M&Ps in IDPA last night

[Robb Jensen]

Congrats to Helmie of I-Shot!

Last night he won the IDPA match at Shooters Paradise in Woodbridge VA shooting an M&P. I placed 2nd in the match and I also used a M&P. I almost didn't shoot mine since I had been messing with the sights yesterday. I went early and shot it out to 15yds but brought along my G17 incase the M&P wasn't hitting well. The more and more I shoot the M&P the better it's feeling. As I've told people, I have 2.5K rounds through it so far and it's seems as natural as shooting my SA 1911 or STI 2011.

Scores are here (http://shootersparadise.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=664).

[M4arc]

Great job!

[ISHOT]

Thanks, brother. Chalk 2 up for the M&P ;)

On the flip side, I am pissed off at my new bad behavior of sending the slide home before the mag is properly sitted. I had that happen on stage 1 & 4. This is a very bad habit to pick up.

Back to the basics for me for the next few weeks :(

[Robb Jensen]

Thanks, brother. Chalk 2 up for the M&P ;)

On the flip side, I am pissed off at my new bad behavior of sending the slide home before the mag is properly sitted. I had that happen on stage 1 & 4. This is a very bad habit to pick up.

Back to the basics for me for the next few weeks :(

I did the exact same thing last night twice 1st and 3rd stage.. I slammed a reload into the magwell and sent the slide home on the 1st stage but it didn't scoop up a round so it went 'click' and then I slap, racked and fired. The 2nd time was on the 3rd stage and I didn't trust it after it went home so I racked it again and a loaded round did pop out that time. I think the only way to avoid it is to seat the magazine softer or somehow make the slide catch engage the slide more or increase its spring tension.

BTW I saw the SERT Cordora bag there last night too. I like those a lot and the color is awesome.

[matt7184]

Awesome job!

What sights are you running on it now?

[M4arc]

Not to get off topic here but does the M&P slide slam home if you slap a mag in it like the Glocks?

[Robb Jensen]

Not to get off topic here but does the M&P slide slam home if you slap a mag in it like the Glocks?

Yes but if not timed right it doesn't pick up the round.

[xpd54]

I had an M&P earlier this year that I was using for IPSC stuff and had problems with partially depleted magazines getting hung up and not dropping free. You guys having similiar problems?

[M4arc]

I had an M&P earlier this year that I was using for IPSC stuff and had problems with partially depleted magazines getting hung up and not dropping free. You guys having similiar problems?

I want to hear from GotM4 but I thought I'd add that the M&Ps I fondled at the gun shop, that had the mag safety, would not drop an empty mag. The two without the mag safety did drop them. Has anyone noticed this to be the case?

[Robb Jensen]

One of the things I love about the M&P and that the mags LAUNCH out of it when doing a mag change (with no mag safety). For me Glocks drop mags more slowly (especially if I use Pro-Grip or the mags have dust on them), so slowing that I usually am canting the gun and the first mag has just barely made it out.

Here's a pic of me shooting my old G34 at Area 8 this summer to show what I mean.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v408/gotm4/0e661e08.jpg

Back to the M&P:

It's most likely the mag safety holding the mags keeping them from coming out. I've replaced the the sear housing in my M&P9 (my IDPA and USPSA one) with a sear housing that doesn't have the mag safety but does have the internal takedown lever. I despise the mag safety so I've removed it completely from all four of my M&Ps.

You can remove it 2 ways:

Easy, no cost method----remove both levers, spring and pin and just leave them out.

Harder, $30 way----replace sear housing that only has takedown lever in it. Brownells has them.

[GlockWRX]

I actually rip the mag away when I do a reload on the Glock. I'm a lefty, but here is the process: press mag release with trigger finger, right hand slides down and grasps base of mag, mag is ripped out and dropped on the floor, right hand continues downward movement to mag pouch to complete reload.

Good news is that the mag gets out of there everytime BEFORE the new mag gets to the weapon; no stripping a mag out with a full one in your hand. Bad news is that it's just a little slower.

I had a G23 that would either fail to lock back sometimes, or would release the slide when I put a mag in too vigorously. It always grabbed a round, but I never trusted that it would every time. So, I enlarged the slide stop notch in the slide and gave it a slight rearward angle so that it made a very shallow hook. This solved the problem. Haven't had to do it on any of my 9mm Glocks.

[xpd54]

I was in a hurry last time I posted so let me clarify. The problem I was having was this: when the slide would go forward and strip a round off the top of the magazine, the secind roud down would also come forward enough so that it would get caught if you tried to drop the magazine.

I was trying to figure out what was happening, but I didn't stop to analyze what was going on. After shooting a couple local matches where this happened, I decided the next time it happened, I wouldn't grip and rip it. So when it did, I just stopped and took all the time in the world to examine what was happening and that's how I figured out what the deal was. An empty magazine would eject fine. A loaded magazine would eject fine as long as you hadn't started shooting.

