New to the platform - advice?

[jfwright1955]

Cut your credit cards in half, don't join any internet forums, don't look at any pictures of anyone else's rifles, and most importantly, don't ever say that your rifle is "complete!"

+1

I had to chuckle to myself when I read gotfish's post. How true it is! I don't know how many times I've added something to mine and then said to myself, "Ahhh, now it's complete and I'm happy with it." My add-on's to "complete" my M&P 15-22 outpaced the cost of the original rifle a long time ago. But luckily it's complete now so I won't need to add anything else.

 

[UncaGrunny]

More and more, this is starting to sound like my 'car' hobby.

And don't even get me started about scuba gear...

 

[UncaGrunny]

Easily fixed. If you look at the pic of my 15-22 in the thread about shooting suppressed for the first time, that magazine I used (only used one for all shooting today) is a S&W 10 round long. Dang thing is defective and broke, because now it holds 25 rounds & has the load buttons.

EDIT: Just read and seems the buttons I have only work if you convert to 25 rounds. Sorry.

I'd be interested in info about the add-on buttons, Jim; seems to me it'd be perfectly kosher if my 10-rd longs 'broke' just long enough to install the buttons, so long as they 'healed' back to 'permanent' 10-rd status afterward.

I pulled one of the extra mags I bought from Midway out of hte bag today and tried loading it - - S&W may not think the button is necessary, but it sure seems like it would be handy to me! I used a small screwdriver through the button hole, and it made a dramatic difference in ease of feed.

Edit later: Would this be they?
http://www.raveneyecustom.com/Pages/MP1522.aspx

 

[speedyquad]

the buttons can be found at Raven Eye Custom - M&P15-22 Upgrades

i have 2 10 round mags that i converted to 25 round mags(legal here in PA) using these...the tool that comes with them is nice, but i think i only used mine once...it's not that much of an improvement.

to put the buttons in, you need to break out the tab that limits them to 10 rounds in the long mags. this may be illegal. i am not sure if they can be used in the short mags

 

[UncaGrunny]

What I have in mind is to drill out the 10-rd limiting pin, install the button, and then replace the pin in a 'permanent' fashion - - probably using a small hex set screw via tapping the hole and using epoxy/thread locker. Thus it'd still be a permanently-limited 10-rd mag; it would just be disassembled momentarily for installation of the button.

 

[speedyquad]

What I have in mind is to drill out the 10-rd limiting pin, install the button, and then replace the pin in a 'permanent' fashion - - probably using a small hex set screw via tapping the hole and using epoxy/thread locker. Thus it'd still be a permanently-limited 10-rd mag; it would just be disassembled momentarily for installation of the button.

that sounds like a plan...it's too bad people have to do this...

 

[Ibmikey]

Not necessary to drill, a long but small diameter screwdriver on the pin and slight rap with a plastic hammer...pin gone. The buttons will work in all three S&W mags.

 

[RedNeck Jim]

Not necessary to drill, a long but small diameter screwdriver on the pin and slight rap with a plastic hammer...pin gone. The buttons will work in all three S&W mags.

Yes, but his state does not allow 25 round magazines. So seems like his plan is the best. Remove the pin, install the buttons and then reinstall the pin permanently.

 

[SpicyTunaRoll]

1. be careful if using a bore snake, and not getting it jammed on the extractor- pulling it and bending it.

2. take note how the front site is positioned. its east yo get it backwards once removed.

3. if you ever want to remove the flash hider/brake/compensator = make sure you do it right (read on here the horror stories of people twisting the whole gun from the torque)

4. get a good case/bag, since this is a polymer rifle and it could get hurt if thrown, dropped, or squished between things in your trunk.

5. change the grip out = you'll thank me. its ~$20 but its a great comfort investment.

6. make sure you are loading the mags right. make sure every round is staggard. make sure you are releasing the load assist with every round placed into the mag. make sure you do not let the load assist launch up and hit the plastic feed lips. the feed lips can start deforming

7. get plenty mags. these are hard to come by, and plastic. guns dont work unless the mags work!

8. if i think of anything else ill post lol

 

[UncaGrunny]

...it's too bad people have to do this...

I'd use stronger language but there might be ladies present.

 

[UncaGrunny]

Six more days. Sigh.

