S&W M&P15-22: A .22 LR Tactical Rifle
The latest addition to the M&P15 family of AR-15 rifles is the M&P15-22. S&W have designed what they call “the ultimate .22LR platform”. From the press release:
“In designing the new M&P15-22, our engineers pulled out all of the stops to develop the ultimate .22LR platform,” said Tom Kelly, Vice President of Marketing for Smith & Wesson. “The rifle’s operating features, functionality and durability are exactly what you would expect from any of Smith & Wesson’s tactical rifles. By remaining true to the standard AR-15 design while offering all of the preferred features found on the M&P Rifle Series, the M&P15-22 is well suited for a variety of recreational shooting applications while also being an extremely viable training firearm for law enforcement and military personnel. Shooters will find the M&P15-22 to be a great firearm for multiple uses with the reduced recoil and economical .22LR caliber ammunition.”
The rifle features:
* A3 style flat top upper receiver
* A2 front post sight
* A2 rear sight
* M4 style collapsible stock
* Quad rail handguard
Specs:
Barrel length: 16″
Magazine capacity: 25 rounds
Barrel twist: 1:15
Upper Receiver: A3
Weight: 5 lbs (unloaded)
Length: 31″ (stock collapsed)
UPDATE: The MSRP is $499 (Matt from S&W PR confirms this),
S&W M&P15-22. Click to expand.
Murdoc has a photo of the rifle posted at GunPundit.
MSRP on the M&P15-22 should be $499. The $1375 price is off the M&P-15 MOE SKU.
Thank god, I was a bit pissed when I saw $1375. lol
Just what the world needs, a $1375 .22
Woops, I see the $499 amendment. Sorry. $500 seems pretty reasonable. Does it take Black Dog Machine mags?
Sweet! I wonder if the lower is modular like most of the other builds I’ve seen out here in California..
If so would be a cheap way to get into ARs and then later on if I want to pick up a 5.56MM upper, just throw it up there and swap the mags. Does it have a standard buffer?
The price doesn’t seem right. $500 for a complete rifle from what I understand. That’s way too low.
A standard AR15 lower with collapsible stock cost around $250 or more. That means the upper with quad rails, iron sight, .22lr barrel, and .22lr BCG will be price around $250 or less. That’s not going to happen.
Most .22lr upper price around $499 or higher.
.22lr conversion kit cost $170 or more.
jdun1911, do you think my original price is closer to what you would expect?
jdun1911, I will email the S&W PR guy and find out.
The $1375 is kind of high. I price the entire rifle at around $800.
I can see the upper be $500 alone but not with the lower. Unless it is not a true AR15 and is made out of cheap plastic, I can’t see the complete rifle going for $500.
The price is $499. Matt from S&W PR firm confirms this.
$500 for the whole rifle.
Is the lower a standard AR15 lower? Made out of metal? If so that’s a damn good deal.
Is this a “True” AR lower? Including a buffer tube/spring assembly? If so that is a hell of a deal.. I can get 5.56MM Uppers (Used of course, but otherwise in perfect working condition) for around $475-$600…
I’d be very excited about one of these if they released a “California” legal edition with a 10 round mag.
They dont’ even have to do a magazine lock for California if they release it as a .22LR rifle marked as such!
It’s a one-piece polymer lower receiver sort of similar to the CAV-15. It’s a dedicated .22 platform.
in what country (that I probably can’t spell) is this thing made?
I just placed my order today at the local dealer. They told me that it should be here by summer. I paid $429 dont go to gander mountain or cabelas there price was $550
not at all familiar with these types of weapons but have been searching for just this type of gun….looking at the other replies it seems there are certain things that will make or break it….like the lower being made of metal or polymer…i will be using for target shooting exclusively….really interested in owning one of these any info greatly appreciated.
thanks.
According to Murdoc, it is a dedicated22 platiform with a polymer lower.
Will it take any of the standard ar15 internal fire control components? I’m a nut for improving my triggers.
the dealer msrp is 500 so it will likely go for 1000 ti civilians the colt ar-15 in .22 has a very similar price tag
I pre-paid $450 through my local dealer and they said that they would cover anything above that (and have in the past). So…
Where are you coming from?
I want to know where they have it for $429….. damn
The 15-22 will be a simple blowback mechanism, not the overly coplex 5.56 AR.
S & W is not stupid enough to sell a $500 rifle that can be modified to make a $1500 rifle.
What about a release date on the 15-22. First I heard June 2009 and then it was pushed back to July. Any news?
This would be a really fun rifle to have. No real point to it for most people, but I bet it’s an absolute blast to take to the range.
Any word on if it is CA legal; 10rd mag? looks cool and would be fun for $500… Ill take two.
It is most definitely ca legal. .22Rimfires are exempt from the AW bullchit with regards to pistol grip and mag lock. Still have to get 10 round or less mags though.
I can see no reason for this rifle. If you are serious get yourself an AR and either a complete .22 upper or a drop-in .22 conversion kit. It’s going to cost you more up front but you will have the “best of both” in having the complete AR for training and the .22 to save you money shooting.
Unless, like me, my dad does not want to spend $100 in ammo on me and my sister shooting 3 or 4 days a week. Nor does he want to spend $1000+ on a DPMS and a conversion kit. If you don’t want it, don’t buy it… I’m glad my dad did.
From what I understand – you have to have a complete .22lr upper for an AR-15. Otherwise the rifling isn’t right to shoot .22lr. A .22lr upper costs more than a dedicated/complete .22lr rifle. Plus I don’t want the excess wear and lead build up on my AR-15. Furthermore, I can mount an optic/scope more suitable for .22lr to target shoot instead of shooting .22lr with an EOTech. I love the idea of not having to use my AR-15 to shoot .22lr.
Oh – by the way, anyone hear anything new about a release date for the M&P15-22???
