New M&P 15 in 300 Whisper/300 BLK

[Dragon88]

This is on several gun news sites now, so I suppose it's true.

Smith & Wesson® Introduces the M&P15 300 Whisper®

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 1, 2011) – Smith & Wesson Corp. announced that the Company has added a new extension to its Military & Police (M&P) Rifle Series with the introduction of the M&P15 chambered in .300 Whisper. As the first production rifle in the AR platform to be chambered in .300 Whisper (also chambers .300 AAC Blackout), the new rifle offers sub-sonic and supersonic capabilities while delivering consistent performance and accuracy.

Manufactured on the M&P15 platform, the semi-automatic rifle features a 16” barrel constructed from 4140 chrome-moly steel. Both the forged 7075 aluminum upper and lower receivers have been coated with a Realtree® APG finish for optimal concealment during hunting applications. To aide in precise shot placement, the gas-operated rifle benefits from a 1 in 7.5” twist, 5R rifling and a crisp single-stage trigger. Other standard features include a 10-round magazine, integral one-piece trigger guard, dust cover, forward assist and a six-position, collapsible CAR stock.

“As the popularity of the modern sporting rifle continues to grow, more hunters are seeing the advantages of taking these firearms into the field,” said Mario Pasantes, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales. “The M&P15 300 Whisper gives consumers the ability to use either lightweight or heavy cartridges during hunting or recreational applications without changing rifles or barrels.”

Designed to operate with or without a sound suppressor, the M&P15 300 Whisper is equipped with a 5/8-24 threaded barrel along with an A2-style flash hider. The feed ramps and gas system have been optimized to run effectively with a full-range of factory loaded sub-sonic and supersonic ammunition, both suppressed and unsuppressed. The barrel’s twist rate is compatible with a wide variety of bullet weights from 110 to 220+ grains.

For enhanced reliability, the M&P15 300 Whisper features a chrome-lined gas key and bolt carrier along with a Melonite® barrel. The optics ready platform is compatible with most sighting systems through the use of the picatinny-style equipment rail located on top of the upper receiver.

Pasantes continued, “With the introduction of the M&P15 300 Whisper, Smith & Wesson now offers over 18 different configurations of the modern sporting rifle. Each of these rifles has been engineered from the ground up to meet not only our expectations but those set by our customers. Offering exceptional accuracy, limited recoil and the ability to customize the rifle to meet individual preferences, firearms such as the M&P Rifle Series have earned a high level of trust within the hunting and shooting sports community.”

The M&P15 300 Whisper will also be available with a black tactical upper featuring a 10” free-float quad rail and a Yankee Hill Phantom flash hider. The upper is compatible with any mil-spec AR lower.

Thoughts?

 

[Dragon88]

Product: Model M&P15 - 300 Whisper®

Product: Model M&P15 300 Whisper® Upper Assembly

 

[rojodiablo]

Nice, but I would consider 2 things about it: 1. A longer barrel. Make the velocity complement the round. Help the accuracy for the longer range this rifle can really obtain with the bigger bullet. 2. I am not a big fan of the oddball ammo sizes. I know they are meant to meet the demands of the AR15 lower, but cheeze whiz.......... how tough is it going to be to find the ammo you need on short notice, or magazines for it?? I would hope the mag will be compatible with 6.8spc, so at least you can find them relatively easily. Since I am limited on reloading, the oddball stuff does not appeal to me much.
But it sure looks very nice!!!!

 

[Dragon88]

300 BLK uses the same magazines and brass as 223/5.56. Also, it is designed to deliver more energy at shorter ranges from shorter barrels. It is not a long range cartridge.

 

[rojodiablo]

How does it use the same brass? Do they swage the neck out to fit the .300 bullet?
Now you have me interested.......!!!

 

[Beretta682]

Its cut down to the neck and then resized to take the .30 bullet. It will use the same magazine and bolt from any AR. THere is a website 300blackout.com

 

[Mack]

The .300 Blackout is designed to give you 7.62x39 mm performance in a cartridge that will feed reliably in the AR and use the same magazine as the 5.56. The 7.62x39 causes problems in AR's due to the taper of the cartridge case. So performance we are talking a 123 grain bullet at around 2,350 feet per second, not a long range cartridge. The .300 Whisper was designed to launch bullets up to 220 grains at sub sonic speed to be a super quite short range round used in supressed rifles.

