Great question.  Physics would tell you yes, since the metal by nature is softer.  I'm currently an AP1 player.  When I bought my AP1s, I did test the AP2s as well.  I did notice a distance loss, but mine was about 10 yards, not quite as much as yours.  

Have you tried going to your local pro for a lesson?  Maybe it's something in your swing, or that you're trying to adjust to since the switch that is contributing to the loss of distance.  If he/she can check it out, hopefully you'll get your answer.  

I agree with this, softer material.  I had maybe a 5 yard loss.  Wouldn't trade those 5 yards back, when you hit a forged iron good there is no better feeling.

I play the MBs and find no distance difference between them and a similarly lofted non-forged club. I can tell you that the AP2 is about 1° weaker than the AP1. This small difference should not make that much of a distance difference.

It may be hard to hear, but I may be time to see your local PGA Professional. Sounds like something might be going on with your swing. 

I'd try a different shaft.

I was at a local demo day way back and got to hit the AP2 with lighter shafts than the standard DG S300 including XP 95, XP 105, XP 115, Nippon 1050, C Taper Lite, and Project X PXi

I could really load and hit the ball a lot further, some even 20-30 yards more carry with the lighter shafts. 

Two years ago I finally changed irons. I went from i2's to Titleist MB 712's. I experienced the same distance loss you did. It took me about a month or two to really break in the clubs and get a feel for them. Once I did that I actually gained about 10 yards on each iron from the i2's. I don't know how long it has been since you have changed clubs, but if it is relatively short I would suggest pushing through and giving it time. It may be that the clubs are heavier or lighter, club head might be larger or smaller, or whatever compared to the AP1's you had and you need to adjust to them. I hope this helps a little bit for you.

Cheers,

Tyler M.

I presently carry AP2-712 with Dynalite XP shafts in PW-6i and an AP1-714 5i in an XP 95. For a while earlier this season, I was playing an AP1-714 6i instead of the AP2 6i for a little more forgiveness in my mid-irons. However, I HATE the look of game improvement irons, and eventually decided to put my AP2 6i back in the bag after I really started to groove my ballstriking as I made some changes to my swing.

What I have noticed is that when I hit the forged AP2 dead nuts on the sweet spot with a perfect swing, from a perfect lie, my distance is longer than I expect. However, if I am the slightest bit off the sweetspot, even with a pretty good swing, my distance is more like I expect and typically about 10 yards less than the absolute perfect swing/contact. As a 9-10 handicap, as good as I think I am, I am not as accurate with the sweetspot as someone who is a +1 who hits it dead nuts nearly every time. Now that's not to say that I don't "feel" like I hit it perfect, but only that as good as it usually feels when I think I hit perfect, it is likely not dead nuts perfect. And with the blade-like AP2, the closer it is to the center of the sweetspot, the better off you'll be distance-wise. A 1/4 inch off can lose you 5-10 yards. A 1/4 inch variation is about as good as I expect this 60-year old 9.5 handicap to be most of the time. So I play my AP2 irons about 10 yards less than the longest I have ever hit them with the absolute perfect strike.

On the other hand, with my cast AP1 5i, the design is much more forgiving and I can miss the sweetspot by a 1/2 inch and still get a distance pretty much like I expected. I only expect to hit my 5 iron about 170 with a decent swing and contact. Sometimes it goes 180, sometimes 165. The reality is, if I played my AP2 forged 5 iron, I could still sometimes hit it 180 on a perfect strike. But the percentages of that happening with a club that is more dependent on striking the sweetspot perfectly, by a 9.5 60-year old handicapper, are much lower.

The point is, maybe you aren't hitting your AP2s shorter. Maybe you are just missing the sweetspot more than you realize.

I don't know if forged = loss , But if you were fitted I would go back to him/her and make sure you got what was ordered. I still play an older set( DCI 990 ) not forgiving at all.when I start to "loose distance " a quick lesson from a local pro dials me back in. I am 60 and stuff happens as we get older, not saying you are but the body compensates for things if they get out of alignment. Just saying....... Dave

I find that most if not all forged irons are closer to true lofts which is usually 1 or 2 degrees weaker than most game improvement irons. It's all about strike. Any slight miss hit will see a drop off in distance. Blades and forged irons are all about distance control and workability. If you are striking out of the centre you will see a little reduction due to loft but more consistant control of distance is the goal.