(FYI) I got an email from a guy at S&W and he saya it is being sent to CA DOJ and is expected to pass. It should be for sale in Oct-Nov if all goes well. I like the gun, love the idea, but what about Colts .22 M4 carbine? Already for sale here (CA), $560 but not as many bells. Any idea if one is more accurate than the other?
Viper4507. It’s not a pistol, they don’t have to “approve” it. There is no roster for long guns. .22 Rimfire rifles are exempt from the AW ban and therefore as long as it is sold with a 10 round mag and meets the minimum Overall Length requirements it is golden. So therefore it is 100% legal for sale in California.
Anyone have a confirmed arrival date? My dealer keeps saying anyday now.
Have 2 Colts and they are nice guns, fun to shoot, accurte etc but theu are ammo sensitive. The chamber is match euro, Walther barrel so you can count on it being tight.
Can not wait to compare to S&W.
Tim
I got the opportunity to shoot one of these bad boys a couple weeks ago, and I was impressed! Here’s a link to my ‘review’:
http://evylrobot.com/?p=430
The gun handles and shoots nicely. Granted, I only got to try it with the CCI wonder ammo that will run in anything, but I was very pleased. I had my reservations about the polymer composition, but handling and shooting the thing in the flesh made me a believer! It is NOT an AR. It is an AR-style .22lr, and it is exactly what it should be for <$500. I may have to pick one of these up in time for Christmas!
Picked mine up today at our local gun store……..paid $419.95……..what a steal…..I was and still am very impressed with this little plinker…….The plastic is growing on me……I could have chose the Colt……..had them side by side……but apples to apples the Colt couldn’t hold up to the Smith. From the bolt catch to the safety positions to the way breech cleaning is possible. This little Smith has it all. I can’t wait to go blast round after round thru it.
Have shot mine a few times, will shoot most any ammo I feed it.
Not as accurate as Colt but way less fussy.
Easy to clean for sure, like the “sameness” as to AR.
Tim
I just picked on up over lunch break at Academy – $449, and they had several of them. I’ve been shooting a Spike’s Tactical conversion bolt in my High Standard AR, but like the idea of a dedicated .22, and I like having an alternate .22 to my GSG-5.
I just bought mine Weds and have had it to the range twice already! It is the sweetest shooting little 22 I’ve ever shot!! Called my dealer at Weds noon and he just had received 2 Weds morning from S&W and I bought one the other was sold before 3pm! It is aterrific toy for $449 + tx. I’ve shot 3 bricks (300 rnds) of CSI Greentag with no FTF’s or FTE’s! I am crazy about it!!
It’s great and all, but the magazine really gets me. It’s 22LR, and yet they limit it to 25 rounds. I would expect something high capacity.
I purchased this rifle last week and took it out for a “test drive” this week. The initial grouping was 4.5 inches low and dead on center (25 yards). With a minor adjustment, I was able to put 10 rounds in a .5 inch group. After feeding 100 rounds throught as fast as possible, I again got just under a .5 inch group. As much as I could try, I could not get any type of malfunction and loading the magazine was trouble free. I really like this gun and will have fun this fall with “tree rats”.
can this 22 be purchased in new york state ?
For what it’s worth, I’ve reviewed this one. IMO, it’s worth every penny if you’re looking for a perfect trainer and all around “fun” plinker. It’s construction is solid! It has a “Solid” barrel unlike the Colt/Umarex which has a thin walled barrel encased in a barrel shroud. Buy it, you’ll Love it!!!
I bought the first one my gun dealer got in a few weeks ago. I also had a Colt “AR-22″ which was nice and accurate, but picky on ammo, and non-compatible with simple things like AR operation, take-down, bolt release, selector switch, and simple options like pistol grips and drop-in trigger groups. The S&W M&P15-22 solves all of those issues for me, plus it is easier to take down for cleaning, just as accurate per my testing, has a smoother/lighter trigger pull, and feels more solid overall. At 30 rds, the Colt has a higher mag capacity, however.
What I found alarming was that several folks who have purchased the Colts have run into various quality problems, like short sights posts, mag catch failures, etc. To their credit, Colt/Umarex service has been quite responsive for most of those folks, with a few having to send their rifles back multiple times. Even so, I like my S&W so much now that I traded the Colt for a GSG-5. Both the S&W and the GSG-5 have been flawless after ~400 rds each so far. My favorite? The S&W M&P15-22!
Also, I just learned from S&W that spare mags are still back-ordered for another couple of weeks or so.
Hey i just ordered mine for $405.95 but idk when its gonna be here, are they shipping now or they stilll holding them?
They are shipping now have 2 love em.
Tim O
BTW good price I paid 489
Those of you who already own one, is the bolt one solid piece of steel (except for firing pin, extractor, etc)? I ask because I saw the bolt on the Colt (hey that rhymes) and it looked like it was made of several pieces/parts. Not sure, but it didn’t seem like it would be as durable over time.
Also, the pic at the top of this page shows a suppressor mounted. But in other pics i’ve seen w/o it, the barrel appears smooth — how does it mount to the barrel? Are there threads or something that I’m not seeing?
I picked one up today a cabela’s for $429.00. It is impressive. Compared to the GSG-5 and the Umarex, it is easy to see the difference in quality of design. The Smith operates like a real AR. It does not have action screws or assembly screws. Screws are the enemy of a robust design. It has no zinc that I can see and disassembly is just like a real AR. There are no areas of the bolt or reciever that can’t be cleaned with a towel.
The barrell is made by Thompson and it looks like a medium contour design unlike the BB gun barrells in the other competitors. The trigger breaks at 5lbs. with no creep. The sights, stock, and quad rail handguards appear to be geniune AR equipment. This is impressive for the price.
Looking for a muzzle break for my MP15-22. Where can I find one? Anybody add one to their MP15-22?
What are additional mags going to cost?
