Confession time. Not so long ago I was not really sure just what a S&W M&P 15-22 was. I knew it was a .22 rifle and a semi auto, but apart from that? Well let's just say there was a big gap in my knowledge base.
Then I started hearing around my club of moves to hold a .22 rimfire competition over two days next year. I figured I would just get my cheap AR15 lookalike .22 (a Stirling Model 16) out of the safe and use that. I would have to put a couple of the oversize boxes on some spare mags to use it properly if mag changes were required but I had both spare mags and oversize boxes somewhere so that was about that. After all, the last time I shot the M16 was about 4 years ago when I sighted it in with some new bulk ammo I bought so didn't really need anything else right?
Wrong.
I was hearing stories around the range of club guys buying .22 carbines and gearing up for this new comp, but then they jump on every fad bandwagon that comes along. Pistol calibre carbine, production optics, anything new. It wasn't until about 6 weeks ago when I pulled my old Stirling out to give it a long overdue cleaning that I recalled I had been cleaning up the man cave a year or so ago and thrown out the extra mags thinking I'd never use them. (Bad move.
Never throw out old magazines. To replace them I would need to pay NZ$75 - $100 each, and the gun only cost me $100 20 years ago).
The following week I was speaking to someone at the club and was told that most members interested in the new match were buying M16 platforms, although one had chosen the Ruger 10/22 which he was customising. I decided to call into the LGS on the way home and see what they had and at what prices.
New Webley & Scott copy of the 10-22, $400. (NZ $ now worth around $0.65c US) No sights so could not use in iron sight category and would need a new trigger, maybe a new stock (although the rubber/plastic one felt nice) and extra magazines.
Ruger 10-22. Blue/composite second hand (95%+ condition) $400. New $700 - $800. Has iron sights but still needs customising with a new trigger and extra mags.
S&W M&P 15-22 $1250.To comply with our "sporting rifle" laws it has a steel rod from the pistol grip back to the top of the stock (don't ask what difference this makes) which is non adjustable but usable. Has great iron sights and rails for an optic. Nice, if not fantastic trigger. And the LGS has sold half a dozen to my fellow club members so I'd be in good company on the line.
I started a thread in Competition Shooting to see what the overall advice would be. Although the W&S was preferable to me over the Ruger (better tigger and stock felt
really nice), the lack of iron sights put me off. And the fact that others were shooting the 15-22 weighed on my mind.
I was putting off a final decision until after our US trip in October. The 15-22 was slowly gaining ground as preferred candidate due to the fact I could mount an optic in front of the fold down rear sight and remove it when required. Then yesterday morning my credit card issuer sent me an e-mail. Buy Dad a Fathers Day gift before end of business Friday, spend over $1,000 and go into the draw to win $2,000 cash.
Yesterday I was working in and around the provincial city where my club, and LGS, is located. Today and tomorrow I am around home as I am shooting all weekend 1 1/4 hours away in the other direction. So I called into the LGS and walked out with an M&P 15-22.
Last night I was looking at "Mini Rifle" shooting in the UK videos on Youtube and found one listing the "best" five AR platforms for the sport. The M&P came in at #1. There was very little, if any, differences between #'s 1, 2 and 3. It was the prices that won out the day.
This morning I fitted a 30mm red dot sight in front of the rear sight and confirmed that I can raise the iron sights to check the dot is sitting right on top of the front sight (still have to sight it in with my preferred ammo though). This means I can remove the optics and shoot in Iron Sights, then reattach the red dot, check the zero and shoot again in Optics division. Next week I'll order in four spare mags from Brownells and I'll not only be up with the other competitors but able to compete in both Iron Sight and Optics divisions (everyone else has chosen to go only with Optics).
I'm looking forward to a lot of fun with this rifle.
My first S&W long gun
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