first time gun owner with m&p 15-22, should have gone with .223 instead?

[ARGH]

last week i went to purchase my first revolver (38 special) for simple home defense and impulse buy got a hold of me. i asked for a fun .22 rifle that looked cool and by chance they had the m&p 15-22 MOE in stock so i grabbed that as well.

i was also lucky enough to find bulk ammo and extra 25 round mags for the m&p so i took 4k rounds of winchester m22 40 grain, about 1k rounds of cci mini mag 36 grain, and 6 extra 25 round mags.

the weapons are for home defense and gun range. i do not hunt or anything like that. my question is if i should sell the m&p & mags since it is still new and never fired or registered and go with the m&p 15 .223?

i (obviously) read the forums alot and all that and the majority of remarks of the .22 version are; "for kids, for children, for killing mice". well i cannot help but feel sort of be-littled by these statements because i expect to stop a home intruder (yes, even if that means the bad guy is high on pcp and bath salts) with this rifle.

so after doing some more intenet searching i stumbled accross this youtube video of a guy shooting the .22 cci velictor from 300 yards and penetrating roast meat about 5 inches thick and wrapped multiple times in demin.

.22LR LETHALITY - 300 Yard Ballistics Test - YouTube

so that settled my buyers remorse about the rimfire and that i do not really have to go .223 to take someone out if the need arises...that the rimfire with cci velocitor will shred any intruder regardless of his size or mental state charging at me.

i would still like your opinions. i know everyone would like to try and justify their purchase (it's human nature) but i would like to avoid the, "you're not a man without a .223" and similar comments.

i fully understand how the .223 travels at much greater velocity and that it's tip is pointy (piercing-style), but i do not plan on firing on targets in vehicles or engaging an assasin-like bulglar that is wearing a bullet-proof vest.

basically, i guess, the entire post can be summarized in a simple question (assumining the youtube video is correct)...in home defense range, the m&p 15-22 will shred a target just as well as the m&p 15?

so far i have had more fun deciding on what extras to put on this gun. i have ordered a pelican case, magpul foregrip, and deciding on a red dot or not since the magpul sights are already an upgrade. i don't understand this feeling as i initially thought the fun would be at the range firing it?

thanks for reading!

 

[jagular]

Whole thread about the .22lr as a home defense weapon about a week ago.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-15-22/285120-15-22-home-defense-weapon.html

Something is better than nothing is what I gathered from that thread. If you have other options in a larger caliber then I'd go with those.

 

[DigiRebel]

I dunno... but a real man for me is someone who is willing to stand between his family and danger. The tool he uses to do it is less the issue overall.

Honestly, I'd be surprised if anyone told you "You're not a man without a 223."

That said, the stopping power of a 223 is the amount of powder behind the round. A .22 LR will penetrate the skin of an attacker, and hurt, but, by most accounts, it doesn't have the simple stopping power to incapacitate an attacker (especially one who is high on something and feeling no pain). The 223s greater velocity can impart more kinetic energy into a target, and (even though the projectile is similar sized) that is one of the main sources for damage from a gunshot wound comes from.

Your weapon main effectiveness will be determined by its looks (honestly most attackers won't know that its not a more deadly version of a tactical rifle) so the intimidation factor is high (Honestly, the best way to end an encounter is for no shots to be fired at all.)

Now all of that said, you seem to enjoy the rifle, and you're having fun "pimping your gun". 22s are fun to take to the range too (I like them anyway) so why does it matter what a bunch of people you never met on the internet have to say about it? You're enjoying your purchase, have fun with it!

 

[joshv06]

If I might chime in, I used to own a 15/22, it was my first gun just as it is yours. It was also the first gun I ever shot, it will always have a special place in my heart . I had it for about 5 months and absolutely loved it, I get 4.5" groups at 100 yards and it was very acceptable for me. I sold it because I needed fast money to buy a Rock River Arms AR-15 (purchased 4 months ago) because I started to noticed the availability of AR's going out of stock. I was purchasing it with the mindset of later getting a 22 conversion bolt, still getting that .22 AR capability like my old 15-22. So now I have my AR-15 with a CMMG India, and despite a lot of accounts of inaccuracy, gas port build up, and jamming, I have had no such issues, I actually get the exact same 4.5" groups at 100 yards as the 15-22.

Obviously, most people here chose to get a dedicated .22 AR rather than a conversion bolt or dedicated upper, but I just like having all of my optics and accessories as well as the same trigger and being able to shoot 2 different cartridges. The 15-22 is an excellent first gun, I would suggest keeping it and buying an AR hopefully when they become more available and when prices drop. I would suggest keeping a mag of CCI Velocitors for home defence.

 

[Dagooch]

Well 25 rounds dumped on a attacker with the accuracy of the 15-22 is going to stop anyone unless they are wearing juggernaut armor plus 22 is cheap and easily available. I like the guys who show up at the range and setup their rifle for 30 mins and shoot 2 mags pack up and leave, while I'm dumping mags for 3 to 4 hours. You will get way more range time and have way more fun.

 

[BobWill]

There are as many opinions about home defense as there are devices. I like my Glock and a shotgun. I have a RRA ATH 223 and it is in the safe waiting for range trips. Not my choice for home defense.

With that being said, it is more important that you are highly skilled with your weapon of choice. And that you know how to handle it safely.

As for the 22, that is a whole lot of cheap fun. I have more rounds through mine than any other gun. And I take my grandson to the range and he loves to shoot it as well.

Doesn't really sound like you are strapped for cash, and that gun will be hard to find very quickly. I am pretty sure that the value will not go down. Enjoy!

 

[JaPes]

IMO, a real man does not go seeking approval and validation of his choices from anonymous screen names on an Internet forum. Man up, buy the firearm you want.

