Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle
Copyright © October 14, 2021 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction
Smith & Wesson has created a 22LR semi-automatic rifle using the AR-15 template.

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle with Flip-Up Sights and a 25-Round Magazine.

The rear shoulder stock is in the full forward position. There is no front sling mount.

In October of 2021 the above rifle has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $469. But it may have a retail price of between $479 to $499 at a local gun dealer. If your local gun dealer does not have this rifle in stock then they may special order this rifle from one of their suppliers if you politely ask them to do this for you. It is also possible to purchase the rifle at an online gun dealer, such as JoeBobOutfitters.com for about $440 and they will ship the rifle at no charge to the local FFL gun dealer that you specify. Gun dealers will charge about $25 to complete the legal paperwork using their FFL (Federal Firearm License) and they will list you as the owner of the rifle in their book. However, before you do this you should get your local gun dealer's permission and verify their fee to transfer the rifle into your name when it arrives. Your local sales tax will also apply.

Discussion
The rifle includes either a 25-round magazine, or a 10-round magazine, depending on which state you live in and the current laws of your state. In my opinion the 25-round magazine is a very significant advantage of this rifle if you live in a state that has not outlawed high-capacity magazines.

The rifle has all the features of an AR-15 including two push pins in the receiver so that the rifle can be easily separated into an "upper" and a "lower." This makes it small enough to fit inside a suitcase or a backpack.

It has a safety switch just like an AR-15 that can be rotated between "safe" and "fire."

It has a "flash disperser" that disperses the burst of light at the front end of the barrel when a round is fired.

The rear stock can be easily moved forwards or backwards in six different locking positions in increments of 5/8 inch to match the actual arm length of the person shooting the rifle. My 10-year granddaughter preferred for the stock to be pushed completely in, but my 10-year old grandson preferred for the stock to be in the first out position. As an adult male I preferred for the stock to be in the last out position.

The rifle comes with a front sight and a rear sight that can be easily folded down so that they rest flat against the top rail. Pressing the two spring levers on each side of a sight will cause the sight to snap up into its normal upright position. The rear sight has two holes: a small peep hole and a large peep hole and you can easily select the one you prefer. The front sight has an elevation adjustment and the rear sight has a windage adjustment. Each sight is connected to the top 16-inch picatinny rail using a bolt and a nut. The bolt can be removed with a flat-head screwdriver and the sight will slide forward or backward into any position along the top rail. Then the bolt can be inserted through the sight into the nut and tightened with a screwdriver to secure it into position.

The rifle has a fixed sling mount attached to the rear stock of the rifle. However, the rifle does not include a front sling mount. But the front handguard that surrounds the barrel has slots in it and it is relatively easy to add a QD (quick detach) front sling mount to the front of the rifle using the hex tool that comes with the sling mount (see picture below). Be sure to purchase a sling mount that is made to be attached with two small bolts and two rotating oblong nuts that fit up into the slot. When the nuts are inside the slot simply rotate the nuts 90 degrees and they will make contact with the inside of the slot. Then tighten the nuts into position.

Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Semi-Automatic 22LR Rifle with a 3x9 Scope and a 25-Round Magazine.

The rear shoulder stock is in the full rear position. The above rifle has a front sling mount and sling.

A good 3x9 scope with a 30mm lens can be easily mounted on the top rail using scope mounts that are approximately 1 inch high. Since I wanted to mount a scope on the rifle I moved the rear sight all the way forward to the front sight and then I tightened it in position. I did this so that both sights would always be on the rifle in the event that the scope was accidentally broken. The scope could than be removed and the rear sight returned to its original rear position and tightened into place and the rifle could then be fired using the original sights that came with the rifle. I installed the scope so that the front lens cover can be removed from the scope without being locked into position by the front sight. The scope position also allows the rear charging handle to be easily grasped and pulled back to insert the first round into the firing chamber.

When the magazine is empty the bolt will automatically be locked into the rear position. When you insert a loaded magazine into the rifle then you can push in on the bolt release lever on the left side of the rifle and the bolt will slide forward and move another round into the firing chamber.

