M&P 15 Sport Review

[TangoFoxtrot]

Looks to be the best AR you can get for under 800 MSRP. Definitely not the rifle I would want for duty use but Id rock one as a range gun any day.

Why not for duty?

[TangoFoxtrot]

I'm seeing a definite trend emerging here and on other boards. Everyone who actually owns and has shot a Sport loves it. The Sport has been on the market for three months, it's been flying off the store shelves and not a single malfunction has been reported by any of the owners or reviewers. That is highly unusual. I don't know of any other new weapon that has performed this flawlessly from the first production run.

The only criticism that I've seen of the Sport has been from people who don't own one and haven't shot one. Most of the criticism seems to be based on the assumption that, because of the price, the rifle can't be as good as the traditional, overpriced versions of the AR.

The review linked by the OP seems to answer the question of whether a dust cover is really necessary (it's not). The scallop in the bolt is all the forward assist that you should need. If you need to exert more force than that, you shouldn't be forcing the issue.
The BCG is standard LMT. The upper and lower receivers are 7075 T6 aluminum forged in house by S&W. The barrel has the same rifling as the Army's sniper rifle and melonite treatment has been demonstrated as early as 1967 in Army tests as providing wear resistance greatly superior to untreated barrels and close to chrome lined barrels.

So, I'll take the Sport. In fact, I'll take two for the price of one Colt, Noveske or other "superior" model and, if I alternate shooting my two Sports, I strongly suspect that they'll both still be shooting when the "superior" model has given up the ghost.

Well said sir!

[ucrt]

.

A gun that has been on the market less than 12 months and in which there have been next to zero detailed reports on how it behaved in a high-round count class has not proved itself to be a duty rifle.

All the theorizing about how great melonite is, and no one needs FA & dust cover, blah-blah-blah is just theory. I assure you, S&W isn't doing these things because it makes the gun "better" they do it to make the gun cheaper.
You might blow smoke up your own posterior but don't be making claims that this rifle suddenly is a jaga Colt because you (or someone you know) owns one and shot 2-boxes through it one afternoon.

In all honestly, I hope the Sport does prove to be a worthy rifle. But don't be making claims and assumptions until there is multiple evidences and proof that this is a rifle people can be staking their lives (and other's lives) on it.

But maybe it's just me...

.

[Joker]

I read that article somewhere awhile back.

I've got the S&W M&P 15T and have had no issues with reliability in around 5,000 rds including cheap steel cased ammo. Just runs and runs like a champ!

Glad to hear the sport model is getting good reviews as well.

[Mac5.56]

I've had to use the forward assist on my S&W...

Just saying.

[Iraqgunz]

I think ucrt makes a valid point. It would be wonderful if it was a great carbine, but one has to wonder what they are sacrificing to get that price point. As much as I generally don't use the FA, I still like the fact that it is there.

I am fairly certain that it is overgassed (would love to know the port size) and the lack of dustcover although not a "deal breaker" is something I would want.

[Jclind44hunter]

I love my sport. To me no FA is a plus as I'm a believer in the tap and rack. That said I wish the upper was at least machined so I could add a DC.

[claws]

I have owned an M&P sport for about 4 months now.
I have shot wolf, tula steel cased. AE, PMC, Remington and Hornady.
Zero malfunctions. About 2300 rounds. USGI mags and P-mags both work well.
I also run two AKMs.
I have pretty much treated the M&P like the AKMs (rode hard and put away wet).
The only difference is I more liberally lube the AR.
One vigorous run and gun day, where I was belly crawling through dense brush over sugar sand and dragging my sport.
I brought the sport home and broke it down for cleaning, There was
sand and a freaking leaf in the upper receiver.
This would have occurred even with a dust cover, because of the type of drill the dust cover would have been open anyway.
It ran fine the whole time.
Shoots consistent 1" groups at 100 meters and I am sure a better shooter than me can improve on that.
I always thought ARs were finicky but the little Smith sport has proven to be flawless so far.
I bought it half hoping to prove how much better the reliability of the AKs is.
Didn't happen.
The downsides .. Some of the AR fancy lads with high end guns turn up their noses.
If you have to shoot through brush or cover, the 7.62x39 AKs are
better.
If you need to club someone on the head the AK is better as well.
I like it enough to name it.
Ivan and Yuri meet Smitty.

[Merle]

If any of you military or LE guys are looking for one of these for a good price, Quantico Tactical is having a sale for us on the M&P Sport for $556. I checked one out at the Lakewood WA store and it looked good for the money. MP marked bolt, good gas key staking. The hand guards are definitely cheesy and the one I played with had no castle nut staking at all but I have staked many so it wouldn't be a problem. Takes about 5 minutes.
http://www.quanticotactical.com/brands/sw/sw.asp

[fowler]

I had a Sport and it shot fine. Even the cheap Tula ammo would function and give good accuracy. But I started changing parts out. Put a FA/Dust cover flat top upper on it with a 14.5" M-4 barrel with pinned YHM pinned welded flash hider. Sold upper minus bolt for $275 Then sold lower and put on Double Star lower with mil-spec M4 stock. Sold SW sport bottom for $250. Now the only part I use from the Sport is the bolt. My advice is if you want a FA,dustcover buy it the first time,but I had fun with the sport changing it around and got my money back fast from the parts. The SW Sport upper with barrel is in demand and sells fast. If I had a dozen of them I could have sold them.