“My interest in purchasing an AR plinker spiked (no pun intended) during the 2009 SHOT show held in Orlando last January. It was exciting to see new offering by SIG and other manufacturers.”
I was ready to place my SIG order early on, but after several months and no clear release date, I decided to simply add my name to a waiting list. During the interim I’d become less patient and begun looking at alternative AR rimfire rifles that were currently available in the marketplace.
Tactical Solution’s and Spike’s build excellent dedicated AR rimfire rifles and uppers, but I didn’t want to invest that much money into a plinker, nor did the conversion kits interest me. The GSG5 and GSG AK-47 are pretty neat, but for some reason they don’t appeal to me enough to purchase one.
A process of elimination narrowed down my remaining choices to the Colt line (I like the OPS) and S&W M&P. I’ve read enthusiastic reviews about both and they seem to be an immediate hit with shooters who have purchased them. I had the opportunity to handle both manufacturers models at a local gun shop however they’re quiet pricey in our area. Based upon my inspection, reviews and owner feedback in several online forums, I decided the M&P was the most suitable for my plinking needs, and well under my budget, even after accessorizing. My Colt and S&W comparison information (PDF file) can be viewed coltsw
My price comparisons suggest that it’s a good deal less expensive ($150-$175) than the Colt, weighs less, has more functional AR-like controls, the trigger group can be changed if desired, has a removable bolt assembly (for easy cleaning), and is manufactured in the USA by a company that stands behind its product.
So, about two weeks ago I contacted my dealer, Donna at DB Flanagan’s Gun Shop, and requested that she give my spot on the SIG 522 waiting list to a deserving soul. I placed an order for the M&P15-22, which she located very quickly for me. If you’re a SIG fan you may know Donna (MississippiGal) from over at the SIG forum. She’s terrific to work with and very competitive with pricing on many brands.
The M&P arrived last week. When you pick it up it feels solid, but it’s also relatively light given the polymer upper and lower receiver, and quad rail. The quad rail and buffer tube for the adjustable stock are not removable. It’s my understanding that the stock can be replaced with any mil-spec variant.
I’ve also read that future variations of the M&P may include a threaded barrel. If you decide that you want to thread this one, the removal procedure is different then you would encounter on a standard AR. There’s more information here.
As with all new arms, I prefer to fieldstrip and clean them prior to shooting. If you own an AR you’re already familiar with the simple breakdown procedure. The only difference in the process with the M&P occurs at the very end of the sequence. With a standard AR you slip the bolt carrier group and charging handle out of the receiver. With the M&P15-22, you slip the bolt ASSEMBLY and charging handle out of the receiver. The functional charging handle appears to be polymer with a metal latch, and is shorter than the handle found on a standard AR.
It’s very easy to clean the bolt assembly once it’s removed from the upper receiver. And with the assembly removed, like a standard AR, the barrel is much easier to access and clean from the chamber end. I use an Otis Cleaning System with flexible cable on almost all of my pistols and rifles. If you prefer to use something like a boresnake or traditional cleaning equipment, they should work fine too.
Bolt Assembly & Charging Handle
Accessories
I decided to install a few parts I had on hand from an old AR build and add a few new accessories I ordered while waiting on the rifle to arrive.
Boone Packer Tactical Quick Adjust Sling
ERGO Sure Pistol Grip
ERGO Low-Profile Rail Covers
Ergo Rail Mount Sling Swivel
Primary Arms Red Dot Optic (M4)
ProMag VFG
ProMag AR15/M4 buttpad
Aftermarket Grip & Fit Information
If you plan to replace the OE grip you’ll need a long-reach 3/16” Allen wrench to remove the mounting bolt inside the grip. I utilized a ball-end 3/16” long-reach Allen wrench that came with my Knoxx Spec Op Stock for my Remington 870 which worked quite well.
I decided to replace the OE pistol grip with an Ergo Sure Grip I had on hand as shown in the photos. Once installed, I discovered that the upper portion of the grip (at web of hand when holding grip) does not snug up tightly to the lower receiver like it normally would on a standard AR15. Instead, there’s a small gap between the receiver and grip. It’s not too noticeable unless you know it’s there, nor is it a hindrance when handling or shooting the rifle. The gap does not affect the installation in any other way; the grip is held firmly in place once installed.
