US Veteran
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