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New M&P 9 POI issues


HCShooter

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Took the new M&P 9 out this weekend. Functionally, the gun did very well. Ate 150 rounds factory loads and about 50 hand loads. Did have a couple FTF's on the reloads, I've not figured that one out just yet, but have no doubt it was in the reloads. Also confirmed that the M&P does not tollerate even the slightest of a high primer.

Anyway, my main problem is POI with this gun. This was purchased to be the primary shooter for my wife and therefore had the smallest back strap on it to aid in fitting her hands. I put about 75 rounds through it, and found that I was consitently hitting slightly low and about 4" right @ about 7 yards. I'm used to shooting Glocks or 1911's. Didn't really have time to try it out, but I'm wondering if the back strap is just to small and causing this? Feels fine in my hand (although smaller than what I'm used to).

Anyone had a similar problem and change in back strap fixed it? Looking for anything here. I won't have any practice time this week due to work and have a match this weekend that I want to shoot this gun in.

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Drift the rear fixed sight to the left to zero your windage. Fixed sight guns won't shoot to the same POI for everybody. As for the small grip backstrap... I have 3 M&Ps (standard 9mm, Compact 9mm, and standard .45 ACP) all "feel" better with the larger backstrap, but match scores show the small grip is by far the best for me, and I have "average" sized hands. I know a number of M&P shooters (Master & Expert IDPA and M & A USPSA)... with varying hand sizes and grip strength... who have come to the same conclusion. If the gun is for your wife, let her shoot it before you start making changes.

Chris Christian

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Took the new M&P 9 out this weekend. Functionally, the gun did very well. Ate 150 rounds factory loads and about 50 hand loads. Did have a couple FTF's on the reloads, I've not figured that one out just yet, but have no doubt it was in the reloads. Also confirmed that the M&P does not tollerate even the slightest of a high primer.

Anyway, my main problem is POI with this gun. This was purchased to be the primary shooter for my wife and therefore had the smallest back strap on it to aid in fitting her hands. I put about 75 rounds through it, and found that I was consitently hitting slightly low and about 4" right @ about 7 yards. I'm used to shooting Glocks or 1911's. Didn't really have time to try it out, but I'm wondering if the back strap is just to small and causing this? Feels fine in my hand (although smaller than what I'm used to).

Anyone had a similar problem and change in back strap fixed it? Looking for anything here. I won't have any practice time this week due to work and have a match this weekend that I want to shoot this gun in.

If the sights are aligned when you break the shot, the POI shouldn't change no matter what back strap you use...

If you find your shots going right of the POA, just drift the rear sight to the left to compensate. As for the POI, being low, that's the first I've heard of that with a stock M&P. (They're usually a bit high at 7yds if anything.) But short of changing out the front sight, you could always file a little material off the top of the front sight to raise the POI.

Not for nothing, before adjusting/swapping/filing-down the sights, it may be wise to have a few other shooters try the gun to see if they get the same results...

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Picked the gun up to see where the sights were sitting. Seems I have more problems than just me...rear sight was loose, could move to the right about 1/8". Strange. Especially considering the set screw obviously had some red lock tite on the threads. Guess I'll be looking for some where to send a few rounds down range this week and reset that, then mark and lock tite the threads again...

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Grip choice is entirely subjective. I have large-ish hands (XL glove size) and prefer the medium grip on the standard and Pro size M&P and the large on the compact; probably due to the shorter grip. POI is, to a point, the result of practice and familiarity. Of course a sight slopping around in the dovetail isn't going to help!

My wife has very small hands and the medium is too big for her so her only choice is the small. That, however, works out to be about the perfect fit for her and she loves her M&P.

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  • 1 year later...

As for the small grip backstrap... I have 3 M&Ps (standard 9mm, Compact 9mm, and standard .45 ACP) all "feel" better with the larger backstrap, but match scores show the small grip is by far the best for me, and I have "average" sized hands. I know a number of M&P shooters (Master & Expert IDPA and M & A USPSA)... with varying hand sizes and grip strength... who have come to the same conclusion. If the gun is for your wife, let her shoot it before you start making changes.

Chris Christian

True? I feel quicker on draw with small, but my hands and trigger finger all feel in real good position with large especially with the large bump for weak hand. Im having hard time deciding on which to use.

Edited by sdm74
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Double check that the front sight is centered in the dovetail....they seem to be sending more than a few out with the front sight off center. R,

Two of the three Pro's my family owns were like that.

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I have a buddy with the same issues as the OP. He found that different ammo fixed the problem. 147 grain plated bullets hit POI. 135 gr moly/ lead hits low right. Weird but it is true. He sent the gun back to s&w. They sent it back with a new barrel with the same problems. Now he just shoots the 147's.

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My PRO 9 shot 1.5" low at 10 yds with 115gr. The lighter the bullet, the lower it will shoot.

I went to a .160 high and .115 wide from Dawson. Now it shoots POI at 10 and 2-3" high at 25yds. I prefer this since I don't like to cover my target to hit it. I also find that the red fiber is easier to see plus, the slightly narrower sight is quicker to pick up.

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Double check that the front sight is centered in the dovetail....they seem to be sending more than a few out with the front sight off center. R,

Two of the three Pro's my family owns were like that.

I have a new Pro and you can look at the front sight, from the top, and see it is pushed over to the left side of the slide. Easy fix.

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We have two M&P's. a 9L and a standard 9. Both are consistantly low left. The wife and I played a trick on each other by loading (or so the other thought) the gun and handing it to the other (safely of course!) to fire. The times it went click we noticed that we both were dipping. I used a similar trick years ago with .357 and .44 revolvers by loading every other chamber. In our case it looks like the dip (or flinch) in anticipation of the recoil is the main cause. In a match when I miss it looks like I am high and maybe right....possible jerking the trigger. So in this case it is the shooters that need fixing!

Edited by tracker
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