M&P9 FS - is it as bad as the internet makes it seem?

[rbMPSH12]

I'm in the market for a full size polymer 9mm. I've been leaning toward the M&P9 since I already have a Shield 9mm and like the ergonomics of the M&P better than the Glock 17, which would be my other choice (not interested in XD etc). I love the Shield. It's a great gun and I haven't had any gripes with it. But in reading about the M&P9 full size online, including more recent posts that discuss the newer M&Ps that have stock barrel and trigger modifications, everyone still seems so negative about the accuracy of the M&P9, the trigger (which some say isn't any better than the old one), etc.

Do you M&P owners on INGO have the same gripes? Are these accuracy problems as widespread as the interwebs seem to claim? I just want to make sure I make a good investment and don't find myself stuck with trying to sell a gun with bad accuracy problems after trying it out.

 

[MCgrease08]

I didn't really like it when I shot the full size, but I only ran one mag through it, so not really a comprehensive experience. Let's just say I disliked it so much that I didn't feel the need to load a second.

 

[chezuki]

I'm in the market for a full size polymer 9mm. I've been leaning toward the M&P9 since I already have a Shield 9mm and like the ergonomics of the M&P better than the Glock 17, which would be my other choice (not interested in XD etc). I love the Shield. It's a great gun and I haven't had any gripes with it. But in reading about the M&P9 full size online, including more recent posts that discuss the newer M&Ps that have stock barrel and trigger modifications, everyone still seems so negative about the accuracy of the M&P9, the trigger (which some say isn't any better than the old one), etc.

Do you M&P owners on INGO have the same gripes? Are these accuracy problems as widespread as the interwebs seem to claim? I just want to make sure I make a good investment and don't find myself stuck with trying to sell a gun with bad accuracy problems after trying it out.

I have 2 FS M&P9's, one 4.25" and one 5". Both are far more accurate than I (and I like to think I do alright). As far as the trigger, the 5" came with the "performance center sear", but I didn't see it as a significant improvement to the regular stock sear. Both pistols received the Apex treatment, a DCAEK on the 4.25" (my carry gun), and a CompAEK on the 5". IMO, the only negative about the M&P line are the stock triggers.

 

[rbMPSH12]

Both pistols received the Apex treatment

This is the thing I don't want to mess with. I was hoping that the new stock trigger would be exactly like my Shield trigger so I don't have to deal with the whole Apex thing. I'm fine with the Shield trigger, but it seems like people have been saying online that the new FS trigger is not really better than the old one.

 

[chezuki]

This is the thing I don't want to mess with. I was hoping that the new stock trigger would be exactly like my Shield trigger so I don't have to deal with the whole Apex thing. I'm fine with the Shield trigger, but it seems like people have been saying online that the new FS trigger is not really better than the old one.

I understand if you just don't want to mess with it, but the apex kits are cake to install and make really sweet shooters. You're welcome to try them both out if you're in the Indy area.

 

[Roadie]

This might be a good read for you..
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...ll-arms-why-i-jumped-off-glock-bandwagon.html

 

[MCgrease08]

Here's one in the classifieds with the improved trigger reset.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...w-m-p9-full-size-nib-unfired.html#post4573551

 

[223 Gunner]

I see a lot of them for sale. I had a Shield in 9mm, thought it was top heavy. Sold it, before the recall was ever issued.

 

[VERT]

Honestly it is all in what a person gets used to. I personally hate the M&P triggers. But I am used to a Glock or 1911 trigger. With the M&P there is so much take up that I tend to slam through the trigger and send the shots low and to the left. I have given the same gun to new shooters who do not have a preconcieved notion of what tne trigger is supposed to feel like and they shoot the gun just fine. My guess is that the Shield & full size will be fine.

 

[rbMPSH12]

Thanks for the input. I decided to give the M&P a try. I just like the design/feel of the M&P more than the Glock. I really want it to work out. I've just never really liked how Glocks feel in my hand. As long as the trigger is similar to my Shield and the accuracy is not clearly off, I think I'll be fine with it as is. I like the Shield trigger and shoot that gun well.

 

[in625shooter]

I have used 4 of them since 2007 and bought the most recent Oct of 2012. (2 9mm compacts, 1 9mm full size and 1 45 full size, 1 of the compacts I bought for my Daughter) All of the triggers are great. Not sure what some of the complaints are about but zero issues with the triggers or anything.
Chevy vs Ford I guess. Every make (unless a hand made custom gun) will have a couple with something wrong no matter how much quality piece they are.

I call it a gun hypochondriac. Where one person reads about someone exaggerating an issue they had with the same make of gun they have and by the end of the week on the internet 50 people have something wrong.

