Thanks!
I am a M&P 15-Sport owner. For a factory complete rifle from an established firearms manufacturer, it represents a good value. It's nice to have a 1 year factory warranty & lifetime service policy.
Some things to consider when buying a 15-Sport:
1. The 15-Sport omits a forward assist and dust cover. The functional presence/absence of these features is debatable depending on your use. If you feel that an AR-15 doesn't look right without the dust cover & forward assist, then take the next step up the M&P 15 lineup.
2. The 15-Sport's trigger guard is integral to the receiver, not a 2nd pinned on part.
3. The 15-Sport's hand guards lack heat shields. This makes the stock handguards narrower in diameter than other's.
4. The 15-Sport does not have a chrome lined bore & barrel. Recent production 15-Sports are equipped with a 1:9 twist rate barrel. Older production 15-Sports are equipped with a 1:8 5R Melonite treated barrel.
A 15-Sport is a great all-round rifle out of the box. For those new to AR-15's it provides an affordable platform on which to discover your preferences. I never felt bad replacing the stock AR-15 accessories on mine because they were plain, standard, parts.
I went from this:
to this:
Took a couple years of shooting it, trying out different furniture (grips, handguards, etc), a couple different sights, red-dots. I had to discover what worked for me. The downside is the $$$ cost of discovering my preferences.
I highly advise going to your local gun store and handle different AR-15 configurations. Make note of any AR-15 furniture (grip, handguard, sight, etc) that feels better than others. If the list becomes long, then you may actually save $$$ over the long term by buying a rifle already factory equipped with those exterior features.
If you have any specific questions, just ask. Being new to AR-15's can be confusing and overwhelming. Don't hesitate to ask about AR-15's other than S&W M&P 15's. Some of us here own different brands.
