No love for S & W?

[Baldman]

OK, so I have an S & W M & P 15 and to date the gun has worked great. The only drawback is I don't get to shoot it enough. I've had the gun for about a year and it's my first venture into the AR platform so I'm still learning about the weapon and trying to become proficient with it, which means every time I see an AR thread on the forum I read it to see what I glean from it.

This leads me to the question, I generally see comments about Colts, PSA builds, Wyndhams, DPMS, and several others but I don’t see many comments about Smith and Wesson. Is the gun unpopular, is it too pricey for what you get, does it not run well? Basically I’m just trying to see if I have a quality gun. Again so far from my use it’s been great for me, just trying to understand why the M & P 15 doesn’t come up as one of the first few options in an AR discussion.

As always thanks for help.

 

[yzguy87]

No offense... but you must not be reading very many threads here about AR's. There are a lot of positive comments about the M&P15 Sport. I don't own one but I have read a lot of good things about them being one of the best options for a "beginner AR" and best bang for your buck if you're budget minded.
If you use the "search" on here I think you'll find a lot about your gun.

 

[Baldman]

Yzguy, no offense taken. I'm sure there are posts that I've missed. I have seen some posts on the sporter. In fact that's what I set out to buy but LGS had none in stock and didn't know when new arrivals would come in so I ended up gettign what I believe is the next option up the "standard' M&P 15 with a removable carry handle.


From what I've read here on the forum I just haven't seen the M&P thrown out as one of the top 10 options for an AR and was wondering why.

Thanks

 

[sugerwater]

There is a lot of good AR's, S&W being one of them. You only hear of problems from a few but the majority of owners are satisfied with their purchase and have no complaints. If it's not a Colt, BCM, or other brand that a certain outfit sells, that AR is deemed to be substandard. Will you wear out your S&W? Will it break down on you when you need it the most? Probably not.

 

[jmr40]

I've never read anything but glowing reports about the S&W AR's. I don't need another or would seriously consider buying one.

 

[yzguy87]

I'm just going to echo what sugarwater said.

There are a lot of good AR's on the market today that aren't name brand. A lot of people will bash because they're name brand snobs or because they've had a bad experience. My opinion is that if the rifle fulfills your needs then it has done it's job. If you're just a casual shooter then you won't need the latest and greatest. But if you're going to war you better put down that Model 1 Sales gun and go get the latest and greatest technology has to offer.

Idk the specs about your rifle but if you just google your S&W model then you should be able to find specs about it.
As far as your questions about the rifle:
Is it pricey for what you get? Look at rifles in the same league as yours and compare prices.
Does it run well? Well I think you have your own answer there "...to date the gun has worked great. The only drawback is I don't get to shoot it enough." Sounds like its doing what you need it to!
And last but not least... Is the gun unpopular? IMO, who cares what everyone else thinks! As long as it works for you who are they to judge!
As far as what makes an AR quality this link will help you out if you don't already know...
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/10/robert-farago/ar-15-rifle-choices/
All in all it sounds like you have a keeper! Unless you decide to upgrade! I have a DPMS and it works for me. Is it the best? NOPE! But it works for me!
Mindset... Skillset... Equipment... In that order!

 

[eldon519]

If you go search on ARF.com or m4carbine.net, there is a spreadsheet known as "the chart" that goes into the quality details of various makes. That is for real serious military and industry types. I think on m4c, they often refer to S&W as being towards the bottom end of good-enough. Many of those individuals would consider something like a DPMS, Bushmaster, or Olympic Arms as unacceptable. But keep in mind, those folks regularly trust their lives to the equipment. Considering that they seem to deem it acceptable says a lot. For a hobbyist shooter, I have no doubt it is a great gun.

 

[ford8nr]

I have a MP15 Sport and am completely happy with it. Digests every thing I run through and will shoot right at MOA at 100 yds with my reloads. My son bought a MP15 OR and has had great luck with it. With Federal M193 / LC brass / 55gr he can shoot just under MOA (1.75" 5 shot group) at 200yds off a bench with front bags.

 

[dvdcrr]

Hasnt the chart been taken down and the author banned from the forum?

 

[eldon519]

I don't know. I know they banned Doc Roberts and took down his ammo recommendations. Not sure about the chart. At least in Doc Roberts situation, I think the problem is m4c, not him. He certainly hasn't been discredited.

 

[ugaarguy]

Rob Sloyer (tactical yellow visor) quit maintaining the rifle chart. He still maintains other charts like those comparing handguard weights on his website. All the rifle chart did was compare M4 clones to true M4 specs to help folks looking for a fighting rifle find the best fighting rifle within their budget. The chart is long gone, and now its up to the individual buyer to learn about various parts and proper assembly.

A good start is in our own rifle forum stickies 34 Ways to Cut Corners on Manufacturing an AR-15.

 

[mtrmn]

"the chart" has been so outdated that it was no longer relevant to what's available today. It would have been a full time job just to keep it updated with current offerings. As others stated, it was intended for the professionals whose lives depend on their weapons. 90% of AR owners today would find that the cheaper ARs will serve their purposes just as well. S&W's ARs seem to be up there pretty high above most others in coming close to the standards. Most everyone seems to recommend them over the other brands as an economical choice.

 

[arspeukinen]

I have an m&p15 and have not had a single malfunction yet.

My brother shot a couple of mags and said "It works!" in a surprised manner. The internet gospel... I have managed to make my sks and ak both malfunction once. Not so with the Smith.

 

[Quentin]

If you go search on ARF.com or m4carbine.net, there is a spreadsheet known as "the chart" that goes into the quality details of various makes. That is for real serious military and industry types. I think on m4c, they often refer to S&W as being towards the bottom end of good-enough. Many of those individuals would consider something like a DPMS, Bushmaster, or Olympic Arms as unacceptable. But keep in mind, those folks regularly trust their lives to the equipment. Considering that they seem to deem it acceptable says a lot. For a hobbyist shooter, I have no doubt it is a great gun.

I'll drop in some old images of Rob Sloyer's M4 Comparison Chart:

Of course the more blue Xs, the better fighting M4.

As you can see the non-Sport S&W M&P-15 did pretty well, landing right in the middle of the chart. Bushmaster, RRA, Oly and DPMS fared badly in comparison. Colt, BCM, Daniel Defense and others did very well. It's important to read the explanations section of the chart to understand the ratings.

 

[labhound]

I only have one AR, my S&W M&P15 Sport. The price fit my budget, it's accurate and so far reliability has been flawless. Love it!

 

[itsa pain]

There are tons of info on ARs and there is no reason in the world to buy one without reading up on it then sit around after you buy it wondering if it is any good

 

[Baldman]

Thanks for the feedback folks, much appreciated.

 

[hatt]

Do you have one of the very early M&P15s? If you do they're are a couple things you can do to make it better.

 

[Baldman]

Hatt,

Not sure when the M & P 15 came out but I've only had mine about a year and I purchased it new. Tips are always appreciated.

 

[hatt]

You should have one of the later guns then. They are better quality than the early guns. If your gas key looks like it was staked with a cold chisel you have an early gun.