Like how a bunch of people "claimed" to have seen a Beretta M9 slide separate in the late 1980's in the military when it happened with only 6 M9's. Guess they all separated in front of a football stadium full of witnesses

 

[WebSnyper]

Honestly it is all in what a person gets used to. I personally hate the M&P triggers. But I am used to a Glock or 1911 trigger. With the M&P there is so much take up that I tend to slam through the trigger and send the shots low and to the left. I have given the same gun to new shooters who do not have a preconcieved notion of what tne trigger is supposed to feel like and they shoot the gun just fine. My guess is that the Shield & full size will be fine.

This was my problem when I picked up an M&P9c. I could not get used to the trigger to make the transition from Glock. Sold off the M&P and haven't looked back. The ergonomics seemed good and the pistol handled well, but even with a RAM kit installed, I missed the distinctive trigger reset of the Glock. Someone not trying to overcome that would likely be well served with an M&P.

 

[netsecurity]

I have an M&P9C (EDC), and had an M&P9 too (and plan on getting another with the new updates). They both are as accurate and have equivalent recoil to other top quality guns I own (like Glock, PPQ, 92fs, PX4, P95, etc.), which is to say they are more accurate than me (not to brag, but I shoot dime sized stickers at 10y routinely, so I'm not a terrible shot). The ergonomics are superior to most, and the finish is excellent. The design is about the simplest imaginable, and therefore easy to work on.

That simple design is the reason the trigger reset is not so great, which I consider the only (minor) flaw. I haven't tried the new triggers, but I never felt it was bad enough to replace on mine. It never affected performance, but I must admit that a tactile click feels better than a mushy one. But I like the glassy break of the M&P better than ANY other pistol I've ever shot, so the reset has never been a deal breaker for me.

 

[rbMPSH12]

Cool. Thanks for the responses everyone. It's good to see some people sharing positive experiences. It just seemed like almost everything I read was about the M&P was negative. But it makes sense that the trigger issue is exacerbated by people who just can't get away from the Glock trigger or another trigger. I have shot Glocks and like the trigger. But I have never owned one and I am totally fine with my Shield trigger. So I think the M&P will be fine for me.

 

[WebSnyper]

Cool. Thanks for the responses everyone. It's good to see some people sharing positive experiences. It just seemed like almost everything I read was about the M&P was negative. But it makes sense that the trigger issue is exacerbated by people who just can't get away from the Glock trigger or another trigger. I have shot Glocks and like the trigger. But I have never owned one and I am totally fine with my Shield trigger. So I think the M&P will be fine for me.

Very cool... let us know when you close the deal with that shady character you are buying from in the classifieds

 

[drillsgt]

I have used 4 of them since 2007 and bought the most recent Oct of 2012. (2 9mm compacts, 1 9mm full size and 1 45 full size, 1 of the compacts I bought for my Daughter) All of the triggers are great. Not sure what some of the complaints are about but zero issues with the triggers or anything.
Chevy vs Ford I guess. Every make (unless a hand made custom gun) will have a couple with something wrong no matter how much quality piece they are.

I call it a gun hypochondriac. Where one person reads about someone exaggerating an issue they had with the same make of gun they have and by the end of the week on the internet 50 people have something wrong.

Like how a bunch of people "claimed" to have seen a Beretta M9 slide separate in the late 1980's in the military when it happened with only 6 M9's. Guess they all separated in front of a football stadium full of witnesses

I didn't know it was so rare, I saw it while taking some 11C trainees to a fam fire at Benning. It's not that surprising when you see the condition of some of these weapons pool firearms that are used through basic training cycle after cycle though.

 

[venenoindy]

I just transition into a M&P fs pro from a G17, this is an older model (2010) and have not had any issues with it. Last time I was at the range I was pleasantly surprised when I cut off the center of my target (7 yds) so happy camper over here.

 

[esrice]

M&Ps are inaccurate? That's news to me. Never heard that complaint before.

And its not that the triggers are "bad", they're just not the Glock triggers that many of us are used to. Those of us that drop in the APEX stuff generally do so to get a "more Glock-like" trigger in our M&P.

 

[rbMPSH12]

M&Ps are inaccurate? That's news to me. Never heard that complaint before.

I was doing some research about the M&P and found a good number of accuracy complaints saying people couldn't get better than 7" or 8" groups at 25 yds while they could get 2" to 3" groups with their Glock, PPQ (or whatever other gun). It was hard to tell how many of the complaints were before the new barrel era. Supposedly there have been issues with the M&P barrel hood not being flush and moving around a little before the bullet exits the barrel and pushing shots off target. But then there are plenty of people, as we've seen on this thread, who say the M&P is just fine. It's always hard to tell with stuff on the internet. Usually people post complaints more than good experiences so it's probably a bit skewed.

 

[Txlur]

Yep. Just changed some of their barrel twists recently. There were well documented reports of terrible accuracy out past 15y or so. M4c has some decent threads with info - looks like they have it under control? Mags are still stupid hard to find in FS

Current production S&W M&P's (Update)

I do not own any MP series, so I can't comment on anything but dry fire, and .. eh.