First firing session for M&P9

[jmhodder]

This is my first handgun. I've fired others, 20 years ago. They were .22 target pistols. I picked up the 9mm yesterday. Got it field stripped, cleaned, and lubricated. I took it to the range today and put 200 rounds through it...

WOW! I was expecting more recoil. I'm amazed at how little it jumped, and how easy it was to fire. I'm skinny, not a bodybuilder by any means, and it seemed pretty tame compared to what I had expected. I love this thing. It's gonna cost me a lot more $ than I thought, because it's easy to burn off a couple hundred rounds fairly quickly.

I quickly saw why people upgrade the triggers. First thing on my upgrade list that's for sure.

When I got home, I expected it to be a chore to clean. Other than a small amount of dry powder here and there, it was very clean. Yet another surprise.

Im not sure how well I shot. No tight groupings like back when I shot the M16A2 and put 3 rounds in a quarter everytime... 10/10 rounds in a circle the size of a grapefruit. Is that good? At 25 feet the target wasn't exactly clear to see with one eye, even with my contacts in...Out of the 200 total rounds, only 2 missed the sihlouette completely, by the narrow part of the neck. I could post a pic of the target paper and let you guys laugh or tell me I'm blind. Still deciding.

For the most part, everything was LEFT about 4 inches. I don't know if I was just a nervous newbie or what, but I think I should go back to the range and put a few more hundred rounds through it before attempting to adjust the sights.

Right?

 

[Twoboxer]

I'm new at pistols as well, and enjoyed the similarity of your reactions to my own with the M&P9. With that caveat (that I'm new, too) . . .

Shooting left (and often also low) seems to be a common pattern for newcomers. Mine was caused by a combination of incorrect trigger pull and a shooting-hand grip that tightened as I squeezed the trigger . . . both of which pulled the pistol to the left, and perhaps down a bit.

It also took me some time to realize that aligning the 3-dots according to my eyes actually kept the front sight post lower than the tops of the rear posts, shooting low. Finally, that front dot needed to cover the point of impact I wanted . . . not the top of the post, the dot. Again, shooting low.

10/10 inside a 5" circle at 25' is what I'd consider a very good start. You will get better, of course. So will the trigger and your understanding of it.

 

[Jeffhunt]

Glad you like it.I love my M&P 9 full size.