To Balance the Hate

[Temporaryscars]

I know there are a lot of complaints about the M&P15-22, but I just wanted to share my experience thus far.

As of now, I've put about 400 rounds through my gun, and it has performed flawlessly! I haven't had a single FTE or FTF, and some times, the magazines were loaded in a non-staggered fashion, but every time, it has shot without issue.

I'm not sure why I'm not experiencing the same problems that a lot of people are and who knows, maybe I will in the future, but if you're thinking about getting this gun, just keep in mind that why the complaints are valid and something to think about, there are many like me who haven't had a single issue.

 

[maxicooper]

I know there are a lot of complaints about the M&P15-22, but I just wanted to share my experience thus far.

As of now, I've put about 400 rounds through my gun, and it has performed flawlessly! I haven't had a single FTE or FTF, and some times, the magazines were loaded in a non-staggered fashion, but every time, it has shot without issue.

I'm not sure why I'm not experiencing the same problems that a lot of people are and who knows, maybe I will in the future, but if you're thinking about getting this gun, just keep in mind that why the complaints are valid and something to think about, there are many like me who haven't had a single issue.

Congrats !!!

 

[chuck s]

I'm not seeing any hate and only a little whining.

My rifle had the same experience you describe the first weekend, including 100 rounds as fast as I could change magazines. Couple of stoppages due to misfeeds but nothing serious.

The next range session, about two weeks later, the rifle stopped shooting right at the end of one magazine. Refused to eject. No surprise once I discovered there was no extractor.

Your rifle may be perfect. Or it may just be waiting for its first out of battery firing. This is my strong candidate for the lost extractor, the ruptured case blows it out of the bolt. I didn't notice an out of battery firing so didn't look for a ruptured case when it happened to me. Others are reporting the ruptured case and missing extractor.

Mine came back with the repair sheet noting "updated to current spec" or similar. Not sure what they updated. They did put an extractor in the bolt.

The "did you send the rifle back" poll is showing 25% of those who responded had to send theirs back. If this sample is good that's unacceptable unless we're Beta testing this on our dime. S&W sent a pair of complementary magazines back with mine, so maybe we are Beta testing it!

-- Chuck

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Way to go Chuck... the guy was happy about how great his rifle was performing....then you come along tell him it's probably on the verge of blowing up like yours. What a party pooper!!

 

[UtahHunting]

I don't know if I would call it hate. I initially had a ton of problems with my rifle. I got the kinks worked out and I love the gun. I am still glad I went with the 15-22 over the other options out there.

 

[Temporaryscars]

Way to go Chuck... the guy was happy about how great his rifle was performing....then you come along tell him it's probably on the verge of blowing up like yours. What a party pooper!!

Oh trust me, the thought is always in the back of my mind...

 

[OLDGUNMAN]

Today was the second time on the range for mine. I did not clean it from the first time (100 rds). 200 rds today. I had one malfunction. Other than that, all the rounds have been right on target at 50 yds with iron sights. I was using CCI rds

 

[CORPORAL PUNISHMENT]

I don't know if I would call it hate. I initially had a ton of problems with my rifle. I got the kinks worked out and I love the gun. I am still glad I went with the 15-22 over the other options out there.

I think a lot can be said about " break in period" My buddy has one that had some ftf problems with perfect mag loading. He shot about 500 rds through it. Then it just started firing perfectly with no change in ammo. He did not send it out to be repaired just shot the s..t out of it. I don't know

 

[BELT_FED]

I think a lot can be said about " break in period" My buddy has one that had some ftf problems with perfect mag loading. He shot about 500 rds through it. Then it just started firing perfectly with no change in ammo. He did not send it out to be repaired just shot the s..t out of it. I don't know

i agree, i know the belt fed stuff we build.. we test fire with no prob. send them off to there owners and we ever once and awhile will have some 1 call up and and say my gun is jamming every round... we get it in house go shoot it and no problems at all, after a phone call we find out what ammo they r running. then shoot 50 rounds of good hot ammo, that will cycle the gun hard, to let it wear together and problem goes away

i guess i should add that even the full auto guns when we replace the internals with new stuff the guns will run alot slower till they break in

 

[Firehouse]

Shot mine today for the first time. I put about 300 rounds of Winchester 333 through it. I had maybe 3 misfeeds that were pretty simple to clear. Once there was a proper feed with a new round chambering but the bolt didn't go back far enough to cock the trigger. Weird. Maybe the previous round was a squibber? I don't know, I cleared it, reloaded it with the same round and it fired without incident. Otherwise, so far so good.

