Range Report: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series C.O.R.E.

[Molon]

Range Report: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series C.O.R.E.







The Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series CORE pistol uses the same 4.25” barrel found in the standard M&P9. This pistol has a serial-number prefix of “HBL” and the factory test-fire date is 5/17/2013. This pistol came from the factory with one of the “single-dimple” barrels. I conducted a brief accuracy evaluation of this pistol at a distance of 25 yards shooting off of a bench with sandbags.

Control Ammunition. The ammunition used in this evaluation consisted of hand-loaded Hornady 124 grain FMJ-FP bullets (#35567B) with a nominal muzzle velocity of 1050 FPS. When fired from my 9mm test platform (a bench-rested Colt 6450 with a free-floated, stainless steel Noveske barrel with traditional rifling) this load consistently produces 10-shot groups at 25 yards that have extreme spreads of less than one inch. As an example, the 10-shot group pictured below has an extreme spread of 0.76”.










The M&P9 Pro Series CORE. I obtained a rough-zero for the M&P9 pistol at a distance of 7 yards. A 10-shot group fired at that distance formed one ragged hole. Moving the target stand back to the 25 yard line, the M&P9 turned in a 10-shot group that had an extreme spread of 2.31” (shown below).









After a couple of adjustments to the RMR07 sight, the M&P9 was shooting dead-on for a POA=POI zero at 25 yards. A 10-shot group fired on an NRA B-8 target produced a score of 100-7X. The extreme spread for this group was 2.33”.













I also tested some 147 grain loads using the factory “single-dimple” barrel. I started with a hand-load topped with Hornady’s 147 XTP projectile with a nominal muzzle velocity of 950 FPS. This load turned in a 10-shot group at 25 yards that had an extreme spread of 2.4”.

Next, I zeroed the sight for factory-loaded Federal 147 grain HST ammunition (P9HST2). This load produced a 25 yard group with an extreme spread of 4.6” (and a score of 96-3X.) This was a little disappointing, since the 147 grain HST load is my primary self-defense load. However, this is still a significant improvement over the 8” to 12” groups at 25 yards that people have reported with previous generations of the M&P9.








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[RWH24]

My M&P 9mm FS dated Sept 2013 with Trijicon HD Orange, Polished and APEX Duty Carry kit installed by Grant @ G&R,
147 GDHP @ 25 yds. Took photo upside down, actually a "6" not a 9. I think that is an 8" circle. Large target has numbers in large circles, letters in smaller circles.

Hits inside the 6 circle are from same magazine. Those outside were from smaller target nearby and a young female shooter.

[rauchman]

Molon, as always, an outstanding report.

Overall, did you like the pistol? Did you find it's accuracy acceptable? If not, the M&P, what service pistols do you find that offer a higher accuracy potential?

[Molon]

Overall, did you like the pistol? Did you find it's accuracy acceptable?

The grip fits my hand well and the location of the slide-stop/release does not interfere with the placement of my firing-hand thumb. Accuracy is certainly adequate for its intended role, but it is the least accurate double-stack 9mm that I own.

If not, the M&P, what service pistols do you find that offer a higher accuracy potential?

For out-of-the-box accuracy from a double-stack 9mm, it's hard to beat a SIG Sauer P226. The 10-shot group pictured below was fired from the bench at a distance of 25 yards from my P226 stainless using one of my 124 grain hand-loads. The group has an extreme spread of 1.03".













I've also been getting very good results with the new H&K VP9. The 10-shot group pictured below was also fired from the bench at a distance of 25 yards, using the same hand-load as above, from my VP9. The group has an extreme spread of 1.87".













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[RWH24]

Molon,
Great work you do and I appreciate the visuals you post.
With your Sig 226, Do you use a 6 o'clock hold or POA/POI?
Some people say their 226 is a 6 o"clock hold but most I remember
shooting was a POA/POI

Thanks Again Sir.

[KevinB]

Any plans to test a current gen CORE?

[plouffedaddy]

Range Report: Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series C.O.R.E.

The Smith & Wesson M&P9 Pro Series CORE pistol uses the same 4.25” barrel found in the standard M&P9. This pistol has a serial-number prefix of “HBL” and the factory test-fire date is 5/17/2013. This pistol came from the factory with one of the “single-dimple” barrels. I conducted a brief accuracy evaluation of this pistol at a distance of 25 yards shooting off of a bench with sandbags. Shooting was conducted with the pistol in its stock configuration, except for the mounting of a Trijicon RMR07 sight. (I did install an APEX trigger after the testing was completed, as you can see in the picture above.)

Control Ammunition. The ammunition used in this evaluation consisted of hand-loaded Hornady 124 grain FMJ-FP bullets (#35567B) with a nominal muzzle velocity of 1050 FPS. When fired from my 9mm test platform (a bench-rested Colt 6450 with a free-floated, stainless steel Noveske barrel with traditional rifling) this load consistently produces 10-shot groups at 25 yards that have extreme spreads of less than one inch. As an example, the 10-shot group pictured below has an extreme spread of 0.76”.

Prior to shooting the M&P9, I fired a 10-shot control group at 25 yards using another polymer-framed 9x19mm pistol that has previously proven to produce acceptable accuracy; a Springfield XD(M) with a 4.5” barrel. This pistol was also fired in its stock configuration, with the exception of mounting a Trijicon RMR07 sight. The 10-shot control group (pictured below) had an extreme spread of 1.92” and a score of 100-9X on the B-8 target.

The M&P9 Pro Series CORE. I obtained a rough-zero for the M&P9 pistol at a distance of 7 yards. A 10-shot group fired at that distance formed one ragged hole. Moving the target stand back to the 25 yard line, the M&P9 turned in a 10-shot group that had an extreme spread of 2.31” (shown below).

After a couple of adjustments to the RMR07 sight, the M&P9 was shooting dead-on for a POA=POI zero at 25 yards. A 10-shot group fired on an NRA B-8 target produced a score of 100-7X. The extreme spread for this group was 2.33”.


I also tested some 147 grain loads using the factory “single-dimple” barrel. I started with a hand-load topped with Hornady’s 147 XTP projectile with a nominal muzzle velocity of 950 FPS. This load turned in a 10-shot group at 25 yards that had an extreme spread of 2.4”.

Next, I zeroed the sight for factory-loaded Federal 147 grain HST ammunition (P9HST2). This load produced a 25 yard group with an extreme spread of 4.6” (and a score of 96-3X.) This was a little disappointing, since the 147 grain HST load is my primary self-defense load. However, this is still a significant improvement over the 8” to 12” groups at 25 yards that people have reported with previous generations of the M&P9.


….

Great report. I have a 5'' with an RM06. I'll do a review of it one of these days but I was consistently hitting a 8x11'' plate at 150m in the video (9 out of the first 10 in fact) with 115gr. My last two M&P9 variants have both had good accuracy so it seems they've improved their earlier accuracy issues.

[Molon]

With your Sig 226, Do you use a 6 o'clock hold or POA/POI?

I replaced the factory installed sights for a combination that gives me POA = POI using the top of the front sight blade (not the dot.)


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[Molon]

Any plans to test a current gen CORE?

Probably not, although if APEX every actually brings their barrel to the market I might test that.


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[Sam]

Question for the original poster Molon:

Well, first the comment. Good shooting and good accuracy there.

Now the question. Have you done any timed fire including the draw from the holster? I'm curious in the red dot sight's acquisition speed. What's the time to draw and hit an 8" circle at 7 yards?