When you clean the rifle you have the option to take the rifle apart. Or you can leave the rifle fully assembled and insert an empty magazine in the rifle and pull the charging handle back and release it. As long as you leave the empty magazine in the rifle, the bolt will remain in its rear position and this will allow you to easily clean the rifle from the front end of the barrel.

Gun Boss Cleaning Kit

When the rear stock is pushed completely forward you can easily access a storage compartment in the hollow tube that the stock slides back and forth on. The end of the storage compartment is protected with a removable plastic end cap. Removing the end cap exposes a storage area that is about 6.5 inches deep and 0.75 inches in diameter. If you wish you can purchase a cleaning rod for a 22 rifle that is made of brass or aluminum, and that is in pieces that are less than 6.5 inches long, and that screw together to make a cleaning rod long enough to clean the rifle. The rods and the cleaning tip and a few cleaning patches could then be inserted into a cloth bag and kept inside the rear stock for emergency cleaning use when you are in the woods. The cleaning kit in the picture on the right is a "Gun Boss Real Avid AR-15 Tactical Cleaning Kit," (8-1311901140-5) and everything fits nicely in a compact zippered case that is 6 inches long, 3.5 inches wide, and 3 inches high when closed and zipped. It includes a green punch tool for use in removing the two pins that join the upper and lower together. The cleaning rods and accessories work perfectly with the S&W 15-22 rifle but the entire kit will not fit into the rear stock of the rifle.

The rifle weighs about 5.5 pounds including an empty magazine. The new scope and rings that I purchased weigh about 15 ounces. The new sling I purchased weighs about 5 ounces. 25 rounds of 22LR 40 grain ammo weighs about 3.4 ounces. Therefore the entire rifle with everything installed and with a full magazine containing 25 rounds of ammo weighs approximately 7.0 pounds.

In October of 2021 the Smith & Wesson 25-round magazines are on backorder at most gun stores and online stores. The 25-round black magazines are very challenging to locate and if you find one on ebay it may sell for $90 or more. The 25-round brown magazines are a little easier to find and they will usually cost about $30 each. The only difference between the two magazines is their color so if you want to buy a few extra magazines you may wish to consider the Smith & Wesson 25-round brown magazines.

(Note: Smith & Wesson will be moving a portion of one of their production facilities from Massachusetts to Tennessee because Massachusetts is currently proposing laws that would prevent the manufacture of a few specific firearms in their state. The move to Tennessee is expected to be completed by the summer of the year 2023. Smith & Wesson is planning the move to ensure that they are able to provide as many jobs as possible for the current employees, and to maintain the quantity and quality of their products during this time period. However, the state of Massachusetts may pass their new laws more quickly than anticipated and this may temporarily reduce the availably of some S&W firearms and products until they can resume normal production in Tennessee.)

Shooting Results
I allowed my two 10-year old grandchildren to shoot this rifle. The first thing I did was explain firearm safety to my grandson and my granddaughter. My grandson was seven-months older but he was still 10-years old. Both of my grandchildren could easily hold and aim the empty rifle without complaining about the weight.

After I placed two targets into a safe position, I gave my grandson one round to put in the magazine so he could learn how to load the magazine, how to insert the magazine into the rifle, how to load a round into the firing chamber, how to aim the rifle while keeping his finger off the trigger, and how to slowly squeeze the trigger to shoot the bullet at his paper target. Since I had only given him one round none of us were concerned that the rifle might shoot more than one round.

Then I gave my granddaughter one round and she took her turn shooting at her own paper target that was about 3 feet to the right of her cousin's paper target.

We always stood behind and to one side of the person who was shooting because this is a safe place to stand and I wanted to begin training my grandchildren in the safe way to watch someone else shoot a firearm.

My two grandchildren continued to take turns as I gradually gave them more ammunition, one grandchild at a time. Each grandchild loaded the ammo into the magazine, put the magazine correctly into the rifle, loaded a round into the firing chamber of the rifle, and then fired their bullets at their own paper target.