 

[Dan Cash]

When I spend that kind of money on a gun, it better work. Send it back to the factory is not an option. Smith can produce proper results the first time; I have too many S&W handguns that have worked well since new with no factory reconditioning of a new gun.

 

[maxicooper]

When I spend that kind of money on a gun, it better work.

Mine works flawlessly, and my son loves it too.

 

[Tupperware]

I think a lot can be said about " break in period" My buddy has one that had some ftf problems with perfect mag loading. He shot about 500 rds through it. Then it just started firing perfectly with no change in ammo. He did not send it out to be repaired just shot the s..t out of it. I don't know

I hope I see similar results. I took mine to the range exactly as I received it, bone dry. There was more oil on the sights than there was in the action! I did pull a patch thru the bore as a precaution.
I put 700 rounds through it, mostly rapid fire.
550 Federal Bulk HP
100 CCI MiniMag 40 gr
50 Wolf Target 40 gr
I had 8 failures. One light strike which lit on the second attempt and 7 FTF's that wound up pretty mangled. I suspect the FTF's were caused by slightly light charges failing to stroke the bolt fully rearward.
When I got home and opened it up, it really wasn't all that dirty except for the bolt's slide rails, which were a little gummy. I cleaned the rails and the corresponding recesses in the bolt, wiped the bolt clean and scratched the built-up gunk from the bolt face with a sharpened chopstick.
I put some very light oil on the rails, some moly on the top of the hammer where the bolt rides over it and 1 drop of oil on the recoil spring guide rod. I did not clean the chamber or bore. All told, I spent less than 5 minutes preparing it for it's next range session, yet I still expect fewer failures.
I'm going to try to get another brick of Federal thru it on Monday.

 

[BELT_FED]

no prob, with mine either i love it

 

[vitamind3]

When I spend that kind of money on a gun, it better work. Send it back to the factory is not an option. Smith can produce proper results the first time; I have too many S&W handguns that have worked well since new with no factory reconditioning of a new gun.

I agree, it SHOULD work flawlessly.. but, do keep in mind, a revolver is a much more simple operation.

 

[GEC]

No problems here

Bought mine 2 months ago. For whatever reasons - holidays, work, whatever - had not yet taken it to the range. Did that today. Having read all the gloomy reports about FTF, FTE and OOB problems, I anticipated coming home and calling S&W CS on Monday. Shot 250 rounds of Federal ammo. One failure to eject properly. Cleared it very easily and went on about emptying the remaining 3-4 rounds. Nice gun. Quite accurate. And I enjoyed watching the guy beside me go through about 100 rounds of much more expensive .223 ammo!!

 

[Thomas_H]

Recenly hit the 3000 round mark with my 15-22 with zero FTF's and only 1 FTE (my support hand thumb was blocking the ejection port). The only problem I've had was a slight loosening of the barrel nut which did not effect function. The thing I'm really amazed by is that I've had no failure to fire's. In my experience there's usually a few rounds with bad primers in every 500 or so. I think this is partly due to the firing pin design. The 15-22 is one of the few rimfire rifles that have the correct shape at the tip of the firing pin.

Now that I've jinxed myself, I feel like I'm on borrowed time for aN OOB dishcarge.

 

[chuck s]

There's now good documentation of out of battery firing with a firing pin strike. Tight chamber maybe?

Here's the thread just started today. Great job with the photos!

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-long-guns/119681-m-p-15-22-4-3-4-mags-then-boom.html

-- Chuck

 

[vitamind3]

Its funny.. Ive had mixed results. theres been times that Ive had 2 capped stove-pipes per mag, then.. i just shot a 100 rounds off the deck, not taking ANY care in mag loading.. not one FTL! kinda strange really. I know for a fact, that not all the rounds were staggered in the mags too. whatever I guess.. Ill take it!