Apex Flat Trigger Light Strikes

[hlpressley]

I have a bit of an odd occurrence. I have several M&P’s. Around 7-8 maybe more. Anyway, most if not all have the Apex triggers. I recently bought 3 new M&P 2.0’s. One 4” compact, one 4.25” full size, and one 5” full size. All 3 got the exact same trigger system from Apex. The two full size guns have been 100% so far to about 2k rounds. The Compact was good for a few hundred and began to light strike. It will pop Federal primers all day but will light strike on the others. I’m not sure what could be the difference? Same guns, same trigger, same installation. Two of them will run, one not so much. 
 

Called Apex, they sent me a new sear. Still didn’t change anything. Called them again and they’re saying my trigger bar might be out of spec and that I would need to order a new one. 
 

Anyone experienced anything like this before? Any thoughts as to what the issue might be? 

[recoilchamp]

It's probably either the striker spring is too weak or the striker block isn't completely moving out of the way when the striker is released. First can be fixed by replacing the striker spring. I did end up putting an extra power striker spring in mine for harder primers. Second may require adjustment of the trigger bar loop. 

 

Not sure if the striker assemblies are swappable between the slides, but if they are that could also help you isolate the problem.

 

Can also do the pencil trick of putting a pencil in the barrel and pulling the trigger to see how far it goes when the striker hits it, and compare along the different guns. 

[Snausages32]

From what I've read, and experienced, this is fairly common.  The fix for me was a stronger spring.  Trigger is amazing, and it breaks right at 2 pounds.  I love it.

[hlpressley]

37 minutes ago, Snausages32 said:

From what I've read, and experienced, this is fairly common.  The fix for me was a stronger spring.  Trigger is amazing, and it breaks right at 2 pounds.  I love it.

Stronger striker spring? 

[Snausages32]

6 hours ago, hlpressley said:

Stronger striker spring? 

Trigger return spring

[mgkrs]

I'm not sure how a trigger return spring would help with light strikes... striker spring seems more likely the problem.

[M1A4ME]

Can't say it's identical to my problem a few years back.

 

I tried the stronger striker spring - installed Glock striker springs in mine (the one that was showing the failure to fire issue and the other one that worked great) but it didn't help

 

The problem was the striker block.  The Apex striker block has a more radiused/polished corner/edge that the trigger bar loop contacts and pushes against.  Due to the greater radius on the edge the striker block's rise upwards is delayed a little bit during the trigger bar rearward movement (vs. the factory striker block).  If it's not out of the way when the striker is released the striker hits the edge of it and "bounces" on by it to hit the primer - but after bouncing by the striker block it has lost enough force it doesn't always set off the primer.

 

At least that's my impression of what is happening.  An adjustment to the trigger bar/loop to make the Apex striker block begin moving upwards sooner as the trigger bar moves rearward cured it.

 

I went from two or three misfires per magazine to 350 rounds without a single misfire.  Then I stopped shooting it and put it in the safe (because I'd already moved to a CZ P07 by then for carry use and the P07's accuracy was so impressive I've stuck with it for the last 8 or 9 years).  But, the bottom line is the M&P was flawless, misfire wise, after the trigger bar/loop adjustment.

 

I'm pretty sure the Apex web site has videos of how to make those adjustments.  Lots of good information in their videos.

[mpom]

M1A4ME makes a lot of sense.

OP, try the pencil test to see how far it is propelled by the striker. Would bet it is not very far compared to other pistols, as described above. Closing the loop a bit delays sear release of striker, giving the striker block more time to rise out of the way.

[Snausages32]

Trigger return spring was something to do with the firing pin not getting a full swing, it didn't reset all the way, just 98% of the way.  Whatever it was, getting a stronger spring there fixed it for me.  M&P Pro Core 9L.

[Avedis]

He said he purchased M2.0s. They don't have a loop to adjust like the 1.0s do.

 

You could temporarily take the striker block out of the gun all together and go shoot it. See if it's a timing issue.

[FightFireJay]

If indeed it is out of time (no trigger loop, but USB radiuses edge on striker block) there will likely be some peening of the safety arm on the striker.

 

I'd inspect that first.  If it looks good, I'd install a known good striker assembly from one of your other guns.  That should help diagnose it pretty quick.

