M&P Full Size 1.0 9mm Accuracy

10? Try more like 12+ on a lot of them.

10, 12... my first handgun after I got my MA license was an M&P (because Glocks were illegal, you know) and even I knew that you had to factor in the cost of a new trigger when buying one. It was a sub $400 piece of plastic. I get that the trigger sucks, that’s not in dispute, but anyone who’s surprised at it doesn’t know much about the gun they’re getting into.
 
From everything that I have read there were many M&P9 in the first gen that had horrendous accuracy issues. Also the 10lb plus trigger. This was supposedly a quality control issue at Smith. The other story that I've read often is that they were running the "cutters " for the barrel way longer then they should have instead of replacing them. This was an effort to save money. If you think about it most people don't shoot there guns enough to notice a difference. I have an M&P 40 fs 1st gen. The accuracy on that gun has been second to none. The accuracy gods smiled upon that one. Hopefully they make it right for you.
 
From everything that I have read there were many M&P9 in the first gen that had horrendous accuracy issues. Also the 10lb plus trigger. This was supposedly a quality control issue at Smith. The other story that I've read often is that they were running the "cutters " for the barrel way longer then they should have instead of replacing them. This was an effort to save money. If you think about it most people don't shoot there guns enough to notice a difference. I have an M&P 40 fs 1st gen. The accuracy on that gun has been second to none. The accuracy gods smiled upon that one. Hopefully they make it right for you.

Thanks for the input! Good to know that there are 1st gen makes out there that were done right. I'll fix the trigger by myself for sure, but if the barrel comes back still inaccurate I'll be selling it to someone who wants to deal with it instead.
 
UPDATE:

They found no issues with the firearm's barrel, they adjusted my sights, and are sending the firearm back finding no issues with the barrel.

Very disappointing.
 
if a barrel is shot out it will start to tumble not just become less accurate I'd think. There's a local guy who shot over 100k from an MP pro in uspsa before it started to tumble.
 
UPDATE:

They found no issues with the firearm's barrel, they adjusted my sights, and are sending the firearm back finding no issues with the barrel.

Very disappointing.

Lol not shocked, S&W CS has slipped enormously over the past decade or so. Frankly on a gun that old if they had any stones they should have just taken it in and given you a new 2.0
instead. Then again this is an industry wide thing anyways. The problem is the hardcore block of gun enthusiasts which dominated the commercial pool of gun buyers (eg, non LE, non mil, etc. ) no longer dominated the buyers bloc anymore after Obama got into office. Smith figured this out, which is why they don't polish peoples nuts anymore on repairs and offer factory
tours anymore.
 
All my 1st gen m&p's got an aftermarket barrel (kkm or storm lake), trijicon hd night sights, apex duty/carry kits, Apex glock style triggers because I hate the hinge thing,, and I put the free state housings in so I could delete the mag disconnects. Also put the latest/upgraded versions of the slide stops in, and updated some of my mag followers from my old 9 and .40 mags, as there were updates to them over the years. I also did stippled grip inserts on them and shaved and smoothed the transition on the bottoms of the trigger guard a bit because they rub my middle finger something wicked. I won't get rid of them now because they are everything they should have been lol. I have a free state 5" m&p 2.0 9mm that I didn't do anything to except change the sights because of preference, the free state 2.0's are legit, still has the hinged trigger but the pull and reset are much improved and the grip ergonomics and texture are much better and the barrels are fixed.
 
Last edited:
if a barrel is shot out it will start to tumble not just become less accurate I'd think. There's a local guy who shot over 100k from an MP pro in uspsa before it started to tumble.

.....Wow, that is incredible, 100,000 rounds through one barrel?? Yeah, I mean this gun literally doesn't hit a 5x3 target at 25 feet. Absolute trash.

All my 1st gen m&p's got an aftermarket barrel, apex duty/carry kit, they're glock style trigger, and I put the free state housing in so I could delete the mag disconnects. Also put the latest/upgraded versions of the slide stops in, and updated some of my mag followers from my old 9 and .40 mags, as there were updates to them over the years.

Well, I learned my lesson on impulse gun buys. I had figured for $350 it would be nice to have a full size firearm for the range, but wasn't planning on putting $100-300 into it. I guess it'll just sit in the safe until I feel like doing so. I would've really appreciate Smith & Wesson to do more than "adjust" my iron sights. What a joke. I've found 1 or 2 articles and I've read 3-4 threads about them replacing barrels for customers if they can find that the barrel displays issues such as what I provided.
 
Well, I learned my lesson on impulse gun buys. I had figured for $350 it would be nice to have a full size firearm for the range, but wasn't planning on putting $100-300 into it. I guess it'll just sit in the safe until I feel like doing so. I would've really appreciate Smith & Wesson to do more than "adjust" my iron sights. What a joke. I've found 1 or 2 articles and I've read 3-4 threads about them replacing barrels for customers if they can find that the barrel displays issues such as what I provided.

