Well, a trip to my one of my local fun dealers a few weeks back turned into an impulse buy of a new M&P15 Sport.  The price of $499 ($599 - $100 rebate) was just too good to pass up.

Right away there were several things that I liked about the Sport.  It had a great fit and finish, typical from what I've seen of the M&P15 line.  I really liked the idea of the Melonite treated barrel (think Glock's Tenifer treatment), which should be as hard as or harder than chrome and more durable than chrome or phosphate.  The 1:8 twist was a welcomed departure from S&W's standard 1:9 twist.  I also like that the barrel is 5R rifled (these barrels are probably made by Thompson/Center, a division of S&W),  which should make them more accurate and easier to keep clean.  The barrel is also chambered in 5.56 NATO.  The FSB is a standard "F" marked M4 style.  The BCG is a AR-15 (semi-auto) style with a fully shrouded firing pin.  Both the bolt carrier and the bolt are chrome lined and the bolt is marked "MP".  The gas key was properly staked.  The BCG appears to be the same one used in all of the M&P15 rifles (should either be LMT or Microbest, aside from being SA, it should be GTG) and does have the scalloping for the FA if you wanted to change the upper for one that has the FA.  The lower is well made, with the only departure from the norm being a trigger guard that is forged as part of the lower.  The trigger guard has the same profile as a Magpul trigger guard and I actually prefer it to the standard trigger guard.  It has plenty of room for a gloved finger and should increase the strength of the lower.

The lack of a FA and a dust cover didn't really turn me off.  Stoner's original design did not have a FA and it was only reluctantly added because the Army required it.  The lack of a FA should not be an issue, as hardly anyone ever uses it and it's just as easy (and probably a better idea) to pull the charging handle back and let the bolt fly forward, getting rid of the problem round and loading a good one (if that doesn't work, you have a problem that the FA would probably only make worse or you've severely neglected preventive maintenance on your gun).   As for a dust cover, again most folks do not need it (and if you think about it, how many other rifles or carbines have them?).  Even when I was in the military, the dust cover on most weapons was almost always left open with the bolt forward, even in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially on the FOB (yes, I know it was mostly FOBbits, but even if you closed the dust cover, there was an even bigger gaping hole underneath the BCG in the form of an empty magazine well, so did it really matter?).

Like I said earlier, this was an impulse purchase and I had no idea what I was going to do with this carbine.  Give it to one of the kids?  Strip it down and use it as the base for a new build?  Keep it as is and use it as a truck gun?  Well, I decided to keep it as a truck gun, but I would add a Daniel Defense EZ CAR 7.0 to support a VFG, flashlight and sling mount.  So I get  the EZ CAR and I notice that the Sport's upper rail is marked with even numbers and the DD rail is marked with odd numbers.  Can't have that.  So I decide to order a DD upper to match the EZ CAR and squelch my bout of OCD.  Then a few days later at the fun show, I find a dealer who actually has a new DD BCG and isn't asking MSRP or more for it, so I snatch it up along with a DD charging handle and a couple MATECH BUIS at ridiculously low prices.

Now  my low price decent truck gun is quickly getting to be not so much of a bargain (still a bargain, but just not as much).  So, to offset my costs I decide that I am going to sell the never used parts from the Sport.

Now I have my new carbine built up.  S&W complete lower, LMT "H" buffer, Magpul MOE stock, DD upper, BCG, charging handle and EZ CAR 7.0 with the Sport's barrel (which is government profile BTW) and MATECH BUIS.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/DDMP1.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/DDMP2.jpg

After a lot of internet research, I come to the conclusion that I should be able to get about  $225-250 total for selling the S&W upper, charging handle, rear sight,  carbine buffer, BCG and S&W furniture as separate pieces.

This would make my damn good new carbine only ~$750!

If only I could be so fortunate!

Before I posted my parts on the EE, I decided to take a shot at selling them at a nearby fun show.  That's where things take a turn for the more expensive (not worse mind you, just more expensive).  As my daughter eyes a new pink Cavalry Arms stripped lower and informs me that she wants a pink AR.  How can a guy say no to a request for a gun from his daughter (even if it is pink)?  So, $125 for the lower, $55 for a DPMS LPK and it's time to go home and look for a set of pink Cavalry Arms hand guards and a cheap barrel.  After much searching, I find the pink hand guards at DSG Arms for (choke) $50, but hey, it is for daddy's little girl.  Much searching and a lot of indecisiveness later, I finally settle on a Model 1 Sales (E R Shaw) complete 16" carbine lightweight barrel from Midway for $140.  Throw in a gas tube, delta ring pack, A2 flash hider, crush washer and buffer spring for another $30 and I'm done.

Now, I know, DPMS LPK and M1S barrel.  Don't even need to go there.  The LPK turned out fine.  The barrel is only 4140 steel, phosphate exterior,  non-chromed bore/chamber, .223 Remington chambered, 1:9 twist, non "F" marked FSB.  But, it is almost pencil profiled and does have M4 feed ramps on the barrel extension.  The barrel appears well made and has a nice even finish.  I did not remove the FSB to check if the pins were tapered or straight or if the barrel was treated under the FSB.  For the price and the fact that this gun is ONLY and will ONLY ever be my daughter's trainer/plinker (and maybe varmint) carbine that will never be carried as a duty weapon,  see a carbine class or be used for home defense,  I don't care (come on, it's pink!  Plus she cleans and lubes her guns after each trip to the range.)

In the end, for ~$625, she got a decent range gun that is exactly what she wanted, it's super lightweight and has some sentimental value because it was built for her by her father.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/Daughters.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/Daughters2.jpg

I got what I believe to be an exceptional value carbine for only ~$750 (and it doesn't have any stupid spiders or other flashy artwork on it either).

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/MineMyDaughters.jpg

My carbines, minus the pink distraction.  DDM4V3 (top) and "DDS&W-15" (bottom)

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee82/ac130usnsr/Carbines/Mine.jpg

Range report; was a good day of shooting.  Daughter was thrilled and put 200 rds of 55gr Federal bulk pack .223 (Walmart) through her pink carbine, with no FTF/FTE and with no rds outside the 5 ring @ 50 yds.  Pretty good for her first time with the weapon and only about 5 minutes spent on manual of arms and sight picture.

After sighting in the "DDS&W-15" I was very happy with it's performance.  300 rds of Federal LC M855 with no FTF/FTE and 1.5 to 2.0 MOA @ 100 yds from the bench (over barricade supported).  Overall, I shot the "DDS&W-15" about 0.5 MOA tighter than I did my DDM4V3.  (Hopefully it's just because I had already shot 300 rds from the "DDS&W-15" before I shot the 120 rds from the DD.)

All around I'm very pleased, even though I ended up spending enough to buy another DDM4 or a Colt, I got another carbine that I would say is better than any mid-tier offering and my daughter got an AR of her own.