[hlsccsfa]

On 4/23/2020 at 4:32 PM, hlpressley said:

I have a bit of an odd occurrence. I have several M&P’s. Around 7-8 maybe more. Anyway, most if not all have the Apex triggers. I recently bought 3 new M&P 2.0’s. One 4” compact, one 4.25” full size, and one 5” full size. All 3 got the exact same trigger system from Apex. The two full size guns have been 100% so far to about 2k rounds. The Compact was good for a few hundred and began to light strike. It will pop Federal primers all day but will light strike on the others. I’m not sure what could be the difference? Same guns, same trigger, same installation. Two of them will run, one not so much. 
 

Called Apex, they sent me a new sear. Still didn’t change anything. Called them again and they’re saying my trigger bar might be out of spec and that I would need to order a new one. 
 

Anyone experienced anything like this before? Any thoughts as to what the issue might be? 

I had exactly the same experience. No light strike on all my 5" 2.0 models, only on 4" compact model. Called APEX, they blame the gun...

 

Here is how I fixed the problem (and later I found out a very pleasant surprise by-product of the fix): After taking the gun apart, I suspect that it is the APEX ultimate striker block being slightly larger in dimension than the factory one, it is a very tiny difference but big enough to prevent the striker being released cleanly. So I put the factory striker block back in. I immediately notice the difference in the sound the striker makes when drying firing, it's crisp and a bit louder, which is a good sign. After ~2k rounds without a single slight strike I am pretty sure I fixed the problem. A friend of mine actually won CCP division in IDPA Liberty Match in PA last week with the gun.

 

Here is the pleasant surprise by-product: Technically when you put the factory striker block back, you should also use the factory spring that comes with it. I forgot to do it, and still used the shorter APEX striker block spring. Then I noticed that the trigger pull weight is reduced further. I measured it, it is indeed reduced from 3.5lbs (with both apex block and spring) to 2.75lbs (with factory block and apex spring). I was a bit concerned that this might prevent the block from function properly, meaning block the striker when the trigger is not pulled, but so far it doesn't seem so. I check it every now and then by taking the slide down and push the striker with my finger, It doesn't move! I will keep checking it every 1k rounds, just to make sure it still works.

[Dave773]

On 10/25/2020 at 9:33 AM, hlsccsfa said:

I had exactly the same experience. No light strike on all my 5" 2.0 models, only on 4" compact model. Called APEX, they blame the gun...

 

Here is how I fixed the problem (and later I found out a very pleasant surprise by-product of the fix): After taking the gun apart, I suspect that it is the APEX ultimate striker block being slightly larger in dimension than the factory one, it is a very tiny difference but big enough to prevent the striker being released cleanly. So I put the factory striker block back in. I immediately notice the difference in the sound the striker makes when drying firing, it's crisp and a bit louder, which is a good sign. After ~2k rounds without a single slight strike I am pretty sure I fixed the problem. A friend of mine actually won CCP division in IDPA Liberty Match in PA last week with the gun.

 

Here is the pleasant surprise by-product: Technically when you put the factory striker block back, you should also use the factory spring that comes with it. I forgot to do it, and still used the shorter APEX striker block spring. Then I noticed that the trigger pull weight is reduced further. I measured it, it is indeed reduced from 3.5lbs (with both apex block and spring) to 2.75lbs (with factory block and apex spring). I was a bit concerned that this might prevent the block from function properly, meaning block the striker when the trigger is not pulled, but so far it doesn't seem so. I check it every now and then by taking the slide down and push the striker with my finger, It doesn't move! I will keep checking it every 1k rounds, just to make sure it still works.

Did ya change your striker spring or keep it stock? I'm having the same issues. Opened the candy cane at like 0.023" right now but still getting about 3 light strikes every couple hundred rounds. I think that the apex block isn't releasing the striker fully so I'd like to try your fix and install the stock striker block with the apex spring.

[M1A4ME]

When I was having problems with that 1.0 some folks here mentioned that the Glock striker springs (don't remember if it was model dependent) were about 1 or 1.5 lbs. stronger than the M&P striker springs and fit just fine.  It did (wasn't my issue) and I left it in there.  No issues from it.

[hlsccsfa]

21 hours ago, Dave773 said:

Did ya change your striker spring or keep it stock? I'm having the same issues. Opened the candy cane at like 0.023" right now but still getting about 3 light strikes every couple hundred rounds. I think that the apex block isn't releasing the striker fully so I'd like to try your fix and install the stock striker block with the apex spring.

I keep the striker spring stock.