MP 15-22, a good buy?

[LifeInPa]

Hello, my name is Chris and I am interested in the S&W MP 15-22. I've wanted to get into target shooting for awhile now. Originally I wanted to get an AR-15 (The kind that fires .223) for my first weapon but I thought to myself that might be too ambitious for a first weapon. So for the past few months I weighed my options. Originally I just planned on buying a Ruger 10/22, learn to shoot with this rifle, and eventually get a full blown AR-15. Then someone recommended I get an AR-15 converted to fire .22 LR, sounded like a great idea but I never owned a firearm before and lack the knowledge to make the conversion myself. Not to mention the price, which was more than I wanted to pay for my first rifle.

More recently I have seen dedicated .22 LR made to match the operation and feel of the AR-15, to me this option is very intriguing. The Ruger SR-22 was the first .22 I discovered. However I didn't like that it didn't come with iron sights, and uses a rotary clip instead of a magazine. So I kept on researching and discovered the M&P 15-22. On paper it seemed perfect: Cost under $500, has iron sights standard, has a 25 round magazine standard, simulates the controls/feel of a fully blown AR-15, and it has plenty of places to mount optics, scopes, etc.

So I just wanted to see how the owners of the MP 15-22 feel about this firearm. I have been reading reviews (Both here and the rest of the internet) on the M&P 15-22 and had some mixed findings. Most seem to love the rifle, some though have had problems. I don't know if these problems are early models, current models, or what. My other concern is loading the clip, it seems if you don't do it in a certain manor it might cause the weapon to jam/fail. The final concern I have is the ammo itself, from what I have read if you don't use certain brands (cci minimags or Federal Bulk) the spent casings don't extract properly.

So please feel free to share your experiences/knowledge on this weapon. I don't want to drop $400+ and end up with a dud. Please note I am new to this hobby and only fired a few pistols/rifles so far so I would prefer you keep everything in laymen terms. Thank you.

 

[Nav]

I've had mine for about a month and love the gun. I've put 750- rounds through it - mostly Federal and CCI Blaxer bulk pack - with one 'jam'. That malfunction was due to the way I loaded the last round in the magazine.

I find the gun to be quite accurate and very reliable. It's also easy to strip and clean.

Based on my experience to date I'd definitely recommend the 15-22.

 

[460v LAC du FLAMBEAU]

This rifle is ideal to learn about the AR15 platform before you upgrade to the "223 world". Less expensive than the 223's and there are so many options you need to learn about prior to spending thousands of dollars for ammo, scopes, flashlights etc.

My brother-in-law has trained his son on his M&P15-22 for the past 8 weeks and has well over 5,000 rounds on his rifle. They will now investigate the 223 world with a new AR15 purchase prior to the holidays.

I purchased the M&P15 VTAC version 4 months ago (still tough to find) and I am up to $2,700 of expeditures (rifle, ammo, scope, front grip/flashlight holder, case etc) on this puppy. Could not be happier with this VTAC version although it is top of the line for the M&P15's.

For under $500, you will be satisfied with a .22 version of the AR15.

 

[TxShooter2k9]

I absolutly love my 15-22, i had some issues when i first got it in early September, but S&W repaired it for me ,and its been great, ive got about 400rds through it now using mostly Federal Bulk from walmart, Winchester Superx, and CCI minimags, and its been a blast, its a great gun, super easy to clean, i would highly recommend it, great gun and s&w has great customer service.

 

[27 Beck]

Welcome to the forum, Chris.

Another satisfied 15-22 owner. Although I had the common issue of extractor problems, S&W took care of the repair with shipping both ways at their expense. They included two new magazines at no cost when they returned the rifle to me.

Any product when new can have some issues. Computers, wash machines, automobiles have all had some problems at times, especially when bringing out a new model. S&W is standing behind their product 100% with timely fixes to any breakdowns.

Oh, and the 15-22 doesn't use clips, it uses magazines.

 

[TxShooter2k9]

Welcome to the forum, Chris.

Another satisfied 15-22 owner. Although I had the common issue of extractor problems, S&W took care of the repair with shipping both ways at their expense. They included two new magazines at no cost when they returned the rifle to me.

Any product when new can have some issues. Computers, wash machines, automobiles have all had some problems at times, especially when bringing out a new model. S&W is standing behind their product 100% with timely fixes to any breakdowns.

Oh, and the 15-22 doesn't use clips, it uses magazines.

x2, well said, same here, and welcome Chris.