 

[perfectcircle1]

As things stand im just gonna say this. You could outfit your whole family with 15 22s for what 1 223 is going for right now. I own both and and to be honest, the 15 22 would be one of the last 5 guns to leave my possession.

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[TacoDaTugBoat]

My understanding is that you bought the 15-22 and a .38?

If so I would use the .38 as the primary home defense. I have read more articles than I could site, most agree that the .223 was not designed to immediately incapacitate someone. It was designed to take them out of the fight and 1 or 2 more people caring for them. 3 out of the fight rather than 1. The pointed nose of the bullet allows it to pass through more efficiently. The .38 with a blunt nose or hollow point will do much more damage and convey more energy into the mass it strikes.
I only have my 15-22 at this point. I would like to get an AR when funds and availability allow. For now I would not hesitate to use it to defend myself as it is better than a bat or flashlight.
I bought my 15-22 for a fun cheap rifle to shoot to gain experience with firearms. I have already gone through several thousand rounds since July. And my next purchase will be a .22 pistol that I also would not hesitate to use to defend myself. It sounds like you are enjoying your purchase so far.

 

[jajo]

One of the best things about the Internet is you can find a forum where the majority of opinions agree with yours no matter which side of the argument you choose.

Just quit reading those that disagree and things will be just fine.

I would offer this advice. No matter which weapon you choose, it's value in practical or defensive situations is substantially reduced if you don't practice good techniques, shoot it regularly, and know both you and your firearm are ready.

The .22 is inexpensive to practice with, and you cant substitute bigger bullets for lots of practice combined with some expert instruction.


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[Tenn2]

+1 for the 15-22. They are such fun to shoot and if you compare the costs of ammo? Well, let's just say you are going to put a lot more rounds downrange with a .22.
Enjoy

 

[Gopher Slayer]

 

[long colt frazier]

I would suggest you pick up a used 12 gauge pump for under 200.00 load it up with #4 buck and you are set for HD.

 

[cyphertext]

The M&P 15-22 would not be my first choice for home defense, or even my second, but neither is my AR. You will get more range time with the .22lr due to cost over any other round. If you are just starting out, more range time should be your primary focus.

 

[Hockey is Life]

You have heard many opinions here and I feel the same way.

The .38 should be the first use for HD. It should stop the incident. The M&P 15-22 is a great range gun. It could work for HD if needed. I think you will have more fun and get more practice with the 15-22 then you would with the .223. The prices have run wild there and ammo too, my suggestion stay with the 15-22 practice, practice and practice, you can afford to do that with the .22LR ammo.

If you want more you can always add the .223 if you can find one but the prices right now are crazy.

I think after you shoot it at the range you will find it is a keeper.

 

[Desert Five-0]

Keep the 1522. Like some have already said, you have plenty of other options for home defense. Pistols and shotguns work great. My 1522 is my favorite gun because I can use it more than my ar15 due to ammo costs. I think the ar15 craze will die down in 4 to 6 months. Who knows what will happen long term, but buying an ar15 now is crazy. When prices go down get one if you can afford it. If you cannot afford the whole rifle get a stripped lower. I would wait until the price goes back to below $150 though. A few months ago I was able to get some for about $100 each.

 

[$ling$hot]

OP: "i know everyone would like to try and justify their purchase (it's human nature) but i would like to avoid the, "you're not a man without a .223" and similar comments".

OP: After reading your post, it sounds to me that you are not an avid shooter. The only remorse I have is I should of bought the one priced at $469.99 or $499.99 instead of $529.99 Don't get me wrong, I've had it before on other purchases like spending $700 on a nitro rc truck (whoops)... However, I bought my MOE b/c I love to shoot! It's fun, it's challenging, and it's cheap! I also love shooting my Xd9 and my .380 (LCP not so much) and after spending $65 for 100ct each of fmj, I was in buyers remorse...

I personally think you bought the wrong gun for home defense and can think of many others well under $500 that will do a fantastic job, but to each his own. My advice is if YOU don't enjoy shooting or don't have any friends that enjoy shooting, sell it and get into something YOU enjoy!

 

[ARGH]

reason i did not get a shotgun or larger caliber revolver was because of the decible levels blowing my familys' ear drums out. with the 12 gauge going off, it would probably shatter all the windows as well. plus i would not trust my wife handling their recoil.

reason i posted the video was to present some proof and have something everyone can work with. it seems like everyone is ignoring the video. if the balistic can penetrate through 5 inches of roast beef wrapped in multiple layers of denim at 900 feet, can it not fully penetrate a human's flesh and bone at 9 feet in home defense??? i would expect it does, even if the target was a 400 pound nfl linemen comming at you.

so if the video is factual evidence of such a ballistic, then why would you want a .223 over the .22 in home defense?

 

[TheMaineEvent]

As someone mentioned, I wouldn't use a .223 for home defense either. For me, that's the job of a pistol and/or shotgun, but to each their own.

I'd vote that you keep the .22 and shoot the hell out of it. No matter what happens, .22 ammo should be the cheapest of any round to shoot and shooting the M&P .22 is about as most fun as you can have with your clothes on.

You can add to your collection later on, and who knows, you may be glad that you didn't get a .223 if the prices don't come back down on the ammunition.

 

[ARGH]

I only have my 15-22 at this point.

. For now I would not hesitate to use it to defend myself as it is better than a bat or flashlight.
.

it is this kind of quote that i do not fully understand. it appears to be the mentality of so many forum posters about the killing power of the 22. it just sounds like you are just barely favoring the 22 over a bat.

i cannot help but think that maybe the shooter does not feel man enough that he is not handling a more powerfull weapon.

i am trying to understand where the additional penetration power would be needed in home defense situations, assuming the cci velocitor is already shredding the target.