mpom Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Have a 3 year old Pro, dimpled barrel so presume its the faster twist version, which does not seem to like 147gr bullets. Have tried both BBI and Acme. Have tried 2 powders, 231 and ETR-7.Typical 5 shot group at 25 yds unsupported is 5-6". I get 3-4" groups with 124 gr coated BBIs and factory 115 jackets, so I do not think its me. Why not supported? Because, for whatever reason, shooting off a rest, my groups are no better. The ETR-7 loads are softer, but not more accurate. Question for the collective wisdom/experience of the forum members, is this just the way it is with OEM M&P 9 barrels? I have been told M&P barrels as a rule, do not shoot 147 gr bullets as well as the lighter ones. Wondered if there is a brand that does shoot well so I can try it. Prefer to use 147s as they are an advantage on the heavy steel targets used at a local 3G match, but will give up the search and go with 124s if this is a futile endeavor. Thanks in advance, Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel6977 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 My m&p pro will shoot 124 and 147 better than I can. I load both xtreme plated and acme 147 with bullseye and those are the only loads I use for USPSA and 3gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open17 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 2+ year old M&P pro. 147 Bayou, N320 powder. Shoots better than me. Easy to bust clay birds off the 35 yd backstop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Look on the little manila envelope that is in your pistol box. That will tell you when the pistol was made and which barrel/twist rate you have. To my knowledge, anything made after June 2012 will have the new barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Thanks for the info, guys. Seems like i just need to find the right recipe. Will check the envelope, as suggested. I know about marking a cleaning rod and measuring distance for a full revolution, but does not seem reliable in a 5" span. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 JMike, envelope says pistol was made in 6/2013, rifling "5RH" which I assume is 5 groove right hand twist, so along with dimple on bottom, pretty much confirms its the newer faster twist barrel. While reading related threads about both ETR-7 powder and 147 gr bullets, came across some tidbits, such as a potential sweet spot at around 930 ft/sec. Will bump up my loads to 3.6 and 3.7 gr of ETR-7 and see how they perform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Yep, you should have the newer barrel then. I forget which year my M&P Pro 9 was made (it is the newer barrel) but accuracy hasn't been an issue for me. I am loading 124 gr and 147 gr projectiles (BBI, Extremes) to a power factor of around 130-132mostly with Ram Shot Competition at an OAL of 1.125. Let us know how your new load is working out once you get going with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Wonder if the shorter length you are loading to might improve my results. Am running OAL of 1.135. Guess there is no harm in running shorter OAL, as that will bump up velocity just a hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I dunno. One thing that did occur to me after I wrote my previous post was the possibility of whether you had any crown damage. That would certainly affect accuracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 No crown damage as far as I can tell. Did a test to help determine what my COL should be. Dropped an Apex 147gr bullet into inverted barrel, measured distance from bullet base to end of barrel hood, to approximate where breech face would be in a locked pistol, Added this measurement to the actual bullet length and came up with 1.125, so that would explain why my loaded rounds, at 1.135, had some "sticktion" when dropped into the barrel. Loaded a bunch of rounds to 1.120 and will test them. Upped the powder charge to 3.6 gr of ETR-7 as well, will test in coming week. Am hoping this load will be magic! Just kidding, will be happy if its reasonably accurate , with no fliers, other than me screwing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Good luck to you and keep us advised of how the new load is working out. Will you be chronographing that load? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter190 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I have had a late 2014 manufacture and i currently have a 2010 manufacture with the old style barrel and the one thing i am finding constant with both is they like a 147gr loaded a little hot at 1.120 Let us know what the new load does for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel6977 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 In my pro I load out to 1.550 with round nose and 1.330 with coated flat points with good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Will chrono results, hopefully Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaldor Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I load my 5" Pro M&P with Acme 147gr Hi-Tek, and just like you I get average accuracy of around 5-6" using 3.1gr of Titegroup, 1.145 OAL (plunk). I loaded some Acme 124gr Hi-Tek with 3.6gr Titegroup, 1.16 OAL (plunk), and accuracy was underwhelming as well, but better than the 147s with about a 3-4" group. Its been a long time since Ive shot jacketed bullets in this gun, but even factory 124gr FMJs were not even that good. At this point, Im just going to replace the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkMyDuds Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I have 2 5'' pros. I shoot 147gr exclusively, Bayou. 3.0gr Titegroup @ 1.135'' OAL. The stock barrels can do about 5 inches @25 yards offhand. Upgraded one to KKM and the other to BarSto. The KKM is usually 3 inches @25 yards offhand. Still have not got BarSto yet and will see. I suggest get the aftermarket barrels, KKM in particular. It's cheap and it's drop in no gunsmithing needed. 1-2 inches improvement right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I have good experience with 3.2 of Titegroup (the same load I use for Plated, could probably back it down a bit), Bayous at 1.14", and the factory barrel in mine. It holds the headbox at 25 yards. Are you making power factor? Also, what's ETR-7? I've also had 147s in plated shoot well with Power Pistol and Silhouette at 135PF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 ETR-7 is a powder available from Expansion Industries as well as from some shops. Had a minor surgical procedure done this week so will likely try out the loads I mentioned earlier next Tuesday. Hopefully will be accurate enough as I don't want to buy another barrel. If not accurate enough, then will go back to 124 gr bullets, probably Acme and move on. Wish Acme had 135 gr available, but it is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpom Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 So tried loads with 3.4 and 3.6 gr of ETR-7 under 147gr Acme, OAL 1.120. Higher charge produced better accuracy, around 4" groups, PF was 140, so no surprise recoil was greater than with 3.4gr load, which produced 5" groups. Will stay with 124 gr bullets, as a miss is worse than a hit with a lighter weight bullet. Guess my barrel doesn't like 147gr bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMike Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thanks for the update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I'm more inclined to guess that it's the powder/bullet combination rather than your barrel unless you've had similarly bad results with other powders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash74 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 My experience with my M&P 9 pro (circa 2008) is the factory barrel likes 124 grain bullets pushed to +p velocities. When I shot defensive ammo my pistol was accurate off a rest at 25 yards, 2-3" groups. When I shot cheap 115gr fodder it was a foot low and 8" right at 25 yards. 147gr subsonics did not shoot any better. The only idea can come up with is the pistols are designed for officers using duty loads. Once I went to a Storm Lake barrel, all my accuracy issues disappeared. Everything I feed it shoots decent for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH45 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 My experience with my M&P 9 pro (circa 2008) is the factory barrel likes 124 grain bullets pushed to +p velocities. When I shot defensive ammo my pistol was accurate off a rest at 25 yards, 2-3" groups. When I shot cheap 115gr fodder it was a foot low and 8" right at 25 yards. 147gr subsonics did not shoot any better. The only idea can come up with is the pistols are designed for officers using duty loads. Once I went to a Storm Lake barrel, all my accuracy issues disappeared. Everything I feed it shoots decent for me. With my older Pro barrel, it would shoot 2" @ 25 yards with 124/125 jhps only. S&W replaced the barrel last year under warranty, with one dimple, and have been frustrated trying to get it to shoot decent, until I got my hands on some Zero 147 grain jhps. They are just a little over 2"@25 yards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlockCanMan Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 2+ year old M&P pro. 147 Bayou, N320 powder. Shoots better than me. Easy to bust clay birds off the 35 yd backstop. +1 here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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