Mags cost $20.06 when ordered directly from S&W Parts & Accessories. They have 25-rd mags in stock, and they ship fairly quickly. 10-rd mags (good for bench-rest shooting range use) are still about 2-3 weeks out last I checked with S&W.
You can find mags for it here.
http://www.44mag.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SWMP2225
They are $17.99 and they have them in stock.
They have one in stock for $429 at the following location:
discount firearms
3084 S Highland Dr
Las Vegas, NV 89109-1056
(702) 567-1158
i just recherd the gun and the price is right it is 500 dallars
I am currently buying one on layaway right now. I am about half way through paying it off. It retails for $499. but I had the guy at Sportsmans Warehouse (sort of a Sports Authority for outdoors gear up here in Idaho) tell me they would sell it for $450. However I went with a Mom & Pop gun store who charged me $499.
Both receivers are plastic and the bottom receiver doesn’t have a buffer tube so it is not compatible with .223 or any other upper receivers that you may want to upgrade to. It is incredibly light, which would really bug me if it wasn’t just a .22 but it feels right. when I was at the store I played around with the COLT version too and I definitely prefer the S&W as the COLT had certain items that were just for show like the bolt release ping pong paddle that didn’t really work. That made it feel more like an airsoft gun than the S&W even though the COLT was metal.
The S&W has the same functionality of parts as a real AR15/M4 even though some of them such as the cocking handle are scaled for the .22 operation. i.e. shorter draw. The only thing I remember the S&W lacking was a forward assist but that is not needed with a .22 anyways.
In case you don’t know the forward assist is that knob looking thing that sticks out behind the ejection ports on all M4/M16A2’s and newer. They installed it to deal with the malfunctions that the first version had in Nam, the button allows the operator to punch it after releasing the bolt forward to make sure the bolt seated correctly in the star chamber.
The picture above is the only time I have seen it with the suppressor. The ones at the store didn’t have it. It would be nice to get even though I am sure it is just for show, but it may be something you have to add yourself unless there is an option to get it with the suppresor that no one told me about.
I’ve had one of these for a few days now. I’ve fed about 125 rds of cheap Cyclone ammo through it. It jams often, catching the almost ejected shell. I am confident that when I buy some decent high velocity ammo, it will perform flawlessly.
Other than the jamming, it’s a great rifle. I’ve been enjoying it, and compared to my AK, it’s practically free to shoot.
I give it a thumbs up.
I picked up my new M&P 15-22 this week. As the satisfied owner of many S&W products, I was really looking forward to this rifle. Unfortunately, it’s been a disappointing experience so far.
First, the good stuff. It really is the closest thing to a real AR15 I have seen, in 22LR. The controls are the same, mag release, bolt catch, safety, take-down pins, charging handle, it’s all good. Even internally, the trigger/hammer/springs are the same design as the AR15. Yet another reason I was looking forward to shooting it.
Now the bad stuff.
The trigger is horrible; it grinds as it is pulled, from start to finish. Not a good trigger pull at all. I’m saying this is one of the worst triggers I have ever pulled. It is so bad, you can actually hear it grind when it is pulled. I know a little about triggers, so trust me when I say it’s a crap trigger. I own half a dozen other S&W firearms and they all have excellent SA triggers. I’m surprised they would let this one out like this. I also own multiple AR15’s; all have much better triggers than this rifle.
I fired 250 rounds today at the range. Functionality has a lot of room for improvement. I would guess I had 25-30 malfunctions. Yeah, that’s a lot. Sometimes the bolt wouldn’t remove the empty, sometimes the bolt closed on an empty chamber, sometimes the bolt would load a new round but would close on the empty case. I suspect the magazine as the culprit; I was able to get the rounds to stick in the mag a few times as I was handling it (trying to figure out what the problem was).
Many of the malfunctions when I pulled the trigger, the hammer was release, but no bang. I looked at the port, the bolt wasn’t all the way forward. The hammer is released even if the bolt isn’t fully closed. Not good.
I had quite a few times when the bolt would close on a round that was pointing straight up. When I lock the bolt open and pull the mag out, the round is sticking up and is actually stuck between the feed rails in the mag. These rounds are bent pretty good, so I was just throwing them away.
I was using Winchester high velocity ammo (40 grain power-point, X22LRPP). I don’t consider this to be cheap ammo, but I will try a couple more brands. If they give similar results, I’m sending it back and asking for a refund. If a $440 gun isn’t even close to my old Marlin model 60 for reliability, I have no use for it. If it doesn’t feed & function reliably, nothing else matters, it’s junk.
Buelldog, thanks for the review.
Hey Buelldog,
Here is a video of someone with similar problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xTptp3_g2M
He sent it back to S&W and then posted this update video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMtGiG6_mSc
It is unfortunate that they released it with problems, but at least they will fix it for you.
I hope this helps.
Does anyone know the fix for this? My new M&P is doing the same exact thing. I’m a handy person, so if this is an easy fix, I’d rather do it myself than send my gun away for a week or two.
Anyone know?
Well, I tried some more ammo types today; all were bad except one. I had decent functioning with Federal Game-Shok, hyper velocity ammo. The others all gave the same types of malfunctions as I had yesterday. I would guess if I shot more of the federal, I would probably get a few malfunctions too.
Thanks for the info, Tanner. The problems he was having are just like what I’m having, except for the additional problem I’m having with the rounds sticking in the mag. I think I’ll give S&W a chance to fix it. I have a bunch of pics of my function problems that I’m going to send them along with my complaint.
I’ll post the results as soon as they happen.
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 comliant.
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.
Glad to help. I look forward to seeing the results!
mine has the same problems with failure to eject. very unhappy with a 500 dollar .22
Since adjusting the ejector rod, my gun shoots much better.
For anyone with problems with this gun, go here. I found some info, made a slight adjustment to the ejector rod and now my gun has gone from 15 to 20 fte’s per mag to 0.
