Page 28 of my new M&P 9 Shield manual advises that only the front sight is adjustable for windage. It suggests using a brass drift(?) or punch, and I assume a hammer, to adjust the sight.

Has anyone adjusted the Shield front sight with a punch and hammer? The manual also states that the Shield is a precision instrument. Adjusting the front sight with a hammer doesn't sound like a precision process for a precision instrument to me.

Let me guess
first guess is you are right handed, second guess you are shooting to the left and want to adjust you site. is there any chance you maybe need a shorter front site to bring POI up also, in other words are you shooting low left?

Tight fit both front and rear sights.
Too difficult for me to move using the brass punch, hammer, and vise. Sight pusher would be way to go but tool is $100.
I had a gunsmith replace with XS night sights. Was so difficult to do, he charged me $80.

I had my sights replaced with Ameriglo SW-745 (Love them) by a gunsmith because I could not budge the sights with the hammer and punch method. I told the gunsmith to NOT use Locktite on the new sights and now I can adjust both with the hammer and punch. It cost me $50 to have them installed but still cheaper than the $100 or so for a sight pusher.

You might want to look here:
Shield sight change Picture heavy
Or you can just take a punch and hammer and whack away.
Lots of folks will tell you it is always a trigger control issue if you shoot left. I'm a former bullseye shooter who understands trigger control. I also understand that individual vision comes into play at times. That's why target guns have adjustable sights. Use the pictures in the thread I posted to check that the front sight is centered to start with. You'll need a straight edge of some sort and a caliper. Go from there.

My sight pushers for the M&P line are $75, shipped to your door. MGW also makes a pusher for the M&P. They cost nearly twice that amount and won't work on a variety of guns like the JMT will. Your local GS probably loves you though.

just want to say to all of you who mentioned it: the rear sight is not adjustable at all. It is fixed with a screw. and must be exactly where it is. only the front sight can be adjusted. Of all of the wonderfulness of the shield I find this an issue. If you righties out there are throwing all of your shots low and left due to "trigger control" issues, you should be able to adjust to correct. If you are a lefty like me and throwing all of your shots exactly the same low and right, I should be able to correct this our with the sights. Trust me, I have shot for 60 years, I understand trigger control, and with exception of my dad's colt cobra, I have always had adjustable sights. It gets an average shooter "there" quicker and that should be every company's goal: good shooting as quickly as possible with a minimum of fuss.

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Regards from THE Old Fart

Yes Cracker57,
I am right handed,
the Shield POI is left of POA,
The POI is slightly low,
and I want to adjust the front sight by moving it left of current location.

By simply looking at the gun, the front sight is slightly right of the slide centerline. No straight edge or measurement is needed to see that.

Thank you all for the information and comments. I will spend more time at the range to improve my trigger control. I don't like the idea of paying $400 for a gun, and then paying a gunsmith more money to adjust/replace the sights.

I too, am a fan of adjustable sights. The rear sight on the Shield can in fact be moved. Trouble is, the sight will be hanging out on one side if you move it very much. I don't think anyone makes an adjustable sight for the M&P. If there is anything for the full size M&P, it will fit the Shield, but will hang out a few thousandths on each side when centered. The Shield Slide is narrower than the FS or compact.

Let somebody else shoot it . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

2 different range masters at my indoor range have shot mine, they both throw shots low and left just like all the rest of you righties.

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Regards from THE Old Fart

Well if you are a lefty and throwing them low right and it was the sights then they should have went low right even for a right hand RO. How the sights work don't change depending on which hand you shoot with. I would say they are not used to the gun either. Untill you shoot it from a rest you can't blame the sights. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

New to Shield 9mm, and I shot a bit to the left so I "drifted" the front sight to my left, by banging on it with a brass punch and plastic hammer. You just need to bang it hard, enough to think you may be breaking something. No need to buy special tools, unless you plan to fine tune everything.

I also had to change where I hold the trigger on my index finger because I was pushing the muzzle left and low when the trigger broke. The trigger now is at or near the first joint. That seems to help me keep the muzzle steady and keep the POI nearly the same as POA.

I don't have this problem on larger Glocks ( 19, 17).