M&P 2.0 compact accuracy vs Glock 19 Gen 5

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mdrd375

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I read some comments about accuracy issues with the 2.0 so I was wondering what the out of the box accuracy I could expect from a 2.0 compact vs 19 Gen 5?
 
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I can't help with a 2.0 Compact or Gen5 G19, but I do have a full sized 9mm 2.0 and a 3rd Gen G19. For me, the 2.0 is more accurate. The big thing, though, is that, again for me, the 2.0 is easier to shoot well than the G19. The ergonomics are better, so it is easier to shoot well. I don't have any complaints about the accuracy of my G19, but the 2.0 just feels better in the hand and has a better trigger, making it easier to shoot well. Hope that made sense.
 
We were at the range the other day and I was ringing steel at about 70 yards consistently with the 2.0 compact. At 15 yards I was getting about 3 inch groups semi-rapid fire.

While the Gen 5 Glocks are certainly an improvement overall accuracy wise, I personally shoot the MP line much better. It may be because the platform has a true sear unlike the Glock.
 
For my 9's I have only owned and shot MP's. Never tried a Glock until a night recently at a citizen academy I am in. We hit the dept range and used their service Glocks. Dont recall the model but felt similar to my full size MP.
I shot in decent groups but off to the side, nothing like the MP i am used to. Couldnt quite get the feel of the trigger and even how the trigger guard/frame felt. Didnt quite care for it.

Moral to my little story, "out of the box" would have been disappointing but one would assume with range time it would improve.
 
I can't compare to the Glock, but I bought a 2.0 compact this summer, and I didn't seem to be hitting steel plates with it as well as I thought I should, so I did a little test with it this week. At 25 yards, using the same ammo in each gun, I shot a 20 round group with the M&P and the Colt Competition I normally use for shooting steel. I shot the 20 round groups in strings of 5, alternating between pistols. The group size for the Colt was 2-1/2". Group size for the M&P was 3-1/2". The M&P isn't a bullseye gun, but I'm satisfied with it for a defensive pistol with fixed sights.
 
"Accuracy" of a particular gun, especially a handgun, is always an interesting discussion. In the end, people don't really care about the accuracy of the gun, but how they shoot it.

There are two considerations here:
  • What is the precision of the gun?
  • How well can the shooter utilize that precision?

When talking strictly about the gun, the Glock and M&P are going to be almost the same. In other words, the precision of each gun will be close enough to each other that the normal owner won't be able to realize a significant difference.

Add the shooter into the equation and things can be dramatically different. Everyone will shoot one better than the other. The question is, which works for you?

Just to confuse things a little more, there is accuracy and then there is precision. In path85's picture we can see that he is more precise with the Colt, but more accurate with the M&P. It's a perfect "real world" demonstration of the difference between accuracy and precision.
 
Mass manufactured guns with their liberal tolerances generally have about the same relative "accuracy". Ten different guns each of similar models from two different manufacturers will average the same "accuracy". There will be outliers in the 10-gun spreads: some less, some more accurate.

As many have stated before, the shooter is the key component. However, if you get the least accurate of ten Glocks, and the most accurate of the S&W's, you may notice a difference. Both guns will be within specs. You will not be able to determine without shooting which stacked tolerances, +/-, produce which quality of gun.

If you are really after the high end unit, you will have to spend extra on aftermarket parts to wring the greatest potential out of you and the gun.

Other than that, both guns you are looking will shoot mechanically the same on average out to 15 yards. Don't make a purchase decision based on accuracy.
 
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Indeed, totally depends on how YOU shoot it. I've shot a G19 twice, and I'm far from a Block fanboy. Don't like their grip at all. Of my 9mm's, I shoot the best to worst in the order of PPQ, S&W M&P, P99, Beretta 92, Browning Hi-Power. Oddly enough, I shoot the heavy trigger Hi-Power one handed better than some of the others. But its not that often that I go cowboy with a semi-auto 9mm either. My favorite, the Beretta, though I knowingly shoot most of the others better.
 