It is my understanding that the gap is also an issue with the Magpul MOE grip. This suggests there may be some slight differences in the M&P15-22 and standard M&P15 design.
If you wish to simply avoid the issue with the gap use a grip that does not have a backstrap, such as a Hogue or Tango Down Battle grip.
Primary Arms Red Dot M4 Information
The Primary Arms Red Dot M4 is popular with members of the AR forum. The red dot works well and is under $100 delivered. An AR rail mount is included, it co-witnesses with the irons, runs on one AA battery, offers 4 reticules, including a 2MOA dot. The company provides excellent customer service.
I wish the quality of the photos were better, but unfortunately I don’t have the best camera and it rained and or was mostly overcast and cloudy all weekend.
Range Session
My primary goal on this first outing was to test the reliability of the rifle with different types of ammunition and to sight-in the irons and red dot. Given the limited time I had to shoot this weekend, determining accuracy was only a secondary concern.
There were no compatibility issues with the quad rails and accessories (red dot, grip bi-pod, rail covers and VFG) I mounted. Although the rails are polymer they appear to be sturdy.
The backstop is approximately 60’ on this range. Even at that distance, with my older eyes, precision shooting can be challenging with open sights or a red dot. Of course, this isn’t a target rifle, but we all strive to shoot the best we can.
During this session I shot approximately 75-100 rounds of each of the following:
CCI Mini-Mag 40 grain CPRN HV (0030)
CCI Standard Velocity 40 grain LRN (0032)
Federal 36 grain CPHP (550 VP)
Federal Champion 40 grain SP (510)
Federal Auto-Match 40 grain SP (AM22)
Winchester Super-X 40 grain HV (X22LR)
Remington Gold Box 36 grain HP
When I pulled the trigger on the M&P15-22 the first few times it was an odd feeling. I felt somewhat bewildered and disappointed. If you own or have ever shot an AR15 you’ll understand what I mean. With the real deal you have the expectation and satisfaction of some healthy pushback and recoil. That’s not the case with the M&P15-22; there is minimal pushback, recoil and report.
The good news is that you won’t feel bad for very long. As you continue shooting your disappointment will turn into glee when you realize how much fun you’re having and how little money you’re spending on ammo. You’ll still be standing at the firing line long after the shooter next to you runs out of centerfire ammunition and heads home.
The trigger pull is perfectly adequate; no better or worse than what you would expect to find in a standard USGI equipped mil-spec trigger group, however if desired, the fire control group can be upgraded.
After sight-in, I shot offhand for a little while with open sights. Later in the session I mounted the red dot and grip bi-pod (shown in photo) and shot off of a bench, standing up. Although the magazine is long it did not present a problem shooting off the bench in this manner.
Rapid fire is not allowed at this range so I fired one round approximately each second or two until I emptied the magazine. Interestingly, during the session I inadvertently bump-fired the rifle two or three times with 2-3 round bursts. That was kind of cool and no one seemed to notice or at least no one said anything.
Range Session Results
M&P15-22
Cumulatively, I expended approximately six hundred rounds and experienced zero issues with the rifle.
Magazine
The proprietary 25-round polymer magazine appears durable and of good quality. It functioned perfectly as long as you followed the loading (one round at a time) instructions outlined in the manual.
Once you’ve loaded it a few times the process goes quickly, but I must admit, after reloading this many times during one session my thumb and index finger became a little sore while holding down the load assist button exposed on each side of the magazine follower.
The magazine bolt hold back feature worked fine. Each time the magazine expended the last round the bolt held in the open position.
Spare magazines were not available when I purchased my M&P, but my dealer backordered two for me for $46, including shipping. At about $20 each they’re very reasonably priced and also available through Smith & Wesson.
I understand that 10-round magazines will be available soon to meet compliance issues in states that do not allow hi-cap magazines for about the same price. (8/29 update on 10-round mags. S&W reports they will not be available to for at least 3 months.)
Ammunition Reliability
With the exception of Remington Gold Box all of the ammunition functioned without issue. I had at least one round of Remington GB in each of 4 magazine reloads that failed to fire and had to be manually ejected. I wasn’t surprised given my past experience with it and its mediocre performance.
The target below has five 7.5” outer rings. Each outer ring has a number eight (black) 3” inner ring. The lower rings were used to sight in the red dot and open sights. This is one of two targets that I used during the range session.
