Selling my 9mm S&W Shield

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Huie83
I sold mine last year after putting about 1000 rounds through it. Shot great for such a short barrel, never a hiccup.

It was the gritty/crunchy trigger that drove me crazy and pushed me to sell it. I had a hard time getting a clean break. I believe I paid $379 for mine and sold it for $350.

The trigger has improved in mine. Mainly bc I have dry fired it thousands of time. It is almost exactly like my Glock. The bane of striker fired pistols.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The thing that makes the M&P triggers "crunchy" is it lifts the striker block plunger before you hit the sear with the trigger bar ramp. Also, the trigger doesn't cock the striker back with the M&P. Smith's literature says that the striker is 98% pre-cocked, and the last 2% is pulled back by the angle of the sear wall as it drops. So the trigger take-up is 100% free of any restriction (and feeling), ~except~ for the trigger bar ramp lifting that plunger. That's the "crunch" that you feel. Aftermarket striker block plungers pretty much eliminate that feeling, only because they smooth the transitions to where you pretty much can't feel them.

The Glock and Smith SD series pistols work a little different. The trigger take-up includes cocking the striker, so there's some resistance in the take-up. Like in the M&P, the Glock's trigger bar raises the striker block plunger before the striker releases, but the perceived feel is different because you're also cocking the sear.

I've shot both the Shield and the Glock, and appreciate both triggers and how they work. I have more trigger time on the Shield, but I feel that I can shoot both equally well. The triggers feel different because of the way they stage and take up, but both are equally effective to me. Conceptually, I like the concept of the Glock and Smith SD triggers better. In theory, you should be able to get a less disruptive break with them because you don't have a "wall" that you hit as you do with the M&P triggers.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd


The Glock and Smith SD series pistols work a little different.

I really like the LPC pistol. And in fact I shoot more accurately with it than the 43 or Shield. Even though its a "striker" the pull is very long you see the "hammer"moving back. It is very similar to my 442 where I went to a lighter hammer spring. I shoot the 442 very well also.

I would carry the 442 airweight but its heavier and MUCH wider. My bro-in-law says his hands are too big for the LPC. I suspect he isn't really griping it correctly. Our hands are about the same size. Yes my weak hand pinky doesn't go around the grip but it nicely curls under it.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd


The Glock and Smith SD series pistols work a little different.

I really like the LPC pistol. And in fact I shoot more accurately with it than the 43 or Shield. Even though its a "striker" the pull is very long you see the "hammer"moving back. It is very similar to my 442 where I went to a lighter hammer spring. I shoot the 442 very well also.

I would carry the 442 airweight but its heavier and MUCH wider. My bro-in-law says his hands are too big for the LPC. I suspect he isn't really griping it correctly. Our hands are about the same size. Yes my weak hand pinky doesn't go around the grip but it nicely curls under it.

Are you talking about the Ruger LCP? Because those are in fact hammer fired.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Al
I really like the LPC pistol. And in fact I shoot more accurately with it than the 43 or Shield. Even though its a "striker" the pull is very long you see the "hammer"moving back.


I'm not sure which pistol to which you are referring, here. If you can see the hammer, then it's a hammer-fired pistol (and a double action one at that, if it moves back with the trigger). If you are referring to either the Ruger LCP or Ruger LC9, then yes, both of those are hammer-fired.

I can live with a heavier and/or longer trigger. My Kel-tec P-32 is like that. It's got a hammer and they classify it as double action only (even though you have to pre-cock the hammer by cycling the slide). As you pull the trigger, you can watch the hammer come back and then snap.

Even though the Smith SDxVE-series pistols are striker-fired, the hammer feels just like a double action trigger. As you pull the trigger back, it moves the striker back. Eventually, the connector rotates down and releases the striker, but you really can't feel a "wall" there. It's a lot like a revolver trigger, with a true "surprise break".

I generally like that sort of trigger.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
d.

I can live with a heavier and/or longer trigger. My Kel-tec P-32 is like that. It's got a hammer and they classify it as double action only (even though you have to pre-cock the hammer by cycling the slide). As you pull the trigger, you can watch the hammer come back and then snap.

LOL yea lcp

I believe Ruger copied Kel-tec's design.
Yea DAO and Single STRIKE

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Al
LOL yea lcp

I believe Ruger copied Kel-tec's design.
Yea DAO and Single STRIKE


It's been pretty widely speculated that the LCP is a mostly direct copy of the Kel-tec P-3AT, itself adapted from the P-32. What I like about the LCP over the P-3AT is the external slide stop lever. Neither .380 has a last-round hold open like the P-32 has, but I do like the manual lever.

 

[Al]

Quote:
It's been pretty widely speculated that the LCP is a mostly direct copy of the Kel-tec P-3AT, itself adapted from the P-32. What I like about the LCP over the P-3AT is the external slide stop lever. Neither .380 has a last-round hold open like the P-32 has, but I do like the manual lever.

Yea I heard that too.

To me the slide open lock is useless except when I want to stuff a tissue in the open breach and run a Hoppes rag through the barrel. As you pointed out it doesn't stay open when you rack it with an empty mag.

