My own '08 production M&P 45, as well as others I've handled and fired (belonging to other instructors), have exhibited excellent accuracy with a variety of
factory hollowpoint duty loads.
Yes, the triggers can be heavy at first. The .45's were running 7lbs with a +/- 2lb tolerance considered acceptable. (The larger sear plungers and their heavier springs being sued in the newer production guns might bump that up just a bit, though.)
I've found the trigger break to be nicely consistent and predictable, but I shoot a fair amount as a firearms instructor using a variety of handguns.
The trigger
recovery is good, and the trigger
reset is subtle and doesn't distract during slow, deliberate target shooting. FWIW, I don't "shoot to trigger reset", as I feel that creates the bad habit of keeping a finger on the trigger between intentional shots. I've seen a fair number of folks who like to try and only release triggers to the sear reset point after an intentional shot, subsequently "rock" their triggers during recoil and fire unintentional shots.
Not a good thing when tension, stress and excitement are occurring. Also, since I shoot a number of handgun platforms, trigger/sear "reset" can be a rather variable thing among different designs, and I don't want to use a technique which is more or less limited to one specific gun. Just me.
Anyway, my M&P 45 was at the heavy end of the range when new, but that didn't prevent me from experiencing excellent practical accuracy right away.
I've fired some after the Apex parts were installed. Okay. Made their new guns feel like mine did after I'd fired it a couple of thousand rounds. I didn't rush out and order them for my own pair of M&P's.
There's no way to know how familiar and skilled any particular shooter might be with any particular pistol platform, not unless you're able to observe them on the firing line.
Using handloaded ammunition also introduces an unknown influence to the circumstances. (I can say this, as I was an avid handloader for many years, and I've also seen any number of problems occur with handloads used by folks during range sessions/quals over the years. Yes, I know everyone thinks that
their handloads are always perfect and trouble-free.
) I like to use good quality factory ammo when trying to diagnose shooter and/or gun "problems".
Do you have some good quality Dummy rounds that your son can use? The reason I ask is that I've observed over the years that few folks realize when they're anticipating trigger break & recoil, and depressing the muzzle. Slipping a couple of Dummy rounds into a mag load can often make the point rather apparent, allowing a shooter to see the slide & muzzle jerk downward (where they generally can't realize it during live-fire).
As an instructor, I've often observed that day in & day out, it's generally not the gun, but the shooter.
Just my thoughts.
