M&P shoots low...how to adjust?

[BroadSideOfABarn]

I'm a fairly new shooter and I have to say, I don't like having to cover up my target with the sights. I haven't tried my M&P9 again since I read this thread, but makes sense. Previously a friend and I were just aiming high, trying to zero in on where we were aiming and got a little closer, but not much. Hopefully I'll get better now that I know where to line up the sights.

 

[EugeneNine]

The problem with the M&P & sight picture #3 is that it is impossible to line up the dots and also the top of the sights. You can do one or the other, but not both at the same time. The darn dots are different sizes. So when you line up the top of the sights, the front dot is out of alignment (higher) than the rear dots. My solution, black out the rear dots with model paint, the align the tops of the sights, but cover the target with the dot (so in effect picture #3). Only way to hit what I'm aiming at.

granted I haven't gotten out anything to measure mine but the dots look to be the same size. I have the glow in the dark sights if that makes a difference.

 

[ginzo]

Still haven't gotten to the range to practice this, but it's on my cheat sheet!! As I said before this is my next step to progressing further.

It's really a moot point. In a defensive situation, if you're taking the time to perfectly line up either the dots or the top of the sights, your moving too slowly.

Hard focus on the front sight and put that on the bad guy. At self defense distances, you'll put a bullet on the bad guy this way.

When the target presents itself, present the gun and fire two controlled shots. If they are more than a hand span apart, slow down. If they are closer than 2", speed up. This is how to gauge the balance between speed and accuracy. If you do that you'll see that the difference between #2 and #3 is moot.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

this is very interesting reading and wil try it out next range visit. I was shooting low and lt also.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I have a M&P 357sig and it shoots low. As far as I can tell there is no up/down adjustment. I also have the M&P 22 and it shoot dead nuts at the same distance and target; thus, I am thinking it's not me. Any advice…

Hold higher!

 

[UnoDeMo]

There is nothing wrong with the fixed sights on the M&P series pistols

I've been following this thread ever since I purchased my M&P Shield Performance Center 9mm and found out it like so many that my POI was low-left.

I recently fired 2 boxes of CCI BlazerBrass 9mm 115gr FMJ @ 1145fps and got on target by lifting the front sight. I knew this wasn't right.

Either I was going to spend more $ and modify/adjust the rear sight or have someone else check out the pistol for me. I went to the RSO and he hit the bullseye on every shot. Then he got me to show him what I'm doing.

I was doing several things that threw off my shot.
1. I had the wrong stance
2. I had the wrong arm extension
3. I was not pulling the trigger smoothly and straight back
4. I was anticipating the shot breaking

The RSO slipped in a couple of snap caps on me to prove I was anticipating the shot and dropping the muzzle just before I fired.

I got another box of Federal 9mm 115gr FMJ @ 1125fps, did what the RSO told me to do, lined up the 3 dot sight, pulled the trigger straight back 5 times, and tore a ragged 5-shot hole in the target. It took just 10min of work for the RSO to straighten me out.

My sight alignment is now what I call cover-and-kill. The center dot fully covers the POA in question, the rear dots line up with the center dot, and that's that. Expose any of the intended target above the front sight and your POI will.be.low.

POI to the left means my arm extension is unbalanced. My left arm wasn't locking out at the elbow, the right arm took the felt recoil, and I compensated by rolling my right wrist to the left just as the shot broke.

Any exposed target coupled with unbalanced extension will result in low-left shots.

I've seen the S&W videos of Julie Golob nailing targets with the Shield.
I've also seen a YouTube video of someone else nailing targets at 25yds outdoors.

All this stuff about sight adjustments, ammo type, and FPS isn't the problem.
Get a coach to debug what you're doing. You'll be glad you did.

The.Shield.is.fine

I.am.the.problem

I.have.to.work.on.my.shooting.technique

The adjustable rear sights on my 1911A1 and .357 revolver made me lazy and sloppy.

The Shield with its fixed sights is brutally honest about each shot I make. The Shield is going to make me a better shooter.

 

[Univibe]

My full size M&P 9 shoots low with any weight bullet. About 3 inches low at seven yards.

 

[Lindy]

If I use sight picture #2 with my 4.25inch M&P 2.0 9mm I am about an inch low at 10 yards with the stock 3 dot sights. Same for the other 3 people that have tried it.

If I use #3 it is dead on. On my Glocks, OEM steel sights and the polymer sights using #2 was dead on at 10 yards.

There are simply way too many people saying they shoot low with #2. This is not a target gun so #3 is fine if you understand what it was designed to do.

I will be getting some Trijicon HD's when I get back from vacation and looking at the sight height of the HD's compared to the stock sights, there rear sight is taller in comparison to the stock sights. This should bring up the POI a tad and I am guessing probably work with #2.

 

[Rastoff]

If I use sight picture #2 with my 4.25inch M&P 2.0 9mm I am about an inch low at 10 yards with the stock 3 dot sights. Same for the other 3 people that have tried it.

If I use #3 it is dead on. On my Glocks, OEM steel sights and the polymer sights using #2 was dead on at 10 yards.

An inch low at 10 yards? Wouldn't that require a group smaller than an inch? That's really amazing shooting.

Also, if you're getting that much change between the two sight pictures, There is something different between how you're using each sight picture other than just lining up the tops and lining up the dots.

But hey, whatever allows you to get the bullets to go where you intend is the right way to do it.

 

[Lindy]

An inch low at 10 yards? Wouldn't that require a group smaller than an inch? That's really amazing shooting.

Also, if you're getting that much change between the two sight pictures, There is something different between how you're using each sight picture other than just lining up the tops and lining up the dots.

But hey, whatever allows you to get the bullets to go where you intend is the right way to do it.

The group is about an inch low. If I use #3 the group is on/around POA. I line up the tops. When doing so with the stock sights the front white dot is a tad higher than the rear. If I line up the dots it shoots even lower. All is fine with #3 sight picture tops in line.

 

[BigDog48]

Unless a pistol is locked in a Ransom Rest (Ransom International Corporation – Ransom Rest) and tested with several different ammo loads, it is almost impossible to tell if the issue on point of impact is the pistol or its sights or the shooter. The shooter introduces MANY more variables into where the round lands than the pistol does.

Nobody likes hearing that "it's them, not the gun", but 9 times out of 10 it is.

 

[murphydog]

Guys, the thread is nearly 6 1/2 years old, about the last time the OP was here for his second post. Bet he shoots his M & P well now with all the advice previously offered.