My gun shoots flawlessly now.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/
W A R N I N G !
Just purchased a Smith & Wesson Tactical 15-22 from Fin Feather & Fur and to an indoor range this weekend. The 3rd 5th and 7th rounds all jammed seriously and the 8th round blew apart in the chamber. It felt like getting hit in the face with sand!
I showed it to the gun smith at the range and he diagnosed it as a extremely serious and highly dangerous problem with the gun. At first he was quick to blame the probable jams on the Winchester High Velocity ammo, but when he examined the casing told me that the bullet failed to fully chamber, and blew out the bottom of the shell casing which could have been disastrous. That same chamber explosion blew the extractor into pieces.
When I examined some of the other casings, I found two others that had blown out too, just not to the extreme of the last shot fired. This just happened so I have not contacted the vendor in Wooster, Ohio or the Manufacturer yet.
I’m a bit puzzled as to why anyone would pay $500.00 for a PLASTIC pretend AR 15 in .22 cal! Maybe I’m just completely wrong here but to me there is one driving reason to shoot .22 in the AR platform and that is affordable, REALISTIC, practice! In my opinion, (and pretty much every other successful practical/tactical shooter), this can only be acheived with equipment as close to the real thing as absolutely posible!
If you are really serious about your practice time you will invest in a .22 conversion kit or a conversion upper and use the REAL AR15 you would use in a REAL situation or compitition!
Shooting a plastic .22 that has no other similarity to a real AR other then looks just doesn’t seem worth the trouble!
If your just out to have some fun, thats all good too, but this can be done cheaper and better with any number of excellent .22 rifles at half the price with much less trouble!
Jokout,
Your right, shooting a .22 isn’t the same as a .223 when it comes to simply “match” style plinking, but for myself, I am interested in keeping up and improving the Short Range Marksmanship skills I learned when I was in the Active Army Infantry. Most of that actually is manipulating the rifle and it’s various mechanisms and functions quickly, smoothly and with a minimum of effort as well as knowing how to move yourself with the rifle to engage a target.
The 15-22 is cheap and so is the ammo (2 major pluses since I am now a full time student), and it functions exactly like a real AR/M4 unlike the popular COLT AR in .22 which simply has things like the bolt release paddle on there for show because they have no function.
With the 15-22 I can keep up the skills I have already gained and I can practice the things I am learning from the excellent “Art of the Tactical Carbine” DVD’s from MAGPUL, which I highly recommend btw.
Jokout says “plastic blah blah blah”, but weren’t the original M16’s also plastic?
Like many first generation products, it needs a little tweak here and there, but in the end the 15-22 is a fine rifle.
Alien,
Thanks for reminding me, I meant to comment on the plastic too.
Actually the first M16’s still had metal receivers like the modern versions but they were the first American Military rifles to have plastic pieces like handguards and such instead of wood ones, making the rifle lighter and giving it the toy-like feel that a lot of soldiers who were used to the M14 and the earlier M1A made comments about.
Anyways, the 15-22 has plastic upper and lower receivers which helps the rifle weigh in at a measly 5 lbs, but surprisingly, aside from the initial lightness you feel when you pick it up it still has a solid feel to it. The plastic appears to be a good quality and the walls, from my observations as I played with it at the gun counter, seem to be plenty thick.
As an Infantryman of 7 years (4 active and 3 with the National Guard) with 22 months of patrols in Iraq carrying the real M4 with all the fun peripherals, the 15-22 feels great for a .22 version of the AR. I see no reason for having a full weight AR when you are only shooting .22’s.
Now I keep hearing about malfunctions with the rifle and I can’t really comment on that until I get mine paid off and start shooting it. Though I also keep hearing about the fact that S&W seems to be doing a good job of fixing the malfunctioning parts and getting the rifle to shoot excellently once they are returned to the owner. Of course it would be nice if all the wrinkles had been ironed out before the rifle went on sale to the public but at least they are dealing with it responsibly.
By the way!!! I was just in Sportsmans Warehouse in Twin Falls, Idaho yesterday (Sun Dec 6) and they had the 15-22 on sale from their normal low price of $449 down to $399. The salesman said it had just gone on sale yesterday but I neglected to ask how long the sale would last. I already have mine on layaway for the full MSRP since I am getting it from a Mom and Pop gun shop, which I was ok with when I was only paying $50 more but wow! If I could have gotten it for $100 less that would be awesome! Who knows maybe the price will be dropping in the next year or so.
I bought the first one that came into my dealer’s shop. It worked great until the feed ramp sheared off one day. I sent it into S&W and had it back repaired 3 weeks later. Not only did I get it back fairly quickly, but they gave me 2 new spare mags for my troubles! Supposedly, it had to be “…upgraged to the latest spec…” which would fix that problem, and other reported problems of: difficulty in feeding and difficulty in ejecting (which mine never had).
I have always received great customer support from S&W, and this was no exception. I have no regrets, and still love my 15-22, and have invested in several add-ons for it. It continues to be a head-turner at the shooting range, and is similarly functional and as easy to clean as my real AR. I will continue to recommend this rifle, especially after having lived through the nightmare of having been a Colt AR-22 first adopter.
awesome rifle . thank you s&w .
Tanner
We are on the same page when it comes to wanting/needing the CQB practice that a .22 cal can give you at a much more affordable cost…where we differ in opinion is the tools used to do it with the best results. I am a firm believer that you practice with the equipment that you will use in real circumstances, be it compitition, home defense or LE/Military!
I can’t imagine a pro baseball player taking batting practice with a wiffle ball bat! Why would you do basically the same thing with your combat/home defense training? Especially when you can put a dedicated .22 upper on your real AR for about the same $$$ OR drop a conversion kit in your real AR for less then HALF the price of the S&W and get close to the same accuracy?! For $300 savings I can get a LOT of .22 Fed. bulk and get better training with my AR to boot!
