I think my M&P 40 sights are off?

shooter43 · January 11, 2020, 06:01 PM

I went shooting today with my M&P 40 compact, great gun I love it to death but I think my sights are either off or not adjusted properly. My shots were nowhere near where I was aiming for. Does the M&P 40 Compact have adjustable sights and if so how do I fix them?

TunnelRat · January 11, 2020, 06:04 PM

A distance and how far off from point of aim (POA). Would help.

The sights are drift adjustable for windage.

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totaldla · January 11, 2020, 09:00 PM

Best to get a 2nd opinion - have someone else shoot it. Aldo, be aware that S&W three dot sights shoot to the front dot - not top of front sight.

Black Wolf · January 12, 2020, 04:00 AM

Is it shooting to the left of where you are aiming?

shooter43 · January 12, 2020, 05:21 AM

I was shooting a target 15 yards away and my shots were centered but very low on the area I was aiming for. Every once and awhile they pulled left.

Black Wolf · January 12, 2020, 06:30 AM

You're right handed?

Road_Clam · January 12, 2020, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shooter43

I was shooting a target 15 yards away and my shots were centered but very low on the area I was aiming for

We need you to be more specific. Are we talking a few inches low or 8" low ? Keep in mind your handgun's sights were a pre-determined POI based upon a certain velocity ammo and a predetermined distance. If your shooting a different type of ammo, and at a different distance that what the factory used you PIO will be off. There is many variable factors as to observed shot placement (and honestly most of them are most likely you). I ALWAYS seek the assistance of another shooting buddy to shoot my firearm, if in the end we are BOTH pushing the shot placement 5" right , then safe to say the sights are in fact a bit off. But if you shoot 5" right, and your buddy shoots more centered, then it's all you. I'm going through this exact scenario with my new 1858 Enfield musket rifle. My shots are consistently about 4" right at 50 yds , but my accomplished shooting buddy is only shooting about 1.5" right, but he shoots definitely more consistent with ideal windage hits. . So i'm a little unsure as to what my course of action will be.

Black Wolf · January 12, 2020, 07:44 PM

Road Clam is dead on. Most right handed people will shoot to the left, with a striker fired pistol, it is almost always a trigger pull issue. As far as being off, vertically, it is three things: (1) the pistol is being shot with different velocity ammo than it was sighted in at by the factory (2) it is being fired at a different distance than it was sighted in at. Your line of aim and bullet trajectory or not parallel lines, they intersect at two different points - when the bullet crosses line of aim on the way up, when it crosses it again on the way down (3) sight picture used as compared to sight picture intended. Some guns (target pistols) are meant to be used with a "6 o clock hold" others (typically your fighting pistols) are meant to be used with a "bullseye hold".

I have an M&P 2.0 Compact in 9mm. The further out I go, the further to the left it will hit. It ain't the gun.

Dry practice is key. Pick a spot on a white wall, practice holding your sight picture on the spot and slowly press the trigger. Pay attention to any movement your sight make as the (dry) shot breaks. No one can completely keep it from moving BUT hours of doing this at home will greatly reduce how much it moves. Red dots are great for this. Dry practice, with a red dot will show you exactly what movement you are making at the time of press.

Or..... your gun might genuinely be messed up. Rule this out by taking the best pistolero you know to the range with you.

Nathan · January 13, 2020, 09:00 AM

It would really help me understand it this way:

My shot group POI is ## inches low and ## inches right/left. My shot group is about ## inches in diameter at 15 yards. I have ## rounds down range on this pistol. This is normal/abnormal for me. My ## pistol shoots ## POI vs POA.

That said, a call to S&W would probably get you some resolution.

TunnelRat · January 13, 2020, 09:15 AM

^ that's what I'd like to know as well.

If elevation is your one problem, it could be a sight picture difference as mentioned above. Many firearms now, especially service weapons, are set up with the point of impact behind the front dot. You have to cover the point of aim to get point of impact.

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January 11, 2020, 06:01 PM	#1
shooter43 Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 70	I think my M&P 40 sights are off? I went shooting today with my M&P 40 compact, great gun I love it to death but I think my sights are either off or not adjusted properly. My shots were nowhere near where I was aiming for. Does the M&P 40 Compact have adjustable sights and if so how do I fix them?

January 11, 2020, 09:00 PM	#3
totaldla Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2009 Location: SW Idaho Posts: 1,289	Best to get a 2nd opinion - have someone else shoot it. Aldo, be aware that S&W three dot sights shoot to the front dot - not top of front sight. __________________ Lee Auto Bench Prime Castor Oil Case Lube

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January 11, 2020, 06:04 PM	#2
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,207	A distance and how far off from point of aim (POA). Would help. The sights are drift adjustable for windage. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

January 12, 2020, 04:00 AM	#4
Black Wolf Member Join Date: March 18, 2018 Location: Kansas Posts: 66	Is it shooting to the left of where you are aiming?

January 12, 2020, 05:21 AM	#5
shooter43 Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 70	I was shooting a target 15 yards away and my shots were centered but very low on the area I was aiming for. Every once and awhile they pulled left.

January 12, 2020, 06:30 AM	#6
Black Wolf Member Join Date: March 18, 2018 Location: Kansas Posts: 66	You're right handed?

January 12, 2020, 07:44 PM	#8
Black Wolf Member Join Date: March 18, 2018 Location: Kansas Posts: 66	Road Clam is dead on. Most right handed people will shoot to the left, with a striker fired pistol, it is almost always a trigger pull issue. As far as being off, vertically, it is three things: (1) the pistol is being shot with different velocity ammo than it was sighted in at by the factory (2) it is being fired at a different distance than it was sighted in at. Your line of aim and bullet trajectory or not parallel lines, they intersect at two different points - when the bullet crosses line of aim on the way up, when it crosses it again on the way down (3) sight picture used as compared to sight picture intended. Some guns (target pistols) are meant to be used with a "6 o clock hold" others (typically your fighting pistols) are meant to be used with a "bullseye hold". I have an M&P 2.0 Compact in 9mm. The further out I go, the further to the left it will hit. It ain't the gun. Dry practice is key. Pick a spot on a white wall, practice holding your sight picture on the spot and slowly press the trigger. Pay attention to any movement your sight make as the (dry) shot breaks. No one can completely keep it from moving BUT hours of doing this at home will greatly reduce how much it moves. Red dots are great for this. Dry practice, with a red dot will show you exactly what movement you are making at the time of press. Or..... your gun might genuinely be messed up. Rule this out by taking the best pistolero you know to the range with you.

January 13, 2020, 09:00 AM	#9
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,322	It would really help me understand it this way: My shot group POI is ## inches low and ## inches right/left. My shot group is about ## inches in diameter at 15 yards. I have ## rounds down range on this pistol. This is normal/abnormal for me. My ## pistol shoots ## POI vs POA. That said, a call to S&W would probably get you some resolution.

January 13, 2020, 09:15 AM	#10
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,207	^ that's what I'd like to know as well. If elevation is your one problem, it could be a sight picture difference as mentioned above. Many firearms now, especially service weapons, are set up with the point of impact behind the front dot. You have to cover the point of aim to get point of impact. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk