I have a S&W Sport and love it, so I am thinking I may want to buy a S&W ar in 22 cal.
How reliable and accurate are they ?

Extremely reliable, very accurate. You wont find much negative around here or anywhere else on the 15-22 from those who own them. I started with the 15-22 and it was such a great buy that I went an got the M&P OR. They compliment each other nicely.

My experience has been great. I have the Performance Center model and after a few thousand rounds not a single hiccup. Some members here have over 10,000 rounds. Accuracy wise I'm happy with mine, granted its not as accurate as a 10/22 but its not intended for precision shooting.
Here's mine at 50 yards using a bipod and scope.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1352294368.923795.jpg

I found my 15-22 to be very reliable once I worked out the ammo. Mine doesn't like Federal Bulk. But I have found other value bulk ammo that does work reliably. It seems they all have different personalities.
I have only had mine for about a month and a half, but I can reliably hit 2" steel targets at 50 yards using iron sights. By spring I think I will have become proficient with iron and will acquire a scope to take it out to 100+ yards.

The key to accuracy with the 15-22 (really most .22s) is to match the ammo to the firearm. Try at least 100 rounds each of several brands to see what your particular 15-22 likes best. And fire at least 10 rounds before you try for accuracy to get your barrel "acclimated" to the new ammo.

With a decent scope, 2.5-3.0 MOA from the bench is not uncommon. The 15-22 is NOT a bullseye match gun and was never meant to be.

I've been breaking mine in on the "easy" side so to speak. Getting it plenty warm and keeping that temp. I "watch" the AR temp while I'm shooting my handguns. I shoot at an old dump now and then that works great. I'm to the point of "don't grab the barrel". So far,it's shooting about everything I've been feeding it. Minor FTF FTE's are ammo related. Seems to be getting better as I get more ammo through it. Held back on freefloating the barrel until I feel it's broke in well. I'm hitting what I'm aiming at. And VERY happy with it. I'd buy it again if I had it to do over.

I too have a Sport and now want a 15-22. I haven't heard anything negative about them.

my experience with the 15-22 has also been excellent. But I agree with the others, try a number of different brands. So far CCI Tactical and Winchester X-pert works well. Next range trip I'll try a couple hundred rounds of Winchester M-22. All rounds have been 40gr.

Good luck with your decision but I think you will like the 15-22.

Mine seems to shoot any ammo I try without a problem. I shot some 12 year old Rem Golden last night and didn't have a single problem. Since I bought my 15-22 my Tactical Ruger 10-22 hasn't been used. I am planning to try a S&W M&P 15 Sport next.

I second the opinions given especially about how they seem to have different personalities when it comes to ammo. Mine loves CCI Mini Mags and feeds on Federal Bulk just fine. It does not like Remington Golden Bullet or white box Winchester. I also like to load 4X1 ball to tracer just for nostalgia and find that the tracer has some problems with being powerful enough to cycle the action properly sometimes. It is also very dirty ammo; but the sight of those red streaks in the dark is amazing! I shoot my 15-22 then pick up my Henry lever-gun and it's like using a time machine! But both of them are fine rifles and a joy to shoot.

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Thank you for all the replies, I appreciate it.
I am just looking for a good plinking 22 to have fun with.

You should be fine for plinking. I use federal 550 for general fun but I have found other ammo shoots a little more accurately such as federal lightning.

Here are a couple targets lightning vs bulk using iron sights.
Top is lightning

There are several of us at the gun club that use the 15-22 for 2 gun competition. We have found that the Blazer works very well, and the Federal bulk doesn't in the rifle, but does in our hand guns.We are able to hit clay birds out at 50 yards without any problem. And do we have a lot of fun with them.

No points of discontent hereabouts either.

I have over 5,000 rounds though mine, which my wife calls hers as she
likes firing it that much, and the only ammo it doesn't feast upon is the
Federal bulk, and it gets a little queasy on anything less than 40 grainers.

The 15-22 out to 100 yards, and the 22A for 25 or less. Two great tastes
that taste great together!

Love it so much I went out and bought a 15-22P, my wife took it and won't give it back. She calls it "my (her) little frind"

Just buy one....you'll never regret it...it may be the best money spent of a firearm if calculated by the Fun Factor.

I shoot mine primarily in Tactical .22 matches at a range not far from me so I don't have any targets to show you....but here's a video sample.

Tactical .22 match at Rio Salado stage 3 - YouTube

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Now for the fly in the soup....I have had to send mine back twice to S&W. And I'm going to be sending it back again...out of battery firing, extractor blown into eternity, AND a bullet stuck in the barrel. I guess I have the one in a hundred thousand that is the lemon. With all the problems that I have with the 1522, I would not discourage you from getting one. When it's running good, it is a fun, fun 22 to shoot.

