Trigger Pull Advise

[whitlow]

I have a new shield 9 and it seems the trigger pull is a bit hard. I was wondering if it will get easier after more use. I have read about the Apex mod but should I just wait or get use to it with practice?

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[MSG Glenn]

I'd wait awhile before putting any money in your trigger. They usually break in with use & it might be acceptable to you. I haven't done anything to the trigger on my M&P40C except polish the trigger bar & I find it to be very acceptable to me. I also have a 4 year old FS 40 which I bought used & it's just fine for SD use. If I were to go into competition shooting I'd definitely consider an APEX upgrade on both. S&W made improvements in the triggers most M&P models last year & I noticed a difference between my well broken in FS 40 & the compact. A little grittiness at first but after polishing the trigger bar & shooting I'm content to leave it stock, at least for now.

 

[Brucenterry]

I'd shoot it a bit. The parts will break-in a little and you may get used to the pull weight. With proper trigger pull, you can shoot any gun. If still not happy, install the APEX DECAK and you won't be sorry. Mine was harder than I was used to so I polished the internals but still didn't get it to where I wanted, so in went the APEX. It's easy to install if you have the slightest bit of common sense. The toughest thing will be removing the rear sight! There are also good Youtube videos showing you step by step instructions.

Congrats and enjoy the Shield....I do!

 

[thejammer]

Agree with the break in; however, I had the apex put in mine. could not wait. The results were dramatic. Groups literally cut in half.

 

[AGoyette]

If you do decide to go the APEX DECAK route.. Be cautious of the sear plunger and spring. I took out the sear pin by the ejector and parts went flying. I ended up ordering a new sear plunger from Speed Shooters Supply. I decided to put in the DECAK in my 9c because I am used to a lighter trigger. I did not want a competition trigger pull since this is my carry gun, but I wanted something lighter than 6.75 lbs. Without the trigger spring being used, my trigger pull went down to 4.5-4.75 lbs. That works for me. I tried it with the trigger spring and, while it felt smoother, the trigger pull increased. If, with use, the trigger gets too light, I can always put the trigger spring in. Even though my gun has the "new" trigger in it (there is an H on the trigger bar), after about 700+ rounds I still wanted it lighter, thus the DECAK.

 

[Rastoff]

Yes, the trigger will improve or become lighter with use. However, that can take a thousand rounds or more. You will hear many people who are proponents of what they call the "2,000 round" trigger job. What they fail to grasp is the expense.

Around here, 50 round boxes of 9mm cost about $18. That means you'll spend $720 to accomplish a 2,000 round trigger job. The most expensive Apex kit is $165. So, why not install the Apex for a lot less money and then practice with an already good trigger?

 

[BobsSmith]

My MP 45 trigger improved greatly after a few hundred rounds and dry firing. My new MP 9 unfired brand new has is a bit heavy but a crisp clean release! Can't wait to fire it!

 

[Bkreutz]

Yes, the trigger will improve or become lighter with use. However, that can take a thousand rounds or more. You will hear many people who are proponents of what they call the "2,000 round" trigger job. What they fail to grasp is the expense.

Around here, 50 round boxes of 9mm cost about $18. That means you'll spend $720 to accomplish a 2,000 round trigger job. The most expensive Apex kit is $165. So, why not install the Apex for a lot less money and then practice with an already good trigger?

The times I recommended the 2000 round trigger job was kind of tongue in cheek, what I was getting after was that after 2000 rounds the shooter has improved (hopefully). I have the Apex kit on one of my M&P's (the one I shoot ESP and Steel Challenge) the others are all stock (except for cleaning up the stamping "teeth" on the trigger bar)

 

[MSG Glenn]

I often wondered why S&W doesn't spend a couple of seconds polishing that trigger bar. There are so many complaints about M&P triggers - mostly the grittiness. Usually that's the only complaint. My 40 compact has a 6 & a slight plus - call it 6.1 - to 6.25 lb pull which is satisfactory for my uses.

 

[Llando88]

Yes, the trigger will improve or become lighter with use. However, that can take a thousand rounds or more. You will hear many people who are proponents of what they call the "2,000 round" trigger job. What they fail to grasp is the expense.