 

[Dragon88]

300 AAC BLACKOUT (300BLK)

An example load for this cartridge is a 150gr bullet over 19gr of H110. That should tell you a lot about it.

 

[Bob R]

Oh man, I may just have to shelve my plans for building a bolt gun in 300 Whisper. I sure would like to hear one of these shoot supressed so I could hear how much noise the cycling of the rifle makes.

bob

 

[Dragon88]

300-BLK.wmv - YouTube

Second and third rounds are subsonic ammo, compared to the first and last which are supersonic:
300 AAC blackout suppressed supersonics and subsonics - YouTube

Many more videos on Youtube as well.

 

[Hofstet]

I own a few black riles. One of them is a S&W M&P 15T. Any thoughts on having it converted to a 300 Whisper? Would it be cheaper to just purchase a new rifle?
Reason for question is my wife wants to get back into deer hunting and her shoulder will tolerate very little recoil.

 

[Dragon88]

You can have a new barrel put on one of your uppers. 300 BLK uses the same bolt and magazines as 5.56, only the bore diameter is different. Your easiest solution though is just to buy a 300 BLK upper and slap it on one of your lowers. S&W is selling their upper at a pretty good price point. It's a little "tacticool" for hunting, but it will do the job.

 

[Hofstet]

Thanks, I'll contact S&W.

 

[Dragon88]

Let us know if you decide to get it. I'd love to see pics and a review of the upper.

As for ammo, Midway has a few options. AAC had a run of ammo made with a 125gr polymer tipped bullet, it's a pretty good load and not too pricey. If this will meet your hunting needs, it's worth a look. Your wife will like it because the polymer tip is....pink.

Ammo 300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35mm) 125 Grain Polymer Tip Expanding Box of 20

 

[jsimmons]

Wouldn't make a decent SHTF rifle - Chances are a lot better that you'll find copious amounts of .223/5.56 laying around. After you're out of 300 whisper, your rifle is only usable as a club.

 

[Dragon88]

Who said anything about this being a survival rifle? It's a special purpose cartridge for hunting and tactical applications.

Most people who talk about "SHTF rifles" couldn't shoot one well enough to save their life in a true survival situation anyway.

 

[jsimmons]

Who said anything about this being a survival rifle? It's a special purpose cartridge for hunting and tactical applications.

Most people who talk about "SHTF rifles" couldn't shoot one well enough to save their life in a true survival situation anyway.

The practical application of the rifle isn't in question. I was merely pointing out the likelihood that if that was all he had, and he was forced to use it as such, he probably would find it harder to scrounge additional ammo due to its relative lack of popularity compared to .223 or even .308. Besides that, it's almost 4x the price of .223.

I guess I'm a bit more pragmatic than most.

 

[rojodiablo]

The practical application of the rifle isn't in question. I was merely pointing out the likelihood that if that was all he had, and he was forced to use it as such, he probably would find it harder to scrounge additional ammo due to its relative lack of popularity compared to .223 or even .308. Besides that, it's almost 4x the price of .223.

I guess I'm a bit more pragmatic than most.

Well, I have over 20 in the cabinet currently. If I have to pack up and leave, someone is going to inherit several nice rifles and a couple pistols. Most guns are about the pleasure of shooting them, the hunting and memories attached to them.
I am different than most; I have the pistol that saved my tail 2 times. It's going with me, wherever I go. But after that?? I am leaving behind a really nice .243 to take my 12ga. Hope it doesn't come to bite me in the rear later..... Ya gotta be pragmatic about this stuff. I'd be awful torn whether to bring my first ever gun, a Marlin .22. I mean it, I'd be tempted to leave behind clothes and matches before I part with it. But in the end, we don't get to take ANY of it with us.

I think the .300 whisper would be a neat round to work with; I am sure there are plenty of coyotes, raccoons, pigs and deer out there to make it a worthwhile investment.

 

[Hofstet]

Since my first post, I've researched the .300 Whisper in more detail and also received advice from other hunting pals. I'm now considering the purchase of a new Alexander Arms in 6.5 Grendel. Meets the criteria for low recoil and ability to kill thin skinned animals, like white tails. The long range ballistics are also quite impressive. Think I'll leave my S&W as a .223.

 

[meanmrmustard]

Who said anything about this being a survival rifle? It's a special purpose cartridge for hunting and tactical applications.

Most people who talk about "SHTF rifles" couldn't shoot one well enough to save their life in a true survival situation anyway.

You wouldn't happen to have any info regarding ballistics.