In my case I end up reloading/shooting 200-300 9mm rounds and 100 rounds of .223/.22 per week on average so with this kind of expense in time and money I want to be sure I am getting the most effective practice posible!
In the end though, it really comes down to what ever makes you happy and who am I to tell anyone what to do…It’s just more important for all of us to get out there and enjoy the sport, what ever it is that you choose to shoot!
Cheers!
“In the end though, it really comes down to what ever makes you happy and who am I to tell anyone what to do” -Jokout
Don’t worry about it bro, we are all just sharing opinions and knowledge here. I agree that the the conversion kit for the AR is probably best. My problem is that I don’t own an AR so this is a cheap way for people like me to get into it. One of my problems with the conversion kits is that they often have .22 sized magazines instead of .223 sized ones. The S&W has full size magazines and it operates the same as the AR, unlike the COLT. For me the training and drilling that I am most interested in right now are things like fast magazine changes and malfunction corrections done with an economy of movement. When I was Active Duty Infantry we did a ton of the SRM/CQB shooting and movements but we didn’t really focus on the little things to the level that I am learning from the MAGPUL DVDs. Everything about the S&W functions right. The only gripe I kind of have is that the charging handle doesn’t go back as far as a real one does, but I am not too worried about it because I want to install one of those paddle releases and hopefully the different movement with only the left hand won’t be as disturbing as it would be if I was charging it with my right hand like I am used to with my old M4. It feels like when you stand up in an enclosed space and hit your head on the low ceiling, you know?
The way that I see it, the S&W functions enough like a real AR that the only real difference is the .22 round, and the weight. So since I don’t already own an AR and the National Guard only lets me have visitation rights with my issued rifle about once or twice a year it is best for me and others in similar situations to get this S&W. Since the .22 round is the same with either the S&W or the conversion kit the only real drawback is the weight difference, however with the conversion kit on the full size AR you usually loose some accuracy and the magazine size issue, for me those are bigger issues than the weight issue.
I am actually hoping that yours and my opinions on this will help others to decide if they want this rifle or not. Most of us in this hobby don’t have the money to pick up multiple rifles at a time, so helping people choose between the new dedicated .22 or the full AR with the conversion kit is a good thing. The S&W was the answer to my prayers so I am pretty psyched on it. On your side you can pick up a full AR from Bushmaster for about $600-700 so for a few hundred more you can get the best of both worlds.
later.
Dont go to gander, cabelas, bass pro shops there about $150 more. This 22 is a bad azz gun by the way.
Few months back got one of them. Took it to the range and found out two things:
It was quite accurate and fun to shoot
But only when it properly ejected.
About 3-5 times out of every mag, with any ammo, the empty wouldn’t clear the receiver and would block the bolt from closing. So I called S&W and they sent a shipping label, and off it went.
Less than three weeks later it was back, and worked flawlessly. It even fed more brands of ammo well than it had before. All the letter with it said was “Upgraded to current specs”, nothing about exactly what that meant.
Not quite three weeks ago put about 200 rounds through it. Came home, cleaned, put it back together and racked the bolt to check function and as the bolt dropped,’PING’.
What?
Opened the bolt and there’s a little spring loose in there! What the- The extractor had ejected itself from the bolt and left the spring behind.
So, another phone call, another label and off to the factory. Again.
In the middle of the blizzard yesterday I heard a knock at the door and found a FedEx guy with a frozen look and a box. So figuring five days transit for this time of year, they got to my rifle and did the work in a week; not bad.
But AAAARGH! In the cover letter the only thing it says is ‘Repaired: Updated to latest spec’, same as before. So aside from the extractor being in, no idea what that means. I think I’m going to ask; I’ll pass on what I find out.
And yeah, they included two new magazines with it.
Note: when it came back from the first return(I HATE having to write that) not only would it feed better, but it would feed Eley Sport, a subsonic ammo. It’s only the second semi-auto I’ve ever tried that would properly and reliably cycle with it. Which is nice, as it’s very accurate in this thing.
Will add, guy sent me a link to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO76HC9tD4g
on adjusting the ejector.
At this point I should know better than to buy something that hasn’t been out a year or so; same thing happened when I got a Trailside years ago, I got to be one of the people finding the problems they should have taken care of before it left the factory.
Mine arrived a couple of days ago, ordered through the Davidson’s website. First impressions were quite favorable – although it’s polymer, it’s very true to the AR-15 platform, and the gun feels substantial, though light in weight.
I checked the barrel for obstructions – lockup of the lower to the upper is very tight, but the pins can be removed by hand. Then I loaded up two mags of CCI Minimags, which were all digested without incident. Sights were close to zeroed at 25 yards, out of the box.
I proceeded to shoot a mag of old Blazer .22 LR sans jams or incident. It ate through a mag and a half of old RWS subsonic rounds with only a couple of failures to feed. The empty ejected, but the bolt didn’t retract enough to pick up the new round – not surprising on these reduced rounds.
I handed the rifle to my wife today, who isn’t an avid shooter. She had a blast, ripping out the center of 2 inch “Shoot n See” targets at 20 yards. This is important to me, since it will help her become familiar with AR-15 operation, and it’ll be easier for me to teach her how to show the Bushmaster carbine we use for home defense.
In all, this was a great purchase. I found it more fun to shoot then my tricked out 10-22, and probably nearly as accurate.
price is 425 at fin feather and fur in ohio. They ran that price in their local ad
Hey there, new to the “AR Platform” and I took a trip to the local shooting range to check them out. I was really impressed with S&W 22. I had my mind set on a .223 but when I found out that I couldn’t shoot it at the indoor range (2 miles from my house) and I am at least 30 miles away from an outdoor range (go figure living in DC) I am going to pick the 22 up over the next couple of days.