[Robb Jensen]

Mine 9mm will drop partially loaded mags. I haven't tried that yet with the .40, only 9mm.

[xpd54]

Mine was a 40.

[M4arc]

GotM4 - What sights are you running on your M&Ps?

[Robb Jensen]

GotM4 - What sights are you running on your M&Ps?


Speed Shooter Specialties .125" wide fiber optic front and a Dan Burwell rear sight. I'm waiting for my .100" front which should be ready soon. It should be a tiny bit faster.

[Robb Jensen]

Another thing that makes a big difference (range only/match gun) is a 13lb Glock 17 Wolff recoil spring and Wolff Glock 17 recoil rod. Using Remington 147gr JHP subsonic makes it kick like a .22LR Ruger 22/45 with CCI Velocitor or Stinger ammo.

[Robb Jensen]

Speed Shooter Specialties .125" wide fiber optic front and a Dan Burwell rear sight. I'm waiting for my .100" front which should be ready soon. It should be a tiny bit faster.

When they all become available I'm going to try Warren Tactical, 10-8, Heinie and the final Burwells sights. I have a few of the early Burwell rears which don't completely cover the firing pin safety. I like them a lot and recommend them for competition, it's like a cross between a 10-8 and Heinie. For my use I would like the notch to be a tiny bit wider (like a race cut Heinie for a Glock or Warren rear) and I would prefer the bottom of the notch to be rounded like a 10-8 or Warren.

Using a wider rear and more narrow front you do give up a little accuracy for speed but for USPSA/IDPA that's fine because you aren't shooting for MOA you're shooting for minute of 'A zone' or minute of '-0'. This doesn't mean that they're inaccurate, quite the contrary. I can hit a standard pepper popper at 100yds and a little further 9 times out of 10 using a Glock 17/34 with Dawson .105" fiber front sight and a Warren rear sight.

[mark5pt56]

I was in a hurry last time I posted so let me clarify. The problem I was having was this: when the slide would go forward and strip a round off the top of the magazine, the secind roud down would also come forward enough so that it would get caught if you tried to drop the magazine.

I was trying to figure out what was happening, but I didn't stop to analyze what was going on. After shooting a couple local matches where this happened, I decided the next time it happened, I wouldn't grip and rip it. So when it did, I just stopped and took all the time in the world to examine what was happening and that's how I figured out what the deal was. An empty magazine would eject fine. A loaded magazine would eject fine as long as you hadn't started shooting.

If this is a new mag and the spring is strong you may have this because of the strong upward pressure on the rounds so when the one is stripped, it drags the other a little. If it only happens on the first round manually loaded-insure you work the slide smartly.

I forget you sells them, but I used to have the brass base plates for Glock mags-helps them out-that's out to the deck

[ISHOT]

Sorry for the delayed response....


Not to get off topic here but does the M&P slide slam home if you slap a mag in it like the Glocks?

Nope, not on mine.


I had an M&P earlier this year that I was using for IPSC stuff and had problems with partially depleted magazines getting hung up and not dropping free. You guys having similiar problems?

Luckily no. That would really slow down a Tac Reload. Like GotM4, I'm running the 9mm version and I've not had the opportunity to see if the 40 will behave otherwise.

I ordered mine direct from S&W and simply specified what I needed on it and that was no mag disco, factory night sights, ambi slide release assembly (Rev A) and in 9mm.

And luckily enough, I've had no problems with it. The stock springs work well for me, running 147gr TMJs from Atlanta Arms. I'm waiting to try out the new Templar Ridge 9mms reloads next.

I've had some Burwell magic on the trigger and the only thing I am looking forward to is the Warren Tactical set-up with a FO front. I've also requested several dozen of his Warren Tacticals in a dot-on-dot config a la Heinie.

Psyched to see there's a number of M&P owners here ;)

[Boris]

Helmie, you can add me to the list of M&P9 shooters this year for IDPA. I just picked mine up last night and am eagerly awaiting the first shots. Look forward to seeing you at the Indoor Regionals in 2007. Bring lots of ammo. :p

-Brandon

[Robb Jensen]

I placed 2nd in Production in Wed's USPSA match at Shooters Paradise in Woodbridge VA. This M&P is just rockin'! Todd Jarrett showed up too in Limited.

Todds running for Area 8 Director. I consider Todd Jarrett to be the best Open shooter in the world. Todd doesn't like how the sport is going which is toward more speed and not as much accuracy, so to protest he's shooting Limited.

I agree as I think the shots should be a lot harder and with more penalties for misses and hitting no-shoots. Right now I can't see myself ever shooting Open. I like open sights and don't mind having to reload my pistol.