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. :D 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.

[Jake Bauer]

Thanks for the report Spooky. I thought about getting one, then saw a youtube vid of a guy shooting one (using cci mini mag) and he had a jam every other shot. But, your report will have me looking into it again.

[bubba04]

I have several thousand rounds through mine and it has been extremely reliable. I mainly shoot the cheap federal bulk back from walmart.

[Shawn.L]

I just picked one up and had my first day with it yesterday. Ran like a champ through Federal Bulk pack WM ammo. Which I do belive is on their list of ammo it likes in the owners manual.

Great gun.

I can get lots of practice with manipulations, the bolt locks back, I can work barricades, mechanical offset, inside shoot houses, ect ect ect for .22 prices :D I just wont get recoil managment, so I like to run a few mags of .223 through my AR mixed up in the .22 shooting as well.

[SpookyPistolero]

Thanks for the report Spooky. I thought about getting one, then saw a youtube vid of a guy shooting one (using cci mini mag) and he had a jam every other shot. But, your report will have me looking into it again.

From what I read, the only thing to look out for is a serial number of at least "DUAXXXX". Mine's DURXXXX. From the ones I saw at Bud's, all of them were beyond the DUA (they surely go through their stock in a jiffy). The difference has to do with the springs and how the extractor is tuned (or so I read).

[bullseye]

i got one a while back, a total jam-a-matic. i adjusted the extractor, didn't seem to do much. one of these days, i guess i'll send it back to the factory. i got tired of fooling with it, just chunked it in a closet.

[FVC3]

i got one a while back, a total jam-a-matic. i adjusted the extractor, didn't seem to do much. one of these days, i guess i'll send it back to the factory. i got tired of fooling with it, just chunked it in a closet.

Man, you are missing out on a lot of fun. I have a very early (DSX1XXX) model and yet have had nothing but good luck with it. I have a little over 3500 rounds with very few issues of any kind. as few or fewer than with any of my 10-22s. My grandson is so fond of it, I'm going to give it to him and replace it with 2 more.

This thing is a total winner- I love my 15-22, and so do the folks who try it at the range.

[TWR]

I have a earlier version that had some issues but I sent it back to S&W and they updated it with the blue springs. It now feeds everything including the remington golden bullet bulk pack ammo, I just ran 550 rounds of it through mine without any gun related problems. I did have 7 misfires but it does that in my 10/22 as well. I'll go back to Federal bulk ammo now.

Give S&W a chance to fix it and they will. Also remember the hammer spring is lighter than a standard AR spring. I changed mine out and that may have caused my original problems.

[RetreatHell]

Yeah these little .22 ARs kick some serious ass! S&W did a fantastic job with them! I bought the MOE edition and love it. It's a friggin' blast to shoot it suppressed, too:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ1h4yoBqZY

[joeface]

I have several thousand rounds through mine and it has been extremely reliable. I mainly shoot the cheap federal bulk back from walmart.

Ditto. I have mine loaded up for a trip to the range this evening. Cheap shooting fun. :D:D

[SpookyPistolero]

I put another 450 downrange today with one malfunction, a stovepipe due to a weak round. 1/950 ain't too bad! Ammo was a mix as before.

[An Undocumented Worker]

I just picked up one of these last week. Thing runs like a sewing machine.

Question I have is what is the appropiate zero procedure for the factory sights on this thing? Ranges for the elevation marks etc..

[HowardCohodas]

The AR 15-22 is the first rifle I've shot since college many moons ago. It's just a hoot to shoot. I now consider myself a full fledged member of the once-fired-brass manufacturers association.

[Crow Hunter]

I got one this weekend. It is alot of fun. Only 2 clicks left windage and I was zeroed at 15 yards.

I fired around 300 or so rounds of Winchester bulk and Remington Golden. I had 3 failures to feed but they only occured when my brother was loading it, I don't think he was using the tabs and making sure to put the rim in front of the cartridge below it. I also had 2 or 3 dud rounds but that has been my experience with every .22 I own shooting the bulk boxes.

I did notice that if you loaded the magazine with the full 25 rounds, the buffer spring would not always have enough oomph to close the action, I found myself wishing for a foward assist. I just started loading 20 rounds and no more problems.

Definitely a good training gun.

Which springs should be blue?

[Erratikmind]

I got one this weekend. It is alot of fun. Only 2 clicks left windage and I was zeroed at 15 yards.

I fired around 300 or so rounds of Winchester bulk and Remington Golden. I had 3 failures to feed but they only occured when my brother was loading it, I don't think he was using the tabs and making sure to put the rim in front of the cartridge below it. I also had 2 or 3 dud rounds but that has been my experience with every .22 I own shooting the bulk boxes.

I did notice that if you loaded the magazine with the full 25 rounds, the buffer spring would not always have enough oomph to close the action, I found myself wishing for a foward assist. I just started loading 20 rounds and no more problems.

Definitely a good training gun.

Which springs should be blue?

If I recall correctly, the trigger spring and the recoil spring were blue.

I have had my 15-22 for a couple of months and it has cycled some 4k rounds without any issues.