That little beast take strong fingers to rack and then you have to fumble and push that tiny lever up. I actually don't know what purpose it serves.

Can't tell you how many times I pinched the web of my left hand trying to do that anbd pinching it in the breech

 

[Hokiefyd]

Fun little guns, these.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Fun little guns, these.

For sure. My wife painted the front sight "Wildshine" (white) Nail Polish...lol. Works great

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
The thing that makes the M&P triggers "crunchy" is it lifts the striker block plunger before you hit the sear with the trigger bar ramp. Also, the trigger doesn't cock the striker back with the M&P. Smith's literature says that the striker is 98% pre-cocked, and the last 2% is pulled back by the angle of the sear wall as it drops. So the trigger take-up is 100% free of any restriction (and feeling), ~except~ for the trigger bar ramp lifting that plunger. That's the "crunch" that you feel. Aftermarket striker block plungers pretty much eliminate that feeling, only because they smooth the transitions to where you pretty much can't feel them.


I took my 9mm Shield apart right after I bought it and polished the ramps on the trigger bar for the sear release and striker pin lock plunger actuator. Also cleaned up a couple of small burrs around the lock plunger and made sure everything was lubricated well. Seemed to smooth out the trigger some.

 

[Al]

Decided to keep my shield after all. I need a 9mm backup and I really don't want a G-19. Shield and 43 are so very similar. I will pack up the 43 for a while and work with the shield.

What was I thinking?

Think I will sell the Smith 442 I can't stand revolvers anyways..lol.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
I took my 9mm Shield apart right after I bought it and polished the ramps on the trigger bar for the sear release and striker pin lock plunger actuator. Also cleaned up a couple of small burrs around the lock plunger and made sure everything was lubricated well. Seemed to smooth out the trigger some.


This is something that most M&P owners will do with their pistols. There are a lot of stamped parts inside that really smooth out with some polishing. I've done the trigger bar ramp for the plunger on mine, and that, alone, smoothed out the trigger tremendously. I also have probably 600-800 rounds through it in all, and it's really to the point that there's no more "crunch" in the trigger. There's still the same amount of take-up, but that's how the trigger is designed -- that'll never go away without replacing parts. But, it doesn't bother me anyway. It's a defensive pistol, and one of the best out there in its class.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd

This is something that most M&P owners will do with their pistols. There are a lot of stamped parts inside that really smooth out with some polishing. I've done the trigger bar ramp for the plunger on mine, and that, alone, smoothed out the trigger tremendously. I also have probably 600-800 rounds through it in all, and it's really to the point that there's no more "crunch" in the trigger. There's still the same amount of take-up, but that's how the trigger is designed -- that'll never go away without replacing parts. But, it doesn't bother me anyway. It's a defensive pistol, and one of the best out there in its class.

I will have to look into that. Are there any sources (like on Youtube) to look at? But actually I have maybe only put a couple hundred rounds down range but have dry fired it between 1000 and 2000 times and it is noticeably better. I would say it is equal to the G-43.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd

This is something that most M&P owners will do with their pistols. There are a lot of stamped parts inside that really smooth out with some polishing. I've done the trigger bar ramp for the plunger on mine, and that, alone, smoothed out the trigger tremendously. I also have probably 600-800 rounds through it in all, and it's really to the point that there's no more "crunch" in the trigger. There's still the same amount of take-up, but that's how the trigger is designed -- that'll never go away without replacing parts. But, it doesn't bother me anyway. It's a defensive pistol, and one of the best out there in its class.

I will have to look into that. Are there any sources (like on Youtube) to look at? But actually I have maybe only put a couple hundred rounds down range but have dry fired it between 1000 and 2000 times and it is noticeably better. I would say it is equal to the G-43.


Watch the first half of this video, and he shows what ramps to polish, etc. That's basically what I did with my Shield.

 

[Ryan]

Bump!

I talked to a friend that has an M&P Shield. Instead of polishing like the above listed Youtube video, he removed the firing pin assembly and filed off the casting. If you look real close, there is a tiny bur of metal that runs down the middle of it. I don't know the name of the specific part, but when you pull the trigger, the trigger bar moves that flat piece of metal up against the part that sticks out above the firing pin. I filed it oh so gently so I only removed the metal burr and not the rest of the metal surface. The trigger pull is so much better! If anyone cares, then I'll post up some pictures to try to explain.

 

[ZeeOSix]

^^^ Yes, please post photos to explain.

 

[Ws6]

I went with the Shield because all of my pistols are M&P based, from my suppressed .22, to my fullsize 9mm. The Shield just made sense to stick with the same manual of arms. GLWS, OP!

 

[Ryan]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
^^^ Yes, please post photos to explain.


OK I will but it will be later tonight. My firing pin piece had the same casting burr as my friends. It must be manufactured that way. It is big enough to cause a gritty trigger pull, but small enough to grind itself away eventually which explains why people on here say the trigger eventually gets better on its own after dry firing a lot. I just sped up the process by doing a light filing.