I hear tell S&W will have a polymer framed AR in .22lr to sell around $500. I've read the Colt version of this feels pretty flimsy.
Any concrete info on the Smith?

JHC,

Is that just the upper, or does that include a standard lower with a polymer upper?

__________________
Bring back the S&W 10mm!!

A complete gun.A photo of the Colt version and the Smith version are on page 1 of Gunblast-shot show 2009.

That's nice, and if it actually makes it to market for $500, that'll be impressive.

__________________
Bring back the S&W 10mm!!

Here's the picture from Gunblast:

__________________
Regulate Banks, not guns

I think these will be a good seller. Gunblast said that S&W designed a new type of mag. This should clear up the issues Colt had with the conversions they made years ago.

Cool, I was planning on pre-ordering the Colt but I think I'll buy the S&W now.

I'd hold on to check out the S&W. The Colt is not made by Colt but rather has licensed Colt's name for the rimfire project. M4 carbine's thread on this includes someone who handled the Colt and was disgusted by the build quality. So go slow might be in order.

Actually, I handled the Umarex built licensed Colt and I had good impressions of it, except it seemed the safety lever was a bit "loose," which could have just been from handling by a whole bunch of people at the SHOT Show.

Umarex builds good stuff, and I doubt they would put it out unless it is of good quality. Remember, Umarex is owned by Walther, which builds very high quality firearms indeed.

I did not handle the S&W M&P15-22 as it was in a display case.

I shot a friends Spike Tactical in .22lr and had a blast. I am glad to see that there will be more options as I plan on getting a AR in .22lr. Any idea on when these will be available?

I spoke to my gun shop this morning and they have not received a ship date from S&W yet but the gun shop already has orders for 8 including one for me. Looks like a hot, hot item..."sit and wait" type new rifle.

Last quarter ending October 31st, S&W shipments for the AR's were up 300% which are pre-election shipments...then the AR demand went out of sight after Obama got in.

I'm still waiting on my M&P15T...6 weeks so far. Gun shop owner said now it's March 20th delivery!

Classic consumer response...you want the product more when you can't get it!!!

I e-mailed Smith a couple weeks ago asking when this and several other new guns would begin shipment. The answer was that they didn't have a clue.

I asked one of the bigger distributor's when they expected to see the similar Colt 22. Not anytime soon was the answer.

Smith advertised a "Mid-Year 2009" release in their spec sheet at SHOT. I would say that means this summer.

Looks like they are all jumping on the band wagon with the 22's. S&W has their hands full with the M&P15's...backorders galore. July or August availability sounds about right. Lower price point will make these 22's hot!

If these things are actually available at a $500 price point I will buy one. I've been meaning to get a .22LR rifle, and a .22LR M&P AR would be perfect.

The best way to track new guns coming onto the market is to do a search at the RSR web site. Though pictures come much later, descriptions of as yet unannounced guns get there weeks before anywhere else.

Yesterday I once again did a search on 22 semi-automatic rifles there. Got maybe eight different listings for the Colt AR-15 22. Colt isn't making that gun, of course, but whomever is is going to have a lot of versions of it.

I had mine made in a "slick side" 9mm upper...

I listened to the S&W executive conference call with stock brokers on Thursday, March 12 after S&W released 3rd quarter sales/earnings.

The S&W president was asked about the new "22" version of the M&P15. His comment was "later-in the-year-shipments"...my best guess is early fall.

The new 22 version and their new M&P "auto" M4 for law enforcement agencies were the hottest things at the recent SHOT show in January.

S&W current back orders are $123 million versus $22 million last year. S&W is at "full capacity production" for the balance of the year. Their Thompson Center facility is making the M&P15 barrels because of the blow away demand on these rifles.

I'm gonna have to get one of these!!!!!!!

If they are comparing the quarter that ended Oct. 31 with the one from the previous year...yes, it would have to be up 300%, because they didn't deliver many that previous year.

Better watch what "big blue" feeds..."gotta get that stock price up."

__________________
Lost it all in a boat accident

I would agree completely..

__________________
SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP