M&P shield shoots high

Mark2

New member
I bought this new M&P shield in 9mm. Brought it to the range today. I shot at a 25 foot distance. The bullets were hitting 12" high that's right 1 foot. There isn't a elevation adjustment, anyone else have this Issue with the shields.
 
Have someone else shoot the gun. Preferably someone relatively proficient with a hand gun. I tend to group low and left with just about everything. Have been told it has to do with grip and trigger control.
I was given this diagram of a target to better help me understand my problem.
imagejpg1_zpsswxgwsur.jpg




But seriously... This might help....maybe.
target_shooting_diagnosis_zpsihn8sceh.jpg
 
Thanks for the diagram. This is my first really compact handgun. I have no problems with my SR-1911 or my full size M&P 45. Just couldnt believe it was that far off. The worst part was there was another guy shooting next to me. He said nice grouping on your top target, I said thanks, but I was really aiming at the bottom one. Lol.
 

My 9mm Shield tends to shoot low and left like Crapshoot mentioned. I know it has to be me and not the gun since it shoots pretty consistent to that area. When I concentrate more and squeeze the trigger more carefully, the groups get closer to the bullseye.

I'm used to a Government model 45 (Kimber) and shoot it great, but the Shield takes a bit of getting used to with the type trigger it has over the Kimber.
 
Mine has the Apex trigger in it. I bought it new and had the trigger installed before I ever shot it. The triggers that come stock here in Massachusetts suck. I changed the trigger on my full size and my groups got a lot better. So I figured I'd do the same to my shield. I will go back to range again and work on

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/s...playErrorView_Y

Notice trigger weight
 
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I hit low and left also with my sheild. Am thinking about having trigger done also. Crapshoot, like your pie chart, very informative. Guess I just gotta practice more. Anyone reccomend a decent trigger for it? thanks
 
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I shoot my Shield a little to the left, I don't even remember shooting it before I did some trigger work on it myself I just know I was not happy at all with it. I wouldn't even have bought it because of the trigger but I ordered it and paid before playing with it.

I put some bad marks on the rear site to get it off to get to the parts under it but I don't care. I took 2000 grit sandpaper to all trigger parts where they touched, especially the round thing under the rear site(hope that's not too technical) I put that in a drill and ran it over the sandpaper until it was better rounded off. I swear, before I did trigger work that plastic trigger would start to bend before the gun went off.

I really like how my .40s&w shoots but now I'm having problems with the magazines or how the gun is holding the magazines.
 
New shooters to striker fired guns tend to shoot low left. It's common... and curable with some attention to grip, trigger control and follow through. To the OP, get an experienced shooter to shoot your gun and see what they do with it. If they also shoot high consistently check the height of the front sight and compare that with another Shield. I once bought a Kimber 1911 that shot about 18" high or low (can't remember which now - been a long time ago) and Kimber insisted that I send it back to have a new barrel fitted. I really didn't want to because the barrel in the gun was extremely accurate and the gun ran 100%. I scratched my head about the problem and figured out the gun had the wrong front sight on it. Kimber makes 3", 4" and 5" 1911's and each has a different height front sight. I wrangled a new front sight of the proper height from the factory and that solved the problem. I don't know if the Shield uses the same sight as the M&P but if so the same error could occur as there are 3.5", 4.25" and 5" M&P 9's.
 
Low left. 90% of the time is the shooter pushing low left. If hes a lefty it goes low right. Easy to say but stop anticipating the recoil.
 
As a Firearms Instructor I can tell you that GC is absolutely correct which of course he already knew. What amplifies the problem is that fact that there is WAY MORE hand than grip space on small compacts and your modifying your grip, somewhat, compared to your full size frame pistol. That is for the guys shooting low left. Trigger mods are not an option in my line of work but I can see how a lighter breaking trigger could improve the situation. Getting use to the gun by shooting it alot will help tons. For Mark.....First step, as stated, is to make sure its the gun and not you. Having someone, with high level experience with a handgun, help you would be great. If you cant, then try to set up a bench where you can get some support, put a small dot on the target at about 5-7 yards, and concentrate on sight alignment and trigger press. Go slow and methodical. If your shooting ABOVE line of sight, by a long ways at five yards, and doing it consistent, then something is wrong. I have the same gun, which I carry as a back up, mounted to my vest, under my uniform shirt. Never had an issue but I make a living with striker action pistols. It very well could be the gun but I would be surprised.
 
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