 

[chessail 77]

Chris
Welcome to the forum, here you will find many experienced gun owners to offer help and advice. I bought a new 15-22 a few weeks ago and shot over 500 rounds through it, found that seating the rounds in the magazine (taping it on palm or gently on table) is very important as .22 rounds tend to stovepipe more than larger rounds. I also own an AR in .223 and actually love shooting the 15-22 more. It performs flawlessly, is extremely accurate and S&W customer service is excellent. All things considered an excellent choice and I would not hesitate to recommend this rifle to anyone wanting a .22 caliber.

 

[Topher]

I am another happy owner, Put about 400 rounds during my first session from the 500 pack of crappy Thunderbolts I had sitting around to see how the rifle would do with cheap ammo (I wanted to see if I could get it to jam, had to put it through its paces heh). No cleaning during that session other than a couple quick barrel swabs and still no jams even with the dirty ammo. Going to stick with my Yellow Jackets and Mini Mags now that I'm done testing the reliability.

 

[LifeInPa]

Thanks for all the advice guys, today I checked out my nearest firearm dealer and discovered they were all sold out and won't have more until November 9th. The guy running the shop said something about his license renewal (or something like that) because I was in his shop back in May or June and he was loaded down with every firearm imaginable. Today though he only had a fraction of them left.

After calling around to a few firearm shops I have discovered that Gander Mountain has at least one left for $499. Tomorrow I will go and check it out, hopefully it won't be sold out by then.

I've had mine for about a month and love the gun. I've put 750- rounds through it - mostly Federal and CCI Blaxer bulk pack - with one 'jam'. That malfunction was due to the way I loaded the last round in the magazine.

I find the gun to be quite accurate and very reliable. It's also easy to strip and clean.

Based on my experience to date I'd definitely recommend the 15-22.

Thanks for the input Nav. Tell me, how much has your ammo costed you? I know .22 rounds are cheap but I just want to be prepared.

This rifle is ideal to learn about the AR15 platform before you upgrade to the "223 world". Less expensive than the 223's and there are so many options you need to learn about prior to spending thousands of dollars for ammo, scopes, flashlights etc.

My brother-in-law has trained his son on his M&P15-22 for the past 8 weeks and has well over 5,000 rounds on his rifle. They will now investigate the 223 world with a new AR15 purchase prior to the holidays.

I purchased the M&P15 VTAC version 4 months ago (still tough to find) and I am up to $2,700 of expeditures (rifle, ammo, scope, front grip/flashlight holder, case etc) on this puppy. Could not be happier with this VTAC version although it is top of the line for the M&P15's.

For under $500, you will be satisfied with a .22 version of the AR15.

Yeah I couldn't believe how expensive .223 rounds are. Sure the AR-15 isn't cheap in itself but the recurring cost of buying any reasonable amount of ammo is just crazy. To me it seems like the .223 rounds are nearly $1 per round. Right now I am saving up for a new Camaro next year so it's probably going to be a few years before I can afford my dream .223 AR-15 but I really want one with an ACOG scope, those scopes are sweet.

I am pleased to hear that your brother in law has fired so many rounds through the gun, do you know how many times he cleaned it? Also can you tell me about the VTAC variant? It's probably expensive but I would like to hear how it differs.

I absolutly love my 15-22, i had some issues when i first got it in early September, but S&W repaired it for me ,and its been great, ive got about 400rds through it now using mostly Federal Bulk from walmart, Winchester Superx, and CCI minimags, and its been a blast, its a great gun, super easy to clean, i would highly recommend it, great gun and s&w has great customer service.

I was reading about the problems you had with your 15-22, I was sorry to hear about them. Based on what you wrote I could tell you were very eager to get your 15-22 back. Overall I am impressed with how S&W and even your firearms dealer handled the problem. I remember you saying S&W gave you an extra magazine for your inconveniences, even your firearm dealer gave you some freebie ammo right? Somewhere in these forums I even heard some component (I believe it was the extractor) disintegrated and fell out of the gun. Some said it could be that S&W got some bad metal, but some were concerned that the failures could be caused by a design flaw. Hopefully not the latter since that would probably take a great deal of time to resolve.

Welcome to the forum, Chris.

Another satisfied 15-22 owner. Although I had the common issue of extractor problems, S&W took care of the repair with shipping both ways at their expense. They included two new magazines at no cost when they returned the rifle to me. Any product when new can have some issues. Computers, wash machines, automobiles have all had some problems at times, especially when bringing out a new model. S&W is standing behind their product 100% with timely fixes to any breakdowns.

