Smith & Wesson ships the M&P 9 M2.0 Full Size OR with a 6.5 lb trigger that has a long, soft take-up and no defined wall. Most owners replace it. The Apex Tactical flat-faced trigger kit drops the pull to around 4.5 lbs with a clean break, and it is the single most popular aftermarket part for the M&P platform. That the gun's first talking point is what needs fixing says something about the stock trigger. It also says something that owners bother fixing it instead of buying a different gun.

What keeps them around is the package. The Full Size OR ships optics-ready with a Picatinny rail and two 17-round magazines at 24.7 oz. The Beretta APX A1 Full Size weighs 26.2 oz for 17 rounds with a marginally better 6.0 lb trigger, but lacks the M&P's aftermarket depth. The Armornite finish on the stainless slide handles holster wear and sweat without the corrosion issues that standard bluing develops. The grip texture bites hard enough to hold under wet hands, though appendix carry owners report it chews through thin undershirts within weeks.

The M&P Full Size OR is a gun that does almost everything well except the one thing a shooter touches every time it fires. The FN 509 runs about 5.5 lbs with a crisper break, and the CZ P-10 F delivers a 4.5 lb pull with a defined wall. Both trigger systems are better from the factory. The M&P compensates with its optics-ready slide, corrosion-resistant finish, and a lighter frame than most full-size alternatives.