M&P 9 with full APEX trigger joband night sights or HK VP9?

M

mikemxbike4

New member
Hey guys,

After shooting and researching a few pistols, I have narrowed it down to these two.

I can buy an M&P9 and do an APEX trigger kit along with night sights for the price of a VP9.

Which do you think is a better deal?

The only downside to S&W after the upgrades would be acuracy which is supposedly worse than VP9.

Any suggestions?
 
A hard decision. I own both. The M&P with full Apex kit and AEK trigger is really exceptional.

With that said, I am completely enamored by the VP9 right now. Its ergonomics are great. Out of the box the trigger has just a little bit of grit and creep, but I threw a snap cap in it and dry fired it a bunch for a couple of days before shooting it as I usually do and the trigger broke in very nicely in short order.

I'm a really big die hard M&P fan, but honestly at this point I'm going to tell you to go with the VP9. It's really that good.

And I was very critical of the VP9 when it first came out. There were some things that I didn't like about it from the pictures... but once I got one in hand, I really understood why they did the things that they did and it all makes sense.

Get the VP9. You can pick up the M&P later if you still want.

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I like the ergos on the M&P better. Choose whichever works best for you, not for us animals. If you shop around online you can find some pretty good discounted prices on the VP9. The prices seem to be falling below the $600 mark now.
 
Hmm. Sounds good. Tge only problem is that I have to wait till VP9 with 10 round mags are readily available. Right now they are almost impossible to find here in Mass...
 
No doubt, the VP9 is going to be a little more accurate... but to what end? Are you a bullseye shooter or going to be bench resting out at 50 yards? My M&P is more accurate than I am, that's for sure.

My M&P's are all set up the same:

- Apex DCAEK kit
- Apex AEK polymer trigger
- Trijicon HD (yellow) night sights

The only thing I need to do to the VP9 is add some sights. Either the HD's as usual or I'm considering the Heinie straight eights as well.
 
Just going to be firing at targets at the range, no more than 25 yards away.

Sounds like M&P might be a better option for now until VP9 is more widely available and proven
 
Sounds like M&P might be a better option for now until VP9 is more widely available and proven
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Given that you're from MA, wouldn't HK have to have a MA compliant trigger variant as well, not just 10 rd mags?
 
As of right now, VP9 is Mass compliant. Untill AG says otherwise (hopefully not). Trigger doesn't necessarily have to have 10lb pull as long as the gun has enough safety features.
 
As of right now, VP9 is Mass compliant. Untill AG says otherwise (hopefully not). Trigger doesn't necessarily have to have 10lb pull as long as the gun has enough safety features.
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Interesting. The only additional safety feature over the M&P I can think of is the striker indicator.
 
No doubt, the VP9 is going to be a little more accurate...
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Based on what? Your own shooting of the two?
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Yeah. I shoot both pretty well(for me), but I was very surprised at how well I shot the VP9 right off the bat. Here is a target that I shot at 30 feet(10 yards). This is 100 rounds total. 50rounds in the torso, 50 rounds in the head. The heat had a bit more stringing but I attribute that to having a bit less of that target to aim at. This is all off-hand, fairly quick firing. About 1 shot every 1.5-2 seconds.

I don't claim to be an amazing shooter, but for me, this is pretty damn good at 10 yards. This is about what I get from the M&P at 7 yards. I get groups similar to this with my MK25 at 10 yards, but I have a LOT more rounds through that gun, and it's got significantly more money into it.

This is bone stock VP9 other than a bunch of dry firing to help break in the trigger.

I shot 200 rounds total. No issues. I didn't even have the issue of hitting the slide stop that many people do. I DO have that issue on the P30 a little less than half of the time. No failures of course.

I dunno man. TR, you know how much crap I talked about the VP9 when it was released... I honestly think this thing MIGHT become my new favorite.... er... second favorite. The MK25 will not be dethroned... but the VP9 may step right into my favorite polymer and/or striker fired gun slot. It's super smooth. I shot it both with and without the TLR-1 attached - the target photo was without the light attached.