Oh, and the 15-22 doesn't use clips, it uses magazines.

Thanks for the warm welcome Beck.

Like TxShooters story I read yours also. Again I have to say S&W has handled themselves very well with these failures. I am now confident that if I get a lemon it will be repaired and returned to me at no cost, but like TxShooter I would be hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to get my rifle back. Everyone seems to have lots of fun shooting this rifle. So how has your 15-22 treated you since you got it back? Oh thanks for the correction, I was aware that this rifle uses a magazine but I was typing fast and made a bit of an error. Corrected now.

x2, well said, same here, and welcome Chris.

Thanks TxShooter.

Chris
Welcome to the forum, here you will find many experienced gun owners to offer help and advice. I bought a new 15-22 a few weeks ago and shot over 500 rounds through it, found that seating the rounds in the magazine (taping it on palm or gently on table) is very important as .22 rounds tend to stovepipe more than larger rounds. I also own an AR in .223 and actually love shooting the 15-22 more. It performs flawlessly, is extremely accurate and S&W customer service is excellent. All things considered an excellent choice and I would not hesitate to recommend this rifle to anyone wanting a .22 caliber.

Thanks chessail. I always seen video's of people operating magazine fed weapons and never understood why they tapped the magazine before loading the weapon. I am happy to hear your 15-22 is working well. In the coming days (If I can find a 15-22) I will need to tap some of that knowledge, first thing I want to do when I get this rifle is clean the thing. From what I heard some of these rifles have gunk in the internal workings. I never stripped a weapon and cleaned it so I am going to need some detailed instructions, preferably with pictures.

I am another happy owner, Put about 400 rounds during my first session from the 500 pack of crappy Thunderbolts I had sitting around to see how the rifle would do with cheap ammo (I wanted to see if I could get it to jam, had to put it through its paces heh). No cleaning during that session other than a couple quick barrel swabs and still no jams even with the dirty ammo. Going to stick with my Yellow Jackets and Mini Mags now that I'm done testing the reliability.

Thats good to hear Topher. It looks like you got one of the good 15-22's. From the beginning I plan on feeding this rifle good ammo, I want to avoid any headaches. I will keep in mind the brands you mentioned.

 

[Old Retired Guy]

My GSG5 22 has the same problems as noted.

My GSG5 has the same problems as noted by other posters. In researching the S&W and the COLT, it became obvious that this is a common problem among this genre. I am planning to buy a S&W because I think it to be a superior product. No, I do not work for S&W.

 

[LifeInPa]

My GSG5 has the same problems as noted by other posters. In researching the S&W and the COLT, it became obvious that this is a common problem among this genre. I am planning to buy a S&W because I think it to be a superior product. No, I do not work for S&W.

I wonder why?

 

[TxShooter2k9]

Txshooter2k9-I was reading about the problems you had with your 15-22, I was sorry to hear about them. Based on what you wrote I could tell you were very eager to get your 15-22 back. Overall I am impressed with how S&W and even your firearms dealer handled the problem. I remember you saying S&W gave you an extra magazine for your inconveniences, even your firearm dealer gave you some freebie ammo right? Somewhere in these forums I even heard some component (I believe it was the extractor) disintegrated and fell out of the gun. Some said it could be that S&W got some bad metal, but some were concerned that the failures could be caused by a design flaw. Hopefully not the latter since that would probably take a great deal of time to resolve.

O yes, i was VERY eager to get my new gun back!!!!! Took about a month to get it back, thats including week transit time back and fourth. They gave me a extra magazine also. Gun has been great since its it return, i just had nothing but jamming issues when i first got it. Had it 4 days before sending it back. And Yes, the Manager at Academy, where i got my 15-22, was pretty aweosme through the whole ordeal. When i picked up my 15-22 he have me 2 100rd boxes of Winchester SuperX .22lr ammo, and a hard plastic case for it, ammo was about 13, and case was worth 20. So it worked out well, and im very happy. Love to shot this gun. I put a new scope on it week or so ago, and its even better.

 

[27 Beck]

Thanks for the warm welcome Beck.

Like TxShooters story I read yours also. Again I have to say S&W has handled themselves very well with these failures. I am now confident that if I get a lemon it will be repaired and returned to me at no cost, but like TxShooter I would be hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to get my rifle back. Everyone seems to have lots of fun shooting this rifle. So how has your 15-22 treated you since you got it back? Oh thanks for the correction, I was aware that this rifle uses a magazine but I was typing fast and made a bit of an error. Corrected now.

