[ZB338]

I have been shooting my new full size MP9 at club pie plate matches and IDPA.

It handels beautifully and shoots fairly good groups at 0 to 15 yards or so. When

we shoot out at 25 yards or so my accuracy seems to fall apart. I'm using WWB

ammo. My trigger is excellent (Dan did it). When I look at groups people put

up on this Forum the ranges seem very short. What's the scoop on getting one

of these guns to shoot at 25 yards where we must shoot some of the time when

we attend matches.



Zeke

 

[rjs]

I can get .78",.665", 1.05" groups with my 9mm at 7 yards offhand and on the bench. When I shoot at 16 yards, the groups open to 3 to 3.75 inches This is WWB 115 grain. I haven't shot any of my handloads at that range. I bought the gun to shoot steel plates at 7 yards so have concentrated my testing of reloads at that range. I hate to think what the groups would be at 25 yards.



I don't have this kind of problem with my 1911s. Maybe I'm still not used to the trigger. I acually like the sights on my M&P better than the sights on my two 1911s. I did black out the dots on the rear sight and painted the dot on the front sights with florescent orange.



rjs

 

[ZB338]

Thanks RJ. The best I seem to be able to do at 25 yards is pretty bad. Something like

barely keeping them on the NRA paper forget the black. Going to start handloading

soon. I sent to Dillon for the stuff. I have been handloading for many years. Never

tried the 9MM. Maybe that will make a difference. Maybe the more expensive factory

stuff would be better as well. I just hate like hell to spend 20 bucks on a box of shells.



Zeke

 

[rjs]

Zeke,



Last time I did the math, it was costing me around $1.50 per box of 50 for 40 and 45s. The secret to this is to cast your own bullets out of free wheel weights. But, wheel weights are becoming harder to find and they've started charging for them around here. My time isn't worth much anymore (semi-retired) and I enjoy casting and reloading and trying to find the "perfect" loading.



I have a Hornady Lock N Load which I like quite a bit.



rjs

 

[raz-0]

It's a matter of practice, and not having a dodgy load to shoot.



For example, i was loading about 136pf 180gr plated in .40 over titegroup (think it was 3.7gr). It was ok accuracy wise with groups about 8" at 30 yards, but 4.5 grains was VERY accurate. I could get ~6" groups at 30 yards (160pf). However, 4.7gr hit 168pf, but groups opened up to over 10", evne from a rest. Now I am running 4.0gr for 147pf. Which is a little less accurate than the 4.5gr, but has enough less recoil to help with transitions and close up targets that overall, for USPSA, the accuracy is slightly better.



At 50 feet or less, except for the 4.7gr load, they were all indistinguishable without some great care in shooting your groups.



ETA:



the most significant factor in accuracy at 25yd is the shooter. If you can't shoot 25 yards, the gun and ammo won't make it happen. break out your diagnostic tqarger. And start shooting up close. Move the target out until you get reduced accuracy.. Check your hits with the diagnostic target, and try to cure your bad habits. You might need help form someone else to correct your shooting though as fixing subtle issues often requires someone with experience. Unless it is old bad habits sneaking back in, that probably isn't yourself.

 

[ZB338]

Hi RJ. I know what you're saying. I'm an old man in my 70s and I have cast

bullets for many years. I'm still working every day because my wife wants

to live in this God forsaken state (NJ) The most crooked politics in the world.

We are surounded by a bunch of liberal, pinko #@#@$# that there is on the

face of the earth. Anyhow, bullet casting is a chore and I really hate doing

it anymore. Do you shoot lead bullets out of your M&P? I can really buy lead

bullets fairly cheap. By the way, you are from Wyoming that is one of the

most beautiful states in the union. I shot my first Mule deer there and Antelope

as well. It is truly God's country.

 

[ZB338]

Thanks Razo,



It's not a matter of practice. I have a Browning Hi-Power that will put everything

in the black at 25 yards with one hand (OK I might leak one or two out). The Browning is a

pain to shoot in IDPA because of the magazine safety and the way we are forced to show

clear. IDPA will not let you disable a safety even a magazine safety. It's bull crap but that's

the way it is. Besides, all other things being equal the M&P is one nifty little gun. It shoots and

points like a dream. Dan's trigger is also real good. All I need out of it is good 25 yard

groups and I won't need anything else.



Zeke

 

[rjs]

I've kind of lost interest in shooting at, for instance, 25 yards. I'd been away from handguns for awhile and had never owned a center fire semi auto until a couple of years ago. A was always a single action revolver guy. I still have a Ruger 6 1/2 inch 44 magnum Blackhawk flat top that I bought in 1969. I shot my first deer with this gun and used to practice out to 100 yards on one gallon plastic jugs full of water. I limited myself to under 75 yards when hunting deer. I shot quite a few badgers and coyotes on the ranch and some pretty far distances which was a kind of a hoot but I sold the ranch and moved to Wyoming. I cast slugs for the Ruger and practiced quite a bit. I really can't see the sights very well on that gun and haven't hunted for 10 years.



After being away from guns for a long time, I remembered how much fun I used to have so bought a XD 40 SC with the idea of target and steel plate shooting and SD. So, my pistol shooting centers more around keep up to speed for self defense which, I kinda figured, means 25 yards plus was out of that realm. As we shoot plates at 7 yards, that's the distance I've concentrated on. When I get time, I'll give longer distances a shot just for old times sake. Could be fun.



rjs

 

[rjs]

Hi RJ. I know what you're saying. I'm an old man in my 70s and I have cast

bullets for many years. I'm still working every day because my wife wants

to live in this God forsaken state (NJ) The most crooked politics in the world.

We are surounded by a bunch of liberal, pinko #@#@$# that there is on the

face of the earth. Anyhow, bullet casting is a chore and I really hate doing

it anymore. Do you shoot lead bullets out of your M&P? I can really buy lead

bullets fairly cheap. By the way, you are from Wyoming that is one of the

most beautiful states in the union. I shot my first Mule deer there and Antelope

as well. It is truly God's country.

I've been working up lead loads for the M&P. 124 grain Lee round nose. I can get under an inch groups at 7 yards but at 16 yards my groups open up to 3". I need to work on that. I do a lot better with my LW Springfield Champion 4" 1911. When I bought the M&P, I was looking for a softer shooting gun for shooting steel plates (and just because I like shooting different guns). I did pretty good with my XD40SC shooting plates which is weird because it has such a short sight radius but, after buy a couple of 1911s, I no longer liked the grip, trigger and balance of the XD so it's for sale on consignment.



Yeah, lead bullets are cheap but I like playing with fire and molten metal

We really like Wyoming. It's getting crowded, though

I backpack, flyfish and shoot handguns, spend too much time on the computer and smoke fine cigars. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!



Sorry about NJ

rjs