M&P trigger job

[dbhn]

Finally got my M&P9c homegrown trigger job done and it all put back together. Had to have a smith take the rear sight off and then back on after I polished the firing pin block. Burwell's instructions have tell you to take it off the WRONG way, plus mine was super tight. Even the smith had a hard time with the push tools.

I have not shot it yet, but it seems like I did a pretty nice job and is a vast improvement. My pull had to be up near 15 pounds before. An unscientific test with a 15 pound dumbell would not break the trigger.

I think it is down near 6 pounds now, nice and smooth, with a crisp break, and a tiny reset. Although I don't have much of a frame of reference as all my guns have bad DAO triggers. Can't wait to shoot it. Maybe I can finally start nice groupings.

Did it all with a small vice, hobby files, knife sharpener stones, and a Dremel to polish.

 

[Chris]

I usually have my trigger gauges in my bag. If you attend a shoot, just ask.

One thing I've found is that 'guestimates' are usually wrong. A good trigger with a nice crisp break, or a good two-stage can be a lot higher than you think, and a crappy creepy trigger can be lower than you think.

 

[dbhn]

Chris, do you, or are you doing the IDPA intro in May?

 

[Chris]

Chris, do you, or are you doing the IDPA intro in May?

I was hoping to get one in April. However, the date didn't work out for a number of reasons. My wife is due on May 23 and our first son was 20 days early, so May probably isn't a real safe bet. MAYBE in the fall. Certainly next spring. Jon Green at GOAL or Metrowest Tactical might schedule a beginner class if there is enough call. In any case, just attend an IDPA practice and someone will get you going. All the clubs running IDPA in MA have some excellent shooters and instructors.

If you wish to discuss a beginner course further, please start a thread in the Pistol Competition or the Training forums.

 

[Coyote33]

+1 Probably the only way to get a GOOD gun for $450.00 is to buy a used one from the Golden Age of American Gun Manufacturing which probably ended aout the time the Bangor Punta Corporation acquired S&W circa 1964. I do think it is possible to buy a DECENT gun in the $350.00 - $450.00 price range, new however. I suppose, to a degree the terms we are using GOOD and DECENT are subjective. The odds get better too, of buying something quite nice in the $450.00 range outside of Mass, because there is a much wider selection of new guns to purchase,

Then there are the factory flukes. Back in the early '90's I bought a band new FM Hi-Power which is a Argentinean licensed copy of the famous FN-Browning Pistol. Now Hi-Powers because of their design, generally do not have really great trigger pulls. This partiular one has a trigger pull that rivals that of what you would get from Wayne Novak or Cylindar & Slide, two well known Hi-Power custom shops, right out of the box. Go figure..

Mark L.

This got me to thinking. Check out this new post: best engineering ideas on guns

I was hoping to get one in April. However, the date didn't work out for a number of reasons. My wife is due on May 23 and our first son was 20 days early, so May probably isn't a real safe bet. MAYBE in the fall. Certainly next spring. Jon Green at GOAL or Metrowest Tactical might schedule a beginner class if there is enough call. In any case, just attend an IDPA practice and someone will get you going. All the clubs running IDPA in MA have some excellent shooters and instructors.

If you wish to discuss a beginner course further, please start a thread in the Pistol Competition or the Training forums.

I had some questions on this, but started a new post on it here: IDPA: How does a club do this?

Thanks.

 

[dbhn]

Signed up for the Goal Intro class on May 24 but don't have any details on it. Someone wrote that you may be the inst. Anyway, thanks for the info and now back on topic.

Can't wait to shoot the M&P with improved trigger....

 

[sniper_uppercut]

Yeah, I know this has been beat to death in many threads.. however simply removing the MA parts and replacing them with STD parts will get you a decent trigger. With a little REALLY basic polishing you can get a real nice trigger I personally don't care for triggers over 10lbs on a semi and the MA M&Ps particularly suck. I wish people would just realize that you don't need a "trigger job" to make it a great gun... installing standard parts puts the M&P pricing just at about $600 which is a great deal for what you end up with. If you want a GOOD gun for $450 forget it... they don't exist.

Would anyone be kind enough to list these 'Standard' M&P parts for me? What parts do I need to replace? Is it the Sear assembly? Details appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Chrisg67]

Would anyone be kind enough to list these 'Standard' M&P parts for me? What parts do I need to replace? Is it the Sear assembly? Details appreciated!

Thanks!

+1

 

[clearshot7]

The problem is that it is very hard, if not impossible, to get the sear that S&W installs in their M&P's for sale outside MA -- 6.5 lb trigger pull. At last look, Brownell's and Midway don't have them, and I have heard that S&W will no longer sell them to individuals. Hopefully, someone will have better info on this. For now, we MA folks may have to endure the 10+ lb trigger pull.

It would be interesting to know what Dan Burwell and Greg Derr do to lower the trigger pull, if they do not change the sear.

 

[eisenhow]

It would be interesting to know what Dan Burwell and Greg Derr do to lower the trigger pull, if they do not change the sear.

Burwell's instructions in PDF

It's a lot more than I'd feel comfortable doing. I just paid Larocca to do mine.

 

[Chris]

Keep in mind that even Burwell does NOT do the job as is listed in that document. Also, you don't need to do everything listed.

 

[Chrisg67]

I just attacked the trigger last night after work. i Shaved the sear a bit to shorten the reset (easy and very effective) i didnt remove the rear sight to do that part, and i didnt go crazy polishing, but it seemed to improve it for not much work. reading through the PDF seemed intimidating at first but if you go step by step its very easy. i will prob hop back in there with a nice stone and then my dremel and polish everything after my next trip to the range to see how it feels. the trigger pull didnt reduce drastically, only a small amount but im really excited with the reset. mag dumping was awkward before i cant wait to try it now.

 

[Coyote33]

Are these directions pretty much applicable to ANY gun? I am wondering how different they can be. What I'm getting at is that most locking-block single/double action pistols work mostly the same way. Not looking for a competition or "Wild West" "hair trigger" gun, but maybe just a nicer experience. Thanks. (and happy Thanksgiving!)

 

[sniper_uppercut]

+1

I called S&W to ask them what exactly was different between the MA trigger and non-MA trigger and they said it was the 'Sear Housing Block'. Sadly enough, they wont ship it to customers. neither Midway nor Brownells have had any in stock for quite some time although they do list the part.