Picked Up My New M&P9C ~ WOW!!! But Shooting Low Left...

[Zeteo]

Well, I finally received the purchase permit from my local PD (the entire records department was on vacation for a week - ridiculous!) and picked up my M&P9C on Thursday last week.

Fired 50 rounds through it when I picked it up. Another 200 on Saturday after cleaning. It is a sweet, sweet pistol! No FTF, no FTE, everything was as just as smooth as butter.

My only real issue is low left shot placement.

I have owned/used a Springfield 1911 for the last 10 years with a super smooth competition trigger job & match grade barrel, so I think my issue with the M&P has to be trigger related. I need to put several hundred more rounds through to adjust to the long D/A action with the S&W design.

Anyone have any tips to get my shots in the black?

BTW, I couldn't resist and bought a 4.5" barrel Springfield XDM .45 at the same time as well. I haven't fired that yet though. Hoping to get it out to the range soon.

One nice thing about the place I bought these 2 weapons at, is they are also a gun range and give you 3 months free when you buy a gun over $500. They gave me 6 months for buying the 2, so I will be at the range quite a bit this winter!!!

Thanks!
Al

 

[Just Shoot]

Congrats on your new adition to the family...As far as the off target shot I don't really have any options for you, I and most guys on here have the Apex trigger which really smooths it out.

 

[The Sarge]

I suggest dry firing the pistol to break in and smooth out the trigger poull, which it will with time. Also you will learn the trigger pull on that specific pistol. Concentrate on the break and don't let the sights move while pushing the trigger straight back just enough to release the striker. Shooting low/left is also a sign of too much finger across the trigger face. More torque on the trigger will pull the pistol low and to the left. Wishing you all the best with your new M&P. Bill

 

[Bicky Robby]

Congrats on both your purchases. My wife has the same XDm that she uses in IDPA.

The trigger will smooth out after some range time and dry drills. As Sarge has correctly said, "low left" on a right handed shooter does indicate tightening on the fingers on the trigger and grip, could also indicate jerking the trigger as well.

Best solution to help correct this is to dry fire 10-15 minutes a day focusing on pulling the trigger straight back. Also, make sure you have installed the proper fitting back strap.

Be safe.

 

[Pisgah]

Dryfire, dryfire, dryfire! And concentrate on keeping the front sight where you want it the whole time.

It'll happen...

 

[turbo38gn]

Dryfire, dryfire, dryfire! And concentrate on keeping the front sight where you want it the whole time.

It'll happen...

I second that, my 1st MP had minumum 10lb Ma trigger, never had much trouble hitting the target where I aimed. In fact, not much trouble with any of my M&P's out of the box. My M&P 45 with the nastiest trigger, still murdered the target before the Apex kit.. bottom line is I dry fired those guns till my fingers hurt.

 

[jgreiner]

Well, I finally received the purchase permit from my local PD (the entire records department was on vacation for a week - ridiculous!) and picked up my M&P9C on Thursday last week.

Fired 50 rounds through it when I picked it up. Another 200 on Saturday after cleaning. It is a sweet, sweet pistol! No FTF, no FTE, everything was as just as smooth as butter.

My only real issue is low left shot placement.

I have owned/used a Springfield 1911 for the last 10 years with a super smooth competition trigger job & match grade barrel, so I think my issue with the M&P has to be trigger related. I need to put several hundred more rounds through to adjust to the long D/A action with the S&W design.

Anyone have any tips to get my shots in the black?

BTW, I couldn't resist and bought a 4.5" barrel Springfield XDM .45 at the same time as well. I haven't fired that yet though. Hoping to get it out to the range soon.

One nice thing about the place I bought these 2 weapons at, is they are also a gun range and give you 3 months free when you buy a gun over $500. They gave me 6 months for buying the 2, so I will be at the range quite a bit this winter!!!

Thanks!
Al

From what I understand, shooting low left is normal for a new shooter to striker fire type guns that is right handed. I am left handed, and did just that but low right.

I smoothed out my trigger finger movements with practice, and I made a slight sight adjustment (my rear sight was set up a bit right of center.) I moved it over to a bit left of center. Now I shoot dead on.

