M&P shoots low...how to adjust?
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Hillbilly77
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There's a big difference between a .22 LR and a .357 Sig.
I'll bet your are unconsciously anticipating recoil and pushing the gun forward. I had the same problem with the M&P40 I used to have. It takes a bit to get used to it.
I'd have somebody else familiar with handguns fire it first. I don't mean that you are not familiar with handguns, I just mean don't hand your gun to a newbie and expect them to be able to shoot it worth a damn. You want a seasoned shooter. The idea is to know for sure if it is the gun or the shooter. A newbie is likely to shoot low and say, "Yup, yer gun is screwed up."
I'll bet your are unconsciously anticipating recoil and pushing the gun forward. I had the same problem with the M&P40 I used to have. It takes a bit to get used to it.
I'd have somebody else familiar with handguns fire it first. I don't mean that you are not familiar with handguns, I just mean don't hand your gun to a newbie and expect them to be able to shoot it worth a damn. You want a seasoned shooter. The idea is to know for sure if it is the gun or the shooter. A newbie is likely to shoot low and say, "Yup, yer gun is screwed up."
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HAWKEYE10
Member
I would suggest reading and studying this. Read and study this several times and off and on for as long as you shoot. This is the basics of good marksmanship but all marksmanship start out with the basics. I have got this saved in my favorites. Don
Encyclopedia of Bullseye Pistol
Encyclopedia of Bullseye Pistol
rsrocket1
Member
First, start by shooting the pistol from a rest. I'll bet it shoots straight and you are anticipating recoil.
The best indicator of this flinch is to have a buddy mix in snap caps randomly with live rounds. It's embarrassing to see the pistol jump in anticipation of a live round, but it is the first step to fixing it.
My flinch on a 1911 was so consistent that I really thought it was shooting low. I made a "ghetto" sight extender with some card stock taped to the rear sights and wound up putting all my rounds in the bullseye! After using a bench rest, I learned that it was me and not the gun. Eventually I got rid of the flinch <whew>.
The best indicator of this flinch is to have a buddy mix in snap caps randomly with live rounds. It's embarrassing to see the pistol jump in anticipation of a live round, but it is the first step to fixing it.
My flinch on a 1911 was so consistent that I really thought it was shooting low. I made a "ghetto" sight extender with some card stock taped to the rear sights and wound up putting all my rounds in the bullseye! After using a bench rest, I learned that it was me and not the gun. Eventually I got rid of the flinch <whew>.
ginzo
Member
Look up thread 1st time shooter. It helped me tons.
Magnum Mike
Member
I am not familiar with the 357 SIG version but I would also try a different brand of ammo. If it also shoots very low, then I would be suspect of the dreaded "trigger smash". Double action only style triggers with their long pull can lead even seasoned shooters to smash the trigger. As suggested, ask someone familiar with these pistols to put a few rounds through it to confirm where its point of impact is compared to its point of aim.
Jyezahn
US Veteran
1fly2ty
Member
Why is it that every 5-6 days someone has to post that their M&P is shooting low? Does anyone now how to use a search engine anymore! Seriously how many times in the last 3 months have you seen this exact question! 5,10 !!! This is a first post for this person but if he had even read back through the thread titles for the first few pages he would have found his answer!
Jyezahn
US Veteran
^And you can choose not to open the thread or respond since you already knew what it was about. 
Hillbilly77
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Grumpy much? No point in berating a new guy. Why not either try to be helpful or just hit the "back" button?
Congratulations. Hell of a way to welcome somebody to the Forum.
Rastoff
US Veteran
Did you shoot off a rest or just standing?
Harrison
US Veteran
And, if after you try all of the above suggestions, and find the pistol is still shooting low, put a slightly lower front sight on it. It is really easy to remove and change front sights on the M&P.
Pisgah
Member
If it is like most modern semiautos with 3-dot sights, aligning the dots and using a 6 o'clock sight picture will put your shots low. The dots need to be aligned and the front dot placed where you want the bullet to go -- essentially, blocking your view of the POI.
SSGT Pride
US Veteran
DITTO! Front DOT ON TARGET when front and rear sights are lined up....Not under! Its a combat type sight...not target.
Rastoff
US Veteran
You shouldn't be lining up the dots anyway. Dots are often not lined up properly. The top of the front sight should be aligned with the top of the rear sight. The dots are only for quick acquisition.
This is not an M&P sight, but it is the proper sight alignment for the M&P:
Here is another excellent picture:
This is not an M&P sight, but it is the proper sight alignment for the M&P:
Here is another excellent picture:
ginzo
Member
I'm a new shooter and that is correct and accurate information. Worked for me.
EugeneNine
Member
I did a little searching and was able to find a pdf of that to print out (my "range" is beyond internet connectivity).
dksledz
US Veteran
Thanks for the good information I found in this thread. Your remarks and referenced material has helped me a great deal. I just shot yesterday using some of the Forums content am now shooting a 100% better. I'm a newbie with my M&P 40, but have used a 22 for quite a while.
jayman9207
Member
Mostly topic related.......when looking up possible reasons why I was grouping slightly low and left when I first got my new M&P45 I ran across a thread that had an image of two targets. One image for right hand shooters and one image for left hand shooters. The targets then had descriptions listed all over them that described what the most likely issue was when shooting off center. I've searched a few times to try and find it but can't. Can someone repost the image or the link to the original thread I ran across please. Thanks.