I did not clean the rifle during the range session however when I did get to it later in the day not surprisingly it was very dirty. I also decided to disassemble and clean the magazine which was quite simple with the instructions outlined in the manual.
M&P15-22 Specifications
SKU: 811030
Model: M&P15
Caliber: .22LR
Capacity: 25 Rounds
Action: Blow Back Semi-Auto
Overall Length: 33.75″ Extended, 30.5″ Collapsed
Stock: 6 Position CAR Stock
Sight Radius: 15.5″
Barrel Length: 16″
Barrel Twist: 1 in 16″
Weight (No Mag.): 5.5 lbs.
Trigger Pull: 7 lbs. (approx.)
Upper and Lower Material: Polymer
Barrel Material: 4140 Steel
Finish: Matte Black
Front Sight: Adj. A2 Post
Rear Sight: Adj. Dual Aperture
Summary
It’s a terrific little rifle for the price, reliable and plenty of fun to shoot. I think it would be a very good investment for any parent who wanted to introduce a child to shooting sports. The tactical look has that cool factor that most kids enjoy and there isn’t much more fun then shooting with your kids or family. Or, you can just purchase one for yourself like I did and invite your dad along.
This review written and authorized by EAJ702 over at thefiringline forums.
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Pingback: SayUncle » Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Review
Thanks for a good review. My only comment is “LOL” with regards to “healthy pushback and recoil” from an AR-15. I was reminded of a YouTube video with some furriners who had never touched/fired guns before . . . a grown man screamed and dropped his AR in terror at the first shot.
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I would like to know what is wrong with mine.got 2 weeks ago jam ALL f the time,,,very disapointed
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What ammo are you using in yours?
22lr in general is very picky no matter what platform you have. For instance I purchased bulk box Remington and they jam every 2 rounds in my RugerMKII, Ruger Standard, and P22. Now that same ammo in my bolt action Marlin81dl is the most accurate ammo I have used. I have found CCI Minimag to be the best 22LR ammo for auto feeders but I realize they tend to be a bit more expensive. Now I have had great success with federal bulk box in my auto feeders.
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How would I go about upgrading the fire control group on my S&W MP15-22?
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Max this is not true about 22LR and bolt actions at least by my experience. I have some blazer bulk box and in my bolt actions it is like shooting buckshot out of a 12 gauge, literally all over the place.
We agree on the other points, 22LR ammo in auto feeders make all the world of difference in the accuracy and how well it feeds. If changing out the ammo does not fix your problem call S&W they will surely help you resolve your issue. S&W customer service is the measuring stick for all other companies to try and immulate.
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This is one super sweet fun shooting rifle. I have already taken the liberty of making some mods to a nearly perfect system.
Added threaded Flash suppressor.
Scope, with quick release with added riser to make co-witness to “iron” sights.
Made restrictors for mags, so they are 10 round compliant.
Added Free-Float Handguard. I’ll just keep the scope on.
I want to find that cool, suppressor looking, barrel extension in the pic at the top of this blog.
Only use high quality, high velocity ammo. If you don’t you will wind up not liking this rifle.
Also, keep down pressure when loading the magazine. Use the “load assist button” very lightly. if you don’t keep pressure, the bullets might not load properly into the mag, then not feed properly out of the mag.
Best wishes, keep safe and have fun.
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Have you found a way to remove the quad rail forend/hand guard for cleaning the barrel ?
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Great Review. Found it very useful. Did a lot of search on the web for an identical fore grip with integrated bipod. Can you provide more details on who carries the accessory. Found ProMagVFP but no integrted bipod.Thanks for your help
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I got my M&P 15 22 for my birthday. I expected some reliability issues but was surprised to only get 2 malfunctions within about 300 rounds. In both instances, the round stood straight up in the mag and never engaged the barrel. I think it was my own failure to load the magazine properly that caused the issue.
Needless to say. It performed well and made for a good day at the range.
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You can’t shoot hollow point ammo through a autoloading rifle, it usually works halfway ok through a ruger 10-22 but the Smith and Wesson 15-22 jams every other shot. Use standard ball ammo and you will shoot fine.
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I’ve put about 500 rounds through mine. If I attempt to fire it rapidly, I can almost guarantee a jam. Otherwise, it’s ok. The bolt hasn’t held open after the last round every time either. I’ve fired all kinds of ammo through it. The jamming simply happens more frequently than I think it should for a $500 .22 rifle. I read reviews suggesting the price was reasonable. Comparably speaking, maybe it is when compared with similar type firearms. However, for $500.00, for a .22, I think I should get a rifle that jams one or twice every three to five hundred rounds, if that. Call me unrealistic, but that’s what I think.
