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Alternatives to Apex barrels?


optimator

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Funny you should post this. I found this website on a Google search today. I called, they answered (on Sunday), and assured me that the 5" barrels were in stock and mine would ship tomorrow. Best price I could find on the web.

Edited by optimator
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20160502_154854.jpg

I welded up the stock barrel and recut it to achieve the delayed unlocking. Made the necessary adjustments and it locked up almost identical to the Apex I installed earlier. There is more hood clearance though as I didn't weld up that. The group's don't lie. I did everything I could to produce the best groups. These were shot standing, rested on a bag with light pressure on the gun. 100% function with both barrels. Ammo is factory, bullet is 100gr compressed copper frangible. Crazy that they shoot so well.

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What were your groups like before welding and recutting the new ramp angle? If any of my previous M&P's shot 1-3/4" groups with the factory bbl they would still be in my safe. Lol

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I was getting a weird phenomenon with the stock factory barrel, the first round of the group would be substantially lower. No matter how I loaded it, always the first shot was low. The groups hovered in the 2.5 to 5 inch range, unless the first round dropped very low then it could open up to 6" plus. I had some groups with the stock barrel that were pretty good but it was roughly double of what it can do now. Doug Koenig has said that the hand loaded round will alter the group size, which is why he only loads once when shooting a Bianchi event. I've never seen it this bad.

The work I did only proved to me that the Apex barrel really does live up to the claim. Seriously. I don't know how long it will group this tight but if it lasts 10k then it's a bargain. I will try to Ransom it and shoot some 50 yard groups as well.

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I notice the same thing with one of my M&Ps... the first round often is low. However, on my other M&P, it's hard to determine since it's so all over the place. I've been noticing that there doesn't seem to be a hard stop where these things are in full lockup. It's sort of still slightly flexible. Like I mentioned a number of times in other threads, if you look really close, even releasing the striker makes the slide jump forward a tiny bit. I never noticed this on any other guns unless it was due to something like a strong striker spring paired with a really light recoil spring. However, on the M&P, it doesn't seem like the slide is retracted and then jumps forward.

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Ugly is as ugly does. If it works, then it's better than a pretty stock barrel.

A pic isn't necessary. I was just wondering about how much work it was. Regardless, I'm not a welder so it wouldn't make a difference to me... I can't do it myself.

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I hear you. I keep thinking about putting an Apex SDI into my other M&P. I tried to get the one from my PC gun to fit... the muzzle end is not even close to fitting into the slide. The prospect of shaving off that much metal off the muzzle end of the barrel has me quite apprehensive. I'm afraid that I'll have to remove so much to get it to angle in that it won't lock up tight when I get the hood fitted, if that makes any sense. Probably unjustified concerns, but I'm not sure. I don't have enough cash to justify farting away $200 by boogering up a barrel.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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Yeah I have had friends who have multiple and some have great groups and some dont.  It seems like APEX has some more R&D and more in the game when it comes to M&P so although I have KKM for glock I will be going with apex for M&P.  I have a new M&P on the way hopefully its a shooter out of the box but have figured for a barrel upgrade if it doesnt group well at 25 yards on a rest. 

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