S&W MP-15/22: Rimfire goodness

[SpookyPistolero]

Howdy folks-

Got to the range today (the new Bud's range) and found they're going to start limiting rifle hours (I assume based on complaints from newbies scared of the noise). As I'd come to shoot mainly my AR, this was disconcerting. So they had a little S&W MP15/22 for rent and I put a couple of boxes down range. I had no jams and really enjoyed the 'feel', so I popped back into the store and bought one for myself! Luckily there's a table full of them right next to the rental counter. Those crafty bastards...

I broke it down and lubed the new one, and proceded to put about 400 rounds downrange. Ammo included #50 CCI Blazer, #250 American Eagle, #100 Winchester. It seemed to like the Blazer the best. Reliability was 100%, I was amazed. And usually at least there is a limiting factor from the ammo failure. I zeroed the irons and then threw on an Aimpoint M3, which was even more fun. Oh, the serial number was DURXXXX and it had all the blue springs (handy info I learned to look out for here just last week!).

Between the great reliability (even in rapid fire), accuracy, and non-existent recoil, this will make a great training and teaching gun.

This truly an OTB rig right now, so I didn't bother to snap pics. I will probably throw some Magpul furniture on it in the near future.

Kudos to S&W for such a smooth little rifle.

 

[KingMedicine]

I picked one of these up for about 300 and its my whistlepig gun. A delight to shoot and really nice to carry around the desert.

 

[Norrick]

I am curious about how accurate it is. What does the trigger feel like?

 

[Kwanger]

I completely agree - I have one as well as a bigger bro M&P15T. Norrick - the accuracy is excellent; it has a great over engineered heavy (for a 22) thompson center barrel and everything is very well screwed together. Trigger pull is a ringer for my M&P15T - no creep single stage about 6 and a half pounds at a guess.

apparently they had some trouble with earlier models; but like the OP mine is more recent with the blue spring and I have had nothing but trouble free performance in 3000 plus rounds.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I have one with the blue spring and one without. The one with the blue spring is after it was serviced by S&W when the extractor blew out from an OOB discharge.

Great little gun. With an Aimpoint Micro on mine, I can shoot 1" groups at 50 yards with Federal 550 ammo from Walmart. At 100 yards, the group size is more like 3-4" but I believe a lot of that to be the shooter.

I AM using mine for fun and as a trainer for my youngest daughter who has decided she wants a hog before school starts in the fall. She is cross eye dominant (R hand, L eye) and because I don't know how to teach her to shoot that way, she is learning to shoot left handed and doing quite well.

 

[dakotasin]

I have one with the blue spring. The one with the blue spring is after it was serviced by S&W when the extractor blew out from an OOB discharge.

ditto for me.

I AM using mine for fun and as a trainer for my youngest daughter. She is cross eye dominant.

ditto for me as well.

now that my gun was fixed by s&w i'm happy w/ it. prior to their fix, the thing was a regular jamming machine, finally self destructing w/ an oob firing. accuracy for me is running about 3" at 100 yards w/ federal bulk. it is a fun little rifle and assuming you get a new production w/ the latest fixes, it is worth your while.

 

[ArmedBear]

KingMedicine- How does the distance from the bore to the sight work for whistlepigs?

I use a Marlin 60 with a relatively low scope, but I have thought about my .22 AR upper... I just know from paper-punching with it, that the POI is way different from POA between 25 and 50 yards, because of the sight being so far from the barrel.

 

[Hatterasguy]

My friend has one, its a good rifle. Probably a bit more accurite than my 10/22. My friends started to hicup a bit after 3k rounds without any cleaning, my 10/22 doesn't seem to care as much.

I'd buy one in a second if I had an AR, its the perfect training tool.

 

[benzy2]

I use a Marlin 60 with a relatively low scope, but I have thought about my .22 AR upper... I just know from paper-punching with it, that the POI is way different from POA between 25 and 50 yards, because of the sight being so far from the barrel.

The higher sight plane should stretch point blank range out a little bit making for a slightly better hunting rifle. Not a huge difference, but it should be noticeable in your point blank range.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

I put another #450 through it yesterday (same type of ammo mix), had one stovepipe due to a weak round. 1/950 ain't too shabby...

 

[BamAlmighty]

News ones aren't immune to extracting problems...

Mine has the blue springs and still jams every other round regardless what brand of ammo. Just sent it back to S&W for repairs.

You'd think S&W tests their rifles before shipping, they would have caught this.

 

[commygun]

I'm curious what "whistlepig" is?

 

[benzy2]

Groundhog

 

[Kilo6]

It is my favorite plinker currently. Great training system and a cheap way to get tons of trigger time. I've put thousands of rounds through mine and so far no issues (knock on wood).

 

[Double Naught Spy]

So where did you get the colored magazine?

 

[Pocket Rocket]

I bought one of these in Feb 2010; the serial number is DTUXXXX which does not have the blue springs. I haven't had any real issues that others reported, just the occasional jam. Maybe 2 per brick and I have 2000 rounds through it. I called S&W and asked about the springs anyhow since reading about them here. They shipped them to me in 2 days and I installed them myself. I was able to follow this video and change those springs in about 10 minutes. Most of the time was spent watching the video, though, the process is pretty easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOw4zZrXuaU

As the guy says, the trigger group is a simple design. I haven't shot it yet, just cycled some snap caps through it. The bolt is now much smoother and the trigger pull is noticeably lighter. I'm glad I stumbled across this thread.

 

[PoserHoser]

Kilo6 what kind of foregrip is that nice setup