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I’ve got a little over four bills invested in my 15-22, and find that it performs flawlessly with American Eagle 38 grain copper plated hollow points. This bad boy definitely rules the roost in the 22 caliber AR platform henhouse. Untouchable performance and build quality for the money. Very tempted to get another one and put a scope on it…..I like it that much.
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Justacouplatips….
Clean the cosmoline preservative out of the barrel and chamber before firing your new 15-22. Splash a little Rem-Oil on the rails and run a wet patched cleaning rod through the chamber before each range session. Common sense dictates that one shouldn’t expect reliable performance from a blowback operated weapon until after it has been properly cleaned and lubricated. Use hard copper plated bullets, and if you stay away from those soft lead “greasy kid stuff” slugs, your rifle should be good to go.
Ankle deep in hot brass….
WB
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DO NOT USE HOLLOW POINT AMMO! I got mine for Christmas and shot the first 100 rounds with CCI ammo standard point and had no jams. Then I went to Remington hollow point ammo and about threw the gun away I was getting so pissed. I went to the range desk and bought another box of CCI ammo but mistakingly got hollow point ammo and it jammed every other shot. When it dawned on my what was going on I went back and bought cheap standard point ammo and have never had another issue.
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Dave,
Your rifle should handle hollow point ammo with ease. It might be time to take it back to the store to get some professional (gunsmith) input or address you concerns directly to S&W customer service. (800-331-0852) Their turnaround time is phenomenal. Either way, your cycling problem will be resolved to your satisfaction, and you’ll be able to shoot a variety of loads in your 15-22 .
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I bought an MP15-22 .22cal rifle yesterday as a first gun purchase. I was happy to take it to the range today with a variety of .22 ammo from different companies. TO my COMPLETE disappointment, the gun jammed every other shot on most occasions, once in a great while I was actually able to shoot two consecutive bullets before it failed to load.
Each time it failed, the bullet did not get chambered and it was bent or the spent casing would get stuck and not ejected properly thus jamming the next bullet. I would have to put it on safety and eject the bent bullet or spent casing manually. This happened almost every other shot!
The ammo I shot:
1) Winchester Wildcat 22 High Velocity
2) CCI Mini-Mag 22LR 40 grain, Target/Plinking ammo
3) Winchester Super X 22LR plated round nose, 40 grain high velocity
4) Peter’s 22LR, High velocity, Solid point
5) Remington 22 Thunderbolt, Round nose
Again, I am thoroughly and utterly disappointed in this rifle. I understand a certain type of ammo may or may not work well with a specific gun, which is why I went to the range with 5 varities of ammo to see what worked best. To my displeasure, NONE worked so I have to assume the gun or magainze is simply poorly built.
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Please post what you hear from S&W Customer Service. (800-331-0852)
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I just bought a M&P15-22 last Saturday and took out shooting on Sunday. The only problem I had was with the Remington ammunition I was shooting. About 12 out of 150 rounds failed to fire. I switch to some Federal ammo I took with me and had no further problems. Since then I have gone to the gun range today and fired another 100 rounds through it with no problems. I thoroughly enjoy the rifle, especially since shooting it is no where near the expense of shooting my Rock River AR15 which I really like.
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I just bought a M&P15-22 last Saturday and took out shooting on Sunday. The only problem I had was with the Remington ammunition I was shooting. About 12 out of 150 rounds failed to fire. I switched to some Federal ammo I took with me and had no further problems. Since then I have gone to the gun range today and fired another 100 rounds through it with no problems. I thoroughly enjoy the rifle, especially since shooting it is no where near the expense of shooting my Rock River AR15 .
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I just bought a M&P15-22 last Saturday and took out shooting on Sunday. The only problem I had was with the Remington ammunition I was shooting. About 12 out of 150 rounds failed to fire. I switched to some Federal ammo I took with me and fired 200 rounds with no further problems. Since then I have gone to the gun range today and fired another 100 rounds through it with no problems. I thoroughly enjoy the rifle, especially since shooting it is no where near the expense of shooting my Rock River AR15 .
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Does anyone know how to remove the quad rail for cleaning? Thanks.