I love my M&P's a lot... but damn this VP9 is growing on me. Quickly.

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I love my M&P's a lot... but damn this VP9 is growing on me. Quickly.
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Hey if it works for you it works. Like I said I really want to test one out. I think a local range probably has one for rent as they are a big HK dealer. Idk, for some reason it just feels a bit odd with the amount the slide overhangs my hand. My grip is a bit off to begin with so it's all me. A Walther PPS feels uncomfortable to me for the same reason. I think shooting would let me know if it's actually an issue or just a different feel.

I will say that if it is that good as stock, in some ways I prefer that. While I'm not inclined to believe that modifying a trigger = instant jail as long as you stay close to stock weight (you'd need intimate knowledge of the firearm and one a-hole of a DA or state), in all honesty I have to admit it would make me feel more warm and fuzzy. It's just one less potential legal issue to worry about as you can say that's how the manufacturer sold it to you. I get the whole judged by twelve rather than carried by six thing, but I'd rather make the aftermath less painful if possible.

Anyway, this is really a great situation for HK at a time when they need it. P.S. - Did you see those HK45s for $630 from HKspecialist? I don't know if I can resist.
 
I put an Apex FSS and polymer trigger in my M&P and polished up the trigger bar... And it transformed that pistol for me... I really love that pistol now. I can shoot it very well. I am thinking of putting on the Truglo TFO sights on it, I hear good things and the price is right.

Does the H&K have night sights on it stock?


I have held and dry fired the VP9 and was impressed with it.


If the H&K is not readily available to you due to mag restrictions, I would say the M&P is a great pistol. The addition of an Apex trigger and night sights for similar money as the H&K without night sights, and is easier for you to acquire... That may be the way to go.
 
I put an Apex FSS and polymer trigger in my M&P and polished up the trigger bar... And it transformed that pistol for me... I really love that pistol now. I can shoot it very well. I am thinking of putting on the Truglo TFO sights on it, I hear good things and the price is right.

Does the H&K have night sights on it stock?
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TFO's are nice. If you can swing it, I recommend the Trijicon HD's over them... but the TFO's are good. It's just that the front sight is pretty long so you lose some sight radius.

The VP9 does not normally come with night sights, but you can get the 'LE' package with included night sights and a third magazine. The LE package is usually about a $100-$125 bucks more.
 
I hear good things about the meprolight sights as well... I believe they have a trigicon copy. They are similar in profile to most other sights. For target shooting I like the idea of the blacked out ring sights, but the ones with white outlines around the tritium vial are quicker to use.

The added length on the TFO front sight is not enough for me to worry over. I like the fiber optic aspect.

I also like the option of having differing colors front and rear, I can't remember if the trigicons have that option.
 
I have seen the M&P range and carry kit on sale for $450... I got mine for just over $500.

The kit has a third mag, a decent kydex belt holster and mag holder, plus a Uplula mag loader. Not a bad little kit, and I managed to get a 4th mag from a gun shop for less than $30.

So I have $650 in the pistol total... But need night sights sometime. TFOs are $75.


I plan on getting a VP9 sometime, and a PPQ while I'm at it. But I still like my M&P a lot. It rivals my CZ and P226 for my favorite pistol I own.
 
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Sounds like you have a good setup. I think the TFO's would serve you well, especially at that price. The HD's are about double that. The tritium on the Trij HD's are all green, but you can either the bright yellow or bright orange front outline. I prefer yellow, but some really like the orange.
 
I do like at least a little contrast between front and rear when it comes to fiber optic.

In the end, I can see well enough to use any sights, but there are always times when the lighting is against you. Fiber optic can help at those times. Then again, for most shooting I am not sure I like fiber optic sights, I haven't used them very often, so I need to try some before I buy.


We kind of went off on a tangent here, but the OP may find some inspiration in it.
 
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