S&W Shield 9EZ shoots low

C

ciwsguy

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Does anyone else with the 9EZ have this issue? Before anyone replies it’s the way the shooter holds or fires the gun that causes that, Please be assured I’ve removed that as a possibility from the equation. I use dead hold method for this gun. Other semi autos I own and shoot hit at point of aim.
At 10 yards, my EZ shoots several inches low. The gun is drift adjustable only and S&W customer service tells me they offer no different sights for this gun.
So does anyone else have this issue with their S&W M&P Shield 9EZ?
Wondering....
 
By "dead hold", do you mean you align the tops of the front and rear sights in the middle of the bullseye or do you align the dots of the sights on the bullseye?

Here's an idea. If you have some dial calipers, you can measure the front and rear sight heights and compare to a set of Dawson fixed sights for the original Shield:

https://dawsonprecision.com/dawson-precision-s-w-m-p-shield-fixed-carry-sight-set-black-rear-fiber-optic-front/
•Dawson Carry Black Fixed Rear Sight .245 Tall x .125 Notch Width
•Dawson Fiber Optic Front Sight .160 Tall x .100 Wide

I'm not exactly where they measure from, and I'm assuming they haven't changed the sight height / dovetail cut, but see if the front to rear sight height ratio is similar, or if the actual heights are similar between your factory sights and the Dawson sights, you'll know if the sight heights are the problem.

That being said, I know that every time *I* switch to a gun that's got a different trigger or radically different sights or grip shape, it takes a bit of frustration and a few range sessions to get used to. I have a revolver that has weird sights - an XS big dot front in an original milled j-frame sight. I had to hold the tops of the rear notch 2/3 of the way up the tritium front sight to hit point of aim. Bizarre. Until I knew this I was hitting nice groups, just a bit high.

You could call S&W and ask them their factory sight heights, explaining your situation. Then measure yours and compare.

And if that fails: https://dawsonprecision.com/s-w-m-p-shield-fiber-optic-front-sights/ you could custom order a front sight height. It's not expensive. This is assuming S&W has kept the dovetail cut the same from the Shield 9 to the Shield 9 EZ, which I can't think of why they would need to spend the money to change things. You would use the calculator on the web page. I'd just make sure the shooting low isn't from anticipation or else when you finally get comfy with the pistol the groups would be off again. Good luck
 
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I had the .380 EZ and it was dead on with the standard 95 gr FMJ. I never got to physically compare the 9mm EZ with the .380 EZ, but externally they appeared to share the same frame and slide. I wonder if S&W used the same regulated sights from the .380 on the 9mm model and would that account for the different point of impact? Not sure but just brain (or brainless ) storming.
 
Dead hold is front sight bullseye directly over target bullseye.
I’ve heard it said that some Guns just shoot low, so maybe I one that does shoot low.
Interesting that the shield 380 EZ I own shoots to POA, front sight bullseye over target bullseye. This has got to be the gun.
 
I just ordered some Dawson FO sights for my Kahr. They state to measure from the top of the slide to the top of the front sight. They have a chart where you can enter the distance to the target and the correction for the POI and they can estimate the correct height for the sight.
 
Going from 115, to 124, to 147 gr. should bring point of impact up gradually, as heavier rounds are slower and tend to ride the recoil a hair longer than the lighter faster rounds. You tried different weights and found no difference?
 
1. You’re not crazy
2. Check the effect of ammo weight. Try the heavy stuff.
3. To raise Point of Impact raise rear sight or lower front sight.

It’s a case of similar triangles...

Sight change/sight radius = poi change/ target distance
Sight change = poi change / target distance x sight radius

The sight radius for you pistol I ESTIMATE is 6 inches. You need to measure! I will work out the math for a rough estimate below.

Sight radius = 6 inch *
Poi change = 3 inch (we’re moving your group up 3 inch)
Target distance= 10 yards x 3 ft/yard x 12 inch/foot = 360 inches

Sight change = 3/360 x 6 = .05 inches

Since we are using the handy American system, that’s a hair less than 1/16 inch. (13/64). The rest of the world laughs, so much easier in the metric system!

