Anyone got any inside, first hand experience with this gun yet?



I cant begin to list all the reasons this would be a sweet 22lr. All the feel of your ar, with less weight, and you dont have to have some funky kit shackled to your regular AR.

Also, I hear price will be between 450 and $500.

How reliable, and accurate will it be?

Smith&Wesson MP15

I fear it will be to the AR15 what the GSG5 is to the MP5... a cheap, lightweight, airsoft-like wannabe. My view is the opposite of yours, why would anyone want a dedicated .22 made from lightweight airsoft parts (if indeed this is the case - I don't know, but they have to cut cost/weight somehow) when one can have an actual AR15 that weighs the same as their "real" gun, and can even be converted to fire 5.56 just by pulling the conversion kit out of it ? When the craziness if over, we will again be able to build regular AR15s for not much more than this $500 price tag.

I love how plastic is worth so much now adays.  I wouldn't buy one.  for $500 I could build a decent 10/22 that would be almost garunteed to be more accurate.

What's funky about a Spikes or M1S dedicated .22 upper?
Great function, takes any regular AR accessory, plentiful high cap mags, uses JP, Timney, or Chip McCormick triggers on my regular AR lower, comes already threaded 1/2x28 for standard flash suppressor or sound suppressor.

This is made for schmoes that don't know you can set yourself up w/a Spikes.

I'm not so sure I would spend $600 - $800 on an upper when for approx. $500 you get the whole thing.  Colt is supposed to be coming out with a 22LR AR15 as well.

I have to agree with almost everything said above. Buying a completely dedicated 22LR AR "look alike" (upper and lower) is like buying an F-22 with a Piper Cub engine IMHO. The AR is modular for a reason. The dedicated 22LR uppers range from plinkers to tack drivers that will rival anything out there - and about the same money. You can even build one yourself.

I have a Ceiner that I use with an old 16" HBAR but they have one disadvantage: The 22LR is .221 and the barrel is .223. Not the best combination, but it shoots very well. The ONLY thing I see on the S&W is that the mag "looks" like a 223 mag. Big deal. Everybody can tell you're shooting 22LR by the muzzle report.

Looks like S&W is trying to cash in on the GSG 5 craze with a significant difference: MP5's are uber expensive and the 22LR training kits are also. AR's are quite a bit more affordable and modular. I think I'll pass on the S&W.

EDIT You probably should hang onto your wallet when the Colt arrives. Colt doesn't make anything less than $2,000. Go price a new Colt HBAR AR15.

Colt's .22 AR-15 is being made in Germany by Umarex.... which is a Air Soft Company.

ETA

I've got an older DPMS dedicated .22 that I really enjoy. No worries about conversion kit messing upo the gas port/tube, even though that's usually an over rated concern. Proper bore & groove diameter and twist rate is a more salient issue. The bitch is that I can't get mags that fit, my buddy's Black Dog's (?) don't work. So from my experience if you can afford a second, dedicated use lower then it's not a bad way to go. One thing that may be different is that my DPMS uses regular AR lower/upper and assorted parts in addition to the .22 barrel and bolt parts. If I did it again today I would go with a Spike's setup and build from there.

What's all this talk about .221" bullets?

I'm measuring some remington .22lr's right now and they're between .224 and .225 diameter.   Federal champions are .223- .224.

Led,

The SAAMI spec for rimfire barrels is .217" bore; .222" groove, 1:16 twist.

The .22 lr bullets is .2255" diameter

For the .223 / 5.56mm:

.223 = .219 bore, .224" groove in the barrel ; twist was 1:12 but now varies greatly as you may know.

The .223 bullet diameter is.2245"

Hope this helps.

Yall dont have any more faith in S&W that they would put out a decent product?

I myself, think it will be MUCH better than the GSGs.

Not that thats saying a lot, but still.


At least, it appears the listened to the market and consumer and produced a gun that has all the feel and function of an AR.

They could have made something that looked like an AR, but had totally different controls. Just the fact that all the things are in the usual place, makes me want it.

you are wrong. the colts are made by carl walther in germany and were brought in to the  usa by umarex. umarex has nothing to do with production.  they seem to work fine  ran 1000 rounds through one friday.

As I am looking at 22 options for practical training, so I would love to know:

1> Does the Charging Handle have a latch or is it like the Umarex?

2> Does the Charging Handle travel the standard rearward distance or is it a "short throw"?

3> Does the Bolt Stop/Release work as on a normal AR15?

4> Is the barrel a fake with a sleeve like the Umarex or is it a real barrel (like a dedicated upper)?

5> Does it have spec threads on the end of the barrel for attaching the FH of your choice?

6> Does it have a standard barrel nut where someone could remove and reinstall the barrel?

7> Can you replace the CAR type buttstock with a surplus M16 or M16A1 buttstock?

smoth wesson is plastic body not metal. charging handel is just like walther

My local gun shop has MP 15-22 on order. When it arrives, I'll be the proud new owner. Hopefully there will be a positive range report to follow. Either that or a listing in the stuff for sale forum.
i'll let you know either way.

I have not shot this rifle, but I did handle it at the shop here in my town.  It actually feels just like an AR, and the charging handle is just like on a 5.56   if I had my eyes closed, or without looking at the bolt, I would say it was a regular MP15 AR in 5.56  (which I own and have not had any problems out of after close to 5,000 rounds)  

And if you are going to put a suppressor on it, compair the price and sound of Sub-sonic 5.56 vs sub-sonic .22

I hate to be the one that calls BS, but I'd like to know the name of the shop, as I'd buy the rifle from them right now.
Fact is, Smith and Wesson haven't started shipping the production M&P15-22 yet. I've checked with them directly recently as I am anxiously awaiting mine.