What do you do when you want to like a gun but don't shoot it as well as your main?

[medmo]

Slow it down with the M&P. Don’t try to shoot it as fast as the VP9. Focus on accuracy when running drills. Once your hitting the accuracy you want then focus on speed.

[CraigS]

I think Rev has a good idea. Try all the different grips. I have come to think that how it feels is important but more important is how it actually shoots. The two may not always be the same.

[M2CattleCo]

I go with what works best overall.

I like the same system for the big gun, smaller gun, tiny gun, and like having easy to get holsters and the ability to do all my own armor work with a Bic pen or a small nail.

If that gives you an idea.

[YVK]

Only thing that sucks is that my particular VP9 is kind of picky.

Every HK, mine were P30s, that I fed steel case ammo to choked on it. Invariably within the first box, and sometimes within five rounds.
JoshS had two barrels erode and be declined for warranty work because HK determined it was due to aluminum ammo.
Use manufacturer's recommended ammo.


This is 2020. There is a metric ton of good guns on the market. Nobody needs to compromise. Shoot whatever works best for you and forget about everything else.

[Danjojo]

When I was looking at jumping on the sales for the 2.0 compacts and 5", or getting an EZ for older family members, I saw quite a bit of accuracy complaints....not as crazy as 1.0 9mm models but still. Precision just doesn't seem to be S&W's thing when it comes to new pistols unless it's a 45.

If you love everything else about them maybe go the old route of fitted barrel and Apex trigger.

[psalms144.1]

I want to love ANYTHING but Glocks, I really do. However, I ran the VP9 quite a bit, and while it was more mechanically accurate in slow fire than my Gen4 G19, the wheels came off on longer strings with higher round counts.

I switched to the M&P2.0 in 9mm, and found the accuracy wasn't on par with the Gen5 G19. Plus, only the small backstrap felt good in the hand, the larger backstraps felt like someone taped a golf ball to the grip. Even with a number of different grip options, nothing really clicked for me.

Were I in the market for a new striker fired 9mm as an LE duty gun today, the Gen5 G19 or G45 would be my first, second, and third choices.

To your specific question, I would NOT spend a lot more time and energy trying to force the M&P to "work" for you. Neither would I be confident carrying a pistol that's not 100 percent reliable with quality duty ammo. But, if you feed your VP9 crap ammo, you gotta expect crap results. So, IMHO, get a Glock, or buy quality brass case training ammo for your VP9.

[RANDY_MARSH]

I want to love ANYTHING but Glocks, I really do. However, I ran the VP9 quite a bit, and while it was more mechanically accurate in slow fire than my Gen4 G19, the wheels came off on longer strings with higher round counts.

I switched to the M&P2.0 in 9mm, and found the accuracy wasn't on par with the Gen5 G19. Plus, only the small backstrap felt good in the hand, the larger backstraps felt like someone taped a golf ball to the grip. Even with a number of different grip options, nothing really clicked for me.

Were I in the market for a new striker fired 9mm as an LE duty gun today, the Gen5 G19 or G45 would be my first, second, and third choices.

To your specific question, I would NOT spend a lot more time and energy trying to force the M&P to "work" for you. Neither would I be confident carrying a pistol that's not 100 percent reliable with quality duty ammo. But, if you feed your VP9 crap ammo, you gotta expect crap results. So, IMHO, get a Glock, or buy quality brass case training ammo for your VP9.

Good points. As for the ammo thing, I exclusively shoot brass, but I would like to be able for the gun to function with cheaper ammo if I needed. Yeah, the gen 5 offerings are nice.

[Clusterfrack]

I'm about 5k rounds into my VP9 and I love it. Only thing that sucks is that my particular VP9 is kind of picky. Brass only, i've had stuck casings in the chamber with steel, laquer coated steel, and aluminum cased rounds before. But never had an issue with brass.

I shoot it fairly well, i'm good with the paddle and i'm invested into the platform.

Enter the M&P 2.0. I caught two of them on sale, a full size and a compact. I have almost 2k rounds into the full size and probably only 500 on my compact. I want to shoot the platform well, but I just shoot the VP9 so much better.

The 2.0 is what I want to use more often. I want to use it for work (next qual is in 6 months.) Mags are cheaper for it, more aftermarket, it goes through any kind of ammo I throw in it. I already have the safariland and a good amount of mags. I just can't group as well as I can with the VP9. I feel like the trigger is pretty good and broken in. I just don't know what the issue is. The rounds start loosening up quicker and start drifting a bit left. Whereas the VP9, I can shoot a 3-4" group at 10y with fair pace.

Do you guys usually dump it and stick to the main or do you guys put the effort into working the platform up to your peak? I feel like whenever I get back from a match, I almost know I could have done better with my Vp9.

If one of my trusted guns had malfunctions with steel case or aluminum, I would: [PICK ONE]

A) Dump it for a M&P that I don't shoot as well, and isn't nearly as good a gun.
B) Keep shooting the gun, but not trust it anymore
C) Not use the cheap-ass ammo, and carry on.

[joker581]

On the range, I shoot whatever I like without worrying much about how well I shoot it. I constantly try to improve my shooting with everything, especially the guns I don't shoot well.

For real use, I use the gun I shoot best, which has also been extremely reliable up to this point.

[Joe in PNG]

I'm more partial to the use of good ammo, as it gets rid of a variable.

With cheap ammo, one never quite know if it's the shooter, if it's the gun, or if it's the ammo causing your problems.

With good ammo, one can eliminate one potential vector for problems- and can quickly go on to eliminate the second (the gun, after a few test for function & accuracy). Which leaves just the shooter.