Could this gun be wrong for me?

[mark22il]

I just got an M&P 9, I like the way it feels in my hand and that's the main reason I got it. I didn't have a chance to shoot it before since the range I'm going to didn't have it for rent. I tried several guns and with some I did better then others but still had some sort of grouping.
I went to the range with my new gun and wow... I'm just all over the place. I fired 250 rounds in two visits to the range and I can't say it's getting better...
I let my friend shoot mine and I used his Beretta 92. He did shoot a little better then me with the M&P but my shooting with his gun was way way better then with mine.
Question is, could it be that this gun is totally wrong for me? Or maybe something wrong with the gun?

 

[tgmorris99]

You say that you're all over the place but did you have any sort of groupings at all? If so, where did it seem to shoot, what ammo were you using and at what distance?

 

[RussC]

If you ate right handed and shooting left you need to work on trigger control. If you are shooting low you may be flinching.

Russ

 

[Silversmok3]

Don't worry:you shot the Beretta just as poorly, you just didn't know it.


Certain guns will "pattern" better than others because their features minimize the damage bad technique causes. Last year I owned a 1911 and loved it,but the reality on the firing line for me was that its light trigger meant that the shot broke before my poor grip and sorry trigger control could ruin the shot.Picking up a DA handgun revealed the ugly pattern of truth .I faced a choice;either limit myself to a 1911 and pretend im a good shot, or pick up some bricks of ammo and 'get my house in order'.


Instead of relying on equipment to compensate for failed technique some boxes of practice ammo and an honest assesment of your skill is in order. There is no shortcut to being a great shot. Doesn't matter what you shoot, the only path to proficiency is practice.

 

[gwpercle]

Sounds like it could be the gun.
You and your friend need to repeat the shoot.
If you and friend both get poor accuracy with M&P 9
but both get acceptable accuracy with the Beretta 92
I'm thinking gun. And then let someone at the range who is known to be a good shoot test fire it. If everybody is getting poor accuracy you will know it's the gun.

 

[RobzGuns]

As mentioned, it could be the pistol, if both do better with other pistols, but more often than not, it is usually technique. Even if you're an experienced shooter, it never hurts to get with an instructor for a refresher course, or at least having a range officer watch your technique, to see if they can spot areas of improvement.

I've been shooting since the late 60s, but when my Wife decided she wanted to learn to shoot, I signed up to take the 'Intro' course with her, as a refresher. I'm really glad that I did, as I learned some new grip techniques (I was still using the outdated 'Cup & Saucer' grip) and found that I had picked up a LOT of bad habits. There's nothing like either taking a class periodically, or having a spotter just observe and critique your technique.

 

[Fat B]

It could be you, it could be the gun. My father has a Beretta 92 that I was all over the place with. Then I let someone else from my gun club shoot it and they shot all 5 in the 9 ring or better at 50 feet. Grrrr... Well, mixed emotions. Glad the gun shot straight, very irritated I didn't.

Usually, it's the shooter and not the gun. Don't give up on it right away. Like silversmok3 said, the Beretta on single action will hide common mistakes.

 

[Houdini1953]

Pretty much the M&P's are more accurate than the shooter, the Beretta 92 is not a striker fired weapon but the S&W is and requires a different technique. All weapons especially new require some range time to get accustomed to how they operate.

Basically you might want to take your time, use the same trigger pull which with the M&P would best be using the full finger to the joint instead of the pad, you will notice that after a few rounds through the weapon that your shooting improves, you might want someone that is accurate with such a model to try it and watch your shooting technique, most will do so for free but if necessary get a professional to help you out!

 

[k-dog]

My first outing with the M&P 9 had me shaking my head thinking it sucked. I shot it again the other day and was like yeah this is what I was looking for. I had to take my time and learn the trigger pull. My other pistol is a SIG P220 and the triggers are night and day SO practice makes perfect.

 

[SSW1911]

Mark, just my opinion, but 250 rounds is not a lot and definately not enough to condemn the gun or you. You are just getting use to a new gun and it needs break in as well.

Put some more rounds down range and video yourself shooting it. You'll be suprised what you may see on the video as far as flich, stance, trigger slap,. Not saying your doing any of this just offering an opinion.