I bought the Performance Center 15-22 for my son to shoot and I use it more than he does. It is fun, accurate, and reliable. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a .22. The Ruger 10-22 hasn't been fired since we got the S&W.

I have had the MP 15-22 for a couple of years. I haven't used my match Ruger 10-22 since I got it. Liked it so much I got an MP 15 Sport this year. The look and feel of the two rifles are pretty much the same. Main difference is $.03 per round vs $.40 which is quite a difference if you are just shooting paper or cans. Since I got the MP 15 Sport my Mini 14 has seen very little action. The only Problem I have encountered with either rifle is a walking hammer pin on the MP 15 Sport that was easily fixed by two drops of locktite. S&W sent me two new notched hammer pins that I have yet to use.
Both rifles are great and complement each other. Neither is match quality, but more than accurrate for my needs.

You will never regret purchasing a 15-22. They are the most fun and versatile .22 made. And, if you like to dress them up, well there is no end to accessories. Accuracy? very very good, but they are sometimes ammo sensitive. Mine actually likes Federal bulk quite well, Remington not at all. Now my M&P22 doesn't like the Feds, but Wildcats work very well. Guns seem to have personalities as do the the shooters. I found that my .22 ammo budget increased substantially when I got the 15-22, much to my pleasure. They once said of the revered Henry, you load it on Sunday and shoot all week. The 15-22? Load it on Sunday and shoot all month. A word of caution, if you get the 15-22 you may forget you own the Sport. Good shooting.

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I have had mine for a couple months now, and I really enjoy it. I have used Federal bulk and it likes it. I 've had a few (very few) issues, but think they were ammo related. So much fun to shoot and the bulk box will be empty before you know it.

I've shot several thousand rounds through mine and had 2, yes just 2 failures.

1 failure to feed
1 failure to chamber, the bullet was jammed in there.

Other then that no problems at all, also bought some mags for a few bucks that had problems with feeding, in mine, none

Buy it, you will never regret it.

Ps. I've had some other people shoot mine, they have AR's with 22lr uppers and they are selling them now (the uppers) to buy the 15-22, think that says enough

Another + for the 15-22. I've had mine for a little over a year now and, like others, have found it sensitive to ammunition. Mine hates Golden Bullets and works really well with Federal 525 bulk and with about a 15 year old 1000 round brick of Federal Classics. I also have several of the old orange box PMC half-bricks and using these, it becomes a tack driver. With a Trijicon reflex RX-01 it shot a ragged hole at 25 yards with the PMC. So, yes, they are ammo sensitive and like someone else said, try out different types to see what yours will work best with. Almost forgot this. Wife really liked mine so she ended up with the TALO Pink Platinum 15-22.

CW

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What ammo are you using? make sure you try several different types just in case you have one thats picky.

For the OP, I have never owned a gun before and thought the 15-22 would be a good starter purchase that would last me a while. I can say it is easy to use, cheap for what you arre getting, and accurate enough for me (I'm no great marksman).

But I just go to wal-mart and buy the federal bulk pack and shoot all day. I clean it after shooting and have never had a failure to fire, eject, feed, or any problem at all. I have only used the federal bulk pack and cci minimag.

Great reliable rifle!

For a more expert opinion, go buy one and judge for yourself, I seriously doubt you will regret it!

what is the performance model S&W 15 22 ? What is different from the regular 15 22 ?

It has a slightly different chamber. There are one or two other minor differences as well.

18" barrel, 2 stage match trigger, Vltor stock, +$200 on the price tag....

KBK

I've used only federal Bulk, I have never cleaned it at around 1800 rounds. It has never failed to fire, feed, or eject. Monday I let brand new never shot a gun before friends have at it (after some training). They couldn't jam it even when the ammo in the mags wasn't staggered properly. They love the gun, I can't say enough good things about it. It is insanely reliable, I'm going to let it go just to see how far it will run with just a drop of lube every 1k.

Accuracy wise I can't ask for any more. If I can get new shooters to hit an apple at 50 yards with iron sights standing in less than 10 shots and do it repeatedly.... this gun is amazing.

3 here:

Platinum pink with a 3-9x for the wife
Real tree full camo with a matching camo 3-9x
black 15-22P with reflex dot sight

All fun, pretty good with most 22LR tried. No problems requiring any repairs/returns/etc. All 3 older models with quad rails.

Sucker for good 22LR rifles and pistols here.

Probably 1000 rounds thru mine with not a single hangup. With a cowitnessed red dot the accuracy is better than I expected. I shoot nothing but Federal Bulk.

750 rds through my M&P 15-22. CCI Mini-Mag round nose. Barrel mounted bi pod. Hammers scope (Amazon). Fired from 10 rd magazine.

Attached Images

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11 years old!

Reading through this thread reminds me that my Performance Center 15-22 has sat too long neglected in the safe. I'll have to rectify that!

Didn't realize I'd necro-ed so huge! ;-0