M&p Problem

[Condition 1]

I recently bought an M&P and love it, except for a small (although some may say big) problem. I am a Firearms Instructor for the State of Alaska DOC, I have also recently started shooting IDPA and USPSA with my duty issue Glock 22, but would love to use MY M&P. With my Glock I shoot about a 2.5" grouping at 25 yds. standing no barricade. I shot my M&P straight out of the box and also shot a 2.5 - 3" grouping, but here is the problem - the grouping was 4" right and 6" down from center. The first thing I played with was my trigger squeeze, nothing wrong there because the groupings were too tight. Next I moved the sight, I lined the left side of the sight even with the cut of the slide thereby moving it left about 1/16". This should have eliminated the right sided hits, but alas it did not. It still shot the exact same place. Next I compensated by aiming at the upper left of the target and viola, center hits. Now I am a Glock armorer, but not a gunsmith so I really do not know what to do other than A. Send it back, which I am not very excited about that, B. Just aim high left - which is silly, or C. Take it to a gunsmith? Which may be spendy and ultimately unneccessary. Well the other day I thought hey why don't I look at the orientation of the barrell sitting in the slide. So being as safe as possible I looked at the business end of my gun and saw something that I think is peculiar. The barrel sets low and left (as you look at it from the muzzle side). There is a large gap between the top of the barrell and slide on the top and upper right. I had two diiferent people look at this and one saide my gun is screwed up, the other said that the gap is there to allow the slide to move without impeding or rubbing the barrel. This problem is not apparent at 5 yds and in, but 5 yds. and out it gets worse. Should I let a smithy look at it or go through the long and gunless process of sending it back to S&W?

[chad allred]

I vote:Send it back!You payed good $ for that gun so it should perform!

[mike_pinto]

Condition1

Had a friend buy one. We took it to the range and the same happened. The strange thing is the longer we shot it, the more it walked up. Thought it might be the heat, but we let it sit and shot some more. The groups moved to about 2" right and 2" low. Shot it again and it was on. Now I was thinking the same thing you were about trigger control, etc... But it is zero now and holds that way. I have no idea why it moved on him, unless it was just getting used to the sights, trigger.. The dots in the back had to go though. You gotta love a pistol that corrects itself to match your zero !!! The unfortunate part is that Smith probably won't give you a straight answer over the phone. Good luck and keep us posted if you don't mind..

Mike

[Flexmoney]

Just because it groups doesn't mean it's not a trigger control issue...not by a long shot.

The way we grip a gun can mean that our finger press on the trigger in a consistent manner. And, that manner may be such that we are pushing/pulling on the edges of the trigger.

Focus on using just the pad of you trigger finger and focus on applying pressure straight back. Don't really even look at the target to see where the hits are going. Just focus on bringing the trigger straight back.

Then, switch hands. (and "re-group")

[Kevin Kline]

Our dept is looking at going to the MP and we (SWAT) has been testing one in 40 since Oct of 05. We have shot the crap out of it and havent cleaned it yet and it hasn't had any issues at all. Actually, I kind of like it. Ive got at least 800-1000 rounds out it myself and total prob about 5000-6000.

Ive found ours to be pretty accurate. Since our dept is looking at them, we had the S&W rep come out and give our Committee a quick lesson/overview/history of the gun and I liked what I heard. He stated S&W has put some technology in the MP that wasnt available 2-3 years ago and they had learned a lot after looking at their own issues with polymer guns over the years and other manufacturers.

One thing issue was the frame rails. The frame rails are slightly rounded instead of straight. This way, the slide/gun locks up the same way each time b/c it is always locked up on the same part of the rails, not front or middle or back part of rails, as if the rails were straight. We shot the gun from 50 yds and it was pretty damn accurate. I was suprised at the reliability and accuracy so far.

[raz-0]

The S&W warranty process is pretty painless. I did it, and it was about 10 business days from giving it to ups to getting it from ups.

I don't know about the vertical movement, but an early batch of sights was off on dimensions and could move around. S&W will fix that particular issue ( I haven't had it, but others have been fixed).

[Gary1911A1]

I vote to call S&W too. Tell them your problem and you are a Firearm Instructor for Corrections in Alaska. They likely will pay for shipping both ways to Mass. or to their warrenty service center in Alaska, Actions by Gene, Anchorage, AK (907) 563-9797. Good luck with your M&P. Rumor has it both Columbus and Cincinnati PD in Ohio have purchased some. I did buy one in 9MM with a LE Discount, but I haven't shot it yet.

[Kevin Kline]

Gary,

You are correct about Cincinnatti PD. Cincinnatti PD and a PD in N.Carolina have switched just recently to the MP, the S&W rep told us. He didnt say anything about Columbus PD, but that doesnt mean anything.

[Gary1911A1]

I know Columbus did get some T&E M&P for sure, but I don't know for sure if they have adopted it. They got them in 9MM for sure and I heard .40S&W too. I'll ask around and see what is going on.

[cking]

Anybody seen this problem yet, when shooting 40 wolf, get a stuck case that you have to remove with a range rod. The chamber is huge, way bigger than a 40 glock. in fact a fire 40 glock round dropped into the S&W!

[Chriss Grube]

Gee you think the wolf crap ammo might be the problem. Does it have any problems with reall ammo?