not a happy camper.

I just looked over my new M&P 15 sport i got as a gift for christmas and noticed the barrel is stamped 5.56 nato 1/9,that's not what i bought.i bought a rifle labeled 1 in 8 twist, 5R rifling on the sticker wrapped around the gun.s&w closed for christmas i'll call them when they open back up.i think i got ripped off by s&w,i hope they will fix the mistake any word on the street?

Pretty sure theyll.make it right. No need to get drastically upset over it.

What he said^

S&W hasn't issued a 15-Sport with the Thompson Center 1:8 5R progressive gain twist barrel in a couple years. Production switched to the 1:9 barrels for a while now. Specs are on the website.

Product: Model M&P15 Sport?

^ Link to current 15-Sport specs.

The only way to get a 15-Sport with a 1:8 5R barrel is to find new old stock or buy a used 15-Sport. Either S&W never updated the label they stick on the handguard for presentation, or someone at packaging grabbed a stack of old labels that didn't get destroyed.

Where did you buy the rifle? I'd take it back to them and point out the discrepancy. I hate to say this, but be prepared to just return the rifle to the LGS for a refund. The gun store has pull with the distributor who then has pull with S&W. You can call S&W, but I'm not sure what they'll do for you.

I'll let you in on a little secret. I own an early production run 15-Sport with the 1:8 5R barrel. I'll debate the theoretical superiority of the 1:8 5R barrel to no end on the forum. I'll say the 1:8 twist rate lets me shoot a wider variety of ammo. I'll say the 5R rifling and progressive gain twist deforms the projectile less than traditional rifling, making my 15-Sport more accurate than new 15-Sports. Theoretically, I'm right.

BUT

Practical difference between a 1:8 5R barrel and a 1:9? None. My marksmanship skill level won't ever eke out the minute performance difference. I'll prove it. Here's a target shot at 100 yards, using cheap 55gr steel case TulAmmo, with a budget rifle build 1:9 CMV (non lined) 13" barreled AR-15.

Back when I was still new to all of this. The rear sight was the stock A2 chopped rear sight the 15-Sports were originally issued.


Here's the target.





If my crappy no-name budget build with irons can do that, a new production 16" barreled 1:9 15-Sport has the potential to do better. Heck my 15-Sport with the 1:8 5R barrel can't do better in my hands.

It sucks that you thought you were getting a 1:8 5R barrel. I can sympathize. I'd be upset. I'd make a call to S&W and the LGS. I'm just saying that you still got one heck of a rifle with the current production run 15-Sport.

Back in the day when all of us 15-Sport owners were getting ragged on by every AR-15 forum on the internet but this one, none of us could understand why S&W would drop in a Thompson Center barrel into the base model in their lineup. We just forked over our $500 and said thanks.

I don't think it's anything to worry about. My rifle is 1 to 9 and it shoots just fine. Here is a target shot at 100 yds with an EOTech XPS-2, 60 grain Hornady bullets on top of 24 grains of AR Comp powder. The hits outside of the red were shot with my iron sights. Oh, and I am shooting the M&P15 Piston rifle......

I have seen a recent shipment with some 1/8 5R barreled guns thrown in the mix. It was only a few of them out of a large shipment.

It's not a common thing to get a 5R barrel these days and they likely threw some in to complete orders.

The current specs are on the site:
Product: Model M&P15 Sport?

There's not much practical difference between the two performance wise, as others have mentioned.

If they did anything wrong it was putting that label on the rifle.

Yup. If I bought a can of soup labeled chicken and got split pea, Id' be ticked off. S&W put the wrong label on it. Most likely the OP will be offered a refund.

Op your wrong, it is what you bought. Most shops have signs saying all sales are final. Its up to you to inspect the gun and make sure it's the correct model before paying for it. If this was a gift from someone else then the lgs might work with you but I wouldn't count on it, once its sold its used. I wouldn't expect S&W to do to much about it, its just a labeling error. All the correct and current specs are posted on their website and match your rifle. Rather than being stoked about a bad *** new rifle your busy worrying about bs twist rate, nice.

I wonder if the OP got a new rifle from a reliable gun shop or if he got scammed? Some shooters are convinced that the 5R barrels are superior and will pay extra.

I agree with JaPes that if they are superior, the average shooter will never know the difference. I've got an old Bushmaster CMP with a 1:9 barrel that will shoot sub-1/2" groups off the bench with regularity. I doubt a 5R would do better. I suggest he shoot his first before calling Smith.

JaPes said:

Yup. If I bought a can of soup labeled chicken and got split pea, Id' be ticked off. S&W put the wrong label on it. Most likely the OP will be offered a refund.

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Well this is more.like getting chicken soup with chunks of beef and not chicken. It's not like he got a totally different rifle : ) I was just telling him to calm down as it was just the barrel and it was Christmas. Not too much of a thing to ruin ones day over.

I personally have AR's with 1/7, 1/8 and 1/9 barrels, I shoot fairly well and use my hand loads as well as commercial ammo of different weights. Some rifles shoot better for me, twist not being a factor as I cannot say all my 1/8's are better, etc. it just seems some rifles shoot better than others. My Sport 1/9 is a tack driver by the way.

