Smith and Wesson M&P 15 (.22lr) - Worth it?

[Jotobo]

The more I learn about guns in general the more I become interested in rifles. I have always had a shotgun and never paid much attention to rifles. Anyhow....

Looking at AR15's a lot lately. I would like to get to a point where I can build my own. But, I would like to become familiar with the platform first. Rather than spending $800 or more on a true AR15, I thought it would be smart to get one of these bad boys.

Ammo would be cheap. Seems to be as close as you can get to a true AR without it being an AR.....looks to be a win/win.

Thoughts?

 

[Walkalong]

AR's in .22 LR are fun and cheap to shoot, no doubt about it.

 

[XM855]

You can do both. Build your own lower and buy a .22 upper for it. A buddy of mine has a .22 upper from Spike's and he absolutely loves the darn thing. Either way, good choice on wanting to start with a .22.

 

[Jotobo]

Its $400 at a store near me. While that is a lot for a .22 rifle, I dont think it is for what you are getting as a whole.

 

[arizona98tj]

Outside appearances are similar (for the most part) between the M&P15 and the M&P15-22.

Aside from the trigger, no other internals swap nor are they the same. The 15-22 is a blow back action like most any other .22LR semi-auto. The M&P15 is a direct gas impingement system. If getting to know the platform is all about the internals, how they work, how to build one, etc.....the 15-22 is going to leave you with no transferable knowledge regarding a regular AR-15, IMO.

I have both.

 

[Gordon_Freeman]

I highly recommend them. I recommend spending a little extra for the 15-22 MOE version if you can find one.

 

[Jotobo]

A friend of mine recommends I just get a used 10/22 and a Tapco Tactical Training Stock.

Thoughts on that?

 

[Quentin]

I'd get the S&W over the 10/22 with Tapco junk. I got the Colt M4 .22 and it's a lot of fun, and looks like a real AR. You won't have as much fun with the Ruger but otherwise it's a fine gun.

 

[Jotobo]

Quentin,

Any specific reasons as to why?

I would not even know where to begin with the 10/22 and it seems like it would cost darn near as much.

 

[benzy2]

It would. Then you are stuck with aftermarket mags if you want more than 10 rounds for the Ruger. S&W mags run about $20 for the 25 rounders. I bought the MOE version for the sights and the sling swivel. I think it was worth the extra. When I consider ammo cost, the rifle is fairly inexpensive, even for a .22.

 

[Al Thompson]

IMHO, the best thing about the M&P .22LR is the transference of skills to an AR in 5.56. Second is the ease of introducing new shooters to the platform.

Going with a AR lower and a .22 upper is also a viable choice, depending on your budget.

One caution on the S&W is ammo. They are a bit picky and run best on what the owner's manual requires. After an initial 1K break-in, mine runs well on CCI Blazer, though it is not as accurate as the CCI Mini-Mag,

 

[Quentin]

Quentin,

Any specific reasons as to why?

I would not even know where to begin with the 10/22 and it seems like it would cost darn near as much.

The replies by benzy2 and Al are great answers. Nothing against the Ruger 10/22 but by the time you add the Tapco furniture and extended magazines, you'd do better with the S&W that you said you can find for $400. I don't have the S&W but am sure you'll enjoy it as much as I like the Colt version. Both operate much like a true AR-15 including the 25-30rd magazine. The Ruger would not.

 

[InkEd]

A couple of my buddies have them and really like them. They seem pretty good but IMHO both the GSG5 (from ownership) and SIG522 (from brief handling) feel much better made than the M&P-15-22.

 

[MrWesson]

If you want a tacticool .22 rifle then I would just go with that one as you will spend more on a 10/22 trying to make it look like one.

I will admit to being an AR noob but why not just have a .22 bolt/upper setup and put the 400 towards an AR build?

 

[bbuddtec]

Yeah, my only thought is it won't teach you much about an AR internally, but operationally, it's an ideal trainer.

 

[j. rap.]

Get the M&p 15-22. i have one and almost all part are interchangeable with real ar. Including the trigger, grips, and sights. The only thing that can't be changed out is the charging handle.

 

[CraigC]

There are tons of things you can do with a 10/22 and it is a wonderful option with its own merit. Sorry but there's nothing wrong with Tapco's 10/22 stock, it is very good for the money and offers lots of utility. There is also nothing wrong with the Ruger's aftermarket magazines, as long as they come from Tactical Innovations. They are the only aftermarket magazine as reliable as the factory rotary. The Ruger can also be built by the average user to be anything you want it to be and to be as accurate as you want. Myriad options exist for building your rifle just the way you want it. However, the Ruger's drawback is that it makes for a very poor trainer for the AR platform. All the controls are completely different.

The 15/22 is a decent rifle for the money as well. Although it's constructed almost entirely of polymer and that translates to a very light and cheap feel to me. The buffer tube and forend are completely integrated so what you see is what you get there. It also uses proprietary magazines, rather than the common BDM mags. On the plus side, the controls are identical to a centerfire AR and so it makes a good trainer.

The SIG 522 is a better rifle and uses BDM magazines but the controls are also different.

Probably the best option, which will cost a little more to start with but less in the long run, would be a CMMG upper on an AR lower. The uppers are only $350 and a lower can be built rather inexpensively. Then when you're ready for a centerfire version, all you need is a new upper. The bonus is that you get to use the same trigger, which is significant if you're serious about it.

 

[Jotobo]

It would be nice to just start shooting out of the box. At this point, I am not very confident to start ordering and building stuff.

 

[You-Two]

I have a 15-22 MOE, my Dad has the Ruger SR-22 version, and a friend has the Colt 20" version. Honestly, they are all decent and seem to shoot well, but each has its advantages.

15-22: Exactly mimics the controls of a real AR. In face, I recently replaced the so-so factory trigger with a much better RRA standard single-stage when I finally got the RRA 2-stage NM for my Service Rifle. The RRA dropped right in and is much cleaner than the S&W. Downside for this rifle is weight, it is much lighter than a standard AR, which doesn't help for serious target shooting. Great plinker though!

SR-22: Great shooter and uses the standard 10/22 mags if you already have them. Weight is heftier, but you need to buy an additional rail if you want to mount iron sights, which you have to buy also. Great for a red dot setup though. Trigger is standard 10/22...so-so. Lots of upgrade options. Also, the bolt release mech needs to be replaced or modded to act like a standard semi-auto.

Colt: Good shooter also and seems like there are several options. Contols are similar, but not exactly like an AR. The mag on my friends was difficult to remove, but operated fine.

My choice would still be the 15-22 if I did it over again. Especially if you are looking to learn the feel of the AR. The S&W mags work great...even the short 10 rounders I have to use here in CA.

Good luck!