M&P 15 Sport as a first AR-15

rtquig said:
My thoughts were to buy the higher end M&P without optics, then down the road after shooting for a few months decided after reading reviews which optic to buy.

I bought 2 Sports, put a Nikon P 223 on one, and a Bushnell TRS 25 on the other. I would rather pick my option over a store telling me what to buy.
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The choices in scopes are just a bewildering as that choices in ARs, are they not?

I'm still trying to figure out what I want for my build, after I get around to building it myself. Nikon does make some very nice stuff but so does Weaver, Leupold, better Bushnells. etc, and so on. But I digress.

I'm in the buy the rifle and a scope to match what you want the rifle to do after. That way you can get familiar with the rifle as is and decide what to upgrade or not and research the **** out of what is the best optic for what you want and only cry once.
 
cyphertext said:
Why? I'll take a Sport with a high end optic over a higher end rifle with a dime store optic any day of the week.
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I think so. A Sport is self defense/battle worthy. A dime store optic is not. Weakest link applies.
 
being that I picked up the sport. Out of curiosity, what IS a decent red dot sight that won't break the budget? I don't wanna blast a $400 sight on a gun that's just going to be for the range and around the house, but I don't wanna buy a cheap $70 Bushnell too and have it be ****. The only one that's fairly reasonable for the cost benefit ratio that I've seen is the Vortex for $170, but I have no clue besides just looking as I've never needed a red dot before.
 
I posted yesterday about the Aimpoint ACO on sale at Palmetto for only $299. Usually $400. That's about the least expensive for a quality red dot optic. That was the one to get for those on a budget.

The Bushnell TRS-25 that was on sale with AR riser for $69 is fine for range use. I wouldn't pay more for a Vortex red dot.
 
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ChattanoogaPhil said:
I posted yesterday about the Aimpoint ACO on sale at Palmetto for only $299. Usually $400. That's about the least expensive for a quality red dot optic. That was the one to get for those on a budget.

The Bushnell TRS-25 that was on sale with AR riser for $69 is fine for range use. I wouldn't pay more for a Vortex red dot.
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gotcha. Bushnell it is. I will give that sucker a try
 
I went to a local GS last night to arrange for arrival of a M&P 15 I just ordered. While there, I was shooting the **** with the staff and they had a good selection of red dots and scopes (Aimpoint, Vortex, Trijicon, etc.), and I was impressed at the differences. I cannot remember details on models but was impressed how much going somewhere and looking through a bunch likely will influence one's choice.

If you can, get out and handle a bunch.
 
well, after I got that $499 Sport deal the "what am I missing" bug kept chewing at me. So I was on gunbroker and a deal on a Magpul edition Colt LE6920 with the Krytek Highlander furniture for $782.... I have a sickness :D
 
Haha, you do have a problem! But no worries, many of us have more than one rifle. I have a Sport and a Colt too, so you are not alone. Enjoy them both.
 
Love my sport

wormraper said:
I know this has probably been beat to death, and I've seen a few threads around the net on this issue, but I"m really not very familiar with AR-15's so I'm having to rely on everyone else here. I am really wanting a first AR-15 and have been chewing it over. I've been looking at the M&P 15 Sport, the Ruger AR-556 and even the Colts. everyone seems to have a hard on for the Colt 6920 (and for good reason it seems). however most of those threads that said "just buy the colt" where when you were spending $700-$800 for the Sport and like $1000-$1100 for the colt. With the Sport being on sale for $499 shipped this weekend and the Colt being $822 on the LOW end is that still the case? I don't want to buy a really sub par piece of machinery, but is the Colt really worth paying almost 70% MORE than the Sport right now? My use is for Range gun and if someone by chance breaks into the house (I'm not a survivalist, but I do require that all my guns but my .22's at least be able to be grabbed and fend off an intruder if it's the closest one at hand).

Like I said, this is my first AR-15 and while I've had plenty of experience with Semi-auto handguns (love me some 1911's and M&P handguns) I just haven't dipped my toes into the AR world until now (in before the prices of guns shoot up thanks to Hillary :( ).
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Had mine for a few years now, it is my most accurate shooter
10"target at 50 yds using reloads 55 gr Hornady v max lead
pushed by 22 gr H 322 powder with stock MP sights
 
Alternative

As a former firearms salesman the Sport is great for the occasional shooter. If you want to run a lot of ammo through it, you may want to consider a more advanced weapon. Colt, Ruger, Stag, Rock River all come to mind.
 
