Sent my M&P 9mm back to Smith & Wesson today for some work...

[TGO David]

05/28/09

I sent my M&P 9mm back to Smith & Wesson today for some work, so this thread will be used to journal my experiences.

The M&P family seems to be plagued with hit-or-miss trigger feel out of the box. Some of them, like my M&P 40, have pretty good triggers. Others, like my 9mm and my wife's special edition "JG" 9mm have utterly horrible triggers. I have no explanation for why this is other than that it is probably chalked up to mass-production tolerances.

On my 9mm, from a tactile response perspective, the trigger reset doesn't exist. It is barely perceptible when done indoors, in a quiet room with no distractions and you hear it more than you feel it in your fingertip.

By way of comparison my Glock 19 has a superb trigger reset. It is firm and authoritative. You feel the trigger reset CLICK smartly against your finger and it happens at a very small fraction of the trigger's full range of motion as you remove pressure after the previous shot was fired. Aside from being damn near indestructible, amazing trigger reset is probably the Glock automatic pistol's secondary claim to fame. The distinction of having crap triggers must belong to the M&P.

The Cure?

The work that I am having S&W do to my handgun is:

• Install the Performance Center sear assembly
  
• Install the Massachusetts compliant trigger bar
  
• Install the Massachusetts compliant trigger return spring
  
• Polish all of the normal internal bits and pieces
  

This outline has been prescribed by several reputable well-known Smith & Wesson smiths and shooters, including Todd Louis Green over at pistol-training.com. It reportedly corrects the sloppy trigger and gives a short, firm reset that you can feel under typical range conditions.

Typically the Mass. components are used to increase the trigger weight, and they will a bit in this case also. But the Performance Center sear and polishing work will help reduce it back down to around 6# of pull which is just perfect for a carry gun IMO.

I've been told that it may take 3-4 weeks for the work to be completed and the firearm returned to me. I am supposed to call them in a week just to ensure that it has been logged into their computers and find out when the Performance Center armorers will be looking it over and rendering a cost estimate.

I expect it to be done for under $150 per other people's comments elsewhere.

Stay tuned!

[Guest JHatmaker]

Good luck, I'm interested to see how the Performance Center enhancements turn out on your M&P, as I have one of the S&W Performance Center 1911's on my "list".

[DWARREN123]

Bad that you need to do this to a gun that should be that way from the start. I hope it meets your expectations on return.

[Guest Bronker]

05/28/09

I sent my M&P 9mm back to Smith & Wesson today for some work, so this thread will be used to journal my experiences.

The M&P family seems to be plagued with hit-or-miss trigger feel out of the box. Some of them, like my M&P 40, have pretty good triggers. Others, like my 9mm and my wife's special edition "JG" 9mm have utterly horrible triggers. I have no explanation for why this is other than that it is probably chalked up to mass-production tolerances.

On my 9mm, from a tactile response perspective, the trigger reset doesn't exist. It is barely perceptible when done indoors, in a quiet room with no distractions and you hear it more than you feel it in your fingertip.

By way of comparison my Glock 19 has a superb trigger reset. It is firm and authoritative. You feel the trigger reset CLICK smartly against your finger and it happens at a very small fraction of the trigger's full range of motion as you remove pressure after the previous shot was fired. Aside from being damn near indestructible, amazing trigger reset is probably the Glock automatic pistol's secondary claim to fame. The distinction of having crap triggers must belong to the M&P.

The Cure?

The work that I am having S&W do to my handgun is:

• Install the Performance Center sear assembly
  
• Install the Massachusetts compliant trigger bar
  
• Install the Massachusetts compliant trigger return spring
  
• Polish all of the normal internal bits and pieces
  

This outline has been prescribed by several reputable well-known Smith & Wesson smiths and shooters, including Todd Louis Green over at pistol-training.com. It reportedly corrects the sloppy trigger and gives a short, firm reset that you can feel under typical range conditions.

Typically the Mass. components are used to increase the trigger weight, and they will a bit in this case also. But the Performance Center sear and polishing work will help reduce it back down to around 6# of pull which is just perfect for a carry gun IMO.

I've been told that it may take 3-4 weeks for the work to be completed and the firearm returned to me. I am supposed to call them in a week just to ensure that it has been logged into their computers and find out when the Performance Center armorers will be looking it over and rendering a cost estimate.

