i still seem to be hitting low with my m&pc ,if the picture comes up of the target i shot it seems i have to aim at right around the top of the target or where the number 9 is on it to get it to hit where you see.could it be the gun, the ammo or me? ive only shot the wal mart winchester 165 and 180 grain thru it,both with the same results. if it is me (which thats a good chance)what am i doing wrong.these was shot from around 10 yards.

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Try ball-and-dummy drills. The next time you go to the range, take some dummy rounds with you and, ideally, a friend. Have your friend load a magazine with a random mix of live and dummy ammo so that you don't know which rounds are which. Have him load the gun and place it on the bench (safety reminder...keep finger off trigger until ready to fire, keep muzzle directed downrange). Then you pick it up and shoot it, focusing on the front sight. If you see the front sight dip down when you press the trigger on a dummy round, then you're probably anticipating recoil and that would explain the dropped shots. I had the same problem and the ball-and-dummy drill worked really well with it. I still do those drills from time to time.

Good advice on the ball and dummy drills.

It is also not an unheard of situation for fixed-sight handguns to shoot somewhere other than point of aim. Yours may have a front sight that is slightly too tall. If that is the case it can be remedied with a lower front sight, or the existing sight can be filed down a bit, then touched up with cold blue application.

I would suggest trying a couple of magazines fired from a sandbag rest on a firm bench. Slow and controlled fire from a rest should produce tight groups, and the distance from the center of the group to the point of aim will help determine whether any sight changes are necessary.

The formula for how much to file down in case you're interested:

Multiply your error distance times the sight radius of your gun. Divide the result by the distance to the target. That gives the amount you need to correct your front sight. If you're shooting low, you'll need to lower your front sight by that amount. Use the same units (inches, cm, etc.) for all calculations.

For example: If you're 2 inches low at 15 yards and the distance between the sights on your gun is 6 inches. Then, multiply 2 by 6 to get 12. Now, divide 12 by 540 (that's 15 yards converted to inches). You'll get 0.022 inches; the amount to lower your front sight by.

Recommend you don't start filing anything until you're sure it's the sights. Test from a bench rest carefully first.

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I'm "starting over" again with defensive shooting and auto loaders myself, and was doing the same thing. My issues were a combination of poor grip and stance as well as trying to control the recoil to the point of pushing rounds low. These helped me a lot.

Proper Handgun Grip Technique (Video))

Overcoming the flinch response: Let Recoil Happen! by Ron Avery

Could it be trigger pull and you are anticipating the round being fired off? Practice a slow squeeze, not pull the trigger. Squeeze slowly, dont pay attention to where your trigger squeeze is at, try to be surprised when the gun goes off. Mixing spent casings with live ammo is a great idea. It is to teach you not to anticipate.

This is just what I was taught, I am no expert.

very good advise, i plan on trying this stuff and see if it helps.im sure the biggest majority of the problems are with me and not the gun.

With spent cases, it may stove pipe at times, but you practice clearing malfunctions. When I was 1st taught on semit auto's the drill was called "Tap, Rack, Bang". You get a malfunction, you firmly smack the magazine to make sure it is properly inserted, then rack the slide, then pull the trigger, hence tap rack and bang. It was a malfunction drill they had us do. Sorry if I am over simplifying things. Like I said, I am very far from being an expert. A gun has always been a tool for me, so I am not as proficient as most of the guys on the forum are.

As much as you'd like it to be, it isn't the ammo or the gun. I just had fancy sights very carefully put on my daily carry gun. It'll shoot straight when I shoot straight, I tell myself. At every session I have to remind myself how to hold and aim and pull the trigger. I'm still working the grip to bring it up and centered. It'll probably take another thousand rounds to get it right. (Sigh.)

Most likely you are "pushing" the firearm down because you are anticipating the firearm going off and the recoil of the firearm. Thus, you are shooting low.

As others have said, with some great advice, have a friend put in some dummy rounds, but not where you can see where they are in the magazine, so as you are firing the firearm, if you all of a sudden see the front sight (which you should be concentrating on) move a whole bunch, pay attention to where it's moving to. I'll bet that it will move down and to the left (if you are right handed) or down and to the right (if you are left handed) because you are anticipating. It can be corrected, but only once you realize you are doing it.

Also, as others have stated, don't rush your shots. Take 25 rounds and try and take FOREVER to go through them. Load 5 into a magazine and then sloooowly...and I mean painfully slowly...squeeze the trigger and only concentrate on the front sight until...BANG...the firearm goes off. Do that for 25 rounds so you don't know when the firearm is going to go off and you are surprised when each round goes off. This will also help you get rid of your anticipation issue.

After you stop anticipating and are able to start relaxing and group your shots better, then you can work on firing your rounds faster on target. However, first things first...proper handling/control of your firearm so that you shoot what you are aiming at. Shot placement.

HTH,
Mat

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Mat - M&P 40c & 40 Shield

You may be tightening your fingers on the grip as you squeeze off the shot. You may also be jerking or slapping the trigger, or drooping your head forward, as well as the other possibilities that have been stated so far.
Concentrate on keeping your head up and smoothly squeezing the trigger, moving only your trigger finger.
I had the same problem when I started shooting handguns and my issues were pushing the gun forward in anticipation of recoil, jerking the trigger, and drooping my head forward.

Does the M&Pc feel like it fits your hand well? I had one that I had to get rid of because I never felt that I had a secure hold on it. The thickness of the grip seemed out of proportion to the length of the grip for me. I sprayed bullets all over the target with that gun because I was never comfortable with my grip on it. Do you have the same problem with other guns, or have access to any other guns that you can try just to see how you do with something different?

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actually the s&w seems like it fit's my hand(which are small) better than a glock.i tried using my middle finger to squeeze the trigger and beleive it or not my groups looked better that way.maybe i just need to throw the gun at them.lol im trying .

Get you a Model 17 or 18 revolver and shoot thousands of rounds.

Cheap ammo, and once you can master that trigger and grip, it will improve your skills moving up in caliber no matter the handgun.