M&P 9c need to aim high
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Coaltminer
Member
Welcome aboard, glad you're here! This has been discussed before, but these pistols, including mine, are sighted for center hold. When I do this, I can't see the black rings, so I compensate by holding the front sight a tad high in the rear notch and taking a 6 o'clock hold on the black. Center hold would work fine on a silhouette target. If it bothers you enough, you could have a lower front sight installed. I don't consider it a problem, it works the way it's supposed to for a self defense arm. This is a great site, I've learned a lot here, and I've been shooting revolvers and autos for 45 years. These folks have taught an old dog some new tricks!
scooter123
Member
Be aware that 99% of the time any handgun shooting low at close range is due to the shooter "pushing off" or, to be blunt, Flinching. If that 3 inches is at 20 feet you are flinching and you will not find any sight made that will correct for this large of a deviation.
If that 3 inches is at 25 yards, then it's quite possible your sights were regulated for 124 grain bullets. In this case a shorter front sight can be found to correct for this small degree of deviation. However, the result of doing this will be that you're sights will require a modified hold with 124 grain bullets at long range.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about a 3 inch error in the POI at 25 yards, it's longer than almost any defensive use of a handgun. If your having this much error at 20-30 feet, you'll need to start practicing on technique to control your flinch. BTW, there is no shame in having to correct for a flinch, anyone who shoots a centerfire handgun with any power at all will have to deal with a flinch at some point. The shame is when you are unwilling to admit to a flinch and refuse to do anything about it.
If that 3 inches is at 25 yards, then it's quite possible your sights were regulated for 124 grain bullets. In this case a shorter front sight can be found to correct for this small degree of deviation. However, the result of doing this will be that you're sights will require a modified hold with 124 grain bullets at long range.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about a 3 inch error in the POI at 25 yards, it's longer than almost any defensive use of a handgun. If your having this much error at 20-30 feet, you'll need to start practicing on technique to control your flinch. BTW, there is no shame in having to correct for a flinch, anyone who shoots a centerfire handgun with any power at all will have to deal with a flinch at some point. The shame is when you are unwilling to admit to a flinch and refuse to do anything about it.
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Change in Point of Impact (POI) due to bullet weights will be in the neighborhood of 1" in 25 yards. Heavier bullets (like a 147 gr 9mm, will impact about an inch higher than a 125, and 2" higher than a 115. This has to do with velocity, not weight... but it is true. The higher the bullet velocity, the less time it spends in the barrel during the recoil stroke. Effectively, a slower bullet will leave the bullet a split 100th of a second later, and the barrel will have already dropped a bit at the rear as it travels backward. This is what causes the "vertical stringing" in older 9mm M&Ps with early unlocking issues.
You will see a 1" difference in POI for every 0.01" change in sight height at 25 yards also. Factory M&P sight in the FS and the Compact are 0.160" tall (0.180" in the 5"). If you drop the front sight 0.02", you will raise POI by 2" at 25 yards.
If you're shooting 3" low at 20 feet (5-10 yards), it's YOU, not the gun.
JeffWard
You will see a 1" difference in POI for every 0.01" change in sight height at 25 yards also. Factory M&P sight in the FS and the Compact are 0.160" tall (0.180" in the 5"). If you drop the front sight 0.02", you will raise POI by 2" at 25 yards.
If you're shooting 3" low at 20 feet (5-10 yards), it's YOU, not the gun.
JeffWard
MichiganScott
Member
Sounds like you are using the six o'clock hold. The M&P is sighted in to hit point of aim when all three dots are aligned, like "000" with the point of impact being the white dot on the front sight.
BroadSideOfABarn
Member
So the white dot on the front sight should *cover* the POI, right? Not sure if flinching is your problem Mark, but that was probably mine at first. I have a 9FS and a 9C and I was hitting way low with both of them. I finally got dead nuts by putting the front dot on my 9C completely above the dots on the rear sight, but then the next time I went to shoot, I was shooting high and when I lined up all the sights like Scott is saying, I was hitting the center of the target. So I *think* the problems I found with both my pistols when I first got them were with me and not the pistols. 
Rastoff
US Veteran
coachb,
If you are a coach then you know that sometimes coaches have to give advice and direction the coached won't like. This is one of those times.
The most common cause of an M&P shooting low is the shooter. Why? Because the trigger is heavy and shooters tend to anticipate the recoil. This causes them to squeeze on the gun rather than just the trigger.
Take a look at this chart:
This assumes a right hand shooter. If you're a lefty, just flip the chart.
I suspect that you're not just low, but a little to the left or right. The chart is not perfect, but it is extremely helpful. It is correct 98% of the time.
Do you practice without ammo at home?
If you are a coach then you know that sometimes coaches have to give advice and direction the coached won't like. This is one of those times.
The most common cause of an M&P shooting low is the shooter. Why? Because the trigger is heavy and shooters tend to anticipate the recoil. This causes them to squeeze on the gun rather than just the trigger.
Take a look at this chart:
This assumes a right hand shooter. If you're a lefty, just flip the chart.
I suspect that you're not just low, but a little to the left or right. The chart is not perfect, but it is extremely helpful. It is correct 98% of the time.
Do you practice without ammo at home?