I expect it to be done for under $150 per other people's comments elsewhere.

Stay tuned!

Super Dave,

One day you'll learn to quit buying those junky plastic Smiths.

It reminds me of my very good friend who keeps talking about the "performance enhancements" he keeps doing to his Cummings diesel truck...when all the while I know dern well he's having to repair it. I just know the hood is up on the thing 75% of daylight hours!

(Busting your chops, brother!)

[TGO David]

Bad that you need to do this to a gun that should be that way from the start. I hope it meets your expectations on return.

Technically this is not something that has to be done. The firearm functions as advertised out of the box. You insert ammo, rack the slide, pull the trigger and it goes bang. You release the trigger, pull again and it goes bang. Repeat until ammo runs dry.

This is more of a personal preference gripe and one that S&W is capable of addressing, so I'm told. The more logical answer to this would be that if you want a Glock-like trigger, you should buy a Glock. Since I already have some of those, my hope is that this will come back and be even better than a Glock in the well-rounded, holistic sense.

Super Dave,

One day you'll learn to quit buying those junky plastic Smiths.

It reminds me of my very good friend who keeps talking about the "performance enhancements" he keeps doing to his Cummings diesel truck...when all the while I know dern well he's having to repair it. I just know the hood is up on the thing 75% of daylight hours!

(Busting your chops, brother!)

Have I mentioned lately that someone else bought that stainless steel Springfield Loaded 1911 that you were drooling over?

*ohsnap*

PS: Cummings diesels suck!

[Guest Bronker]

Technically this is not something that has to be done. The firearm functions as advertised out of the box. You insert ammo, rack the slide, pull the trigger and it goes bang. You release the trigger, pull again and it goes bang. Repeat until ammo runs dry.

This is more of a personal preference gripe and one that S&W is capable of addressing, so I'm told. The more logical answer to this would be that if you want a Glock-like trigger, you should buy a Glock. Since I already have some of those, my hope is that this will come back and be even better than a Glock in the well-rounded, holistic sense.

Have I mentioned lately that someone else bought that stainless steel Springfield Loaded 1911 that you were drooling over?

*ohsnap*

PS: Cummings diesels suck!

Oh snap! Yes, I know. They're building new ones everyday (how do you like that for a rationale?).

Right place, wrong time!!! Story of my life...Thanks for reminding me, ya big goob!

And yes, nothing but PowerStrokes for me! Ford makes it, International shakes it!!

[TGO David]

Oh snap! Yes, I know. They're building new ones everyday (how do you like that for a rationale?).

Right place, wrong time!!! Story of my life...Thanks for reminding me, ya big goob!

And yes, nothing but PowerStrokes for me! Ford makes it, International shakes it!!

I heard that Springfield was running low on stainless to put into their steel... so yours may end up being stained steel by the time you get around to it. And XS is running out of the glowy stuff they put into their tritium!

[Guest 70below]

I'm definitely interested to see how this plays out for you. I've not had the pleasure of shooting a pistol in the M&P series, though hope to as I really like the look and feel of them.

I'm fairly disappointed to hear the trigger isn't Glock-esque from the factory. Thats something that I feel should be a staple of any striker fired pistol, and I suppose there are some that don't like a glock trigger, but I've never had anyone tell me that. I recently shot an XDM and loved it, it shot beautiful groups and had a glock type reset. I just don't care much for the look of them myself.

If Kahr or an aftermarket manufacturer ever figures out how to emulate that type of trigger in their P-series I'd probably own at least two of them.

[Guest BigJ45]

Man, all of my M&P's (and several staple guns I own) have better triggers than any glock out there, no matter what you do to them. You all can have your glocks and powerJokes I will keep my M&P's and Cummins' with no friggin G. I Have no use for a interTRASHional or a glock.

[TGO David]

Man, all of my M&P's (and several staple guns I own) have better triggers than any glock out there, no matter what you do to them. You all can have your glocks and powerJokes I will keep my M&P's and Cummins' with no friggin G. I Have no use for a interTRASHional or a glock.

Thanks for the input?

[Reservoir Dog]

Hmmmmm......I may look into this for my M&P 45. It is a good shooter, but I do not like the trigger. It feels a little rough, and has absolutely no trigger reset.

Off to research these mods.........

[DWARREN123]

TGO DAVIS

I did not mean to imply it was not reliable or was not useable just that many things we purchase to include firearms need extra work to be what they should be.

