I am looking on hands on experience with this firearm.  I want to know if anyone has had malfunctions with the mags due to the fact that the ammo is exposed.  I am concerned if mud and other debris will cause issues with the rifle.

I figured I would edit the subject and the OP.

I'm not looking for discussions about 10/22 or bolt action or any other firearms.

Thanks and sorry for any confusion.

We've got one, and before had one of those Colt or whatever's that weren't as close ergometrically to the AR15.  [IIRC, haven't looked at them in a couple years]

It's not a bad idea, because of the crossover training value to the AR. Maybe just one and then a lightweight AR?

We've had good luck with the old plastic Bushmaster AR's that weigh practically nothing...

Also the old BM plastic pistols are great for a lot of compact accurate firepower...

Would rather have a 10/22 Take down. I handled one recently, I was surprised how much lighter they are over reg. 10/22.

I have a 10/22 Takedown, great survival gun.

If you're looking into it as a post-SHTF game-getter, you're probably better off with a dead-simple, dead-accurate bolt action 22.

If you're looking into it as a post-SHTF fighting rifle, you're delusional - get a caliber that'll do some real damage to human sized targets, and would also be useful for human-sized game animals.  Say, .223/5.56?

I have a 15-22, and it 's a fun little plinking rifle, but plays no part in my SHTF planning.

The one poster makes a lot of assumptions.  I am only asking about the SW MP 15-22.  I have plenty of larger calibers as most do on this forum.

I already have 10/22s...I'm thinking about moving them.  Main reason being that I have yet to find a chest rig that holds 10/22 mags and I don't want to get another chest rig.  My CMMG upper uses Black Dog mags that can are close in dimension to an AR15 mag, so I can use my chest rigs.

I didn't start this thread to go off tangent on 20 other firearms that I didn't ask about as many threads seem to get off topic.

I am asking specifically about the S&W MP 15-22 to address my concern with the open mags.  My concern is malfunctions due to the mags.

As far as the poster that mentioned about going bigger.  Sure, I'd prefer to shoot something with a larger/more powerful caliber, but I wouldn't want to be shot by a pellet rifle..truth be told.

I did end up making the purchase of the MP 15-22 this afternoon.

What role are you wanting to fulfill with the 15-22 in a shtf situation?

Ok, I corrected my subject title and the OP.

To answer your question I haven't had any issues due to the magazines having an open channel down the sides, but I only shoot mine in the range.

That's why I asked what your intended use for it was. I seriously doubt anyone has experience with using one in a long term survival situation, but if you did it would be safe to assume the magazines might be an issue. That's why people are suggesting alternatives that might be more robust in that situation. When you mention that there aren't any chest rigs for 10/22 magazines it makes me wonder what exactly planning to use a 15-22 for. If it's anything more than fun and a training aid that's cheaper to shoot than an AR then I think the magazines could potentially be an issue.

I have a couple of 15-22's and have not used them in mud, sand or anything like that. They've just been farm rifles: ride in the truck or Jeep, on the tractor or the SxS.  I haven't experienced issues with debris in the magazine jamming the rifles during this use.  They haven't gotten dirty like you've asked, just a standard truck gun dust, etc.  Plinker Tactical makes aftermarket magazines for the rifle that are closed bodies.  You might take a look at these and see if they would satisfy your concern.  I'm not affiliated with the below link, it's just the first one that pulled up when I Googled it.  

I agree with the other posters that this isn't an ideal choice for a defensive firearm, but I also believe that the user has to be comfortable with their weapon.  If they aren't then I don't tend to see a good response to using it regularly and becoming more familiar.  I think the 15-22 is an excellent gateway firearm to a full size AR especially for persons who are very nervous about the larger calibers.  It isn't the best in it's role as a defense weapon, but it is a better choice than a lot of things.  I'd much rather have my daughter (timid and not excited to jump into a 5.56 AR) armed with a 15-22 that she enjoys and uses regularly.  She'll grow into a larger rifle and in the mean time, 25 rounds of CCI Stinger are better than pepper spray or a stick.  

Plinker Tactical 35 round mag for SW 15-22

I have two, got them for the children so they could easily transition to other AR pattern rifles and so far it has worked awesome for 3 of 4 children.

Soooo, I have never cleaned either rifle. The older one probably has about 3-3.5k rounds through it. I shoot mostly cheap federal .22 and suppressed as often as I can (only have one .22 can or I'd always shoot it suppressed). I'm not going to say I have never had a malfunction but I don't remember any malfunctions. I use the factory magazines, saw a deal year or so ago for something like $12 a mag and got a ton of them. Never had a reason for more that 25 rounds and FWIW I think the single stack is part of why they are a little more reliable that a 10/22. Before the hate starts I do have a 10/22 I've had since I was a kid and that is still my .22 plinker...and it has been cleaned at least once since I was a kid

Not a bad gun
But
Over priced, plastic, when broken it means return to S&W because they wont sell you parts.

I owned one ran several thousand rounds thru it  sold it and build a dedicated 22 LR AR, my new one is way better...  

I've had a bunch of M&P15/22s on my lines at Appleseed events.  We're constantly up and down, a lot of prone shooting, and the mags are getting covered in rain, dirt, sand, dust, etc.  We usually shoot 500 rounds on a weekend, and I've seen few, if any, mag issues.  Nothing particularly memorable comes to mind.

I would say they're somewhat more reliable than a lot of the 22 conversion kits I've seen in use.

Thanks for the replies.

I did end up making the purchase yesterday, so I may try to do my own torture testing to see if my concerns are valid.

The MPs are light and that is huge for my wife and daughter.  My MP 15-22 is not threaded, so I'm debating on buying the tools that Tacticool 22 sells.  Seems like once I buy the tools and I sent it off to have the barrel threaded that I'm nearly at half the cost of a new MP 15-22 that's already threaded.  I'll probably just buy another MP that has flash hider, so I can use suppressor.

I do like that the MP is also the same manual of arms as AR15 compared to my 10/22s.

I agree with the poster that mentioned the dedicated AR22 upper...my CMMG feels like a "real" AR15.

ETA:  I thought I saw that those Plinker Tactical mags don't work that well, but I haven't done much research on them.

use the 15-22 mags in your CMMG upper...if you really like them, get the Boonie Packer bolt hold open which holds the 15-22 mags more securely

There was a guy on Zombie Squad that went over 10,000 rounds in his before cleaning.  The pics are horrifying.

10,000 rounds through a M&P 22lr = carbon pudding

I've had mine for about 4 years now.

I'll take it over a 10/22 any day of the week.

Accurate enough to be my primary squirrel killer. I've used it in mud, sand, snow, and rain and never had a malfuntion except with CCI ammo. It likes cheap ammo.

More fun than a gun should be allowed to be. Plus the ergonomics make it a great AR-15 trainer without using your 5.56mm stash.


I beat the shit out of mine and nothing has ever broken. Great gun for any purpose and it doesn't require any aftermarket parts to make it run smoothly.

Plus, it breaks down small enough to fit in a tennis racquet case.