I've got a 915 and a 5906, both in good shape, with a new barrel in the 915. I am having trouble getting consistent accuracy out of these pistols.

I'm probably an average shooter, but I can't get to my usual "standard" with these two pistols. My "standard" for accuracy is what I can normally achieve with my other handguns -- a Mdl 686 3", P239, a very accurate Mdl 10-10, even a Mdl 640. I'm getting groups twice the size with the 915 and the 5906 at 21 feet.

Do you have a particular brand or bullet weight that works best with these pistols? I actually did better with some old "police" +P+ Silvertips recently. But usually I use reloads of 124 grain plated bullets over 3.8 grains of TiteGroup -- a rather mild load.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

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S&W Rover

I have found that every firearm is a rule unto itself. Two seemingly identical firearms can show very different results with the same ammo.

As for the accuracy of the metal framed S&W pistols, they were not built to be target weapons, but to be reliable duty weapons. My 439 and 6946 are "combat" accurate. The 439 produces groups of 5-7 inches at 25 yards with just about any ammo, the 6946, mostly due to the double action only trigger, produces 7-10 inch groups at 25 yards. This is with me pulling the trigger, not a machine rest. In comparison, I have an old TZ-75 Series 88 that produces groups 1 inch smaller than my 439 with the same ammo. In contrast, put a decent revolver or a good 1911 in my hands and I can shoot 2-4 inch groups at 25 yards.

As for ammo for the 9mm, I used to be a believer in hot 115 grain loads, but I now feel that standard pressure 124 and 147 grain loads are better. That's just my opinion and nearly three decades of experience with the 9mm.

Shooting at 21ft and you didn't say what the group sizes were...............

In my prime...... qualifying DOA with my revolvers (3" 65 or 4" 686) 3-21 feet would be a 1- 1.5 inch ragged hole. (18rds IIRC)

With my autos ( Beretta 92 Compact or Smith 3913/6906) the groups would often open up......... mostly due to the double action first shot.... being a 3" flyer.......

My "standard" is all 50 rounds within a 3" Shoot-n-See target at 21 feet. With the 915 and the 5906, I'm stringing them out more like 5" with occasional flyers.

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S&W Rover

Not to be a jerk..... but define "stringing out" ??? is there a pattern???

I'll pull low or low right double action which will string out my groups...........

Up and down -- an oval.

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S&W Rover

Are these guns new to you? Maybe need some more time with them.

Also of the guns you listed these are the only double stack.. I have never been able to shoot my S&W Double stack to any satisfaction.. So I no longer own any.

You might need more practice time to get used to the trigger. My groups tend to be pretty round and symmetrical. You might also try to get a shooter who has experience with S&W's to test them.

I may let them both go -- time is too short to keep guns that 1) are not reliable (which these are) or 2) are not accurate (and I mean, "accurate" for me). I'm sure these guns are functioning properly, but either because of ammo issues or my own shooting habits, I'm not getting the potential out of them.

I have some other handguns and all hit my accuracy standard and are reliable. So the problem here could be me. None of my other assortment of rag-tag handguns is a double-stack semi, though, and that may be part of the problem. (BTW, I have a Mdl 3913 that works great and meets my "standard" for accuracy easily -- with the same 124 grain/3.8 grains Titegroup loads).

I'll experiment with some hotter loadings for the 124 grain bullets in the 915 and the 5906, and if no joy, these two will probably turn up on the classifieds page.

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S&W Rover

I don't think ammo selection is the issue here, I've shot a number of LEO/military trade-in 915's and 5906's and they all have been accurate with various ammo weights and brands. Sounds like you just need to get used to the double-stack guns and build up some muscle memory with your trigger pull on these models, which can be very common when getting used to a new gun type.

I've found the best way to do this is to do lots and lots of dry-fire practice in DA, it builds up the muscle memory of maintaining a good grip with a smooth trigger pull, and costs you nothing but time. After a few hundred 'reps' of DA, your grip should be more familiar and SA dry-fire practice should be a simple adjustment.

Adding some grip tape (or traction/tread tape) to the back of the grip can also help to anchor it in hand, without adding to the overall girth. ACE Hardware sells it for cheap by the foot, and I add this to all of my pistol grips (attached is a photo of my 908's grip). I also add a patch to the front of the grip frame if it's not already checkered (over the vertical lines on the 915 grip, for example).

Hopefully you're able to get more comfortable with these pistols, IMO they are some great models to have. Best of luck!