2.0 compact. Super tight groups but 5"low left

I love the gun. I'd there an adjustable site recommendation or red dot. I no it's probably me. Bit can't figure out how to adjust it
 
I'm not interested in anything beyond left ventricle / right ventricle which my 5" 2.0 in .40 will easily do, but it is the most inaccurate pistol I own if I really wanted to hit the X ring or even come reasonably close to it.

I attribute it 100% to the trigger. With a bench rested deliberate squeeze it will put all rounds touching at 30' or so but it doesn't suffer a trigger spank like any other .40 (steel or alloy frame) I own, and that's quite a few.

In short for my purpose I like the 2.0, it's lighter than most lower capacity alloy framed 40's, has the capacity of many 9's and points naturally for me unlike Glocks I've owned and shot which do not.
 
Thank you I haven't bench shot it yet. Probably me and the trigger squeeze if I aim at the 9 at 1 o'clock it will touch grouping in the x
 
I think it's going to depend on what you're used to. I would expect most people that primarily shoot M&P's to shoot them better than they would a Glock.

Conversely, I'd expect most people that primarily shoot Glocks to shoot them better than they would an M&P.

It might be interesting to find out which gun new shooters do best with.
 
cma_g21 said:
I think it's going to depend on what you're used to. I would expect most people that primarily shoot M&P's to shoot them better than they would a Glock.

Conversely, I'd expect most people that primarily shoot Glocks to shoot them better than they would an M&P.

It might be interesting to find out which gun new shooters do best with.
Click to expand...

Judging by what I see in gun stores, new shooters ask for Glock because that's the brand they hear about, and if not the sales people push Glock like it's a drug :-)

That said, I doubt many new shooters will buy an M&P. Now if S&W had won the military contract, I think the M&P would have flown off the shelves!
 
cma_g21 said:
I think it's going to depend on what you're used to. I would expect most people that primarily shoot M&P's to shoot them better than they would a Glock.

Conversely, I'd expect most people that primarily shoot Glocks to shoot them better than they would an M&P.

It might be interesting to find out which gun new shooters do best with.
Click to expand...

I started with Walther, then CZ then 1911.
Then I tried Glocks... never was able to hit where I was aiming.
Now I feel the most comfortable with M&P9.
My son, who started with my M&P.... shoots Glocks better. :eek:

My guess is that some people adjust the wrist better on Glock's grip angle.
 
I have both the 3.6" M &P and Glock 19/5. They are both about the same, but I shoot the Glock more accurately. I think it is a matter of selecting the right palm swell to fit your hand. I just picked up the M & P and only shot it the one time so far.
 
gnappi said:
Judging by what I see in gun stores, new shooters ask for Glock because that's the brand they hear about, and if not the sales people push Glock like it's a drug :-)

That said, I doubt many new shooters will buy an M&P. Now if S&W had won the military contract, I think the M&P would have flown off the shelves!
Click to expand...

If people buy Glocks because they "hear" it's da bomb, then I call them IDIOTS. You find the gun that suits YOU best. Hit a range with rental and try the ones your looking at and find out on YOUR OWN.

Not long ago I picked up a S&W M&P 2.0 Compact. Hit the range with various types of ammo and found she shoots her best using 154gr JHP and FMJ-FP. After shooting 50 rounds of 154gr FMJ-FP at a target from 31ft the accuracy was 2.542", 50 rounds of 154gr JHP at 31ft the accuracy 2.436"

The same test using my Glock 17 gen 1 showed 3.025" at 31ft using FMJ-FP and 3.263" using JHP ammo.
 
Bottom line, a handgun needs to have a level of accuracy from a rest in order for it to be accurate offhand. All my initial evaluation is off sandbags or a rest. Sometimes it's trial and error to determine what ammo groups the best in a particular firearm.

Once you find an accurate combination, any inconsistencies offhand can be attributed to the shooter and how they shoot that particular firearm. My general rule of thumb is double the group size for an average person shooting offhand compared to shooting off a rest.

How accurate one is with their firearm is purely speculative per individual. What a person may consider "plenty accurate" for their purposes may not be acceptable for someone else.

The world we live in is not what it was a decade or so ago.
 
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I also start from a rest. I need to know what the gun will do before I waste ammo trying to figure out if something is off, whether it's me or the sights.
It's just how I've always figured out my rifles and it works for handguns.
 