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I think it is my ejector, so I tried a easy fix which is on the forums. I saw some threads on it and when I opened my gun, the ejector was almost flat against the chamber wall when it should acutally be on an angle. I bent it slightly as the fix suggested, so I will take it to the range in a day or so. Hopefully that is all that it takes to fix this, and from the threads I have seen it seems to be a relatively common, but simple to fix, problem.
If they doesn’t fix it, then off to S&W it goes.
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Actually WIld BIll I did the quick fix for the ejector. I saw others had the similar problem and sure enough when I checked my ejector bar it was flush against the chamber wall. I bent it inward with needle nose pliers and was able to fire off a full clip as fast as I could pull the trigger at the range tonight.
Considering I had a 50% failure rate before, I can honestly say I am now happy with this rifle. It is accurate and I cannot wait to get my scope on it and dial it in.
Anyone with problems with the spent shell casing should do the simple fix for the ejector bar. It takes two minutes tops and you actually learn somethign about the internals of the gun which is always a good thing anyways!
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Ahhhhhhh…Ankle deep in hot brass. Life is good. Very helpful post!
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Where can I get that foregrip with bi-pod? I can’t find it anywhere.
Thanks
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The front Quad rail will Not come off for cleaning! Called S&W about this! Clean with liguid spray! Also the Barrel cover seen in some photo’s is not avilabile and dropped by S&W!
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A buddy & I picked up my M&P 15/22 over the weekend at a gun show and went to the range the next day. I read about the caution on loading 1 round at a time and only bring down the spring far enough to insert a single round. I ran about 300 rounds using Federal Ammo bulk (550 pack) and didn’t have a single FTF. However, my buddy was having jamming problems with his. I asked him how he was loading the ammo and he wasn’t following the proper procedure. Once he loaded them like instructed his ran perfectly. What a blast and fun to shoot. My wife shot it also and smiled with glee telling me this was now her favorite gun! Great rifle … Great Fun
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I purchased one of the rifles yesterday and love it. I had a gsg 5 which was ok but this is a much better rifle. I went to the range and fired 200 rounds of federal target loads from walmart through it. I had one failure to feed but I believe that it was a round that I had dropped on the ground. Fired rapid fire with no problems.
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took m&p 15-22 to the range to day.did not bother trying remington ammo due to other complaints.used cci cb 22 long lead round nose 710 fps 29 grain sub sonic,low noise.jamed every shot with ftf or fte every time.went to store in side got cci velocitor copper plated hollow point.shot perfect all 50 rounds.
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Pingback: M&P 15-22 - INGunOwners
Anyone who is having problems with constant jams, the fix is EXTREMELY simple. I bought this gun and had jams every two shots. I did the fix that this guy shows you in this video with the extractor and the gun works flawlessly! VERY happy now! If you send your gun back to S&W, they are only going to do what the guy in the video shows you how to do, only if you send it in you will be waiting up to 4 weeks to get your gun back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO76HC9tD4g
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shot Remington thunderbolt today with not one problem. had 525 golden bullet brass plated hollow points value pack also shot fine. fired 28 rounds of federal high velocity copper plated solid 40 grain with out a problem.i needed to see how Remington shot tho i read bad reviews and im glad i tried it.
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I shot my 15-22 today for the first time and
it jams with Rem HP bulk pack but cci fet witout
a problem.
The rear sight had to be adjusted all the way to
the left and it still shoots an inch to the right,
I rechecked to make sure the sights were on the
rail right, but it still shoots right with all types
of ammo I am not sending it back to S&W I would
think they would check things like this before shipping. I guess it will have a new home at the
next gun show
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Took mine out for the first time today. CCI Mini Mags, Federal Champion bulk pack and Winchester Super X fed without any problems. All HPs. It never jammed, FTF or FTE’d. I’m impressed with the performance and love the light weight. Took it down easily for a quick cleaning and lube. I agree with the previous poster about the sights though (although I was using the factory sights), my rear is far left, but shooting straight now. However my issue is from the elevation. Its a bit high and all adjusted all the way down. Nothing that can’t be compensated for. Still a keeper in my book. Definately buy this if you’re in the market for a “tactical” .22 or own a true M&P 15 .223 for the sheer enjoyment, without the ammo cost.
