Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and I'm also new to firearms. I just recently purchased a MP 15-22 rifle; I love the way it looks, feels and plan on firing it this weekend.

I do have a few questions, so please bare with my noob question lol..

When I enter a magazine and pull the charging handle back, it locks in the back position. I know the bolt release will close the chamber but I wanted to know how not to have the charging handdle lock when I pull it back?

Am I pulling it to far back or should I not be pushing down on
the left side that has the lock on the charging handle???

Thanks very much for your help!!!!

You might get a quicker reponse if you go ahead and post this in the 15-22 sub-forum....but since you asked, when you say the bolt locks back when you insert a mag., is the mag empty or loaded? If empty, yrs the bolt locks back, when loaded when you pull the charging handle all the way back and release it, the bolt should return to battery with a fresh round loaded in the chamber. This is all normal.
If the bolt is locked back and you insert a loaded mag, either use the bolt catch release on the left side and the bolt will go forward. You can pull back on the charging handle and let go but I don't think that's the best way or even the right way.

You say you're new to firearms. Have you got someone that is familiar with the safe handling of guns to be with you to get you started? If you go to a range and wave the muzzle around(not intentionally but it's very easy to do) and "sweep" the firing line, your first shooting experience may very well be cut short if you pi** off the range safety officer, if the range has one. Safe gun handling is priority 1. There aren't any do overs if you accidently shoot someone or thing. Learn the mantra of safe handling: Always presume the gun is loaded, muzzle is always pointed down range. Never Ever point the gun at something you don't intend to shoot. (There is a set of rules but I paraphrased but I think you get the point)

Next, clean your gun before you go to the range. Be extremely carefull that you don't bend the extractor when cleaning. Clean from the chamber end towards the muzzle.
Learn how to load the magazines correctly with each round staggered and inserted correctly.(See the tutorials over at the 15-22 sub-forum) Start out with just 1 or 2 rounds at a time as you get a feel for the trigger and gun in general. Use recommended ammo. CCI Blazer is an inexpensive way to start. These guns are known to shoot better with one type over another but you won't be able to tell unless you try different stuff. I own 3 of these guns and one will shoot X brand better than Y whereas another likes the Y brand.

Get comfortable, relax, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy your next addiction.

Sorry for the lengthy post...but you asked.

Hobie

welcome to the forum but this is the long gun forum, there is a 15-22 forum and one of the mods will relocate it.


As far as the charging handle, are the mags loaded? Because if its an empty mag the bolt will stay open.

Thanks a lot for your info and tips, sorry for posting in the wrong section.

The magazine was not loaded... That answers my question lol.

As for gun safety, I'm scheduled to take a safety class this Saturday with an instructor. I know thats very important when it comes to fire arms.

Have a great holiday weekend

+1 on the instructor! Have a great time and remember...relax.

Hobie

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22

Yeah, I'd guess that he figured that out by now.

Just asking. Here's a Wiki def. for what it's worth....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_gun

Hobie

lol hobbie you say long gun i say fun gun... but didnt you say around the same thing i did? that there is a 15-22 subforum? and also if ur gonna be a dick about something make it bigger than me saying not to post in the long gun forum.

I thought this was the 15-22 forum?

lol this thread was originally posted in the longgun section.

Geez, don't get your panties in a wad over sematics. I wasn't trying to be a "dick" but my point was and still is that the 15-22 is a rifle, hence the term "long gun".
BTW, I took the time to try to help out a new guy rather than just point him in another direction, which btw, I did point out the "sub"-forum. More than some others did I might add.
Everybody is a noob when they start.

That's all out of me on this. Have a nice day. lol

Gentlemen,

Knock off the bickering.

The thread was originally posted in Long Guns. When I noticed it I moved it here to the 15-22 section.

it is, he originally posted in a different part of the forum, then the mods moved it here.

Roger that.

Hobie1 out.

Well, I hoped to hear how the range session went with Dino. I hope he didn't get discouraged with us.

Hobie

I guess we'll never know. Too bad. I'd liked to hear how his experience went.

Hobie