So, once convinced, slowly file off .05 inches from the front sight. It’s easier to file some off than file it back on, so GO SLOW!

As a point of reference, a us dime (10cent) coin is .053 inches

I would file off half a dime thickness, and go to the range and see how it shoots.

4. I had a S&W .45 acp my dad gave me that shot so low I had to file the entire front sight off! Then I re-contoured the shroud, filing off vast amounts but leaving a front sight after a heck of a masterful job using files and wishing I had an end mill.

5. This is an easy job, you can do it! Check with heavy ammo first though!
 
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When I need to determine exactly where the pistol shoots, I shoot off of sandbags. That eliminates (mostly) any inaccuracy caused by me. If the OP hasn’t done that, then he needs to. I say that because of my oldest Son in Law, who shoots low. He just does, no matter what I suggest. Some people pull left, some shoot to the right.

I’m not knocking the OP’s shooting or shooting style. Just saying that shooting off the sandbags will eliminate a lot of shooter ‘input’.
 
stinkeypete said:
1. You’re not crazy
2. Check the effect of ammo weight. Try the heavy stuff.
3. To raise Point of Impact raise rear sight or lower front sight.

It’s a case of similar triangles...

Sight change/sight radius = poi change/ target distance
Sight change = poi change / target distance x sight radius

The sight radius for you pistol I ESTIMATE is 6 inches. You need to measure! I will work out the math for a rough estimate below.

Sight radius = 6 inch *
Poi change = 3 inch (we’re moving your group up 3 inch)
Target distance= 10 yards x 3 ft/yard x 12 inch/foot = 360 inches

Sight change = 3/360 x 6 = .05 inches

Since we are using the handy American system, that’s a hair less than 1/16 inch. (13/64). The rest of the world laughs, so much easier in the metric system!

So, once convinced, slowly file off .05 inches from the front sight. It’s easier to file some off than file it back on, so GO SLOW!

As a point of reference, a us dime (10cent) coin is .053 inches

I would file off half a dime thickness, and go to the range and see how it shoots.

4. I had a S&W .45 acp my dad gave me that shot so low I had to file the entire front sight off! Then I re-contoured the shroud, filing off vast amounts but leaving a front sight after a heck of a masterful job using files and wishing I had an end mill.

5. This is an easy job, you can do it! Check with heavy ammo first though!
Click to expand...


This is well done, but the OP seems to indicate his group is 6” low, not 3”. I’m assuming he meant that center to center. That’s fine we just double the estimate and end up at 0.1”. I will say, that’s quite a bit in my experience.


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I don't know about your S&W pistol, but S&W went to combat sights with the M&P line. People not used to it shoot low as you described.

Combat sights
2020-05-30%2000.41.14.jpg


Other sight pictures
1580865638622-901467885.jpg
 
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I just checked and dawson carrys various height Fiber Optic sights for the Shield. Pretty sure the dovetails are the same on the shield and EZ series.
I just got mine for the Kahr and with minor fitting it went on smoothly. They even provide the aluminum punch to install.
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My EZ shoots directly to POI.
At 30' it will be very unlikely that bullet weight will effect impact.
Have another shooter verify your concerns. As an RSO I have had literally hundreds iof guns handed to me that shoot anywhere but dead on. The first thing I do is look at the sights to make sure they are centered. Then fire a few rounds. The majority of the time at 30' it is the shooter, not the gun. Once my customer knows their gun is sighted correctly, they usually concentrate on the basics and their groups improve.
 
My 9mm EZ shoots low. S&W screw up but they won't fix it. Don't offer any other sights for it. Just more Crappy S&W quality.
 
Most prolly shoot dead on or close enough but mine doesn't, they should have repaired it on warranty but screw me. It prolly needs a new slide and bbl.
 
Highvalleyranch poked fun at my comments on shooting off sandbags. But, there’s no better way to steady your hands and gun. I use the bags till I have the sights set right, then shoot it ‘bag less’.

A SiL, possibly the worst shot I know, always shot low and griped about the sights. I took the pistol and used the sandbags and it shot great. Wasn’t the pistol. It was user error.

Try the sandbags. Remove user error from the equation.
 
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