Thinking about a S&W M&P Sport AR...

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I'm an AR novice, so forgive my ignorance. I'm looking for a new AR, and the S&W MP15 Sport has caught my eye.

The two bigges "complaints" I hear are the lack of dust cover, and lack of forward assist. My question is simple:

If I buy the M&P Sport, and later want to add a forward assist/dust cover, can I do so?

I know I should go out and build my own, but with a young family, a full time job, and a host of other timer-takers, I just don't want to take the time and effort it takes to build one when I could use what little free time I have to go to the range and shoot.

Basically, If I buy the M&P Sport now, can I use the lower as a base for an upgraded gun down the road?
 
*Disclaimer* I don't own any AR's, my familiarity with the platform is from the military and reading.

Now having said that, you could probably put a dust cover on, it seems like an easy part to add. The F/A I don't think is feasible given the way they're designed, but of course I could be wrong.

As for upgrading the upper with the M&P lower, yes you could if you wanted. Whether it be an upper with a F/A and dust cover, or a whole other caliber so long as it fits the standard mags, you sure can.
 
I'm an AR novice, so forgive my ignorance. I'm looking for a new AR, and the S&W MP15 Sport has caught my eye.

The two bigges "complaints" I hear are the lack of dust cover, and lack of forward assist. My question is simple:

If I buy the M&P Sport, and later want to add a forward assist/dust cover, can I do so?

Basically, If I buy the M&P Sport now, can I use the lower as a base for an upgraded gun down the road?
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The Sport is awesome for the money. I bought one as a low price backup to my higher end AR (currently a Daniel Defense DDM4V1 - I've owned Colt, Noveske, and LMT, amongst other high end ARs). The forward assist is a good way for a novice AR shooter to turn a minor jam into a major jam. The dustcover is nice to have, but isn't a huge deal. This review - http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/0...ger/-gun-review-smith-and-wesson-mp15-sport/ - shows that the dustcover may not even be needed.

To answer your question directly, no you cannot add a dust cover, nor forward assist to the Sport's upper. You'll need to buy an M4 upper (about $100), and have a gunsmith or armorer move your bbl. assembly onto the new upper (less than 1 hour job, not expensive). You can put any standard AR-15 complete upper on the Sport lower. However, you'll spend serious money to get a better barrel than the 1:8 5R rifled, melonited, T/C manufactured bbl. in the Sport.
 
What ugaarguy said. They are a great value. The dust cover is mostly irrelevant. You might find that you want to replace the handguards with nicer ones, but that doesn't cost much.
 
Indeed, good call on the handguards Z-Michigan. That's the Sport's only real downfall - lack of heat shields in the handguards. Heat shielded handguards are only $20-$25 from Brownells, BCM, Midway, CTD, and a host of other online merchants. They take about a minute to swap out.
 
You can't add the forward assist or dust cover to the existing receiver, but you can change out the receiver if you ever decided you need them. I doubt you ever would though.

The lower receiver is compatable with most all uppers and can be swapped out at will later if you want a different setup (calibers, barrel lengths, etc).
 
Agree about the complete lack of utility of the forward assist. Also agree that the S&W is probably one of the top smoking deals out there. :)

Buy some good magazines (PMAGs or ARCs), lube it up and feed it good ammo. Enjoy!
 
I spent more than a few years in the Corps and never used the forward assist. In fact the older AR's came without a forward assist much like the new S&W.
 
How much are they asking for this sport model? I saw a standard model for sale at my local gunshop for $650, complete with dust cover and forward assist.
 
Tony, Academy has (had?) the Sport at $600 everyday price. Some members here caught them when Academy was running all guns on sale, various $ off depending on price bracket, and got Sports for $550. Which standard model did you see on sale for $650?
 
The local gun store has the sport for around $600, or a flat top with dust cover and assit for $800, if you want those features just save up the extra $200. I didnt care if I had the assist, but the dust cover is a must if your going to be somplace other than a range.
 
ugaarguy said:
The forward assist is a good way for a novice AR shooter to turn a minor jam into a major jam.

To answer your question directly, no you cannot add a dust cover, nor forward assist to the Sport's upper. You'll need to buy an M4 upper (about $100), and have a gunsmith or armorer move your bbl. assembly onto the new upper (less than 1 hour job, not expensive). You can put any standard AR-15 complete upper on the Sport lower. However, you'll spend serious money to get a better barrel than the 1:8 5R rifled, melonited, T/C manufactured bbl. in the Sport.
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Well said. That is the exact answer my buddy gave on the fwd assist (he's an ex Ranger and has a lot of AR trigger time).

I picked up my Sport for $624 out the door this weekend (Larry's Pistol & Pawn). I took it out and ran about 100rd through it with not even one hiccup. After reading a bunch of reviews and watching videos of other entry level ARs the S&W on sale was an easy choice.

As noted above, IF I decide that I need a dust cover then I will upgrade the receiver or buy a different upper. That said none of my other rifles have dust guards or assists.
 
The "standard" model that I saw at my local shop was just that. I'm not familiar with the S&W line, but this one looked like an M4 clone. Handguards, front sight, etc.
 
The "standard" model that I saw at my local shop was just that. I'm not familiar with the S&W line, but this one looked like an M4 clone. Handguards, front sight, etc.
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Sounds like a very good buy at $650. Just make sure it isn't one of the really old stock original M&P-15s which weren't made fully in house. The give away is that the bbl is marked 5.56 Nato on the guns that had parts outsourced. The in house built guns are marked 5.56 NATO on the bbl.
 
but the dust cover is a must if your going to be somplace other than a range.
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Why? Most other auto or semiauto rifle designs do not have an equivalent dust cover and do just fine. Did you read the review linked above? And if I were venturing into the worst deserts with the Sport, I would just tape over the ejection port for transport. The 10 cent dust cover.

Oh, btw, I don't own a sport and do own several ARs that have dust covers, but I don't view it as essential feature. The areas where S&W spent money (carrier group, barrel, receiver) are IMHO higher priorities than the port door or FA.
 
I got a PM asking for clarification on this statement
Just make sure it isn't one of the really old stock original M&P-15s which weren't made fully in house. The give away is that the bbl is marked 5.56 Nato on the guns that had parts outsourced. The in house built guns are marked 5.56 NATO on the bbl.
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I thought the rest of you might also want to know the details. Based on what I know from reliable folks at S&W here's the nitty gritty:

All Sport model M&P-15s are built fully in house. The earliest M&P-15 rifles (including some 15T models) were assembled with third party sourced parts. The Nato marked bbls. came from another company. The receiver forgings on those guns were finish machined by a major AR receiver company. After complaints of tight mag wells, and poor fit with other uppers, S&W discovered that they were getting technically within spec, but on the tight or loose edge of spec receivers from this major AR receiver company. Early guns also didn't have HPT/MPI bolts. S&W's first move was forging receivers in house. This was also shortly after S&W acquired T/C Arms. All NATO stamped M&P15 bbls. are manufactured by T/C. Because this happened shortly after S&W brought production in house it's tells you that bbl. is T/C, and the receivers are in house S&W. This was also when S&W started outsourcing better BCGs with HPT/MPI bolts. I know they were talking about bringing bolt & carrier production in house, but I don't know if they ever did.
 
I picked up my Sport for $624 out the door this weekend (Larry's Pistol & Pawn).
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Dang! I was thinking about getting the M&P Tactical, myself, but at that price maybe I should swing by Larry's on the way home today and pick myself up a Sport! :D
 
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