Around here, 50 round boxes of 9mm cost about $18. That means you'll spend $720 to accomplish a 2,000 round trigger job. The most expensive Apex kit is $165. So, why not install the Apex for a lot less money and then practice with an already good trigger?

This is sensible and logical.

But since I have no patience, I just went ahead and ordered the Apex parts for my FS.

Glad I did, now I can shoot those 2,000 rounds with an excellent pistol with a more than acceptable trigger for a service weapon.

 

[bob98366]

I have a new shield 9 and it seems the trigger pull is a bit hard. I was wondering if it will get easier after more use. I have read about the Apex mod but should I just wait or get use to it with practice?

The Shield is a close in self-defense pistol, not designed nor suited for competition, for which the Apex modification was designed. YMMV, but mine has the stock trigger, and it shoots 4" groups rapid fire at 7 yds.

 

[Lost Lake]

M&P triggers vary across the board! I own 8 of them and no two triggers are the same.

If your trigger doesn't make you happy, change it.

I polished my own trigger bar and polished the striker block hole on one that had a burr in it.

These are simple mechanisms... Very easy to polish and make into excellent triggers for pennies..

.

 

[whitlow]

Lost Lake any info you can give me on polishing the trigger bar and striker block hole and anything else to help m me. Pictures, links etc. Please let me know or anyone else out there that can advise m me. Thanks

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[shawn mccarver]

I have a new shield 9 and it seems the trigger pull is a bit hard. I was wondering if it will get easier after more use. I have read about the Apex mod but should I just wait or get use to it with practice?

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I guess it is all in perspective. For me, anything that is DA that is 6.5 to 7.5 pounds, like the non-Massachusetts Shield, is fantastic. I remember when we all shot revolvers, and Reeves Jungkind and Fred Sadowski got Python actions to 6 pounds DA with reliable ignition. Unbelievable how light those were. Now, I see people complaining all the time that the Shield or M&P or Glock or whatever striker fired pistol with a 5 to 7 pound pull is heavy and unmanageable. I guess times have changed.

 

[whitlow]

I'm going to keep practicing with mine the way it is and see if I just get use to it. If I do that saves me money. Still looking to see what can be done to make it smoother.

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[Lost Lake]

I don't have time to research it this morning, but if you search for M&P trigger job you should find a lot of info.

The trigger bar on some M&Ps has die marks that look like saw teeth right where the trigger bar contacts the striker block (the little button in the slide that goes up in the slide to block the striker). I polish out those rough edges.

If you push the striker block into the slide and it feels rough, especially while you are pushing (use a pencil eraser or like) back and in as the trigger bar does, you may have a machining burr in the hole. There are several great videos, and I have posted how I did it, so search for those. Robkarob I think is the member's name who has a great informative video...

All in all, even with removing the rear sight to hone the striker block hole, this will take you less than 30 minutes.

All my M&Ps had acceptable triggers for self-defense guns. That is until I got my 45c. It was just terrible! So I understand now why some people complain and many tell them to get used to it. Some triggers are much worse than others.

Good luck and I'll post more when I have some time.

.

 

[HeavyDuty Ken]

The Shield is a close in self-defense pistol, not designed nor suited for competition, for which the Apex modification was designed. YMMV, but mine has the stock trigger, and it shoots 4" groups rapid fire at 7 yds.

I have to disagree with this - Apex does make competition parts, but their DCAEK is specifically designed for duty and carry firearms (thus the name.) I have DCAEKs in all my M&Ps, and poly AEKs in the two that can take them. I'm just waiting for a poly Shield version of the AEK.

 

[Sharks06lly]

The Shield is a close in self-defense pistol, not designed nor suited for competition, for which the Apex modification was designed. YMMV, but mine has the stock trigger, and it shoots 4" groups rapid fire at 7 yds.

any defense gun can do that with practice. yet i practice with my defense guns at 15+ yards because id like to be prepared. im just saying that shouldnt just say its only a 7 yard gun it is accurate much farther than that and shoots like a larger pistol

 

[Rastoff]

You guys have to admit that the Shield is not designed for competition. Sure it can shoot further, but there are a lot of better choices for competition.

The shield is designed to be small and easily concealed. Thus, it's not well suited for competition.