I'm bouncing back and forth with building a dedicated AR22 or just buying one. The Tippman M4-22 looks really nice for an out of the box rifle. Who here has one and what's your thoughts on it?

I have several semi auto 22's including 3 10/22's.
None of those semi auto 22's had a threaded barrel and I want to mess around with my first silencer so on a lark I bought the Tippman.

NONE of the other 22's have left the safe since the Tippman found it's way in my possession.
It is a hell of a rifle, everything about it is well made and well thought out.
It runs any rounds I put through it including subs.
I keep it with me for nuisance control while working the farm so it gets quit dusty at times but it is always ready to go.
You will not be disappointed, they are worth every penny.
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I've had one for 3 or 4 years. It's all metal and anatomically correct. I stuck a dead air on it and a 1-9 squirrel scope. Put some subs in it and have fun.

I have the M4-22, 15-22 and a bunch of dedicated 22lr uppers.  I prefer the dedicated 22lr route with a bufferless folding stock adapter personally.  The M4-22 makes a loud spring sound with each shot which is noticeable with a can.

Thank your both for your comments. I have an old Marlin 22 semi but it doesn't have a threaded barrel. I can use my Obsidian 9 suppressor on it until I get a can for it. From what I've been reading it seems like a turn key rifle. I have a lower that I could use for a build but it seems like they are finicky creatures to get running right. Nearest range is 45 minutes away and I currently don't have the time to be making multiple trips to get dialed in.

Which uppers would you recommend?

I'm hopelessly biased since I designed much of BoreBuddy's product line. They are less finicky out of the box than the rest of the AR22 market, but any of the uppers from other companies (PSA, RTB, CMMG) can be made to run well.

@deerranger what kinda mount setup is that? I have a L245DT that needs a rifle rack too!

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@deerranger what kinda mount setup is that? I have a L245DT that needs a rifle rack too!

Gun mount

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Mine joined the free stamp club at the first of the year.. it’s been fatactic

Well that's totally understandable, lol. They were one I was leaning towards.

I don't have a tippmann, and only handled one once.  The use of a buffer and spring in the extension is a smart design.  Tippmanns aren't cheap, but the people who have them do praise their function and accuracy.  I understand that there can be issues in fitting some AR triggers into a tippmann lower, which is not an AR lower.

If you have all the junk you need to make your own dedicated rifle, I'd recommend that route.

You can pick up an Anderson upper and lower for $100.  You can choose the barrel, handguard stock and trigger you want rather than settling for a manufacturer's choices.  (I've purchased seven CMMG barrels over the last several years, and one was a lemon I returned; the good ones are legitimate 2moa barrels.  There are more accurate barrels you can buy for more money.)

Use a Better Mag Adaptor or an ARCatch22 with S&W magazines and you'll have the use of excellent magazine that work with the bolt catch.  S&W magazines are a bit cheaper, but also don't involve fiddling with a cosmetic cover to reload.

BoreBuddy makes a better firing pin at a great price; CMMG has great customer service and sent me several firing pins over tens of thousands of rounds at no charge, but I still buy BoreBuddy pins for my rifles and the ones I build for others.  BoreBuddy is to my knowledge the only current manufacturer of a weight that reduces bolt speed, which in turn helps bolt catches work and keeps some of the crud going out the muzzle end of the barrel rather than dumping into your lower.


I've built 5.56 ARs too, but they are a chore to shoot compared to the 22lrs.  I used to horse around with 10/22s, which can be very good and get very expensive, but I found it easier to get a better total rifle for a lower price in the AR pattern than the 10/22 pattern.

Another vote for assembling your own dedicated 22 LR upper.  The usual places for dedicated 22 LR uppers are out stock.   Palmetto State Armory have CMMG bolt assembly in stock for a good price.  I’d buy it and get a barrel From Beyer Barrels or a CMMG barrel from Primary Arms and use any upper or hand guard that I found cheap.

The only thing about the Tippman M-4 or S&W 15-22 is they will always be a 22 LR.   With a complete dedicated 22 LR upper and an AR-15 lower you can always change to centerfire or change it to suit your current taste.   Parts for CMMG 22 LR AR-15 are available from several sources.  The parts for Tippman and S&W 15-22 are proprietary.


http://beyerbarrels.com/barrels/ar15_barrels


https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-22-lr-bolt-carrier-group-stainless-steel.html

Just a warning:  The 17 inch medium taper barrel Primary Arms misidentifies as a 16 inch barrel is the lone CMMG lemon barrel I've bought.  I bought mine through Optics Planet and it was a 12moa monstrosity.  BlackdogADV also received a terrible example which CMMG subsequently found defective and replaced.  There were also stories about the 9.2 inch barrels printing giant groups when those barrels first came to market.

https://www.primaryarms.com/cmmg-22lr-medium-taper-ar15-barrel-sub-assembly-16in

The link has two good reviews, so the problem may be fixed.

I have 16.1" heavy taper, m4 profile and an A2 profile from CMMG, and they are all very good nitrided barrels.

The 16" is currently on sale for $150, about the lowest they go.  
https://borebuddy.com/product/borebuddy-blaster/

The Tippman’s are great!  I love mine.  Very accurate and very reliable. The magazine is very good. No issues whatsoever.

Looking like I'll probably be purchasing the Elite model. Checked one out yesterday at a LGS, very nice.

I just ordered the Elite model with fluted barrel and 3 extra 25 round mags, should be fun plinking with a suppressor.
For you that have one, what are you running for optics on it?
Or put on any other upgrades yet?

I put a vortex strike eagle on mine, a ALG trigger, bad safety, bcm rail, 2a compensator, bcm grip and magpul stock.  Basically all shit I had in the parts bin,

The Tippmann m4-22 is light years ahead of the M&P15-22.  They're not even in the same ballpark.  The tippmann mags are also much better thought out than the 15-22 or CMMG mags.   They are the same profile as a real m4 mag for training purposes, including fitting in AR15 mag carriers.

Just ordered the Hogue overmolded beavertail grip and collapsible buttstock kit, I need to get an ambi safety and charging handle also.
Probably will go with the Resilient Arms black charging handle when they get them back in stock, which brand ambi safety is best?

Get the appropriate size bicycle tube, cut a section off and put it around the spring. This cuts down on the “sprang” of the spring pretty much completely. I haven’t noticed the noise once I did this. I did it a while ago, so I don’t remember what size bicycle tube.

I've got a couple ranger bands on mine and it did reduce the noise a bit.

I went with the Tippman and then threw my parts bin at it.

They are fun to shoot - mine is getting half inch groups at 50 yards with CCI SV, just put a Hiperfire PDI RG trigger in mine, way better than the stock trigger.
Also put on a Vortex Viper PST 1-6x24 scope I bought from the classifieds on here and a Strike Industries Strike Switch ambi safety.

WHat do the Tippman 22 rifles weigh?

How so? My 15-22 has been awesome.

Never had a problem with the mags either