New Member, New Rifle, New Questions

[Cups]

Greetings all,


I have recently become a first-time gun owner. I'm part of what I'm calling the 'COVID Gun Buyer's Club'. After doing much research I decided to make my first a 15-22. I have absolutely fallen in love with this thing. Found a nice indoor range that will let me shoot it inside and in less than a month I have already run over 2,000 rounds through it with no end in sight.

I've been doing lots of homework trying to learn everything I can but there's one area I would be super grateful for advice from more experienced members of this community. Yes I know, another 'what mods do I buy?' thread... I've been lurking around here for a while and found several helpful things already but haven't found a post about my specific desired upgrades.

What I use the rifle for:
Standing position range shooting
Home defense (until I get something else perhaps)

What I'm looking to do:
I'm looking if possible to make my 15-22 even lighter and compact (if possible) and to make it able to function as a home defense firearm as well as make it even more enjoyable to shoot at the range (perhaps impossible, but I want to believe).

What I don't want to do:
I don't want to make it a bulking behemoth with attachments out the wazoo.

I don't want it to be "tacticool" - I don't care how it looks, function over form is my philosophy

What I currently have:

• UTG 3-9X32 1" BugBuster Scope

Upgrades I'm confident I'll be buying soon:

• AFG-2 Angled Fore Grip

• ATG Black AR15 Adjustable Tactical Grip

• Basically any single point sling

Considering my goals with upgrades, I was wondering if anyone would kindly give me their two cents about:

• Stocks

• Lasers

• barrels and shrouds

And anything else that will make it even lighter, more compact and fun to shoot (without needing special licenses)

I apologize for the long winded post and thank you for your time. Back to lurking through old threads I go.

 

[Kayback]

I haven't weighed my options but I went with a Mission First Tactical Minimalist stock. It's light and small.

I use my rifle on either the Zero or the 1 notch. Nose to charging handle. The MFT Minimalist has a single point QD sling socket in it.

I SBR'd mine because why not. Super short and super light.

I ditched most optics, especially zoom ones because they add weight over plastic sights, my preference being good old MBUIS, Magpul Backup Iron Sights. But a small optic like a Doktor or a Shield or an RMR will do the job too.

Lasers are of limited use IMHO, I've used a couple and outside of some limited applications you'll be much better served with a white light. I'm a definite "all of the lumens" guy but on a gun like a 15-22 I'll put a lower output light. Mine has an old school Streamlight Pro Tac 1L light. A single cell 275 lumen LED torch. It isn't a world of light but it is a light light.

Shrouds have almost zero use except looks while adding bulk.

While a 15-22 is better than a pointy stick I'd actually hold off on any purchases for it until I had a decent HD gun. Even just an old school Glock (and I'm a fan of HD rifles).

 

[OLDSTER]

Hi from North Dakota

 

[AppStFan]

Welcome to the forum from another North Carolinian. Congrats on your 15-22. I don't own one but I am sure that other knowledgeable folks will be along that can give you good advice.

 

[Eric300]

First of all, almost any 'accessory' that you add isn't going to make your 15-22 lighter. Most accessories add weight. If you want to keep it light and compact, it came out of the box that way. Lose the scope and put a red dot on it. Scope/mount will add approx. 1lb +/-. Maybe a QD mount on both a scope and red dot so you can swap them out quickly depending on your particular use at the moment. Probably THE best upgrade that you can make is a trigger upgrade. Lose the stock trigger. A trigger upgrade will be way more beneficial to the operation of the rifle than any 'tacticool' accessory. Replace the stock pistol grip with something like an Ergo, or, Magpul MOE, etc. Ambi controls (especially the safety/selector switch) are nice to have. And maybe an extended charging handle latch. Add a set of polymer Magpul MBUS and you'll be all set. Minimal weight and parts that actually enhance the function of the 15-22 platform without the addition of excessive weight. Maybe a QD bipod just to have around, and a QD weapon light of some type. Good luck and enjoy your new 15-22!

Radian ambi safety/selector switch & CH. Magpul flip-up rear sight and MOE pistol grip. Rise Armament RA-140 SST flat face trigger.

 

[Cups]

Thank you all for the warm welcomes and friendly advice. I'm very grateful and looking forward to any other input from other members as well!

 

[cyphertext]

Enjoy your rifle exactly how you have it set up today. Any funds spent on the .22lr sound like they would take away from another firearm that would be better suited to the HD role.

 

[Buick]

I would just buy more ammo! Practice and get as accurate and confident as you can. You actually have a very formidable weapon in the 15-22; just cultivate your ability and mindset.

 

[Farmer17]

CCI Stinger hollow point is pretty effective .22LR ammo for defense or small game hunting but solids give better penetration so I might be tempted to use a mixture of each if the gun was reliable. Accessorizing things is a lot of fun but the gun doesn't really need much and all that money spent on accessories could go towards another more powerful gun that would be much better to protect yourself and it sounds like you've been bitten by the bug that the rest of us here have and there will be more guns in your future.

 

[Cups]

Thank you all again for the helpful advice. Advice I have taken into consideration. I've opted to do as many suggested and dropped the idea of adding a laser and many other attachments and am saving my money for a different gun for HD.
I did buy a Dagger Defense reflex sight and am having more fun and getting better practice at the range with that. I am thinking of adding a hand stop and a sling but those will likely be the only other upgrades for this wonderful rifle until I get a HD gun.
I'm still checking the thread regularly if anyone else wants to throw some pointers my way!

 

[cyphertext]

Thank you all again for the helpful advice. Advice I have taken into consideration. I've opted to do as many suggested and dropped the idea of adding a laser and many other attachments and am saving my money for a different gun for HD.
I did buy a Dagger Defense reflex sight and am having more fun and getting better practice at the range with that. I am thinking of adding a hand stop and a sling but those will likely be the only other upgrades for this wonderful rifle until I get a HD gun.
I'm still checking the thread regularly if anyone else wants to throw some pointers my way!

Your rifle, your money but if it were me, I would skip the hand stop. What kind of shooting are you doing? Is it all from a bench, or are you taking tactical shooting classes?

 

[Cups]

At this point I am trying to master the fundamentals and only shooting from a standing position. I plan on moving on to tactical shooting when I feel like I've got the basics down. Still trying to get my breathing and trigger control to a point where it's muscle memory. I don't have a whole lot of interest in bench shooting at this time.

I wouldn't mind formal instruction on tactical shooting at all but I haven't even looked into that yet. I appreciate your advice about skipping the hand stop. I do not mind being advised by those with more experience about their preferences at all. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

 

[cyphertext]

I just don't see the hand stop as something as needed. Get yourself a sling and more range time and ammo! Personally, I like the cotton web GI sling. I like to use the sling to help steady the rifle while shooting from field positions.

 

[Cups]

Update

Thanks again everyone for their advice. This is the final product (for now):

Optics



Tacticon Falcon V1 3X Red Dot Magnifier
Tacticon Predator V1 Red/Green Dot Sight

Grips


Guntec AR-15 NPG Grip
Strike Industries Cobra Tactical Fore Grip
Magpul M-LOK Rail Cover Type 1

Other


MFT Battlelink Braided Paracord Minimalist Stock
LaRue Tactical IndexClips
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