most accurate 9mm pistol for the money, either stock or via upgrades

[808]

The M&P 9, not so much. But you can get an Apex trigger and barrel etc to vastly improve its accuracy.

No offense meant, but if you need a trigger kit to reduce the weight of the trigger pull to be more accurate, then you're not shooting right.

I have (and love) a stock S&W SD9 VE without the Apex trigger/spring upgrades, and I get 1.5-2" groupings doing the 10-10-10 drill (10 rounds, in 10 seconds, 10 yards). Just need to get used to the trigger reset on the firearm you have, and make acquisition part of your muscle memory. Then a trigger kit isn't valuable beyond the first round you squeeze off.

Yes, you can make an argument that the first round is the most important, but even that can be made accurate through practice and knowing your weapon.

All that said--Glock 17 Gen 5 or Sig Mk25 gets my vote. LOL

 

[dizzy]

The reasons Sig p210 and cz come up is because the slide ride on the inside of the rail as opposed to the outside. The p210 was in its day the most accurate duty 9 made
Cz copied down of its design simply for accuracy.

I believe cz is the most issued 9mm duty weapon...due to its reliability accuracy and ability to.shoot a wide variety of ammo very consistently.
You can find good and bad in all makes and models however formaccroas the board consistency today's CZ are hard to beat.

Fwiw I like HK and Sig

 

[Euro]

For the money people (like myself) get a Shadow 2 ($1200+), you can get something like a used M&P9 or .40 Pro series 5" (around $500-$600), add the apex trigger kit ($300) you really don't need it if you are a half decent shot. So that's $900 now, like the other $300 you can buy yourself ammo. The reason M&P gets a bad name is due to the Gen 1 early models, once the mid-late ones got the 1/10 twist rate things changed.

As for triggers, you place any STOCK gun in the hands of a professional shooter, be a M&P or a Shadow 2 tricked out to the balls and back, that professional shooter will hit the target. At the end of the day, you can't buy skill, practice, practice, practice.