Too bad they don't have that little extra done before we purchase them.

[TGO David]

TGO DAVIS

I did not mean to imply it was not reliable or was not useable just that many things we purchase to include firearms need extra work to be what they should be.

Too bad they don't have that little extra done before we purchase them.

Agreed 100%

[TGO David]

Received notice via USPS today that the S&W Performance Center had evaluated the work requested, done a performance and safety check on the M&P 9mm, and estimated the work to cost $129.00 including shipping back to me via UPS 2nd Day Air. This is actually a hair cheaper than I anticipated.

Needless to say I have commissioned them to do the work and paid the required fee. I hope to have it back soon!

[KahrMan]

Received notice via USPS today that the S&W Performance Center had evaluated the work requested, done a performance and safety check on the M&P 9mm, and estimated the work to cost $129.00 including shipping back to me via UPS 2nd Day Air. This is actually a hair cheaper than I anticipated.

That seems really reasonable for work done by the Performance Center. Looking forward to hearing you range report after you receive it back.

[GLOCKMEISTER]

want the super cure... get rid of those copys and buy a Glock...

[TGO David]

Smith & Wesson completed the work and shipped the firearm back to me yesterday. I should have it tomorrow. All told this has taken about four weeks, which I suppose isn't bad but it would have been excruciating were this my only firearm. Of course no sane person would own just one firearm.

want the super cure... get rid of those copys and buy a Glock...

I have a Glock. I wanted something nicer.

Edited June 24, 2009 by TGO David

[Guest canynracer]

Smith & Wesson completed the work and shipped the firearm back to me yesterday. I should have it tomorrow. All told this has taken about four weeks, which I suppose isn't bad but it would have been excruciating were this my only firearm. Of course no sane person would own just one firearm.

nice!!!

I have a Glock. I wanted something nicer.

[TGO David]

And it is back in my hands as of about 5 minutes ago. The trigger is sweet now.

Initial impressions:

• The M&P should come like this from the factory. But if it did, you should be willing to pay slightly more for it.
  

• Trigger reset is short and results in an audible click. It's still not as tactile as my Glock 19 trigger but I will concede that there are enough differences in the sear design that it might be impossible to provide that same "click" against your finger w/o somehow violating a Glock patent.
  

• Trigger reset is authoritative. The Massachussetts trigger return spring really shoves that baby forward. It's practically impossible to move your finger faster than the trigger can follow. There's no way to "slap" the trigger now.
  

• Pull weight may have increased slightly... ever so slightly... but the Performance Center sear is like butter, so you barely notice it. There is no perceptible creep of the trigger now and it breaks crisply and suddenly, like a glass rod.
  

• I'm going to send my M&P 40 off for this next.
  

[Guest HexHead]

And it is back in my hands as of about 5 minutes ago. The trigger is sweet now.

Initial impressions:

• The M&P should come like this from the factory. But if it did, you should be willing to pay slightly more for it.
  

I know the manufacturers are very sensitive about price points, but you're right, they should come from the factory like that.

I guess it's too bad most people focus on price rather than value?

[TGO David]

I know the manufacturers are very sensitive about price points, but you're right, they should come from the factory like that.

I guess it's too bad most people focus on price rather than value?

Agreed. There is apparently a bit of hand-fitting involved with the Performance Center sear which slows down the production process and adds labor overhead to the handgun. That's why the M&P 9-Pro costs a bit more than the M&P 9L or the standard 9.

The combination of the Massachusetts trigger bar and return spring with the Performance Center sear is one that does not come stock on any of the existing M&P models yet. Todd Louis Green over at Pistol-Training.com is working on a special edition M&P that will include these tweaks, but it has to be ordered through one vendor that he has already designated. I believe it is G&R Tactical.

[dralarms]

I have to ask, what did the improvements cost? I have a 40C I may want to send off.

[Motasyco]

I have to ask, what did the improvements cost? I have a 40C I may want to send off.

Good question. I'd like my M&P .40 to pull like my DW CBOB.

Edited June 26, 2009 by Motasyco

[TGO David]

See previous posts in this thread for answers to all of those questions.

[TGO David]

Good question. I'd like my M&P .40 to pull like my DW CBOB.

That simply isn't going to happen. There's little you can do to make a striker fired handgun feel like a single-action 1911. The trigger geometry alone is on the other end of the spectrum.