Question is, is there a manufacture date that I should look for to reduce the issues with jamming, etc. noted above?
The piece is selling for $439 – I don’t really want to drive all over the place to find a $399 deal so I’ll cough up the little extra.
Go to http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/ there is so much information, you will spend a lot of time and make your wish list even longer. $439.00 is a good deal, and a big bonus is you only need to travel 2 miles. Wish I could do that. Get extra mags, you don’t have enough yet.
Scott
I am going to be near Leesburg this weekend. Would not mind some range time. I can bring S&W, Colts, Sig and GSG .22’s.
Not sure where exactly you are but I would like a break from family.
Tim
I got to shoot the SW M&P 15/22
I must say it does remind me more of a AR15 then the SR 22.
It even has a bolt lock like the AR15 unlike the colt that just has a button.
It has a safety button like the AR
I belive it has a better built barrel then the colt.
It was very light to hold.Front and rear sights fell in line with AR style.
The cost of this one was 429.00 but it could have been bought 10 dollars cheaper.We shot Fed bulk 550 36 grain.Mini mags HP 36 grain Mini mags 40 grain.It did well.Not one jam or miss fire.Over all it seemed like a pretty nice gun.
We will see how well it does down the road.
WARNING! MP15-22 COMPLETE LETDOWN!
The MP15-22 was my first and last S&W purchase. After waiting 3 days for clear weather I had the chance to shoot my new MP15-22. I managed to get off 3 rounds with 2 jams right of the bat, next I found that my feed ramp had broken completly off and my gun failed to load any ammo. This is a MAJOR design flaw. Why would these crazy yankees design this critical of a piece out of plastic? Maybe the company needs to be more liberal in their testing and quality inspections than in thier politics. I remember when “Made in USA” meant something, I have had far better luck with my Austrian made Glocks, which is sad to me when a European gun puts this S&W to shame. I plan to contact S&W on the first of January as soon as they open, to give them a few hints on what a total joke of a gun they have made! Do not buy one!
That’s a great question Scott, I have been wondering that myself.
I finally picked mine up just before Christmas but I had to travel to Oregon for the Holidays to visit family so I haven’t been able to shoot it yet. I hope to get out in the next few days to see if I have to send it back or not.
I installed my CAA pistol grip on it. The install went exactly like a real AR from my memory (it seemed like there may have been one extra spring but it is probably just my bad memory). The only difference was that the grip is held on by an allen bolt instead of a regular flat head screw.
Also, the store I bought mine from, Ross Coin And Gun in Idaho Falls dropped its price to $399 while I had it on layaway so I didn’t have to pay full price after all.
I will update you when I get to shoot it.
Hi,
I would like to know S&W MP15-22 is still having jamming problems.
I would also like to know if when shooting this rifle which way does the spent shell fly, back, straight-out, forward? I am Left-Handed with this concern.
Has anyone heard of any other problems with this rifle?
Can you tell me where I can get this rifle in Missouri and what is the cost of this rifle?
Thank you, Dan
I just purchased a Mp15-22 and was very happy with it. I have shoot alot of different 22ammo through it. winchester xp,cci mini mag, federal bulk 550,federal red box and even Remington Golden bullet bulk525. None of them jammed or misfired. I am very inpressed with this rifle. The reason is I use to own a Colt-M4. The new problem now is that the magzines for the 10rd version are a bitch to load. They don’t have load assist button like the 25rd’s has. That is my only cripe about the rifle.
Good for you California Bear.And as with any new gun on the market good luck with it.As I said in the last blog I had a chance to shoot the MP 15-22
I was impressed with it.I seen this gun again last night at plate night.It looks a little different .Well alot different.When I shot it a few days ago it only had iron sights.Last night it had red dot,laser flashlight tatical handle on the front.In short it looks lika a SWAT gun. For you that don’t know.Plate shooting we have 2 sets of 5 steel plates 4 white one red you have to knock your five down as fast as you can (safely)red one last.
The gun did very well again.
Now loading that ten round mag was a pain in the butt.But the owner thought it came with a load assist button and might have been in the box.
I think for some reason he thought he had to install it.I never asked him about it he had a bigger mag last night.But I think we just used a little screwdriver in the hole and pulled it down to load.Good luck with your gun stay safe
Hi,
thanks for all of the feedback to my initial post.
Dan, I am a lefty as well. Just put a couple hundred rounds through it. Shells eject 90 degrees off the rifle. No problem.
Great gun. 1 jam out of about 200 rounds. Accurate too.
Hey can anyone tell me if the trigger can be adjusted to a lighter pull???
Also I have it sighted in at 50 yards… For Squirrel hunting it shoots low… what is the best sight in yardage with a scope???
Thanks.
Just drop in a standard AR-15 match trigger, or send yours out for work. Check out http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/ for all the info you can use.
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.
I picked one up. First 100 rounds jammed and misfired like crazy. Then one round blew out the extractor!
Sent it back to S&W. Came back in 3 weeks.
Now I get many no-fires. Out of 100 rounds, I’ll get 4 “click” – no fire. There is a very weak mark in the rim. (The round will then fire in my Ruger 10/22)
Winchester & Remington ammo seems to have problems. I tried Federal ammo, and have had 0 problems.
Should I just shoot Federal ammo and shut up? Or send it back to S & W.
Anyone else have this trouble?
I guess I have a cool rifle… I have not had any problem with Remington 22 Thunderbolt, Round nose knock on wood!!!
The only thing I dont like is the hard trigger. Joe, do you think I need to take it to a local gun smith or send it back to have them adjust it. I have never had an AR 15 so No Parts.
Thanks…
No problems on my end with jams. Shot 1,000 rounds out of it with some old ammo (who knows how old) out of my gun safe. I love that little plinker. I run a cleaning cord down the barrel every 100 or so and keep the mechanics lightly oiled up. As you can tell by my verbiage, I am not much of a gun guy but this thing is great.
