Shot an M&P 9...

[zoid 24]

I been meaning to try out the M&P series for a while now just to see what the hype was all about.

Lot's of people like them over Glocks so had to squander my curiosity.

 

Firstly it felt a little too long in my hand (it had the medium palm swell). I'm wondering if

the smallest one would make a big difference.

 

Secondly the trigger. I was wondering if it's best to base the trigger off a rental. Theoretically

it should be plenty broken in, but it's still a rental and they are rough around the edges. To me

it did not feel smooth, felt like there was "grit" in the take up, and the trigger break felt

longer than a Glock if that makes sense. Also the reset I'm really not used to. It's a longer

travel and you don't feel it as much so I could see myself short stroking the trigger.

 

Thirdly, I shot to the right and I think it's cause for some reason the grip makes my finger wrap

around the trigger too much.

 

My question is how much of a difference would a different palm swell make for me?

 

Also, is my assessment of the trigger on here or do some of you guys feel the same? Or perhaps

it's cause it was a rental?

 

Thanks for any input.

[Steve_G 51]

You really should at least hold one with each of the different backstraps installed. See which one fits you the best. I don't like the large, the medium was nice but, the small fits my hand perfectly. I don't like the way a Glock feels at all. Never shot one, just doesn't feel right in my hand.

 

My trigger is exactly as you describe. Gritty on that long take up and not a very crisp break. I just received my Apex Comp AEK trigger kit and will be installing that as soon as my new sights come in. That's supposed to take care of the grit and break, as well as giving me a 3 lb pull. Once I get it all set up, you're welcome to take a test drive.

 

Actually, I may be going down to Shoreshot on Sunday to put a hundred or so through the M&P 9L as well as the FNP45. It will still be in it's stock configuration though.

[jaybirdtke 13]

You are correct about the stock M&P trigger. It is gritty with a longer break than a Glock. I have an M&P 9 full size and I've added the Apex Duty/Carry trigger and RAM which made a huge improvement. I will say that I prefer the stock Glock trigger to a stock M&P 9 trigger, but since I preferred the feel of the M&P over the Glock I went with the M&P and added the Apex parts. The palm swells should improve the feel for the gun and in my opinion can contribute to your accuracy/consistency with the firearm.

[Butcherboy78 8]

^^^^ What they said. You really gotta try all the grips to see which ine is best for you and proivides you with the best placement of your finger on the trigger. I also went with the APEX RAM and DCAEK and the gun is ammmmmmazing! I cant wait to get one in compact.

[Maksim 1,504]

The stock trigger of the m&p is a little gritty, especially on the older models. $100 parts kit from Apex makes your trigger either a sweet 2.5 lb competition trigger, or a 5 lb duty trigger. Clean, shorter reset, almost non-striker fired feel, and leaps ahead of any Glock trigger.

[Steve_G 51]

You are correct about the stock M&P trigger. It is gritty with a longer break than a Glock. I have an M&P 9 full size and I've added the Apex Duty/Carry trigger and RAM which made a huge improvement. I will say that I prefer the stock Glock trigger to a stock M&P 9 trigger, but since I preferred the feel of the M&P over the Glock I went with the M&P and added the Apex parts. The palm swells should improve the feel for the gun and in my opinion can contribute to your accuracy/consistency with the firearm.

 

^^^^ What they said. You really gotta try all the grips to see which ine is best for you and proivides you with the best placement of your finger on the trigger. I also went with the APEX RAM and DCAEK and the gun is ammmmmmazing! I cant wait to get one in compact.

 

The stock trigger of the m&p is a little gritty, especially on the older models. $100 parts kit from Apex makes your trigger either a sweet 2.5 lb competition trigger, or a 5 lb duty trigger. Clean, shorter reset, almost non-striker fired feel, and leaps ahead of any Glock trigger.

 

 

Did you guys install the Apex yourselves or take it to a smith? I'm probably going to try it myself, just wondering what I'm in for.

[jaybirdtke 13]

I did it myself following the Apex youtube videos.

and

and

. It was easy.

[Butcherboy78 8]

I did it myself. I just watched those install vids and it was super easy. Do it man, you wont be let down, and will be one of those guns you will own for the rest of your life.

[67gtonut 847]

If you ever want to try a "Burwell" trigger in an M&P...... come on up to RTSP..... you are more then welcome to try mine...