OverwatchPrecision said:
We were at the range the other day and I was ringing steel at about 70 yards consistently with the 2.0 compact. At 15 yards I was getting about 3 inch groups semi-rapid fire.

While the Gen 5 Glocks are certainly an improvement overall accuracy wise, I personally shoot the MP line much better. It may be because the platform has a true sear unlike the Glock.
Click to expand...

I have a Glock 19x with the overwatch precision trigger, safety plunger, connector and the glock accuracy is still kind of meh. It's accurate combat accurate but for distances past 35ft not my favorite gun to shoot.
 
50 rounds through each weapon, ammo was IMI 158gr FMJ and 50 rounds of IMI 124gr FMJ shot at 31ft, indoor range 74 degrees.

Glock 19 with IMI 158 averaged 3.126" groups
Glock 19 with IMI 124 averaged 2.671" groups

M&P 2.0 Compact with IMI 158gr averaged 2.541" groups
M&P 2.0 Compact with IMI 124gr averaged 2.316" groups
 
I've owned six M&P's (M1.0's & M2.0's) since circa 2005 and and six Glocks (Gens 3, 4, & 5) since 2012. The truth is, in my opinion, accuracy is usually subjective and dependent on how a person biomechanically interfaces with the pistol, and even this is largely dependent on taking the time to warm up to the pistol. In fact, if you own both and haven't shot either one for a long time, you can find yourself having to get used to it again.

There are a few exceptions. Sometimes you can get a trigger or a barrel that might have a minor flaw that can sacrifice a bit of accuracy (the M1.0 had some barrels like this at one time as discussed by mrgunsngear, but they've always been supremely accurate (both M1.0 and M2.0).

Moreover, you can also dial in both Glocks and Smith & Wesson M&Ps to be more accurate if necessary by changing the grips and/or trigger. If you're still not happy with the results, SOME (certainly not all) aftermarket barrels can improve accuracy as well.

If you're worried about the accuracy of an M&P, for example, you can get an "Apex Grade" barrel which improves accuracy by improving the lockup (which I think they've patented). Remember, however, that Apex Tactical also makes non-Apex Grade barrels which do not claim to do this but have a threaded barrel. If you have a S&W with a barrel they don't make the Apex Grade for (e.g. 3.6"), then you can certainly get an excellent barrel from companies like Bar-Sto (but to get the greatest accuracy, you'll have to get it handfit by the company which can get expensive because of the shipping).

I have a Bar-Sto for a SIG P229, and it is excellent, however, I did not get it hand fitted, so while the vertical lock up is excellent, there is some lateral movement that may or may not sacrifice accuracy (for competition, but not practical accuracy such as for self-defense). I carry the gun in .357 SIG, so I only needed a decent barrel for practicing with 9mm (as .357 SIG is expensive). But even if I plan to carry it for self defense, only practical accuracy is necessary for self-defense, and tighter tolerances can also make a pistol less reliable (not usually, but sometimes).

I had to handfit the Bar-Sto barrel to get it to fit (which is expected and actually a good sign that the vertical lock up is nice and tight, but the more important thing I want you to understand is that practical accuracy is not a cop out. Like I said, looser tolerances can make a pistol more reliable especially when facing the elements (mud, dirt, water, sand, etc.), and on the flip side, the difference between match-grade accuracy and practical accuracy won't normally translate to better self-protection, and not only is this an age-old maxim in the gun world, but I know of at least one study that bares this out (An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power | Buckeye Firearms Association).

The Buckeye Firearms study comparing calibers looked at about 1,800 bodies shot in gunfights, and it tracks such metrics such as the inability to incapacitate a person, how many hits it takes on average, accuracy looking at head and chest shots and other data. The more accurate calibers typically did not provide and advantage, and in some cases, were technically less effective (though certainly within the margin of error in most cases). Some clearly had greater accuracy than others but did not stop people as well because of other factors such as over penetration or under penetration. Simply put, slightly tighter groups do not seem to translate into better stopping power, at least in terms of comparing calibers. Making consistent center of mass hits and headshots is good enough. Again, we're not talking about ballistic gel tests here, the study actually shows what happened with 1,800 bodies shot with various calibers in real gunfights and accuracy was absolutely not an indicator of effectiveness. No study is perfect, but the law of large numbers in statistics makes 1,800 a much better number than the number of rounds as individuals we are likely to shoot making comparisons.

