New M&P40 shoots low?

[PHPistols]

My friend confirmed that he has heard the M&Ps sometime shoots low.

My experience so far when shooting as slow as I can, making sure I squeeze the trigger until it goes off. My aim is lining up the top of the front and rear sights right at the middle of the target. Consistently, it shoots 2-4 inches low but it does shoot straight!

So has anyone else experience this?

How do I solve this problem?


To compare, when shooting my Glock in the same way I am consistently hitting a decent grouping where I am aiming (bullseye)..

[Al T.]

Details on the ammo you are using may be significant. I've had the lighter (faster) bullets hit below POA in several different handguns.

[rsa-otc]

While my M&P45 wears stock sights and is POA=POI using the tip of the front sight centered in the bull; you you may need to consider that when using 3 DOT sights in many cases POA=POI is the Front DOT centered on the intended POI. While I personally hate 3 DOT sights many like them and use this kind of sight picture.

[Saur]

I have an older M&P40 and my experience mirrors yours. Ameriglo has a couple shorter front sights that may help (the ones @ .210" height).

[PHPistols]

Details on the ammo you are using may be significant. I've had the lighter (faster) bullets hit below POA in several different handguns.

I was using 180 Grain FMJ Winchesters, Federal, Speers and the like. All of them were out of UltraMax boxes. But I separate the different makes into categories of maker just to see how each type shoots. All hit low.

I also shot Federal LE 165 Grain Tactical HP Bonded a couple weeks ago, and they also shot low.

[Al T.]

OK, sounds like you have the bullet weight in the ball park.


I was using 180 Grain FMJ Winchesters, Federal, Speers and the like. All of them were out of UltraMax boxes.

If it was originally purchased as UltraMax ammo, then you were shooting UltraMax's primer, powder and bullet in one of the respective companies spent cases.

While I expect the 165s to strike a bit below POA, you may want to get a box of virgin factory 180 grain ammo and see what's up. I'm pretty much inexperienced with UM, may be good, may be poor. A box of Speer Blazer Brass (or other decent fresh ammo) should clear things up.

[PHPistols]

OK, sounds like you have the bullet weight in the ball park.



If it was originally purchased as UltraMax ammo, then you were shooting UltraMax's primer, powder and bullet in one of the respective companies spent cases.

While I expect the 165s to strike a bit below POA, you may want to get a box of virgin factory 180 grain ammo and see what's up. I'm pretty much inexperienced with UM, may be good, may be poor. A box of Speer Blazer Brass (or other decent fresh ammo) should clear things up.

Okay, thanks, I'll go buy a box and see what happens.

I just use the ultramax, because I got it at a good deal and cheap ammo that doesn't create too much dirt in the barrel for practice with the Glock 22 I had. So I was just using the same ammo. I'll try the different ammo out and see what happens. Thanks.

[johnemckenzie]

PHPistols,

I tried to M&P9 a couple of weeks ago. All my groups were low.

Perhaps you can try "driving the dot" as rsa-otc mentioned. Several guys here use the dot instead of the top of the front sight as the POI. ToddG does quite well using that method. Check out this link - http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?3947-Drive-The-Dot-Sight-Picture

Additionally, I might be remembering incorrectly, but I think ToddG needed to change his front sight on his M&P test gun early in the endurance test of 2008. Check out the test he did here - http://pistol-training.com/archives/category/range-reports/mp-monday

It would be one of the earlier posts.

Grace and peace.