 

Just got the APEX kit tonight for my Compact..... Will post my feelings on the difference once I shoot them back to back...

[TheWombat 67]

Have you tried any other competing guns? I've just bought the Walther PPQ as the M&P didn't feel right for me (I rented one at ShoreShot). It sounds like you're trying to make the M&P fit you, whereas there are enough similar handguns that might be a better natural fit without having to make compromises, e.g. Walther PPQ/P99, H&K P30/P30L, Springfield Armory XD/XDM, Beretta PX4 etc.

 

As others have posted, if you go for the M&P then the Apex trigger job is meant to be easy to fit and a highly recommended upgrade.

 

hth

 

TheWombat

[zoid 24]

Well I'll let you guys in on a little secret. I've been trying to convince myself I'm not a Glock

guy since I started shooting. I never liked the way they looked. They don't do anything for me.

But I shoot them very well. Deep down I'm knee deep in the GlocKoolaid, but I'm trying to swim out.

 

I have heard the Apex kit makes a world of difference. One of these days I'll have to meet up with

some of you and try it out.

[jaybirdtke 13]

Tonight I shot an M&P 9 full size with the Apex Forward Set Sear and Trigger Kit. Depending on your needs, this might be an option. It reduces the uptake and over travel. According to Apex Tactical Specialties, it mimics the 1911 style trigger.

[Anselmo 87]

It's bigger than the medium palm swell on my M&P45 but the Hogue Handall for the M&P is awesome if it fits your hand. It is hard to get on and near impossible to get off with out cutting it off. It replaces the palm swell and give a full rubbery wrap around grip and locks in place with the palm swell pin. My M&P45 trigger was real gritty and then a clean break. Now, after a few hundred round it's slightly gritty and then a clean break. Mostly, I just notice the grittiness when dry firing. When actually shooting at the range, it's seems fine. I'm too much a noob to talk about trigger resets.

[zoid 24]

I'm too much a noob to talk about trigger resets.

 

You probably already know what it is just not familiar with the term. I wasn't either till recently.

After you shoot slowly bring the trigger back to it's starting position. You'll feel it engage/reset

and be ready to fire again. You can do it when dry firing too. Pull trigger, keep it pulled, rack

the slide, then slowly release the trigger till it resets and is ready to be pulled again. That's the

reset.

[Shocker 151]

I have heard the Apex kit makes a world of difference. One of these days I'll have to meet up with

some of you and try it out.

 

I'm also a fan of the Apex hardware but with a little research you can clean up the sear and striker block with a dremel and bend the trigger bar slightly for a nicer reset, all for free. Of course, you screw those operations up you can always buy the Apex parts.

 

I love my M&P.

[Jayce 0]

I too have an M&P. The "gritty" feeling of the trigger is from the trigger bar hitting the striker block (from what i've read). I shoot IDPA/USPSA and don't notice the grittiness during competition or doing quick follow up shots.

 

But I did notice the lame reset. So I bought the APEX RAM kit and it does make a slight difference. I'm picking up the APEX sear as well because that's suppose to help in the feeling of the reset.

[SmithAndy 2]

I don't have any grittiness on my trigger. I own a M&P .40 and I think it's a fine gun.

[msg73 1]

Althought the Apex upgrades are great and provide an easy drop-in solution, people looking into buying an M&P shouldn't assume this is a necessity and factor them into the overall cost of owning an M&P.

 

It's very easy to mod the trigger yourself. No reason not to give it a try if you were planning on installing the Apex parts yourself and if you screw up, you can always drop in the Apex parts.

 

Gritty Trigger: round and polish the striker block; polish the trigger bar engaging the striker block. You can also clip a couple of coils in the striker spring to minimize friction and lessen the pull weight.

 

Shortening Trigger/Sear break: Remove the sear and sand/polish down some material on top; you can also do the same with the firing pin block. This reduces the amount the sear has to move as there's less distance before the striker releases.

 

Reset Feel: Bend the trigger bar slightly towards the middle so there's more pressure against the sear resulting in a more pronounced reset feel.

 

Reset Travel: Take some material off the sear where the trigger bar engages so it engages later. This will reduce over travel and the amount of travel back to reset. However, this will also result in more pre-travel.

 

All of this is detailed in the DIY Burwell trigger job document. As always, be patient and take your time.

[Jayce 0]

I just found this document after asking myself what the hell MSG73 was talking about!

 

Could have saved me some cash.

 

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