Depending on your ability to warm up to either Glock or Smith & Wesson, you may not find upgrading anything on your pistol at all necessary either in terms of practical or match-grade accuracy in competition (which is often not permitted in certain competition anyway).

That all said, there have been times outside of Glock and Smith & Wesson where I just couldn't warm up to a pistol no matter how much time I had behind it. My two FN FNS pistols come to mind. For whatever reason, sometimes it's not possible to warm up to a pistol because the ergonomics are not a good match even when you change the backstrap or trigger (e.g. trigger reach). In fact, I was slightly less accurate with my Gen5 Glock even though it is supposed to have a better barrel because my trigger wasn't as good as my Gen4's. The difference was so minimal that it wouldn't show most of the time. But there is something about at least my sample of a Gen5 G26 that wasn't quite as good as my Gen4 G26, but we have to keep in mind that even samples of the same exact gun (generation and all) can be individuals and even prefer different ammunition. So when someone claims they received better accuracy with one or the other using the same ammunition, all they can really say is that they are capable of getting better results with one or the other using that ammunition, but they're not even coming close to proving it scientifically. They would have to shoot many rounds comparing ammunition to find what ammo a particular pistol favors. Then they can compare guns using their best loads to put many more down range to eliminate other variables (like waking up on the wrong side of the bed that day).

I'm not trying to talk people out of seeking the best accuracy possible, but I am trying to put it in its proper context because more times than not people waste a lot of money "upgrading" firearms and buying & selling them in pursuit of the greatest pistol on earth when in all actuality practice is going to have a far greater impact on practical accuracy than the pistol itself. Generally speaking, a reliable firearm is the most important thing when discussing these types of pistols for their normal use outside of competition. Most of the firearms built today are plenty accurate in terms of effectiveness in a self-defense situation. You just want to make sure it is going to work when you need it. Take it from someone who has spent thousands and thousands of dollars on dozens of concealed carry pistols over the last 16 years.

Last but not least, I did end up selling my last Glock almost two years ago. For concealed carry I've maintained two Smith & Wesson M2.0 M&P9's (3.6" Subcompact and a Performance Center Shield), a SIG P229 Enhanced Elite in .357 SIG/.40 S&W, and 9mm), a Langdonized Beretta PX4 Storm Compact in 9mm, and a Ruger LCP II in .380 ACP. The reason being that, in my hands, the way I biomechanically interface with a pistol, these firearms shoot (point) more intuitively for me than Glocks. Don't get me wrong, I shoot Glocks very accurately, but when you're switching between platforms (and grip angles) all the time, Glocks require you to cant your wrist more than others, so while I am strictly focused on Glocks, this isn't a problem, but when I am bouncing between many different firearms, I sometimes shoot a bit too high with a Glock. People who put more rounds down range than I do may overcome this switching between platforms, but for me, there are only so many rounds I can buy and only so many hours in the week I can dry practice, so I made the decision to go with a set of firearms that work best for my concealed carry needs. But I will say that, for me, even though my M&P's point more naturally than the Glocks I've owned in the past, it's not by much and my SIG P229, Beretta PX4 Storm, and Ruger LCP II are marginally better (point more naturally). Again, that's my hands and certainly not necessarily yours or anyone else's.

Anyway, good luck and I hope this long comment I just wrote at least gave you and some others some information that is useful.
 
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mdrd375 said:
I read some comments about accuracy issues with the 2.0 so I was wondering what the out of the box accuracy I could expect from a 2.0 compact vs 19 Gen 5?
Click to expand...

accuracy is subjective but I own both the 2.0 compact and a Glock 19x and the MP 2.0 is by far much more accurate and faster to shoot then the Glock. The glock is combat accurate but even with a aftermarket trigger the slop and mushy feel is a total distraction and more difficult to shoot fast
 
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