Hey everyone, I just got a brond new M&P15moe and spent around $1000 on it. I had a local dealer order it form a warehouse, and when it came in last week it was sitting there in a cardboard box... I don't know about you but I was a little disappointed when a gun so expensive arrived in cardboard.

I thought I had heard they actually came in a hard plastic case like s&w pistols. Anyone get one recently or hear of any switch from their plastic cases to cardboard? Just wondering becase it would've been nice to display such a finely crafted rifle in its manufacturer's branded case.

My M&P 15 OR model came in a hard case. Not the best one I've ever seen but servicable. However, like most folks, I carry it in a padded, AR type soft case. It has pockets for mags and shoulder and hand straps and is much smaller outline than the plastic case (it is 36" long and accomodates a scope and collapsed stocked AR).

The plastic case would not be secure enough for air travel or other type of shipping so I would be just as happy without it to be honest.

FYI, it was built in November of 2010 and I received it as a gift from my wife in early December so the change must be after that time.

My MOE came it a semi-hard plastic case. Don't worry, you're not missing anything. Go to Academy and pick up one of their single-gun Flambeau cases for $19.

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*Aim small, miss small...

Thanks for responding guys, I already have a soft carry case for it, I guess I'll just keep it in that.

I have one more question though, in the specs for the rifle Smith says the moe has a chromed bolt carrier and chamber, yet these components on my rifle are not shiny like most chromed things I've seen. Are they still chrome or not? Do your rifles bolt carrier and chamber look shiny?

Thanks again.

When they say "chromed", it refers to a hardening technique. It will not be chrome like you see on a car bumper.

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*Aim small, miss small...

The Bolt Carrier Group is Chromed Lined inside of the Carrier Key and inside the hole in the Carrier the Bolt actually fits into. Neither are visiable with the Bolt Carrier Group assembled. The Chamber is Chromed Lined also. With a clean rifle, it is visiable. You will see a dull silver ring around the opening of the Chamber, inside the Barrel Extension.

No offense, but an M&P 15 is neither very expensive nor finely crafted. It's an AR, it shouldn't be put on display in a box. Shoot it, use it, customize it, enjoy it, but babying it is completely unnecessary.

I had to laugh when I read this.

Most all of the revolvers displayed on this sight, at the time of manufacture, fit the same mantra.

True, we have to remember that men love their machines. They are (IMO) our "jewelry". Yes, the school of "its just a tool, don't worry about scratches" will always contrast to a meticulously cleaned, oiled and polished object of pride and wonder. Just human nature.

I have a friend who teaches SD tactics to LEOs who is a gruff, straightforward advocate of the "just a tool" school of thought. LOL, that is untill his prized, precision three thousand some odd dollar 1911 is brought forward for an "audience"!

Thanks once again for your help everyone, that is except Dragon88. No offense to you either, but I will be using my rifle as a tool, when I'm at the range using it. When it's back at home sitting around I want to keep it clean and protected so that it is ready for use whenever use is necessary.

I like to use the phrase, "It ain't a prom dress..."

I'm personally amazed that people here in Texas have what they call "bar-b-que" guns - fancy pistols with matching holster rig they wear on special occasions. Both of my 1911's are parkerized with normal checkered grips. One of them has a blue'd saftey because it was the only one I could find that wasn't some sort of abomination of the original design. I carry in a plain black non-retention style holster.

My AR's are the same - just rifles. Not pretty by any stretch, and they both have their share of wear marks, and I routinely shoot - GAK! - steel ammo in them! Even worse, I have red dot scopes on them that weren't made by EOtech or AimPoints! OMG! THE HUMANITY!

The only gun I treat with any kind of tender loving care is my dad's pristine 1956 Model 94 that's never even had a round chambered in it. Even so, if worse comes to worse, I have a few hundred rounds of .30-30 laying around in case I have to fall back to that particular rifle.

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*Aim small, miss small...

When that AR-15 is 50 years old and collectible, then it might be a good comparison.

Must be a fairly recent change. My M&P15 OR from a couple of years ago came in a hard case. My M&P15 MOE from two
weeks ago came in cardboard.

Personally, I think a hard case is a waste of space, especially if you keep your guns in a safe. I keep one long hard case tucked away in the garage attic, but only in case I have to mail a rifle somewhere, and that's rare. I'd rather have a soft case like a Boyt any day. I have enough of those to carry anything I might want to take on a given trip. They're much easier to squirrel away somewhere out of the way.