Narry a problem the one time I have had it out.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/105850-got-my-repaired-m-p-15-22-back-s-w.html

Federal 550 Bulk at Walmart runs ~$15.50 box in my area. Federal 100 box .223 runs ~$40.00. .03 per .22 vs. .40 per 223

Those new Camaro's are sweet. Saving for an SS?

Here is what I would like to have

YouTube - Black Dog 50Rd Drum Dump

 

[LifeInPa]

O yes, i was VERY eager to get my new gun back!!!!! Took about a month to get it back, thats including week transit time back and fourth. They gave me a extra magazine also. Gun has been great since its it return, i just had nothing but jamming issues when i first got it. Had it 4 days before sending it back. And Yes, the Manager at Academy, where i got my 15-22, was pretty aweosme through the whole ordeal. When i picked up my 15-22 he have me 2 100rd boxes of Winchester SuperX .22lr ammo, and a hard plastic case for it, ammo was about 13, and case was worth 20. So it worked out well, and im very happy. Love to shot this gun. I put a new scope on it week or so ago, and its even better.

Very impressive, glad it all worked out in the end for you Shooter.

Narry a problem the one time I have had it out.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/105850-got-my-repaired-m-p-15-22-back-s-w.html

Federal 550 Bulk at Walmart runs ~$15.50 box in my area. Federal 100 box .223 runs ~$40.00. .03 per .22 vs. .40 per 223

Wow the extractor was just missing!

The .22LR ammo is cheap, I think I will be spending a lot of time at our local shooting range.

 

[27 Beck]

.



Wow the extractor was just missing!

The .22LR ammo is cheap, I think I will be spending a lot of time at our local shooting range.

Well, the extractor was there when I started shooting, it just got somehow separated from the bolt with all the stovepipes (FTE) I was having at the time.

 

[TxShooter2k9]

i love the new Camaros, my sisters neighbor just got a blue SS camaro, very niiiiice. My brotherinlaw went back in time this week, he bought a 68' Camaro SS, its prettty nice.

 

[LifeInPa]

Well, the extractor was there when I started shooting, it just got somehow separated from the bolt with all the stovepipes (FTE) I was having at the time.

Yeah but still ouch.

I guess the failure was partially due to bad ammo?

i love the new Camaros, my sisters neighbor just got a blue SS camaro, very niiiiice. My brotherinlaw went back in time this week, he bought a 68' Camaro SS, its prettty nice.

Oh yeah fell in love with it when I saw the concept in 2006. Right now I am saving every penny so I can make a down payment in Summer 2010 on a Camaro SS2 in Rally Yellow with Black Rally Stripes. This is the only thing I am buying myself until then, I figure with Birthday and Christmas money I am getting this rifle for free.

 

[27 Beck]

Yeah but still ouch.

I guess the failure was partially due to bad ammo?

Ammo was ok. Just wasn't ejecting as it was supposed to do. The empty casings were getting jammed up in the bolt. I think one of the casings hit the extractor and broke it or knocked it out of the bolt.

 

[TxShooter2k9]

Yeah but still ouch.

I guess the failure was partially due to bad ammo?



Oh yeah fell in love with it when I saw the concept in 2006. Right now I am saving every penny so I can make a down payment in Summer 2010 on a Camaro SS2 in Rally Yellow with Black Rally Stripes. This is the only thing I am buying myself until then, I figure with Birthday and Christmas money I am getting this rifle for free.

awesome, the Rally Yellow with the black stripes is my favorite on the new Camaros!!!

 

[Pratticus]

couple jams

Hey all, I'm a newbie and I just picked up my MP 15-22 a week ago. I'm a bit worried that I've run into the same jamming problems that I've been reading about. I haven't been having jams with the spent casings though, my jams have been happening where the next round will feed pointed straight up and the casing will be stuck in the mag. The round gets bent and looks pretty dangerous. This has only happened a few times out of 250 shots so far. I cleared the jam, tossed the bad round and got through 20 or so more shots before it happened again. I'm using a box of 500 federal ammo.

I cleaned and examined everything and nothing is broken that I can tell. We will see how the next 250 shots go tomorrow at the range. I'll have to take a picture if another round gets caught in the mag, hopefully it won't happen again. If I do have more problems, I'm glad S&W has been taking care of their customers! I'm happy with my purchase so far, had great fun with the 245~ rounds that shot just fine.