Now watch, it’ll jam every time mow that I gave it such accolades.
Ok, I was very upset and harsh about my gun a few post above. After finding the cause (others are having the failure to eject issue as well) the fix took 10 seconds and when I went to the range today I fired a full clip off as fast as I could and had no ejection problems.
Apparently the factory missed bending the ejector bar on some rifles. Mine was flat against the chamber wall and now that I bent it inwards it fired the full clip without a glitch. Previously with 24 rounds in the clip I would have 12 ejection problems, and if I was really lucky it may have only been 10 or 11 failures.
When I test fired the clip today, I wasn’t really aiming too much since I wasn’t concerned where they went so much as they actually left the chamber! The gun is quite accurate, I hit the target everytime, with many clumped together in the bullseye… Now to hook up my scope and zero this gun in the next time I go to the range.
If you have problems with the spent shells not ejecting, do the quick fix and don’t bother sending the gun back. Just a little defect… I am happy with the gun now.
What kind of accuracy are ya’ll getting out of this gun at around 50 yards? I’m looking to ungrade my current squirrel rifle and thinking about one of these if I can get under 1/2″ groups at 50. Thanks.
When I do my part, the rifle keeps very tight groups. I hit the end of fired 12 gauge shotgun shells, knock them over when they are standing up, and send 44 Mag cases flying, very consistently at 50 yds. Squirrels and other little critters have no chance. Pop bottles, clothspins and paper targets don’t fare too well either.
Nick T and everyone else,
I finally got to go and shoot my new 15-22 last week and I only had some occasional feeding problems with the American Eagle 38 grain ammo. I chock it up to inexperience and freezing Idaho weather + no gloves with loading the magazines. I was just plinking at cans and stuff. It seemed to do well but since I was just with friends I didn’t bother really zeroing in the iron sights beyond the basic mechanical (halfway from both sides) zero. I hope to go shoot some tomorrow by myself and really dial it in. If I can get out there I will write a report for you guys.
jsgearhead, thanks for the info. Been debating on what I’m going to end up getting and that really leaned me toward one of those rifles. That’s plenty good MOS (Minute of Squirrel) for me. What kind of optics you using?
Tanner, looking forward to your entended report also.
Nick, go to http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/ and check out the info/opinions there. I put a 3-9×50 scope on a QD riser. I’m comfotable out to 100 yds with the round steel targets. They still make the sound, they just don’t spin as fast. There are different forums, scopes, pics, accessories, grips, forearm changes, just about everything. I hope you have some spare time.
Thanks for the info jsgearhead. I’m thinking either a Leopold 6×42AO or a Meuller 4.5×14x40AO, Harris Bi-Pod, and a couple of those 10 round mags for hunting purposes. Been looking at all the fun stuff that can be added, and probably will get some for off season playing. There’s too many interesting toys made of these guns not to. Thanks again.
My M&P 15/22 stove piped on Remmington ammunition and blew out the etractor mechism. It went back to the factory for a rebuild and after 20 shote on Wichester Super-X did the same thing. I could not be more disappointed and will take the gun back to the store for a refund. I have had several .22s over the yaers and have never experienced such unrelaibility. They have to go back to the drawing board with this model, pretty but unrelaible. I bought a SIG Sauer 522 and have put several hundred shots through no problems and cems with a nice padded heavy duty plastic hinged case for less money, go figure.
Mike J.
I purchased one of these about 6 weeks ago, since then I’ve fired it many times. Only had one stove-pipe and I use Federal ammo from Wal-Mart… Its a great gun,, the squirrels dont stand a chance.. Its light, fast, reliable, extremely accurate , and just fun and cheap to shoot.. And I have shot several times in extremely nasty cold, wet, and snowy conditions with no problems.
I have had my M&P 15/22 for 5 or so weeks and have went through 1000 rounds of Walmart ammo. and it works fine… I love my gun… got a 3X9X40 and it will hold a 3/8 inch group at 50 yards….
just bought one today need to wait 10 days now. Ive been looking around for 10rd magazines online but no luck. Anybody know where i can order some
hey anyone know how to take the buffer tube off of this thing? I havent picked one up yet and am still unfamiliar with the AR platform, but from what i hear this thing is interchangable with milspec parts so im looking at replacing the collapsalbe stock with a CTR Magpul. How do I take off the original stock and im assuming replacing it would be the same as taking it off? So how do i take off the stock.
You cannot take the buffer tube off. It is part of the lower. You can take the collapsable stock off. All you need to do is pull the pin out, further than the release lever pushes it out for adjustment. The 15-22 has a Mil. Spec. Diameter “buffer tube” of 1.148 not commercial 1.168.
Hey Andrew,
The buffer tube does not come off of it. It is all a single molded part. It is in some ways interchangeable with mil-spec parts but in some ways not. I installed one of those quick action latches for the charging handle and I realized that the length of the latch is longer on the 15-22 then it is on a real rifle so now with the new latch is on there, but it is too short to actually hook the ridge on the upper receiver. Fortunately it is a .22 so I don’t have any blowback issues with it not being latched and everything still works fine but it bugs me a little not having it actually latched.
I also installed a MAGPUL Battery Assist Device to allow me to operate the bolt release with the trigger finger. Great device but I had to take my dremel to the upper front portion of the trigger well in order for the BAD lever to fit in the trigger well.
Another issue I have had is that I wanted to install a one point sling but the buffer tube keeps the same profile its full length.
If you can imagine what my ASCII crappy drawing is trying to show (The pic above doesn’t show it well).
Most AR tubes start with the shape on the left where the stock locks are then it tapers to a shorter underbelly for the last few inches at the receiver like the drawing on the right. The 15-22 holds the same profile as the one on the left all along its length.
