I know this question will sound stupid but better safe than sorry. I wondering what was the proper way to safety my rifle? Should the rifle be cocked and then put on safety or should the rifle be uncharged. I noticed when the rifle is not charged(cocked) that the safety does not seem to switch smoothly, but when cocked it switches fine. I ask because I assume that if the rifle is cocked then some spring must be under pressure and would that cause problems if left on safety for extended periods of time? This is my first ar type weapon and want to start with good habits.

your safety is mechanically designed to not go on if the hammer is in the uncocked position. do not try to force it, you will break it.

if your gun is uncocked it is safe. you're better off leaving it that way rather than cocking it, leaving the hammer/trigger springs under tension and having the safety on. so long as the rifle is empty, there is no need to engage the safety.

an empty weapon is a safe weapon.

It's kind of hard to explain and I hope I don't confuse you any.

This gun uses a standard blow back bolt operation because it's a rimfire .22lr gun.

Standard AR's that shoot .223, along with other centerfire bullets run through a gas or piston system which makes the gun function and more reliable shooting the larger caliber bullet.

The thing I love about this rifle is that it fields strip just like an AR, the grip frame, trigger assembly, are also interchangeable. The rail system can mount standard accessories, along with being able to add different sights to it just like an AR.

I also want to say that the gun does not let you switch it to the safety position when the bolt is locked back(which it wouldn't need to have the safety on because the bolt isn't racked forward with the possibility of a round going off).

I hope that helps.

I am no AR expert but I have done a lot of research because I plan on getting the Ruger SR-556 very soon.

If anyone sees anything wrong with my post feel free to yell at me.

At least I tried to convey my knowledge on the subject. You don't learn anything unless you try.

Thank you guys excellent information!

the S&W manuals Loading section tells you to set lever to SAFE, load magazines, and pull the charging handle all the way back. To clear a misfire S&W says to put into safe mode and pull the charging handle back too.

Is this even possible? it doesnt seem to want to move when safety is on. Also when i took the gun out of the box it was in the uncocked position with the safety on.

Springs under pressure for extended periods do not degrade the spring once it takes it's initial set. The only thing that will wear out a properly made spring is cycle of compressing and decompressing said spring. Leaving a rifle cocked has no effect on the hammer spring. The cycle of cocking and releasing the hammer is what wears the hammer spring. Likewise, leaving a magazine loaded has no effect on the magazine spring. The cycle of loading and unloading a magazine wears the spring.

The only other way to prematurely wear out a spring is to manipulate it beyond it's operational limits (manually stretching it out or bending it with tools).

The best/safest way to store your rifle (or any firearm for that matter) is with the action open (bolt locked back) and safety on with a chamber flag.

WOW! I just checked the manual, and it definitely says that. It's WRONG! If you pull the trigger, and you have a misfire (hammer dropped, but the round did not fire), you will/should not be able to engage the safety. If you can apply the safety when the hammer is not cocked, there is a problem and I would call S&W immediately. Something is out of spec and/or broken. I would venture to say that your rifle is in fact unsafe in this condition. I would not trust the safety to properly block the trigger when engaged.

As to why your having trouble pulling the bolt back when uncocked with the safety on, it's because the safety is is holding the trigger in such a position that the hammer cannot rotate to the point where the sear engages. DO NOT try and cock the hammer with the safety on as it WILL damage something. The design will not allow it to work this way, and if you force it, something will give in a bad way.

I think the selector on the MP15-22 is plastic and may be able to be forced to SAFE when uncocked. Don't do it.

The selector on SAFE forces the trigger down at the rear and, consequently, up at the front. The front of the trigger is the sear and cocking the hammer with the sear forced up and immovable will soon damage it.

It it impossible to SAFE the M16/AR15 unless the hammer is cocked but all these parts are steel. S&W should know this.

-- Chuck

i dont think anything is damaged, i forced the lever out of safe once and then back in when i was reading the manual but it still would takes an effort to switch to safe mode uncocked. anything i should watch out for that may signal something may be damaged?

As an aside, this rifle is easy to uncock should you so choose. Dryfiring a rimfire is not good for the firing pin and could damage it. However if you retract the bolt, pull the trigger then ease the bolt forward the hammer will follow the bolt and not strike the firing pin. I store all my guns uncocked.

Ah... NO, that is not right -- and it's called a "gun", not a "weapon" -- unless you're using it in a combat situation.

With no offense intended to Mike, the quote should read:

"A gun pointed in a safe direction is a safe gun."

Many people have been killed with "empty" guns. It happens...

Better to be safe -- than dead.

Old No7

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The 2nd Amendment = Freedom!

no offense taken. tomato tomaaato. i should have said "an empty firearm is a safe firearm so long as you're not swinging it at someone's temple"

bottom line, be safe and have fun.

Let me guess, NRA certified instructor?

Unless it's Airsoft or BB, anything firing a projectile is a weapon.

NRA pansy-speak notwithstanding.

-- Chuck

LOL!

Weapon = Everything from a knife to Iraq's missing WMD.

oh ya, well i can piss farther than you lol ... oh my god, you guys really arnt fussing about that stupid stuff we all know what he ment

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07/SOT2
NRA Instructor