What am I doing wrong?

[Amp]

Had an awesome range trip with my adult son today.
We shot my 617 6", 686 3" and M&P9 M2.0 with a new LaserGuard installed.
Grouped well with the revolvers but not so well with the 9mm. I can understand not shooting to point of aim. Tried 2 brands of ammo and 2 different shooters and iron vs laser.

[Execpro]

Really need more info! Are groups left, right and by how much? Are you using a rest or sandbag when shooting for poa to poi? Your 9mm should be hitting where you aim using the sights!

Try a rest/sand bag to get a steady platform to shoot from! It is NOT uncommon for any pistol or revolver to come from factory not sighted in properly or to accidently hit a rear sight and nock it out of alignment.Once you get your sights adjusted, use the same steady platform to sight in your laser. Start at 5 yards. Use your sights to adjust your laser then fire a couple of rounds off the rest to see where your bullets hit and adjust as needed.

If using 9mm for self defense,10 yards for the laser is a good distance.There are some good sites you can Google to get charts to give you trajectory tables for rise and fall of bullet at different laser sight in distances.

Hope this helps. Be SAFE and shoot often!

[Rastoff]

Wait! Don't tell me! You're shooting unsupported, standing, with your right hand and grouping low left. Am I right?

[CB3]

You’re not working the striker fired trigger correctly.

Dry fire at home before going back to the range.

[Amp]

Perhaps the plastic gun just doesn't shoot as well as the others.
I will try another day.

[Funflyer]

Originally Posted by Amp

Perhaps the plastic gun just doesn't shoot as well as the others.
I will try another day.

99% of the time it's the shooter, not the gun. Please let an experienced "plastic gun" shooter fire your M&P before condemning it.

[RobzGuns]

Any time someone switches trigger 'platforms', (SA, DAO,' Traditional DAO' {aka DA/SA}, or Striker Fire), there's going to be a learning curve in getting used to the new trigger style. The best thing to do, is to go back to basics and pretend you're a brand new shooter (which, for this platform, you ARE).

Not knowing where your pistol knowledge base is...
Readdress your grip: If you are used to a 'Cup & Saucer' grip, Google 'thumbs forward' pistol grip and try it.
Check target acquisition: With many Self Defense pistols people need to cover the bulls-eye with the front dot, as opposed to placing the bulls-eye above the front dot.
Check trigger finger placement: Which part of the pad of your trigger finger allows you to achieve a straight rearward press, smooth trigger press and follow-through?

When either dry firing, or live firing, don't even look at the target... Watch what your hands are doing when the trigger 'breaks'. Is the pistol twisting (either left or right), or dipping? If so, you may need to adjust your grip and which part of the trigger finger pad you're using.

Very few people are able to switch from one very comfortable shooting platform to an unfamiliar platform and be perfect right off the bat. Many need to go back to basics, even when transitioning from Full Size to Compact and Compact to Subcompact, or from Double-Stack to Single-Stack. (I know I need to)

Hope this helps...

[CCHGN]

IMO I'd suspect the laser is not dialed in and/or iron sights are off. My M&P9 (no laser) is a tack driver, many times keyhole or same hole.

[Groo01]

Groo here
Most plastic striker guns [aka M&P Glock etc] have a mushey
trigger.
The plastic "gives and flexes" causing the trigger to be unpredictable
where the steel frame is solid holding the parts in the same relation
to each other.
I have a CCF space frame[SS] for a glock.
The trigger is as light and crisp as you would want, no flex.

[Amp]

It makes sense to me that a striker gun trigger works different than a revolver.
And I do think that I am the problem, just need some help.
I shoot my shield fairly well and that's a striker. And my son who shoots a Glock had the same open group as me that day.

I will try again.

[Deadeye Dick]

Originally Posted by Amp

It makes sense to me that a striker gun trigger works different than a revolver.
And I do think that I am the problem, just need some help.
I shoot my shield fairly well and that's a striker. And my son who shoots a Glock had the same open group as me that day.

I will try again.

Or it may require more skill to shoot a "plastic"gun well. Just sayin'

[FloridaS&W]

Same thing happens to many of us when shooting new style trigger. Not necessarily the gun, in fact rarely the gun. Just as a test, try shooting a few rounds with your other hand and see what happens. Get some more practice, you will improve!

[TX-Dennis]

I agree with what others have said regarding differences in triggers. The M&P triggers are far from the best, but they can be learned. I've found them to be excellent in terms of accuracy for a pistol.

Another thing to keep in mind - pistols, at least in my experience, are inherently less accurate than revolvers due to the design. The revolver has a fixed barrel. Yes, the pistol's barrel locks up during firing, but there are tolerances in the machining and fit of both barrel and slide that allow some tiny bit of movement even when locked up.