Final rating: 4.5/5
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I got mine 4 days ago and have put 100 rounds down range. I am sold on this 22 and I predict it will sell like the 10/22. This is a good choice for those that are Black Rifle shooters and want to save a little cash on ammo, fun fun fun!
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hey,does anyone know how to remove the free floating rail guard to remove the barrel on a S&W M&P 15-22.or a website that would?
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i got mine yesterday. i shot it about 100 time not one miss fire or jam.
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Many times, shooting to one side or the other is a product of poor trigger technique.
Sometimes if a shooter uses too much tip of the finger, they will “push” the gun away a tiny bit, causing the shot to swing wide left.
Conversely, hooking too much finger in the trigger, jerking the trigger (especially with a stiff action) or slapping the trigger can cause a shot that is otherwise perfectly aimed to go wide right. (For right handed shooters, opposite applies for lefties)
Another thing, is your front sight on the barrel or the forearm? If it’s on the forearm, maybe it is deflecting a little from your left hand pressure? Or maybe they are designed so that doesn’t happen? I haven’t shot one yet, but the rail felt a little spongy compared to an aluminum one.
Anyhow, hope some of that is helpful.
If everything goes right, I should have my own 15-22 and/or 522 in hand within the next 96 hours. May get tax refund tomorrow, and a gun show this weekend where there should be some deals to be had!
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I need some serious help i need to know what to do. I’ve been shooting remington .22 hollow point out of my 15-.22 and had nothing but problems, i got onto this website and saw that that ammo isn’t recommended but it is what the place i bought it from sold me. (this is my first gun) It has been punching rounds in half. double feeding, Then crap really hit the fan yesterday when I was shooting and it fired inside of the gun and got shrapnel in the side of my face now the inside of my rifle doesn’t look right like the barrel, doesn’t look right, and it wont extract a round. I’m afraid they wont honor my warranty because of some stupid crap. I love the little rifle, but feel i’m just lucky that it was a .22 round that blew up next to my face not something else. What should i do? like i said i’m a very experienced person with guns, and i heard S&W likes to try to say the warranty is void due to the type of ammo used.
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I had the same experience with my MP15-22 as Joe in #39. I had less that 100 rounds through it on the first day it was fired when it failed to extract the spent round and the second round chambered and fired inside the gun. I took it back to the place I bought it and they said I had to return it to S&W – since I had it less than a week and only fired it once, I was hoping for an exchange but no luck. Inspection of the gun revealed that the extractor was missing. The dealer said I would probably wait 6 weeks to get it back. I called S&W and they told me that they have had problems with the extractors falling off and they have a fix for it – stronger springs. The good news is that the S&W rep said it would be turned around within a week of them getting it. The half hour that I was able to fire it was fun before it broke. It was pretty accurate and almost sighted in when it blew a shell out the side of the chamber. I’m looking forward to shooting it again when I get it back – hopefully I’ll get the reliability I read about above.
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I bought the M&P 15-22 and fired the first 5 shots and had it jam. I was using Remington ammo, and had a few problems. I then went to the book that came with the rifle. In there they tell you what ammo did not perform good in the 15-22 and what ammo did! I have not had any problems with it since. Dont shoot remington or federal in it. Stick to Winchester, CCI, or Aguila.
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Initially I detested this gun when I first got it several months ago. Constant feed failures (CCI MiniMag), where the round was hanging up on the top of the mag. Then I figured out what I was doing wrong after surfing the S&W forum. For me it basically came down to taking the time to properly load the magazine (alternating double-stack) and not going crazy with the load assist slider by pulling it too far down when loading rounds into the mag. That said, my 15-22 still took some break-in time with Federal bulk ammo even as it shot various CCI product without any further fault; basically these are the only types I shoot with the 15-22 and my Sig 522, since both types are readily available around here. Now about the only thing I “hate” about this .22LR flattop is how easy it was to carried away with accessories and mods. Just like I did with my 5.56mm AR.
(sigh) Wouldn’t have it any other way. Shoot safe.