So far, I think I've been pretty restrained in pre-buying:
2 extra mags (10-rd long)
1 inexpensive red/green reflex sight just because I always wanted to mess with one
1 set of rail covers
1 500-rd box of Aguila ammo to augment current remaining stock of CCI MiniMags
1 soft case that was on ridiculous sale at Turners (orig. $79, sale price $29)
1 lock for soft case so I don't get harassed when it's in the car

Was the last week before Xmas this hard, when I was a kid? I can't remember.

 

[speedyquad]

i had bought a mossberg 715t before i had the smith...i had to wait a week for it since no one had them in stock. it was absolute h e double hockey sticks. the only thing worse was waiting on my brand new honda 450r to be delivered to the dealer...that was a week also...

not too bad on the going over board...the 500 rounds will go quick, i liked my red/green dot at first, now i think i want to go with a conventional scope. my soft case was $25, on sale from $29. it has served me well, but the mags don't fit in the mag pouches. it may be time to upgrade that too...

the days are counting down, you'll have it before you know it and then we'll all be saying what happened to UncaGrunny. oh, he got the rifle and is at the range...

 

[UncaGrunny]

...five...

Truth be told, I had to wait a LOT longer for my M&P9 FS - paid for it in early November last year, didn't actually have it in hand until late February, due to the lack of units available.

Strangely, that wait didn't bug me as much. I think it's because last time, there just weren't units to be had - my state-mandated "waiting period" was run at least partially out while the pistol was in transit, as it started once the serial number was known.

This time, I know MY weapon is just languishing at the local warehouse, or even in the back room of the store; sitting there for no good purpose at all because a group of elected chair-warmers opined that some otherwise law-abiding citizen who maybe wanted to do a serious badness with a firearm & risk incurring the wrath of the state, would change their mind if they were forced to wait a week and a half.

This speaks not well of neither the intellect, nor the persistence, nor the personal patience of said baby-kissers.

Added to above list; bought some load-assist buttons for retrofitting my mags.

"You must learn patience..."
"Patience, yeah, yeah... how long will THAT take??"

 

[UncaGrunny]

...four...

I spent the evening determining the exact location of the 10-rd limiter roll-pin on the two spare mags I pre-bought.

Tomorrow, I will secure a supply of 1/8" dia x1/8" long set screws and an appropriate tap, which should work just ducky to permanently (as in, requires tools and time to change) re-secure the pin in place. I won't be re-assembling my mags until then, lest I run afoul of letter or spirit of the dreaded "manufacturing" clause in the Cali mag law.

I hit the mark nicely: from the right side of the mag, aft of the follower slot, top of the third "well" in the side, vertically centered just below the bottom chamfer of the well top side, and horizontally 0.2" forward of the bottom chamfer of the rear well side.

Pin was 0.175" down from the top surface of the raised "web" between the wells on the mag(0.125" deep from the well bottom).

It's just under 0.10" in diameter, a thinwalled nickel plated brass roll pin. it just falls right out once the top edge is free of plastic.

I would just epoxy the holes up, but I can see the possible need to disassemble the mag for cleaning or repair. Using a set screw to retain the pin makes that possible in the future.

 

[OldEagleEars]

Well, UncaGrunny; we still have plenty of space for you back here in the mid-west when you get tired of putting up with the commisars and the screwballs who vote for their presence we will welcome you home. When I got my 15-22 I also wanted something that would stir the muscle-memory of the M16A1 I had in Vietnam but not cost a fortune to buy and feed (this was before the ammo-crisis). And, after some familiarization I started loading it up with grips, lasers, lights, sights and scopes. After a few months of tinkering and doing some study of what my shooting needs were with the gun I took a lot of the stuff off and put on the shelf. Yes, I retained the CAA pistol-grip (much more comfortable than the stocker) and the single-point sling; but now it carries a fairly basic red-dot on a 3/4" riser and a folding forearm grip up at the nose of the rail on the left-hand side of the forearm and right behind a green targeting laser. When deployed, the grip sticks out to the side and I can grip it easier for "driving" the gun. The laser's switches are just a finger/thumb reach from the grip. For short range shooting this works well for me and when I decide to go long I pop on a bipod and a 3-12X40 scope in a couple of minutes. This all works for me from my personal perspective and you will undoubtedly find the setup that meets your needs also. Just experiment a bit and don't get invested in expensive optics until you know for sure that's what you want to use for the long-haul. You can find plenty of adequate devices for less than $100 that will give you the information you need to make a decision about how you want your gun to function. Of course if you can manage to find a center-fire AR without risking a stretch in whatever California's version of Siberia is, then you can get better accessories and use them on both guns; training on the 15-22 and "operating" with the AR.
It's a fine rifle as it is and despite the roadblocks thrown up by your state of residence, I know you will have a good time with it. Have fun!