So when shall we see a WTS “Like New M&P 9, Full-Size less than 100 rounds through it...” $500 add? 🤣
 
.....Wow, that is incredible, 100,000 rounds through one barrel?? Yeah, I mean this gun literally doesn't hit a 5x3 target at 25 feet. Absolute trash.



Well, I learned my lesson on impulse gun buys. I had figured for $350 it would be nice to have a full size firearm for the range, but wasn't planning on putting $100-300 into it. I guess it'll just sit in the safe until I feel like doing so. I would've really appreciate Smith & Wesson to do more than "adjust" my iron sights. What a joke. I've found 1 or 2 articles and I've read 3-4 threads about them replacing barrels for customers if they can find that the barrel displays issues such as what I provided.
You can get a barrel for it pretty cheap just gotta look around, check ebay, etc. You could also just switch out the trigger parts for free state parts, much cheaper than an apex kit.
 
OP: if you’re interested in meeting up, you can drop my factory barrel into your gun to see if results are reproducible. Also try various manufacturer ammo, as maybe there is one brand it just prefers over others. (If my factory barrel shoots fine for you I’m open to considering selling it)

just like others, they are best with a little work done to them 😉. Dragonfly slide cuts, stippling and cerakote was done by previous owner. Apex Trigger/springs, Blacklist barrel, 2.0 back-strap were additional upgrades.

26F5660E-7C4C-4482-927A-27865F405135.jpeg
 
if a barrel is shot out it will start to tumble not just become less accurate I'd think. There's a local guy who shot over 100k from an MP pro in uspsa before it started to tumble.
Depends on if you f*** up cleaning it tho. I've had guns where people thought jam it down the barrel you're fine....
 
.....Wow, that is incredible, 100,000 rounds through one barrel?? Yeah, I mean this gun literally doesn't hit a 5x3 target at 25 feet. Absolute trash.



Well, I learned my lesson on impulse gun buys. I had figured for $350 it would be nice to have a full size firearm for the range, but wasn't planning on putting $100-300 into it. I guess it'll just sit in the safe until I feel like doing so. I would've really appreciate Smith & Wesson to do more than "adjust" my iron sights. What a joke. I've found 1 or 2 articles and I've read 3-4 threads about them replacing barrels for customers if they can find that the barrel displays issues such as what I provided.
350... buy a canik better guns all around
 
A lot of the early M&P were pretty f***ed up. Their glock 34 knockoff (m&p 9 pro) had massive sight dovetail problems amongst other things. On the .40s, the mags fell out. Hell at the rental range at S&W one of the two rental guns we had for the NES tour the magazines were falling out while shooting....

I have one of those M&P 9Ls. They are weird. You can physically feel the slide cycling back and forth almost like a Mk19 bolt. Contrast that with my gen 4 Glock 34 with the lightening cuts on the top and it is a completely different feel for a similiar is specs pistol.

Oddly enough I shoot my 1st gen M&P 9C better than my Glock 19. My 1st gen M&P 9 is good too, but I stuck an Apex kit in it early on. Have had zero problems with them though. Haven't shot them in ages though as I've transitioned to Glock 43/26/19 for carry, but will likely turn the 43 and 26 into a P365.
 
OP: if you’re interested in meeting up, you can drop my factory barrel into your gun to see if results are reproducible. Also try various manufacturer ammo, as maybe there is one brand it just prefers over others. (If my factory barrel shoots fine for you I’m open to considering selling it)

just like others, they are best with a little work done to them 😉. Dragonfly slide cuts, stippling and cerakote was done by previous owner. Apex Trigger/springs, Blacklist barrel, 2.0 back-strap were additional upgrades.

View attachment 409573

That's very kind of you, I'll reach out for sure when I get my firearm back. I can't justify a trigger upgrade until I see the firearm perform with a fixed barrel, was hoping S&W would help achieve that. I'd absolutely purchase the barrel after seeing the firearm actually hit a piece of paper.


So when shall we see a WTS “Like New M&P 9, Full-Size less than 100 rounds through it...” $500 add? 🤣

Haha, I wouldn't do that, just wouldn't be fair. I'd for sure let it go for what I paid but if all it needs is a better barrel I'd be happy.
 
I had a gen 1 m&p, and I replaced some trigger parts with the Apex kit, and it really improved the trigger pull for me.
 
I did my trigger on my M&P 1st gen before the apex triggers came out. I ran out after the first range trip and found a smith that would/could do one. He did a little too much, it breaks like a well used cocked back revolver, and it has a very short reset. I'm used to it but everybody I've let try it ends up double tapping the first few shots. I'll probably end up dropping in an apex kit because I also hate that hinged trigger.
I have not had any accuracy issues. I've maxed out my indoor range, I'd say it's 25-30 yards. Never measured the groups tho.
 
I have had a bone stock M&P 9 full size since 2008. I've never kept track, but easily over five thousand rounds through it.

No problems shooting out the center of a target at 15 yards. Recreational plinking at 50-100 yards is good to go.

I've read about these Gen 1 issues and it seems I got lucky with both this pistol and my gen 1 M&P 45. No rust problems or trigger problems either!
 
Back
Top Bottom