With 9mm M&P Shield, which is overall the best/most accurate sight picture POA/POI?

With the Shield, which is overall most accurate POA/POI?

  • Sight picture #1

    Votes: 2 2.7%

  • Sight picture #2

    Votes: 32 43.2%

  • Sight picture #3

    Votes: 40 54.1%
  • Total voters
    74
  • Poll closed .
T

tedburns3

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With 9mm M&P Shield, which is overall the best/most accurate sight picture POA/POI?

With the 9mm M&P Shield, which is overall the best/most accurate sight picture POA/POI?

Comments are welcome concerning variables, e.g., distance to target, weight of bullet, type of bullet, power load- standard pressure vs. +P, +P+, etc.

sightimages.jpg


Each sight picture depicts impact center of bullseye- here, intersection of the lines.

Sight Image #1- 6 o'clock hold ("pumpkin on a post");
Sight Image #2- half'n'half center mass/hunting hold;
Sight Image #3- combat sight picture or hold (dot covers target, "drive the dot").

From Sight Image #1 to Sight Image #3 there is a progressive raising of the muzzle.
 
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I think it's human nature to point at where you want to hit.
Low light, close target the combat sight (#1) is kinda useless.
I have combat on my sig 228.
Center #2 it's on my CORE .... I hit the 6" plates allot better with the CORE.
 
Isn't 'combat sight' picture #3 where the target you are shooting at is in center of and covered by the front sight? I thought that alone was called or considered to be the 'combat sight' image. Anyway, guess that it doesn't matter.

So, you are saying #2 would be best with the Shield? Or do you only comment upon the Sig and the CORE and not applicable, necessarily, to the Shield?

Thanks.
 
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the only M&P I have experience with is the Shield in 9mm and shooting that, I get the best results when the center of the target is completely covered up by the sights (#3)

what feels natural to me after shooting other pistols is to do it like (#2), but when I aim like that with the shield I get a lot of low shots. I can only assume that a certain part of that is my own poor trigger control but at the end of the day i get better results aiming higher (#3).

EDIT - read OP's post again and wanted to add, I shoot mostly either reloads or cheap steel case ammo (tul, wolf) and always 115 gr., standard pressure, round nose fmjs, 7-10 yards most of the time.

never shot with self defense ammo hollow points or super high quality match ammo yet.

my observations are made after approx 700, 800 rounds, I would guess.
 
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I've used Sight Pic #3 for Every 3" and 4" barrel pistol I've owned (Shield, G19, XDMc, G26, XDsc, PF-9) out to 15yds as well. After that, Pic #2 works.

Even the Subcompacts (and Compacts) I've rented (LC9, Nano, P938, XD-S, 709 Slim, SR9c, PM9, etc) were all Pic #3.
 
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If I use sight picture #2 with my 9mm Shield, the bullets impact right at the cross hairs on your target. That's at 7 yards.

 
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mafbloggerdanny said:
the only M&P I have experience with is the Shield in 9mm and shooting that, I get the best results when the center of the target is completely covered up by the sights (#3)

what feels natural to me after shooting other pistols is to do it like (#2), but when I aim like that with the shield I get a lot of low shots. I can only assume that a certain part of that is my own poor trigger control but at the end of the day i get better results aiming higher (#3).

EDIT - read OP's post again and wanted to add, I shoot mostly either reloads or cheap steel case ammo (tul, wolf) and always 115 gr., standard pressure, round nose fmjs, 7-10 yards most of the time.

never shot with self defense ammo hollow points or super high quality match ammo yet.

my observations are made after approx 700, 800 rounds, I would guess.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your informative post, one of the few where I don't feel a follow-up question is necessary! That's saying something.
 
RobzGuns said:
I've used Sight Pic #3 for Every 3" and 4" barrel pistol I've owned (Shield, G19, XDMc, G26, XDsc, PF-9) out to 15yds as well. After that, Pic #2 works.

Even the Subcompacts (and Compacts) I've rented (LC9, Nano, P938, XD-S, 709 Slim, SR9c, PM9, etc) were all Pic #3.
Click to expand...

Good post, thanks!
 