 

[dondavis3]

From what I understand, shooting low left is normal for a new shooter to striker fire type guns that is right handed. I am left handed, and did just that but low right.

I smoothed out my trigger finger movements with practice, and I made a slight sight adjustment (my rear sight was set up a bit right of center.) I moved it over to a bit left of center. Now I shoot dead on.

I had the exact same problem with my Pro.

I was going to get some sight work done, but I decided to ask our range master to shoot it 1st... he knocked the X ring out with 6 shots ... hummm obviously it wasn't the Pro ...

I'm putting in a Apex Trigger Kit tomorrow and I've been working on my sight picture.

I'll let you know if the trigger kit helps.

I'm a 1911 & Sig DA/SA shooter and need to get used to a striker fired trigger.

I love the feel of the M&P Pro.

 

[Simmy952]

Try this if you are a RH shooter - http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf/files/TargetRightHanded.pdf

They also have a LH one also. If it is a trigger pull issue. Apex kit will also help. Friend of mine was pulling to the right. He used my M&Pc with an Apex kit and it helped. He ordered a lighter spring and it helped his Sigma and his shot placement.

 

[Zeteo]

So I have put another 400 rounds through the M&P now. I have been really focusing on trigger control and finger placement on the trigger.

The low-left situation is pretty much gone, I am consistently hitting 2 inch groups at 7-10 yards.

But I am still hitting left - level with the bullseye, but about 2-3" inches left of it.

I am hesitant to move the sight - I feel it might still be something I am doing. Any thoughts?

Al

 

[mkygod]

Let a few experienced shooters that are better than you shoot the gun. If its still left, then try to adjust sights for windage. Try bench shooting as well.

 

[jgreiner]

I had the exact same problem with my Pro.

I was going to get some sight work done, but I decided to ask our range master to shoot it 1st... he knocked the X ring out with 6 shots ... hummm obviously it wasn't the Pro ...

I'm putting in a Apex Trigger Kit tomorrow and I've been working on my sight picture.

I'll let you know if the trigger kit helps.

I'm a 1911 & Sig DA/SA shooter and need to get used to a striker fired trigger.

I love the feel of the M&P Pro.

After the first 1000 rounds, my Pro started feeling very good. And now after 2400, it feels great. But as I stated, my rear sights were set a bit to the right of center. And i was shooting right......consistently right. So I moved them to just slightly to the left of center. And now I am shooting the center out of the targets too.

Getting used to the trigger is part of the battle. But i wouldn't hesitate to adjust the rear sights if you continue to shoot wide.

 

[Silversmok3]

So I have put another 400 rounds through the M&P now. I have been really focusing on trigger control and finger placement on the trigger.

The low-left situation is pretty much gone, I am consistently hitting 2 inch groups at 7-10 yards.

But I am still hitting left - level with the bullseye, but about 2-3" inches left of it.

I am hesitant to move the sight - I feel it might still be something I am doing. Any thoughts?

Al

While I dont have an M&P, these tips helped me out when I was reliably and frustratingly putting all my rounds left of center.


One-be careful of 'milking' the trigger.The bottom three fingers of your right hand WILL curl when you squeeze the trigger, so you must learn to lock these fingers when you shoot. If you dont do this as you squeeze the trigger these fingers will unconsciously tighten and send the gun on a leftward cant just as the break hits, leaving you scratching your head at why the bulls eye you aimed for is intact.

Two-Surprise break. Don't get on the trigger with the goal of breaking the shot at a pre-determined moment.Jeff Cooper has an exercise where you cock the gun-or in this case rack the slide to set the striker-and rest your finger on the trigger.Within 5 seconds the trigger should break, but at no time should you yank it to go off at moment 'X'. By having a surprise break you eliminate the chance of a flinch because you don't precisely know when the gun will fire.As you dry fire this technique more your trigger control will improve to the point where you can do this in 4 seconds, and three seconds, and so forth. In my limited shooting experience ive found that when I miss my target its because I knew when the break was and 'tensed' myself for it...thus putting the sights off target to the left in the process.

These two tips improved my shooting to the point where I started off with tight and consistenty low left groups at 25 yards to a center group with some fliers off left ( when I tensed up) at the same distance.