M&P Shield 9mm Wayy Left

[PHolster]

Great shooting! What distance?

Mike

That was a combination of 15 ft and 25 ft, mostly 15. I was practicing defensively, emptying a magazine, dropping it and popping in a new magazine. This was from a time when my wife and I were shooting at least once a week for months. The Shield became like an extension of my hand. We haven't been able to shoot as much over the past six months so I'm not sure I would be as god at the moment. I did okay a few days ago, but it took a while to get back in the groove.

 

[MacDonald]

My front site is WAY off center, so I do not expect tight groups beyond 12-ft.

 

[NCW Ray]

My front site is WAY off center, so I do not expect tight groups beyond 12-ft.

Since they are way off center I would get them centered. But for the sake of shot grouping, it shouldn't matter that your front sight is way off center. You should still be able to group your shots wherever the sights put them. If you're not able to group them I would work on trigger control and sight alignment.

 

[mike72ss]

Great shooting! What distance?

Mike

That was a combination of 15 ft and 25 ft, mostly 15. I was practicing defensively, emptying a magazine, dropping it and popping in a new magazine. This was from a time when my wife and I were shooting at least once a week for months. The Shield became like an extension of my hand. We haven't been able to shoot as much over the past six months so I'm not sure I would be as god at the moment. I did okay a few days ago, but it took a while to get back in the groove.

That even makes it better. I just bought a new Shield 9mm, which I haven't had a chance to shoot yet and hopefully with a lot of practice, I can duplicate that target.

By the way stock trigger or?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[robrossk]

Congrats on the new Shield and let us know how it fires.

 

[marine6680]

I had an issue with the front sight jerking a little when the trigger would break... Caused me to shoot a couple inches left.

Then I adjusted how I rested my finger on the trigger during the pull.

Now there is little movement when the shot breaks.



If a pistol shoots straight from a bench, but not when shooting off hand... then it is the person and their technique that is at fault. As ego bruising as it can be to admit.

I had similar issues with my Full size M&P... I could shoot straight, but my groups would open up as I had more than a few fliers every mag. If I really focused, I could shoot well enough, but it took a lot more effort than my CZ, Sig 226, or other pistols. I didn't like the trigger so I put in an Apex FSS, and now I hit with it better at speed. But the limitation was me and my preference for crisper hammer fired triggers when at the range. I prefer striker for carry.

My fiance had a similar issue with her new Sig P320... she has started to improve a great deal with it, and has grown to really like the pistol. She didn't care much for it at first, due to frustration of not grouping as well as her beloved CZ. (that I did a trigger job on) Now she shoots the 320 almost as well.



The shield trigger is smooth, just a little on the heavy side, with more than a bit of overtravel too. That can be more challenging than other triggers, especially something like a nice 1911 trigger.

I can understand the desire for a different trigger feel, but the shield is far from a bad trigger... if someone does not want to learn the trigger, then that is their prerogative.


For me... the shield is my fiance's, and she seems to shoot it dead on, after her first shot went low, the rest went dead center, as she adjusted her pull to suit the pistol.

If after a little practice, she feels the need, I can polish up the trigger a bit.



I'm still trying to figure out how the weight of a firearm affects trigger pull... It can affect recoil spring considerations, and necessitate a heavy recoil spring, but not a heavy trigger.


The long and short of it is... that you can work with almost any trigger and be accurate, its just down to your skill and focus.

In a defense situation, where those can be compromised a truly bad trigger can be a hinderance.

I still think the shield does not qualify there. There were not many small single stack pistols that I tried that I actually liked the trigger on, but the shield was one of those that I liked.

 

[rlongclu]

Could you please explain the proper way to shoot a Shield as opposed to the hundreds of other handguns out there?

Is there some special technique so many do not know that is needed to properly shoot a Shield?

If the stock trigger is just fine why are so many people using the APEX kits in it? They must all be wrong, correct?

So basically you do not know what you are talking about, right?

I apparently know more than you since I have absolutely no problems shooting my Shield. Maybe you should take some lessons from a qualified instructor. Or send your Shield back to S&W to be checked out instead of whining about it. Just my humble opinion.

 

[RobzGuns]

Too late... Back in Reply #10 he wrote that he sold it.
Guess he Just can't handle Single-Stack Subcompacts.
(Just messin' with ya BDB)

I thought about getting an APEX kit and decided to stay with my full size M&Ps which I shoot fine. I did not want to drop another $100-200 in a $375 gun. I sold it....

 

[John R]

Not always, but usually if a new to me gun shoots bad, it's me causing the problem.

 

[bigdaddybluesman]

Not always, but usually if a new to me gun shoots bad, it's me causing the problem.

Now what if you continue to shoot that gun poorly no matter what you tried and have to make major changes to your technique or grip to fire that specific gun? What would you do?

Sell it right?

If you can shoot many guns well and cannot that specific gun it's either not ergonomically fit for you or there is something about the gun, especially if others are having the same issues. Simple common sense.

 

[handejector]

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[RobzGuns]

And to add to this, changing the part of your finger that is on the trigger to fire that gun to me means two things. 1- It's not the gun for you. 2- You are an experienced shooter that knows how to adjust for the gun.

Answer me this, would you carry a gun that you have to shoot with a different part of your trigger finger than any other gun you own? Remember the Shield is design for concealed carry.

Actually, yes... I'm at the point where I COULD pick up any of my Carry pistols and be comfortable in getting the right finger placement. But then, I don't 'rotate' my carry pistols for no reason (for the sake of rotating them?) and I if I did need to change my Primary Carry pistol, I WOULD Dry-Fire it a bit before going out the door.

My oldest carry pistol is a Gen2 G19 that I've carried since '89. Until I bought the Shield, my Pocket Carry EDC was a PF-9. I also have a G26, an XD-Service, XDM9c and the Shield. Each require just a little different technique, but I can take all of them to the range and from practice time, I can tell which it is as soon as it's in my hand and can shoot equally good placement and grouping. None have been modified from Factory Stock condition. I prefer to learn a pistol's platform, rather than modifying the platform to make it shoot like something else.

The PF-9 and the Shield did take the longest to master, as they are both Single-Stack Subcompacts (and the PF-9 being a 'True DAO'). With them, like so many other people, my initial groupings were Low-Left (or way Left). With the help of a spotter (Watching my hands and pistol, not the target), I was able to make adjustments and correct my shooter errors, which actually helped tighten groupings with my other pistols.

Many come to the forums saying they've been shooting all their life/career and never had problems like they're having with the Shield. Sorry... But Rarely can people transition from Double-Stack FS, Double-Stack Cs (or even 1911s), to Single-Stack Subs without going back to basics and start learning the platform from scratch.

BTW:... Where's the OP (Keith)?? Did he simply join the forum and start this thread simply to complain and not Follow Up??
I hope he wasn't just Trolling us.

 

[PHolster]

That even makes it better. I just bought a new Shield 9mm, which I haven't had a chance to shoot yet and hopefully with a lot of practice, I can duplicate that target.

By the way stock trigger or?

Thanks,
Mike

The gun is completely stock. I actually like the stock trigger. It does have about 4000+ rounds through it though and it is smooth. If I do things right, it does its job.