_ _
( ) ( )
U ‘–’
There is also a difference in how the receiver protrudes out to meet the buffer tube. Since there is no Castle nut it can make finding a proper fitting sling point difficult. I first bought one from Daniel Defense which is really nice and high quality but it is made for the tapered tubes, it now rests on my Tippmann A5 stock until I get my real AR built. I ended up finding a good one at Bravo Company USA, it is made to fit with the castle nut but since it has the allen bolt at the bottom to tighten the two sides down I was able to tighten it enough to get it to stay where I needed it. Incidentally, I set it back about an inch and a half to keep my hand from rubbing on it so it limits my stock from collapsing fully but I only ever use that position when I transport or store it so I am not too worried.
I also attached my CAA pistol grip which installed fine but since it offers a nice radius above the thumb and pointer finger crevice I am able to see that the design of the lower receiver on the 15-22 is also very different from the real AR. On the real AR the radius is flush (if my memory serves me correct from my active duty days) and on the 15-22 there is a little bit of a gap. Not a problem just different.
The butt stock itself comes off ok so if you want to put on a different one it should not be a problem, though I can’t say for sure since I haven’t done it yet, but I think that I have seen people online with MAGPUL CTR stocks on their 15-22.
So far my gun has been great! the only regret I have is that it isn’t anywhere near as fulfilling as shooting off a real 5.56mm round. And I don’t recommend using ear pro or you will spend a lot of time wondering if it even shot. I have an occasional stove pipe or misfeed, whatever you want to call it, but they are few and far between. Maybe 1 every 100rds or so. I am debating on sending it in to get checked out but most likely I won’t. Honestly I am mostly just motivated to send it back to get more magazines as I can’t seem to get any through regular means.I am also not yet certain that my misfeeds are not just due to my loading the magazine improperly, as I have only been out to shoot it in the Eastern Idaho winter and my hands get really cold loading that mag with the button on it. I need to pay more attention to it.
Accuracy is right on, I have mostly been just shooting cans and roma tomatoes (they were on sale).When the weather warms up I will start focusing on shot groups at different distances.
Crap! The ASCII drawings got all screwed up when I posted it!
Thanks tanner and jsgearhead answers all my questions!
Mark,
Let me know how you make out with S & W. I sent them a detailed e-mail explaining how my extractor was blown to pieces before my first magazine was even 1/4 emptied. The gun attempted to load a round with a casing still in the chamber. Very dangerous situation yet they never replied to me. Hmmm Great American Customer Service S & W. What a let down.
This will be my last S&W.
Mark,
Let me know how you make out with S & W. I sent them a detailed e-mail explaining how my extractor was blown to pieces before my first magazine was even 1/4 emptied.
The gun attempted to load a round with a casing still in the chamber. Very dangerous situation yet they never replied to me. Hmmm Great American Customer Service S & W. What a let down.
This will be my last S&W.
My rifle came back from Smith for the second time. All seems well.
The first time the extractor blew right off within the first 50 rounds. The second time I had a few jams and a bunch of “no fires” due to a light hit on the rim of the shell.
I got it back and the first 100 rounds were fine. I’ll shoot more later. It may sound weird, but it feels, sounds, and shoots better. Can’t explain it. It now seems like you would expect from a $500 rifle. The trigger feels even, the shells extract nicely, etc.
I only wish that Smith left some type of note. I always like to know why rifles fail, and how they are fixed. I’m just left guessing?
took m&p 15-22 to range.did not try remington ammo due to bad reviews.shot cci lead round nose sub sonic , low noise.jamed every shot hated gun but new it was picky on ammo.went into store got 50 pack of cci velocitor copper plated hollow point at 40 grain.all 50 shot with out a single jam.was fun to shoot after that.also i live in nj paid 469.99 at ramsey outdoors.there prices i saw was 499.00.dont pay to much.
Does anyone know if the threaded barrell version will be available in California?
I’ve got a recent version in California. It has the flash suppressor on so I assume its threaded. After about a thousand rounds so far it’s not as picky about the ammo but has been super reliable with CCI stingers (1600 fps), with no faults whatsoever in over 300 rounds. Would stick to stingers but getting really hard to find them here nowadays. Also in Cali we have to use the 10 round clips, a real pain and this clips don’t have a load assist. Over all a real nice rifle. If yor looking to purchase one soon I’d recommend the version with the flash suppressor, doesn’t really need one but I think allot of the kinks have been worked out with that version.
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.
Hi, I have seen a few post noting a 10 round mag for the M&P15-22. Where do they sell these?
The 25rnd mag is a pain when shooting on a bench.
I just picked one up this weekend and got it on sale for $450.00. The gun is really light, but has a lot of plastic. The quadrail is nice though, and is a pretty good gun for the price considering you can buy 500 rounds for it and only spend 15 dollars.
The S&W M&P 15-22 rifle is about $500.00 not including taxes etc. I know i have bought one and love this AR type rifle that shoots .22caliber.
It is a very light and accurate rifle and really fun to shoot. Now that ammo is getting more pricey it is cheap to shoot a 22caliber.
The lower can’t be used with a .223 type upper. The internal is different for the lower,etc.
I did notice this model Smith & Wesson is both polymer upper and lower, which makes the weight much less, then one of a metal. The colt and other models of 22LR AR type rilfes were just a tad heavier cause the lower was metal and in some the upper and lower were metal. I was impressed by the smith & wesson’s upper and lower polymer. So it is your choice but I thought i would point to those factors. The other’s were a bit more money, depending on style and attachment accessories. Good Luck.
I purchased my M&P 15 22 for $459 in December of 2009 in St marys PA,, last Month I found them for $419 in Clearfield PA and $429 in Warren PA,, All three places are within 60 miles of each other.
i live in so cal and i paid $649. it was worth it, and for it being my first gun, im enjoying very much. the bad thing is the LEGAL clip here is 10
many accessories to put on this baby though!!!