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I also had a round fire inside the gun blowing the extractor out of the gun. I was able to find the extractor on the ground forward of the firing bench and another piece inside the receiver and put the whole thing back together, even though I wished the owners manual had a schematic. I was shooting winchester super x at the time. I found I had less failure to feed problems with Fiocchi, PMC and Federal lighting rounds. Remington Vipers failed to fire many times over even though the firing pin struck the rim adequately. If you mount a scope and want to shoot to a hundred yards make sure you use extra high scope rings. The gun went full auto for two rounds just before it came apart. Without a doubt the gun is ammo sensitive. I can’t recommend Remington, at all, as I tried different Remington rounds. Open sights were good to 50 yards which was as far as I shot the gun with the open sights. I suggest Smith&Wesson recall all the guns and install the stronger extractor spring before someone gets hurt. I have fired about 500 rounds through the gun and I’m a little nervous about trusting this gun to function like it should. It seems like a luck of the draw if you get a gun that works fine. I like the concept of the gun, the ease of maintenance, and the working features that some of the other clone manufactuers are lacking.
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I recently purchased the S&W M&P 15-22. I haven’t had a rifle for a gazillion years. But reading up on these, along with the price and looks, I couldn’t resist.
First: for the few that have commented that they’ve had misfire and feeding problems, I will strongly advise anyone to first clean and oil the AR (or any gun, for that matter) before you first use it. There are coatings on/in the barrel and assemblies during production that must be cleaned prior to use. If not, you’re leaving the dorr open for a very depressing first performance. However, it is possible yours may be defective, as no manufacturer is perfect, and sometimes shippers are not the most gentle people.
I used mine the first time last Sunday, along with some pistols, and ran 100 rounds of Federal Copper Plated 36 gr. 22LR hollow points through it. Absolutely flawless, without a jam or misfire, and got a 1 1/2″ to 2″ pattern at 75 feet, on 4 small targets, with only a couple of strays each (that’s probably the ammo fault). That was using the stock sights and absolutely no mods…stock as a rock. Next time, I’ll attach my red dot and sight it in.
It was an indoor range, and there were many military and police/security officers keeping up on their skills. Many came over to look and comment about my S&W AR. They were even more impressed at the accuracy this rifle had, stock-out-of-the-box.
In my opinion, Smith & Wesson hit a home run with this M&P AR15-22
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P.S. Make sure you load the mags correctly, or the tip of the shell may be below the leading edge of the mag, which will not allow the shell to chamber correctly, if at all.
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I had the chance to take this rifle out and shoot it for the first time yesterday and all I can say is WOW, at 60 yrd (length of the plinking range) it was no problem on hardsights standing up to make a pop bottle dance on the ground. Great accuracy and good fun.
Only issue I has was if I filled the mag completely on two occasions it misloaded the first shot, once I realized it, no problem after that.
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I bought this rifle in late March and the first day at the range had massive issues with jamming,to say I was mad is a understatement so I boxed it up and sent it back.The factory had it for 2 weeks and sent it back.Come to find out the magazine had a weak spring and would not chamber the shell.i was also using the bulk ammo this was a bad mistake.Once I got it back to the range with the new magazine and better ammo it has performed flawlessly.I have shot at least 600 hundred rounds of ball ammo it does not handle hollowpoint ammo at all.No jams no miss fires.S@W also sent me 2 extra mags back with the gun,since then I have added a ergo pistol grip and a vertical hand grip a tactical scope and a laser and tactical flashlight and last but not least a flash suppressor.This gun started out bad but as turned out to be great.Its cheap to operate and is dead on at 100 yds.I wanted a .223 but .50 cent a round vs .05 per round for plinking I just could not do it…Get one fix it up use the right ammo and enjoy..S@W was great and got it back to me fast….
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I exchanged my extractor blowing gun for a new one, this has the blue spring, and fired 14 different 22LR ammo through the gun. 12 of the 14 loads fired without a problem. Only Remington yellow jackets and Vipers, both truncated type bullets gave me any problems. I intend to fire some of the ammo that is not recommended, next time, because some people have reported this is a non-issue in their guns. The following ammo all functioned without problems: CCI mini mag HP , Winchester round nose, HP, Expert, and Dynapoint, PMC sidewinder, Fiocchi, Federal gameshok, CCI blazer, Remington cyclone HP, and Peters HP. I would caution anyone buying this gun, especially used, to disassemble the firearm and ensure the blue spring is there. All the new guns, on the shelf, should probably be in this configuration, by now. Also when loading the mags, ensure that none of the bullets get tipped pointing nose down in the mags and you should be able to shoot trouble free. Smith&Wesson does have a good customer service and realizes a small percentage of the guns purchased prior to Feb. were blowinging extractors and jamming, like my first gun performed. This new one is a big improvement.
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