I’m one of those who think the significance of a canted barrels is exaggerated, but it bugs you so don’t buy that 686.

The M&P 22 is a plinker or perhaps an under study for a center fire M&P auto. The M&P 22 lacks the adjustable sights, weight, barrel length and clean breaking trigger of a target pistol. New shooters occasionally start local matches with M&P 22s. In a month or two they’re back shopping for a target pistol.

If I had it to do over again I’d save up and concentrate my gun budget into a model 41 at age 18. I’d have gotten 40 years use out of it and the cost per match would be low. However, that’s too much foresight to expect out of an 18 year old. There are a lot of decent target pistols in between the M&P 22 and a 41. Ruger Mark I, II, or IIIs, Buck Marks and old High Standards come to mind. If you can’t bring your self to lay out good money for .22, the S&W 22A which Cabelas has put on sale for $199 many times is a much better target pistol than a M&P 22. I’d hunt down one of the discontinued stainless steel framed 22Ss. They’re a lot less expensive than adjustable sighted steel frame Ruger .22s but that’s not why I prefer them. Ruger’s tubular receiver traps firing debris so they have to be cleaned more often, and compared to a 22A or 22S they are a PIA to field strip and reassemble.