factory vs aftermarket barrels?

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Axis II

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I have a s&w M&P 9mm fullsize i used to carry for work but since got out of that field for now and doing mostly target shooting with it. I talked to another guy at the range and he has the same weapon but a different trigger and barrel and man what a dream! I don't think i want to do a trigger on the gun cause it goes from fun gun to work gun but wondering do aftermarket barrels make a lot of different with round count and accuracy? My thinking is i would rather shoot out an aftermarket barrel than the factory one.

Thoughts?
 
As JTQ says, big chunks of the M&P 9 production runs have had accuracy issues related to the barrel (some say it's the slow twist, others say it unlocks too early). Some M&P 9's don't have this issue, but some do. If you have one that just seems inaccurate, an aftermarket barrel may help a lot.
 
Is the pistol inaccurate now? I know the Plastic M&P has had some complaints; some are fine, some are pretty wild. The Apex/Barsto barrel, properly fitted, can improve one of the latter a good deal.

Wear out a barrel? That is a very long term project, multiple tens of thousands of rounds.
 
Jim Watson said:
Is the pistol inaccurate now? I know the Plastic M&P has had some complaints; some are fine, some are pretty wild. The Apex/Barsto barrel, properly fitted, can improve one of the latter a good deal.

Wear out a barrel? That is a very long term project, multiple tens of thousands of rounds.
Click to expand...
its iffy with accuracy. I have yet to put it on bags and shoot but i can say my s&w 642 shoots about the same accuracy as the m&p. I would say its lacking. :)
 
I would, too.
The Apex barrel is apparently the fix. They sell semi-drop in and gunsmith fit barrels. They no longer do gunsmithing, maybe they have a shop to recommend. Or you could tackle the semi. $200 either way, but plus the installation bill if you leave it to a gunsmith.
 
If I may, what about the M&P 45. The compact to be exact. I picked up a used one last week and accuracy is not what I'd hoped for. I'm more of a Glock guy who isn't real familiar with the Smith guns. But the price was right and I decided to give it a try. Shooting 5 shot strings at 15 yards I'd get 3-4 in a nice group and 1-2 not even on the target. I'm trying to decide if I just need more trigger time to get used to it, or if the barrel isn't up to par. I might even be tempted to send this back to Smith.
 
I'm leaning toward me needing more trigger time with it. But seeing this thread made me wonder.
 
Why put lipstick on a pig. They gun should be combat accurate if it’s not make S&W fix it or replace it. Personally threads like this are why I don’t own an M&P.
 
To the OP, I usually suspect the shooter first. Easy cheap way to verify issues is find a buddy who is reliably good at marksmanship and let him/her put some groups down range. Start at 5 yards and work it back to 15 yards and see what you see....
 
Should have tried his to see if it is more accurate. A lot of aftermarket industries are trying to make a living by convincing the consumer that their product will enhance performance. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Most people can't shoot up to the potential of their firearm. :p
 
If you sell/trade it towards a 2.0, you might save a decent amount of coin over buying a barrel to chase accuracy issues.

The 2.0 has a much better trigger and doesn't seem to have any accuracy issues.
 
In 9mm the Apex Grade barrel really is the fix. It turned my M&P9 FS into a 1" gun, off a rest, at 25 yards.

Their original test pistol was a 5" M&P9. Shooting 147gr factory ammo, the 5.2" groups, of 5 shots, at 50 yards with the factory barrel turned into 1.86" groups with the Apex barrel
 
jmr40 said:
If I may, what about the M&P 45.
Click to expand...
The accuracy issues have always been with the 9mm models. It is because S&W tried to save money by going with the same barrel profile they were using on the .40 models (the cartridge the M&P was designed around) and not accounting for the different pressure spikes and barrel unlocking timing.

The .45ACP models are built on a different sized frame with a different barrel profile. I've only shot a few .45 M&P models, but they've always exhibited very good accuracy.

I'd suspect operator error first. If it were the gun, you wouldn't be getting 3-4 in a nice group
 
I hadn't heard that Apex Tactical Specialties had stopped offering in-house work on the M&P. I know they still do revolver work as they tuned up my 686 for IDPA last season. I just saw on a Facebook thread where Scot, Randy's partner, asked someone to send in their pistol that they were having an issue with...so they haven't stopped all in-house work. The parts business is pretty good as they added their third CNC machine last year

But to answer your question. I was going to just watch their video on fitting the Apex Grade barrel and do it myself. I ordered 3 gunsmith fit barrels with some shooting buddies and one of them offered to fit them all...he dabbles in 1911 building. He said the Apex video was very clear and it was very easy compared to fitting a 1911 barrel
 
From Apex www:
"Gunsmithing
Thank you for your interest in Apex's gunsmithing services. Unfortunately, we are no longer offering gunsmithing services at this time."

There is not even a "Services" menu any more.
Unfortunate, I would like to have had an Apex action package installed by Apex. I have handled several Apex baggie guns and no two are alike.
 
I'd suspect operator error first. If it were the gun, you wouldn't be getting 3-4 in a nice group
Click to expand...

Those were my initial thoughts, but seeing this thread about poor accuracy with 9mm pistols I felt the need to ask.

Since the 1st range trip I've spent a fair amount of time dry firing the gun and went to the range again today with much better results. The gun was bought as used, but I can't tell that it had ever been fired. Got it for $360 OTD so it was worth the chance.
 
I am going to load some rounds up and shoot off a bench and bag and see what happens. I know I can shoot a 38spl revolver so tight I could hit a baseball with all 6 shots at say 20yards but this thing cant seem to get tight groups.

As far as trading up for the 2.0 I purchased this handgun on my 21st birthday so its a little sentimental.
 
Something isn't right.
I shoot a 9c 1.0 alongside a 642 and the difference is night and day.
The 9c has an Apex FSS and trigger kit and the 642 has the Apex spring kit.
The 9c is extremely pleasant to shoot and quite tight. Close to my G26.
The 642 is not in the same league for me, but still a valued asset.
 
9mmephiphany said:
The accuracy issues have always been with the 9mm models. It is because S&W tried to save money by going with the same barrel profile they were using on the .40 models (the cartridge the M&P was designed around) and not accounting for the different pressure spikes and barrel unlocking timing.
Click to expand...

I think the frames for the 9mm and .40 versions of the M&P line are the same.

Randy Lee from APEX addressed this topic on the S&W Forum sometime last year. Randy designed the Apex barrel for the S&W M&P 1.0. He noticed a difference in SOME M&P 9s and observed no problems with the .40 or .45 versions. (There was a very extended/lengthy discussion there with a lot of technical explanations.) Here's a link, if that's allowed. Jump to about response #23 -- where Randy chimes in and save yourself a lot of reading.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...sues-do-dwell-time.html?531915=#post139719735

Randy said that using high-speed digital imaging they found that the 9mm slide was stretching just a bit in the chamber area and it could be observed in the videos. That part of the 9mm slide (verson 1.0) is less robust than the .40 or .45 versions, and S&W has beefed up the slide with the 2.0 version. Apparently the Apex barrel improves things a bit in the 1.0 version, and will likely do more of the same with the Apex barrel of 2.0.

I would imagine that the stretching -- which is very subtle and hard to even notice except by looking at results -- could vary with loads (even loads from the same box or lot) and won't always be observed or consistent. That could account for a lot of the differences, as barrel alignment could subtly change AS the bullet is starting to move down the barrel.

(I have an M&P Pro in 9mm and it's been a tackdriver for me -- when I do my part.)

.
 
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