What Ammo & Mags For M&P 15?

[conchmariner]

What do you all recommend?

 

[conchmariner]

What do you all recommend?

 

[GatorFarmer]

If yours will work with them - early M&Ps reportedly didn't - then you might want to get some MagPul mags in your choice of color. They're heavily backordered right now though.

Otherwise Brownells or C-Products.

Prvi ammo tends to be pretty good for the price paid.

 

[flop-shank]

What is the twist rate of your rifling? My AR has a 1:12 twist. I use M193 and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Doug M.]

Magpul Pmags are the default choice.

 

[conchmariner]

What I have right now is a 10 round mag that came with the M&P and a 30 round Bushmaster. I guess the Magpuls should work since it's a later S/N M&P

Twist rate is 1:9.

Not finding too much 5.56 ammo anywhere. .223 seems easier to find. Based on the 5.56 vs .223 thread either one should be OK, right? Any brand, weight and type favored? Should I be using FMJ for best feed, or does it matter?

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

[conchmariner]

One more question about ammo. How is M885 as opposed to M193?

 

[flop-shank]

M855 is the heavier 62 gr. green tip round with a steel penetrator in it IIRC. While not armor piercing, it offers "enhanced penetration" over it's predecessor, the Vietnam era 55 gr. M193. Realize that M855 will be hell on a steel backstop such as one would find in an indoor range. A 1:9" barrel should fire both well. You might want to try both and see if the rifle has a preference. M193 might be slightly overstable and that may negatively affect it's performance somewhat, but I don't know for certain. If overpenetration is a concern M193 makes more sense to me. Perhaps you can base your decision on what's available at the time.

 

[940lvr]

I like Brownell's magazines. They are a good company to deal with and now have mags back in stock after recovering from my last order.

If you don't like them, you can return them. Like I said Brownell's is a good company. A lot of people get caught up in "factory" mags but almost no (if any) AR manufacturer makes their own mags. I have gotten some really crappy mags that came with reputable AR's. As for ammo, I think the best is whatever you can find right now. It is an unfortunate situation but that is the way it is. You can't go wrong with M193. It works in any AR unlike M855 and heavier rounds like it.

 

[GatorFarmer]

C Products makes the mags for Bushmaster. The only difference is a different stamping on the bottom. I ordered up a bunch of C Products mags a while back and some of them that came in were randomly marked Bushmaster. Thus paying a premium for a Bushmaster mag means you're getting raped.

UMC/Remington Green and White Box .223 55gr FMJ should still be available. PMC or Prvi (I actually prefer the Prvi since it is allegedly M193 spec and not just plinking ammo) are also worth looking for.

Some 1:9 rifles don't work well with 45 grain JHPs, and light rounds also are even more likely to be a problem. This is a compromise rate of twist and doesn't work well with really heavy bullets (for caliber) and esp. has problems stabilizing tracers. If you want to use tracers or heavy JHPs, then you'll need a 1:7 twist bbl.

M885 really isn't worth the extra money unless you're taking potshots at 300meters or so.

You might want to invest in an optic while you're buying things. ACOGs are pricey but fun, various Aimpoints or the EoTechs are also popular.

 

[conchmariner]

Decided to go with the Brownell milspec mags. Got some surplus M855 and M193 (both Lake City manufacture), and some new production Federal .223 55 grain FMJ. Scope will come next. Feel free to recommend/suggest.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Originally posted by conchmariner:
Decided to go with the Brownell milspec mags. Got some surplus M855 and M193 (both Lake City manufacture), and some new production Federal .223 55 grain FMJ. Scope will come next. Feel free to recommend/suggest.

The "surplus" LC ammo that you see on the market lately is supposedly stuff that the DoD rejects for various reasons.

 

[crofoot629]

Decided to go with the Brownell milspec mags. Got some surplus M855 and M193 (both Lake City manufacture), and some new production Federal .223 55 grain FMJ. Scope will come next. Feel free to recommend/suggest.

You're good to go.

I have some M855 IMI that I've been hording but my main shtf ammo is 5.56 55grn ball, Federal and Winchester (XM193/Q3131) are obviously good choices.

Many of us have more than one AR, and of course different flavors of ammo. At some point it's advantages to stockpile some quantity of your choice of shtf ammo and zero with that.

One of my rifles particularly prefers Federal AE223 (red box) but I've zeroed with XM193 for shtf. Jmho's

Emory

 

[conchmariner]

Originally posted by crofoot629:

Decided to go with the Brownell milspec mags. Got some surplus M855 and M193 (both Lake City manufacture), and some new production Federal .223 55 grain FMJ. Scope will come next. Feel free to recommend/suggest.

You're good to go.

I have some M855 IMI that I've been hording but my main shtf ammo is 5.56 55grn ball, Federal and Winchester (XM193/Q3131) are obviously good choices.

Many of us have more than one AR, and of course different flavors of ammo. At some point it's advantages to stockpile some quantity of your choice of shtf ammo and zero with that.

One of my rifles particularly prefers Federal AE223 (red box) but I've zeroed with XM193 for shtf. Jmho's

Emory

Appreciate that info. I've decided to just go with sights for now as my HD scenario doesn't really require a scope. Shot the 5.56 XM193 yesterday with no problems whatsoever. Very pleased with how this shoots.

Have you ever tried M856 (64 grain)?

 

[flop-shank]

Good call leaving off the scope. I fired a three round group with my AR that can be covered with a dime. That was at fifty yards with iron sights. I never shot a government rifle that good, and I don't know that I could ever do it again. An afternoon spent with a Daisy Red Ryder will do wonders for one's close range rifle shooting.

 

[conchmariner]

Speaking of XM193 ammo, what's the difference between Federal XM193F and Federal American Eagle XM193C? Both are about the same price, both are 5.56x45 55 grain FMJ?

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Brownell's 20rnd mags and Black Hills 60gr softnose.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I will second the Brownell's mag's. I've had good luck with them. Prefer the 20rd mags. Zeroed my Gov. model for Black Hills 60gr softpoints and my M-4 for Black Hills 50gr V-max and Federal 50 gr hollow points. I think the soft points and hollow points really ratchet up the performance of the 5.56.