I new going into my purchase that I wasnt getting the 5R 1/8 gun. I can tell you with absolute confidence that you will NEVER know the difference. Mine shoots into 1/2" all day every day. One big hole!

I honestly dont know how you could possibly do better with the 5R barrel.

65 grain gamekings with varget barely make a cloverleaf. Unless you can put 10 shots into a single hole I wouldnt worry about it - NOT ONE BIT!

red dragon said:

Op your wrong, it is what you bought. Most shops have signs saying all sales are final. Its up to you to inspect the gun and make sure it's the correct model before paying for it. If this was a gift from someone else then the lgs might work with you but I wouldn't count on it, once its sold its used. I wouldn't expect S&W to do to much about it, its just a labeling error. All the correct and current specs are posted on their website and match your rifle. Rather than being stoked about a bad *** new rifle your busy worrying about bs twist rate, nice.

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This whole comment is completely incorrect and is frankly mean spirited.

The OP wanted a gun with a 1:8 twist. He bought a gun that was marked as such. It shouldn't require a microscopic inspection to discover that the gun is not what was advertised. Further, to suggest that he should have looked up the specs on the internet is ludicrous. In fact, I see more specs wrong on the internet than I do in labeling on the package. Yes, even on the manufacturer's website.

He has every right to be upset about this. It is indeed like buying a can of chicken soup only to find it filled with beef.

Then to say that he's, "worrying about bs twist rate" is beyond rude. Just because you don't care about it doesn't mean he doesn't care about it.

This is not a case of a guy buying an M&P Sport and opening the box only to find a Mini-14 in there. No, he has every right to be upset. Regardless of what we think, this is a clear case of false advertising. It doesn't matter if the gun shoots OK. It doesn't matter if we think it's fine. He wanted a particular thing. He looked for exactly that and when he found it, he bought it. Then he discovered it wasn't that thing later because of the false information on the box. Yeah, I'd be unhappy too.

I would go back to the place of purchase and either get a refund or a rifle with the correct barrel. The OP wanted 1:8, made an agreement to buy a firearm that the stickers and packaging said was 1:8, and paid for a rifle that was supposed to be 1:8.

Regardless of the fact that there is little difference in capability between a 1:8 and a 1:9, there is a difference and it is not what the OP wanted or paid for. I would have been upset as well.

Both are true-
A gun should be accurately advertised.
A gun should be properly inspected by buyer prior to transfer.
Some sellers will take a gun back.
Some sellers will not-- Gun Sales Are Final signs are common.

If the seller will not remedy the situation to your satisfaction, I would contact SW and with humble polite explains the story. They may offer to put a 5R barrel on it.

Regardless of performance, the 1-8 5R barrel is considered a selling point compared to typical 1-7/9 barrels.

Good luck.

Rastoff said:

This whole comment is completely incorrect and is frankly mean spirited.

The OP wanted a gun with a 1:8 twist. He bought a gun that was marked as such. It shouldn't require a microscopic inspection to discover that the gun is not what was advertised. Further, to suggest that he should have looked up the specs on the internet is ludicrous. In fact, I see more specs wrong on the internet than I do in labeling on the package. Yes, even on the manufacturer's website.

He has every right to be upset about this. It is indeed like buying a can of chicken soup only to find it filled with beef.

Then to say that he's, "worrying about bs twist rate" is beyond rude. Just because you don't care about it doesn't mean he doesn't care about it.

This is not a case of a guy buying an M&P Sport and opening the box only to find a Mini-14 in there. No, he has every right to be upset. Regardless of what we think, this is a clear case of false advertising. It doesn't matter if the gun shoots OK. It doesn't matter if we think it's fine. He wanted a particular thing. He looked for exactly that and when he found it, he bought it. Then he discovered it wasn't that thing later because of the false information on the box. Yeah, I'd be unhappy too.

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Two things:

1: I once bought a pair of shoes labeled "Size 9" and got home to find one 9 and one 8 1/2. It was my bad, but they made it right.

2: I'd rather have the Mini 14 . . .

Where did the op go? Any resolution today? Btw, just curious, op said MP 15 was a gift given but also stated he bought it. So was it given, bought or self bought gift. Again this doesn't really matter. No matter which barrel the op has he will never out shoot it. I would like to say I've mastered my national match service rifles...but not. The have different twist rates and are more accurate than I am. Note to self - practice more!

Anything should be accurately advertised, it's the law. The shoe analogy is apt. However, it's not common for a barrel to have the twist rate stamped on it. In the AR world it is, but not for most other guns. If he is new to the world of ARs, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't see it until he got home. It's not something commonly looked for.

In fact, if it weren't stamped on the barrel, most of us would never know. Have you ever checked the twist rate in any of your guns? Do you even know how? I'll bet most users don't check and don't know how.

Rastoff said:

In fact, if it weren't stamped on the barrel, most of us would never know. Have you ever checked the twist rate in any of your guns? Do you even know how? I'll bet most users don't check and don't know how.

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Exactly! Unless you are at the highest level shooting target competition it doesn't really matter.

g-dad said:

Exactly! Unless you are at the highest level shooting target competition it doesn't really matter.

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I've been shooting for better than 40 years, and I don't understand twist. But as we say 'round here, there's a lid for every pot . . .