Attached Images

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My 5906 is an excellent shooter with my load of 124 gr jacketed bullets and 4.1 of 231. However it will not shoot with lead or coated bullets. At seven yards they both should shoot within a couple of inches.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Never thought my 915 wasn't accurate, on the contrary, I thought it was quite accurate.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

I have had both models at one time or another, never was what I considered bad groupings but not bullseye either. I don't think the load is the problem, I also loaded 124gr plated over 3.8 tightgroup. The more I shot them the better I got, I consider them both good firearms. Maybe more range time? Good luck.

My 915/5906 hybrid hasn’t had any ammo issues to date. For target practice, I just use whatever standard pressure 147 gr round is cheapest. Only issues have been with that first double action shot. It just seems to do whatever it wants to do...but that means I just need more time with the double action trigger on it.

Like others have mentioned, being your only double stack auto (and a significantly bigger auto than the P239) could be the problem. May just take more time to learn or it may be a platform that just doesn’t work with you. If it’s the latter I doubt you’ll have any trouble offloading them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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-Dan-

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. Back to the range this week, with just the 915 (I usually take two handguns, but this time it will be just the 915, to increase that focus). And I'll take a couple of boxes of newly minted 124 grain rounds loaded a bit more warmly (4.2 gr Titegroup and 5.2 gr AA#5) than my usual.

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S&W Rover

I have several 3rd generation pistols in 9mm and 40 S&W and eveb with Millett sights all seem to be more ammunition sensitive that my revolvers are. I have three 40's and loads that shoot well in one don't shoot as well in the others and I have found the same with the 9mm and 357 Sig.

I have found that the 124's and 147's shoot tighter groups than the 115's even in my SA Range Officer.

I almost gave up on any kind of accuracy better than combat accuracy until I kept working with different loads.

My son was given a 5906 when Officer of the year at UTA PD. He didn't like the weight and gave it to me. It was to heavy for as a duty gun. But I've used and loaned it out for others to use for CHL shooting. They can't believe how well it shoots. All and all it's maybe had 800 hundred rounds thru it. But if you put it on your belt you dang well know you have it.

15+1, and a club when empty. I love mine.

My 915 is not ammo sensitive at all.

Overall, shot the darn thing much better today. Too small a sample to really determine if there are differences in ammo... but the box of Federal Premium (delete 115, add 124) 124 grain Hydra-Shok was all on the center of the target, the AA#5 reloads looked pretty good (also 2-3" at 21 feet) but the 4.2 gr TiteGroup 124 grain plated bullets were in a 5-6 inch circle at 21 feet.

Photo shows the results of a mag of the Hydra-Shoks on my usual target, a 3" Shoot-N-See target at 21 feet:

Attached Images

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S&W Rover

Much better! And I've had good results with AA#5 in the 9mm too. W-231 also works, I worked up a maximum load with Remington 115 grain JHP's that were fast and accurate.

I don't use Titegroup, so I have no idea what velocities you're getting. Waaaaay back in the last century, someone gave me 2 boxes of a brand new Winchester .45 loading. It featured a 215 gr SWC lead bullet and was intended for target work at ~710 f/s. I shot that load horribly. This puzzled me very much as my own stiffer hand loads shot much better. So, I tried an experiment, pulling the bullets, dumping the powder and using my own powder charge. The groups tightened up.

I finally figured out that the slower muzzle velocity allowed my wibbles & wobbles to make the groups larger. It would seem that either your handgun doesn't like Titegroup or your loads are still too light.

My own 5906 shoots 147 gr Hydra-Shoks into one ragged hole at 25 yards......or it did many years ago when my eyes where better. It does very well with all other loads too, but none of those are low velocity loads, they're all factory duplication.

BTW, if you're having trouble with one firearm, switching back and forth to others doesn't help you adapt to the trigger on that one firearm. Been there, done that.

Either me, or the ammo I used last night, is working better with the 915.

A box of Herter's ($9.99, made by Sellier and Bellot for Cabelas) 115 grain "select" brass ammo -- and all were on target.

So I am shooting it more, and maybe getting used to it. But ammo selection is also important. I will continue to look for the best hand-loaded recipe I can make (using plated 124 grain bullets) but not ignore success with commercial ammo when it happens!

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S&W Rover

I have two 915 pistols. One I got in 2008 and the other just recently. Here are some 3" target results for each pistol. The ammo used is noted on the targets.


(Keep in mind that in 2008 my right eye had no cataract. When the cataract started developing in 2012, accuracy fell off to the point that I quit shoot all together during 2014 and 2015. My vision got a BIG boost after my right lens replacement in June 2016. I returned to my indoor range in August 2016 and my groups have been improving every since. I think I could get a better group now with the new 915 than I shot in June of this year. )


THE ONE I GOT IN 2008







THE ONE I GOT EARLIER THIS YEAR

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1st Signal Brigade, RVN '70