I own a COLT H-Bar, but want an M&P 15 Sport. Price value the M&P line cannot be beat. They will put thousands of round down range, with the same out of the box accuracy as more expensive AR platforms. If you decide down the line to tinker with a M&P your are only limited by your wallet. As a retired Army Colonel, piston driven vs. gas, is generally about marketing. Keep them clean and both will never fail.
Shoot what you carry. Carry what you shoot.
 
Colt 6920

You got some good but incomplete advice here. The Smith Sport is ok if you are never considering selling it for a decent price. Smith now has a new Sporter out with dust cover n forward assist. I think it was silly to eliminate them in the first place. Also know this... The Colt ARs are vigorously tested via magnetic particle texting.. Unlike ARs such as Smiths... Look into that. Before u decide... Believe me Colts will hold great resell value due to a number of manufacturing intangibles. If I knew what I now know today when buying my first Ar I'd definitely see the reduced price of he Colt as a mandate to buy it - the 6920 is worth every penny
 
What makes magnetic particle testing necessary? I don't think any of my other guns have had that done, and they have all worked fine since the 1970's. The Sport is a excellent first AR, had mine for almost two years, and is a blast to shoot.
 
Grunner said:
As a former firearms salesman the Sport is great for the occasional shooter. If you want to run a lot of ammo through it, you may want to consider a more advanced weapon. Colt, Ruger, Stag, Rock River all come to mind.
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This is the biggest line of BS ever posted on this forum... The biggest difference between the Sport and the rest of the S&W line is that the Sport lacks the ejection port cover and the forward assist. The Sport comes with the same BCG as any other S&W, and the barrel is the same 4140 steel as most of the rest of the S&W line up.

Please share your data to show that the Sport is only made for the "occasional shooter".
 
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Super Blackhawk said:
You got some good but incomplete advice here. The Smith Sport is ok if you are never considering selling it for a decent price. Smith now has a new Sporter out with dust cover n forward assist. I think it was silly to eliminate them in the first place. Also know this... The Colt ARs are vigorously tested via magnetic particle texting.. Unlike ARs such as Smiths... Look into that. Before u decide... Believe me Colts will hold great resell value due to a number of manufacturing intangibles. If I knew what I now know today when buying my first Ar I'd definitely see the reduced price of he Colt as a mandate to buy it - the 6920 is worth every penny
Click to expand...

Perhaps you should "look into" your own advice. The bolt in the Smith line are HPT and MPI.

And let's talk about that great "resale value".... Colts that sold for $1300 are now selling for $800, or a loss of 38%. However, my Sport has went from $700 to $550, or 21% decrease in the same amount of time.

As soon as Colts started showing up at Walmart, their "resale value" took a huge hit. A used Colt will cost more than a used Sport, but it cost more to begin with. The percentage difference between the cost of a used model vs the cost of a new one is about the same though.
 
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wormraper said:
well, after I got that $499 Sport deal the "what am I missing" bug kept chewing at me. So I was on gunbroker and a deal on a Magpul edition Colt LE6920 with the Krytek Highlander furniture for $782.... I have a sickness :D
Click to expand...

Was that new? Buds is out of stock now, but they had the 6920s with the unusual Magpul furniture for $750 - $800 depending on the pattern. I almost bought one with the wildfire pattern for my son, but went with BCM instead.
 
cyphertext said:
This is the biggest line of BS ever posted on this forum... The biggest difference between the Sport and the rest of the S&W line is that the Sport lacks the ejection port cover and the forward assist. The Sport comes with the same BCG as any other S&W, and the barrel is the same 4140 steel as most of the rest of the S&W line up.

Please share your data to show that the Sport is only made for the "occasional shooter".
Click to expand...

Well, he was upfront about being a former salesman.
He mentioned it as if that means he's knowledgeable.
We should read that to mean that he's good at slinging the bs to sell more expensive things.
 
Imho buy the fn ar15 its the best deal going and better than the colt colt cuts cornners now that they been bought out
 
cyphertext said:
Was that new? Buds is out of stock now, but they had the 6920s with the unusual Magpul furniture for $750 - $800 depending on the pattern. I almost bought one with the wildfire pattern for my son, but went with BCM instead.
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yup, it was brand new from Sportsman Shooter. right now th Magpul ones are all sold out or selling for $900. Buds has been out of stock of the Magpul edition for months now. actually they're out of stock of EVERY 6920
 
Nothing wrong with the Sport. The dust cover and forward assist are largely unnecessary features.

The 'mil spec' features on higher spec guns don't necessarily mean better performance or longevity, and the chrome lined barrels are often less accurate. If you have to have something similar to what the military uses that may be desirable.

You do lose resale on the budget guns, but as they are so adaptable, I don't see the point in selling one off.
 
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