Thoughts on the M9

We all know I picked up a Beretta M9 this past week. I bought it specifically because it was my issue weapon. For that reason, I did not want a 92FS. I did not buy this to be a target pistol, or a carry pistol. I bought it to have it. It's an easy-shooting gun, and it will see lots of range time. It will also be a "starter gun" when I take new shooters out and they're ready to move past the .22.

OK. That's out of the way. More disclaimers.

The Marine Corps never felt the need for me to shoot a pistol. The Army required me to qualify with it, but offered no instruction. That was fine, because our qualification course prior to deployment consisted of man-sized targets that popped up from very close out to 25 yards. The target popped up, you shot the target (anywhere), it fell down. I shot all the targets and they all fell down.

That was the extent of my work with the M9. I carried it every day in Iraq, yet it's the only one of the three weapons systems I signed for with which I never fired a shot.

So taking this to the range was an experience. First off, it shoots way better than minute-of-bad-guy. We can do single ragged holes at 15 yards. Beyond 15 yards, I'm not sure if it's me or the pistol, but the groups open up. I'm willing to take the hit for that, but I'd like to shoot it from a rest at some point.

I primarily shoot 1911s. My other 9mm is a compact, all-steel EAA Witness, so the M9 has a much different balance than I was used to. My first five or six shots were LOW. I corrected this without a problem, it was just an issue of different handling.

But the sights have me confused. You're going to have to forgive some bad photography here. I'm hoping Mr. Abby can do better with our point-and-shoot digital when he gets home.

This image is the rear sight on my 1911.



Shut up. I told you the picture sucked. OK. So what we do, as shooters, to achieve "good sight alignment," is line up the front sight post in the middle of this notch. Ideally, the top of the front sight post is even with top of the pillars on each side of the rear sight notch. And centered. The clear tip of the front sight post bisects that which we intend to hit. My 1911 has dots. When everything is correct, the three white dots line up straight across. Because I spent a buttload of money on this particular gun, they also glow. It's cool.

Now, a picture of the rear sight on the M9.



I do not get this rear sight. It's a half-circle, circle part down, and it's centered. Mr. Abby and I were talking about it, and he postulated, "well, you use the front sight dot and complete the circle."

Sounds good, but when you do that...well...suffice it to say you could shoot someone in the kneecap that way.

Here's a slightly-less-awful picture of the M9 front sight. All front sights look pretty similar.



This handgun shoots to point of aim very nicely. If you line up the front sight post and rear sight notch, and totally ignore the half-circle. I'm okay with that - paint is an aid, not a fundamental component of successful shooting. But I wish I understood the point of it. Is there a theory? Maybe someone will come along and explain it.

And yes - I propped the guns in a towel for photos. It's the best I could do. Yes - we have a vise. Three, in fact. But they're in the storage unit. Don't make me put up the pathetic picture of the storage unit again.