I am just learning IDPA and use the M&P9fs. My aim sucked until I got used to the gun and the gun started to break in. Still I improved, but wasn't scoring well. I had a friend video me shooting stages and got some coaching from the guys who are Masters.

I am consistantly improving and hope you will find the same, for you!!!

One of the observations many shooters have given me is that if your stance, breathing and fundamentals are strong you can shoot almost any gun well. To prove it, one guy who is a Glock adict, took my M&P and button holed the targets again and again.

Best of luck!!!!!

 

[GnarlyTwoTrack]

IMO, it's just you. M&P triggers are hard to get used to. It took me up 500 rounds with multiple trips to the range before getting used to it. Finally after 500 rounds and lots of user suggestions and tips I can now land a whole clip on a paper plate at 30ft. I'm not sure what the trigger pull is on a fs but my shield is hard. Ive only shot my shield and only a little more than 500 so I consider this an accomplishment for me. though for you it will probably take less time and rounds to get used to it.

 

[cracker57]

Have you sat at a bench with this gun and what distance were you shooting. try a bunch of different ammo to see what your gun likes, but if you want to know if its the gun or you you need to bench it get comfortable, find your natural point of aim keep your head up and bring the gun to your eyes. watch your breath control squeeze the trigger or as some instructors are saying roll the trigger straight to the rear. do everything perfect everytime from a bench and you will know if its the gun.
Cracker57

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I recently bought an M&P 9 FS and my groupings were all over the place. They were not left, right, high or low but a giant 10" group at 15 yards. I benched it and it did the same thing with 7 different brands of ammo in 3 different weights.

I sent mine back to S&W after hearing of possible accuracy issues with the FS M&P 9s after they changed profiles for the compacts. If you bench it and it's still all over the map, you can always send it in and see what S&W says. I'd request the test target with yard range and type of ammo used as well. BTW, the FS 9mm M&Ps are suppose to get 3" groups at 25 yards according to the gunsmith/tech I talked to.

The other thing I read was that even though the grip strap size you have on there now seems perfect, the next size up may improve your shooting. It didn't help my situation but it's worth a try. IMO the M&P triggers are not that different than most of the striker fired guns out there. If you can dry fire at a target while keeping a quarter balanced on the front sight, your doing okay.

 

[dirty gary]

Be nice if you had access to a Ransom rest, might prove or disprove the "gun or you" theory.

 

[plisken]

I thought the same thing with my m&p9c. And its taking some time. But ive been using snap caps dry firing. And just shooting more. Im slowly getting used to the trigger. Im starting to get better with mine. Different strokes for different folks. I feel the m&p triggers are different animals to get used to. Give it a bit more time like I did and see how it goes. good luck.

 

[mark22il]

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I know I have a lot to learn and have much room to improve my technique but it's just surprising to me how different I shoot with the two guns.
I'm thinking about taking the advice of getting a course and learn proper technique from a pro, it's a good thing to do either way if I'm the reason or my gun have a contribution to the bad shooting.
To answer some of the questions… I was shooting indoor so max is 25yard. i started with 10yards and the "grouping" was giant 2ft, I fired the Beretta from the same distance and the grouping was 3". Longer distance it just got worse.
The ammo was 115gr FMJ Federal from American Eagle on both guns. From what I could see I'm shooting low and to the left. I tried all 3 back grips sizes and no difference.
I guess for starters I'll go and fire some more rounds at the range and do a video… then take a course.

 

[tgmorris99]

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I know I have a lot to learn and have much room to improve my technique but it's just surprising to me how different I shoot with the two guns.
I'm thinking about taking the advice of getting a course and learn proper technique from a pro, it's a good thing to do either way if I'm the reason or my gun have a contribution to the bad shooting.
To answer some of the questions… I was shooting indoor so max is 25yard. i started with 10yards and the "grouping" was giant 2ft, I fired the Beretta from the same distance and the grouping was 3". Longer distance it just got worse.
The ammo was 115gr FMJ Federal from American Eagle on both guns. From what I could see I'm shooting low and to the left. I tried all 3 back grips sizes and no difference.
I guess for starters I'll go and fire some more rounds at the range and do a video… then take a course.

The dreaded LOW & LEFT is pretty much a giveaway that it's a shooter that's new to the M&P platform. You can confirm this by shooting from a rest as others have suggested. More trigger time and some help from more experienced shooters working on grip & trigger control will likely prove beneficial.