Bozz10mm said:
If I use sight picture #2 with my 9mm Shield, the bullets impact right at the cross hairs on your target. That's at 7 yards.

Click to expand...

From a shooting standpoint, I actually prefer #2 because target sits immediately above front sight post, but most here thus far suggest #3. Thanks for your informative post with #2 at 7 yds. I shoot exclusively at an outdoor range and minimum target distance is 15 yards unless you bring your own stand-alone frames with bases.
 
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dullh said:
I use #3.

POI=POA to 15 yards.

All day long.

Like a boss.
Click to expand...

Let's assume just for arguments' sake #3 is the most correct answer out to 15 yards, ok?

What would be the point of impact if one used #2 instead?

POI above the cross hairs? Below it? I need to think about it because the answer may not be obvious and it's easy to make mistakes with what amounts to a front sight adjustment.

Reasoning appreciated re the answer to above!!!
I already have what I initially think would be the answer but want to hear the various reason(s) behind your answers.
 
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With any handgun, but especially with a short, light one, the shooter seriously affects the POI by how he/she holds the gun, and whether they anticipate the shot and move the gun slightly.

The Shield held perfectly still or shot from a ransom rest shoots per the picture #2 on the OP. However, because so many people break down slightly on the shot, many say they compensate by using sight picture #3. This is acceptable as long as it is consistent. Look back through the posts above at how many people say they ALWAYS use #3 on every small gun they shoot.

With the 9mm M&P Shield, which is overall the best/most accurate sight picture POA/POI?
Click to expand...
It depends on the shooter whether you can use #2, or have to use #3 to compensate for slightly breaking down on the shot. Accuracy from any small handgun is highly shooter dependent. I have students who immediately want to change the sights on my gun because "it shoots low." Sometimes I have to fire a group to show them it is the shooter, not the gun.
 
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RobzGuns said:
I've used Sight Pic #3 for Every 3" and 4" barrel pistol I've owned (Shield, G19, XDMc, G26, XDsc, PF-9) out to 15yds as well. After that, Pic #2 works.

Even the Subcompacts (and Compacts) I've rented (LC9, Nano, P938, XD-S, 709 Slim, SR9c, PM9, etc) were all Pic #3.
Click to expand...

Pretty comprehensive answer. I will try this and will also try beyond 15 yards, too, with #2 instead of #3!

Thanks, much!
 
According to poll at this moment, #2 and #3 are about equal.

So, trigger control might indeed have something to do with the votes.

I believe one here stated Ransom Rest would be #2. Anyone else care to comment how sights are set for up to 15 yards assuming using a truly steady hold or that Ransom Rest? Then again, Ransom may be shot for 25 yards or greater.

Post #14 indeed seems relevant when it comes to gun handling/trigger handling.

Query: Is sight picture #3 commonly referred to as the 'combat sight picture' or are the others, too?
 
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For " combat sight picture ".... how would one SEE the sight blades in low light conditions? I "line up the dots" cuz that's the only thing you'll see in low or no light, especially if you use FO type three dot sights ....

So, I use picture #3 for defensive range on a short barrel pistol. I DO get a slightly higher POI with SD loads of 124g but seem about the same with white box type range ammo of 115g or 147g SD ammo . Probably depends on the grip and mag length as well as ammo, but at short range the difference isn't more than maybe an inch or so. YMMV
 
There are allot of you tube on the subject.
The instructors all agree that in short range shooting the body mass of the target its so big that using the sights like you do in shooting bullseye is really not the issue. It's knowing your weapon is pointing true. Up or down, left or right an inch or two you're still hitting vital areas.
I shoot poa with both my m&p's. My Sig shoots high (target is in view not covered up)
 
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I was taught the correct sight picture was #2; however, when I bought a Sig MK25 Zin May, the manual has a passage that states it is equipped with combat sights and gives an explanation on how you need to be aiming as demonstrated in #3 above.

When I was just having fun a few days back, I actually do believe I was getting better results with a #3 sight picture on the Shield, which makes sense to me- the Shield is basically a personal "combat gun" ... for defending people in their own personal combat situations, so that sight picture would make sense.
 
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