 

[Wolfman-Iraq]

Ordered a couple extra mags & a box of Aguila from Midway - - kind of in anticipation. Of course, the Aguila would likely run nicely through the 40's vintage Hi-Standard HD Military that Dad passed down to me, so there's no 'risk' involved in that regard!

Recommend breaking-in your new toy with some good ammo (CCI Mini Mags, etc.) for the first few hundred rounds, if you can find some..

 

[UncaGrunny]

Recommend breaking-in your new toy with some good ammo (CCI Mini Mags, etc.) for the first few hundred rounds, if you can find some..

I do happen to have a couple 100-rd boxes of CCI stashed away - - the only ammo that will reliably feed through the 'extra' mags I bought for the Hi-Std a couple years back.

Ironically, the near-70-yr-old original mag feeds any ammo flawlessly.

 

[Gunzilla]

If you have an AR15 then duplicate the look and feel of the 15-22 to match......then it'll become your favorite training aid.

Oh....and buy lots of ammo, everyone will want to shoot it.

 

[UncaGrunny]

...three...

By the way, last night's magazine work made me want to ask: Do the mags always make that horrid noise when compressing the spring via the load-assist? "Skr-r-r-r-rkkkk!!"

Or do they get over that as they brake in?

Given that the mag's open on both sides and thus exposed to dust, should I not lubricate them? (other weapons I've owned recommend lubing the follower lightly after cleaning the mag, but all had closed-box mags).

 

[SpicyTunaRoll]

all my mags make that noise. given how dirty .22 ammo is, i wouldn't lube the mags; its gonna make a for a total mess.
if you are going to try and make it somehow smoother, id use a dry lube that dries dark and powdery (almost like pencil lead dust)

 

[UncaGrunny]

I'd probably use dry graphite powder if anything; works well with any plastic , no solvent, non-sticky. But sounds like it's not an issue. Thanks!

Picked up my #8-32 hex-socket set screws, and a bottom tap and proper-sized drill bit for same, at lunch today. Tonight's fun.

 

[Majorlk]

Yes, all mags make noise. No, you do not lubricate them.

 

[UncaGrunny]

Completed the two I have so far; bought enough assist buttons for eight total... & set screws (8-32x0.125") for ten

(...Two days left... oh, the suspense...)

 

[UncaGrunny]

Tomorrow, I get to find out what the shouting's all about. Though I may not be able to get to the range until the following Sunday.

 

[speedyquad]

tick tock tick tock...

some people i know have taken/requested a vacation day on the day that the playstation 4 is released in November. Might you have some sniffles or a dry cough that needs a day of rest?

 

[UncaGrunny]

I did consider calling in tomorrow, saying I have eye trouble - - just can't see coming in to work.

Excepting I have an extraordinarily busy week this week, both at work and after.

Earliest allowed pickup is 6:37pm, per the DROS form. I expect I'll be there just a touch early.

Below video at 1:11 will be me, after work.

 

[UncaGrunny]

Got there early by 10 minutes; had to wait until after the exact minute of exactly 10 24-hour days had passed. Passed the time thinking about quotes regarding groups who make the trains run on time.

So, she is now... mine!

I must go and do a preliminary cleaning, in anticipation of Sunday, but I thought I'd share some grainy baby pictures for all those who have helped educate me thus far:

 

[cjt50]

Enjoy!!!

It's a fun little rifle. BTW, who makes the carrying case in the last picture?

 

[speedyquad]

woohoo!!!!!

 

[UncaGrunny]

Enjoy!!!

It's a fun little rifle. BTW, who makes the carrying case in the last picture?

Really looking forward to trying it out.

The case is a Luggage USA - - currently on sale at Turner's for $29, marked down from $79 eek. Pretty basic soft case, but it supports a lock on the zippers, has backpack straps, and a number of covered mag pouches/velcro-closed pockets on the front. It'll serve til I find a decent hard case that doesn't make me gasp pricewise.