M&P 15-22 POI shift...solutions?

[ChattanoogaPhil]

As it sits now my personal 15-22 is just a very poor grouping 22 rifle at 50 yards (bench rested) compared to my other 22 guns using the very same ammo, & same shooting bench, same bags, same shooter, same everything.

I didn't buy the 15-22 for shooting at paper, but when I first got it I wanted to see what this 'Match Grade Precision Barrel" was capable of. I quickly found out... not much. I've seen several guys at the Chattanooga Rifle Club with 15-22. They all shoot about the same-- 2-3" at 50 yards with bulk pack ammo. I'm sure there are some examples that do a little better, and some not quite as well as you're describing, but I think that's about what most can expect from the 15-22.

 

[rojodiablo]

I think to really learn the absolute capability of the 15-22, you'd need to try several ammo types, and once you find a good one, stick with it and really learn what that particular rifle does after the 1st cold shot, the 2nd shot, then after a few rounds to make it heat up.... a really good shooter can learn exactly what the rifle will do under those particular instances.
A first cold shot will usually act one particular way. The second, and third shot WILL be a bit different on their POI. (Usually pretty close to each other.) After this, a rifle is warmed up, and it will be fairly equal so long as it's shot 'hot'.
After thinking I was pretty good at the match shooting, I got to watch a sharpshooter who obviously had several years in the field. He would take his first shot, and put it right on. A few seconds later, he would adjust and hit the same spot. His aim point was different. Third shot was equal to #2. After that, he went on a barrage of shots, dropping number 4-10 pretty quickly. His answer was the rifle did not change much after the 3rd or 4th shot. His accuracy at 300yds with 5 fairly fast placed shots told quite a story- I sure as hell can't shoot a baseball 5 times in 10 seconds at 300 yards........... but he made it look easy.

I bet with practice a 15-22 could give up 1" groups at 50 yards.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Also let me say what many others have said before, the mp 15-22 was not is not and will never be a rifle meant for accuracy? some of you might be expecting to much out of your rifle.

I think a lot of 15-22 owners can testify that their rifle must not have been meant for accuracy . However, S&W boasts "Match Grade Precision Barrel" which I am sure is intended to portray the rifle to potential buyers as highly accurate for an autoloader.

Expectations? There are three .22s on the rack. $168 Marlin 60, $178 Rem 597, and a $500 15-22 advertising a Match Grade Precision Barrel. Why should a buyer expect the 15-22 to be the least accurate? I don't think it's too much for folks to expect their 15-22 to at least shoot as well if not better than other popular autoloaders at half the price without advertised match grade parts. For whatever reason, that seems to be generally not the case.

 

[tacticaledge]

Food for thought I have 2 remington 597's one camo one in the standard grey the grey stocked one is a tack driver the camo one I cant hit the broadside of a barn with it both of them have the scopes lapped and leveled and free floating barrels my point is although they are the same model guns they do not shoot at all the same.