M&P pistol trigger bar tweak....

[nickdrak]

Guys,

I have installed several APEX sears, and complete DCAEK duty trigger kits in mine & other co-workers M&P's over the past few weeks. I have found that some have a noticable improvement with the reset after simply installing the sear kit. But with a few of the M&P's I have woked on I have found that the reset either doesnt improve at all, or actually get less distinct/positive from the stock set-up.

I have found that by slightly tweaking the trigger bar in towards the sear (away from the inside of the right side of the frame), that the feel of the reset improves dramatically. It only takes a very slight adjustment to feel the improvement, so dont go in and start bending away on the trigger bar. A little bit goes a long way with this modification!!!

The way I do it is pretty simple....

Remove the sear block from the frame and away from the trigger bar. I then pull the trigger to the rear which will cause the trigger bar to extended out of the frame at about a 45 degree angle while exposing most of the bar to work with. I then use a set of pliers to stabilze the bar by grasping the trigger bar as close to the trigger return spring as I can get, usually right above where the slide stop release lever pad is located or directly in-front of the bend in the trigger bar that is located adjacent to the slide stop lever when looking from the top.

I then use another set of pliers to grasp the bar approximately 1/2" behind the bend in the trigger bar/slide stop lever when looking from the top. I then gently bend the rear-most portion of the trigger bar in towards the magazine well/away from the inside of the right side of the frame when looking from the top.

Then re-install the sear block, and use a slave pin of some sort to test for function (i use a glock tool of roll-pin punch). You should notice an increase in the snappiness of the reset due to the increased spring tension of the trigger bar. If everything functions properly, then go ahead and re-install the roll-pin for the sear block and drive-on....

I have fired 2500rds thru my one M&P9 that I did this trigger bar modification to, and I havent experienced any negative results from it thus far.

[Rockfish Dave]

Thanks for the info. I rarely leave anything as is so I'll file this away for a future project.

- Dave

[ChicagoTex]

My only concern with this mod is if you overdo it I suspect you can disable the disconnect safety.

Have you run into any issues related to this?

[nickdrak]

My only concern with this mod is if you overdo it I suspect you can disable the disconnect safety.

Have you run into any issues related to this?

None so far thru 2500rds. When you say "disable the disconnect safety" are you thinking that the loop on the trigger bar might not make contact with the safety plunger?

[sewvacman]

Got any PICS?

[ChicagoTex]

When you say "disable the disconnect safety" are you thinking that the loop on the trigger bar might not make contact with the safety plunger?

No, that's the firing pin safety. As you're probably well aware, the slide is milled in such a way so that if the gun is out of battery, the slide pushes the trigger bar to the right making it unable to contact the sear. Obviously, bending the trigger bar to the left narrows the margin for the disconnect safety. There's enough room there that I think you could do your mod without disabling the safety entirely, but it's a definite risk if you overdo the mod.

[halfcocked]

My instructor mentioned this mod in the M&P armorer's course.

You would have to do a fairly drastic amount of bending to miss that firing pin safety. Keep the adjustment small.

[MookNW]

Have you any pics to support this mod?? My interest is piqued.

[Alien]

Have you any pics to support this mod?? My interest is piqued.

The change is very imperceptible. Pictures won't really show any visual difference. Really all there is to it is bending the trigger bar in towards the left side of the gun by grasping it in the 2 spots mentioned in the OP. Vice Grips help.

[Erik 1]

No, that's the firing pin safety. As you're probably well aware, the slide is milled in such a way so that if the gun is out of battery, the slide pushes the trigger bar to the right making it unable to contact the sear. Obviously, bending the trigger bar to the left narrows the margin for the disconnect safety. There's enough room there that I think you could do your mod without disabling the safety entirely, but it's a definite risk if you overdo the mod.

Is this actually possible given that, when the gun is assembled, the trigger bar is limited in how far left it can move by the sear? Even before this tweak, the loop of the trigger bar rides against the right face of the sear as it travels forward to reset. All the bend does is increase the force with which the trigger bar presses against the sear as it rides forward, causing it to snap into place with more authority. Given the limited space (left to right) in which the trigger bar operates when the gun is assembled, and the way the disconnect is milled into the slide, I don't see how you could move the trigger bar enough to disable the disconnect by doing this, or even change the orientation of the parts and affect the operation of the disconnect. Am I missing something?

[ralph]

Is this actually possible given that, when the gun is assembled, the trigger bar is limited in how far left it can move by the sear? Even before this tweak, the loop of the trigger bar rides against the right face of the sear as it travels forward to reset. All the bend does is increase the force with which the trigger bar presses against the sear as it rides forward, causing it to snap into place with more authority. Given the limited space (left to right) in which the trigger bar operates when the gun is assembled, and the way the disconnect is milled into the slide, I don't see how you could move the trigger bar enough to disable the disconnect by doing this, or even change the orientation of the parts and affect the operation of the disconnect. Am I missing something?

No..You pretty much got it..

[DrMark]

Good to know...

Thanks for posting this nickdrak.

[S. Kelly]

Why can't the factory put a better sear in and bend the trigger bar in-house? Why is it that M&Ps need a trigger job?

[Magsz]

Why can't the factory put a better sear in and bend the trigger bar in-house? Why is it that M&Ps need a trigger job?

M&P's dont NEED a trigger job. You're just a good enough shooter to believe they do.

For the average shooter the M&P trigger is MORE than serviceable. For the average police officer the 5.5-6 pound M&P trigger is good enough. The aftermarket exists for goons like us that want better trigger characteristics to push these guns harder and faster.

[ChicagoTex]

For the average shooter the M&P trigger is MORE than serviceable. For the average police officer the 5.5-6 pound M&P trigger is good enough. The aftermarket exists for goons like us that want better trigger characteristics to push these guns harder and faster.

Bingo. Plus, as I stated before, I think this tweak (if taken too far) threatens the function of the trigger disconnect safety. Given that on the factory floor there are inevitable slight variations from gun to gun and part to part (especially on guns built to a highly competetive price point like the M&Ps are), a little extra margin of safety never hurts. Think how much of an impact it'd have on S&Ws LEO marketshare if the M&P developed a reputation for even rarely having one of it's safety features compromised. If it's between that and a very slight improvement in reset, I think anyone would choose the path of caution.

For the record, I think the fact that outfits like APEX and big M&P smiths aren't spending a lot of time (if any) changing the dimensions on the trigger bar (either by bending or replacement) says a lot about how viable this mod truly is on a weapon where reliability and mechanical safety are paramount.

I'm not saying it doesn't work, I'm not saying it's specifically unsafe, and I'm not saying anyone's an idiot for performing it, but the fact is that a lot of people who've forgotten more than most of us will ever know about pistol design and operation looked seriously at the reset problem and came up with solutions that don't touch the trigger bar. It behooves us to consider why that might be.