My granddaughter adjusted the scope hairs inside the scope three times while slowly shooting a total of 12 rounds of ammo at her paper target (about 4 rounds and then an adjustment). After her last adjustment she was able to slowly shoot 5 rounds into a 3.5-inch circle in the center of her paper target while shooting from a normal standing position. The 3.5-inch circle only included rounds 13 to 17. In the past my granddaughter had shot a small BB rifle using iron sights but this was the first time she had fired a rifle that used ammo that contained brass, gunpowder, and a bullet, and that had a scope mounted on it. She said the recoil was barely noticeable and the sound was not very loud when wearing ear plugs. She also wore safety glasses.

My grandson had also shot a small BB rifle in the past but this was the first real rifle he had fired. He wanted to use the rifle to fire three shots in rapid sequence the way he had seen actors do it in the movies, and the way that the characters do it in the video games he played. Therefore he also fired a total of 17 rounds (1, 2, or 3 shots at a time) but he only occasionally hit near the center of his paper target. I told my grandson that this was not unusual for rapid firing a weapon in the real world, and that he should not believe everything he sees in a movie or a video game because movies and video games are just make-believe.

My objective was to teach my grandchildren how to shoot a real rifle safely, and I wanted them to enjoy their first experience, but I also wanted them to learn something. Because they each pursued a different strategy they were both able to learn that the rifle could accurately hit the target when shooting one bullet at a time, but that the rifle would frequently miss the target when fired rapidly in succession. In my opinion, these were two good lessons for both of my grandchildren to learn and it only cost a total of 34 rounds of ammo.

Advantages and Shortcomings of 22LR Ammunition
Advantages of 22 LR Ammunition:

Cost: 22 LR Ammunition has always been less expensive than any type of centerfire ammunition for the following reasons:
- The brass case is a lot smaller.
- The lead bullet is a lot smaller.
- Less gunpowder is needed inside the brass case.
- There is no primer in the bottom center of the brass case. The primer material is in the outside bottom rim of the cartridge. This is why it is called a "rimfire" cartridge.
Sound: It makes less noise when it is fired, and it is less offensive to the ears, and the sound does not carry as far as bigger caliber bullets.
Recoil: It has negligible recoil. This helps the firearm to be more stable and therefore more accurate.
Training: It is a good caliber to use to teach a person how to shoot, and it is a good caliber to help a person stay in practice.
Varmint Control: It is a good caliber for killing small varmints such as rats or raccoons. Obey your local and state laws. (However, rat traps and animal traps are a better option.)
Small Game Animals: It is a reasonable caliber for hunting small game animals, such as squirrels, rabbits, opossums, and groundhogs, if you can shoot the animal in the head or the heart. Obey your local and state laws. (However, animal traps are a better option.)

Shortcomings of 22 LR Ammunition:

Dry Fire: A rimfire firearm should not be dry fired. Dry firing means to pull a cocked trigger when there is no cartridge in the chamber. However, after you have cleaned your rifle and before you put it into storage it is okay to dry fire the rifle to take the pressure off the firing pin.
Single Use: Rimfire ammunition cannot be reloaded. However, you should still pick up the empty brass cases and dispose of them properly.
Effective Range: The accuracy of a 22 bullet is approximately 100 yards if you know how to estimate distances, and where to aim to compensate for bullet trajectory and cross winds.
Energy: A 22 bullet quickly looses its energy as it travels further away from the barrel of the firearm. Therefore it is not a good caliber to use for animals that are more than 100 yards away.
Self-Defense: A 22 firearm is not a reasonable choice as a self-defense weapon. Although a head shot through the eye, or the center of the neck, or through the heart, would kill an attacker, the chance of hitting these small targets when an attacker is coming at you is very slim. Approximately 90% of the people who have been shot with a 22 bullet have survived if they were not shot through the eye, neck, heart, or through a major artery. However, if a 22 bullet hits a person it will usually slow the person down and they will know that they need to get professional medical attention to stop the internal bleeding, and also to remove the bullet if the bullet is still in the wound. Since nobody in their right mind wants to get shot, the sight of any type of rifle in the hands of another person will usually discourage a person from taking aggressive action against the person that has the firearm. A firearm that has a "big magazine" and that looks like a "military assault weapon" is even more intimidating to a person or a group of people. This is not a recommendation for using the above rifle as a self-defense firearm. However, if the above rifle is the only firearm you own, and if you hold the rifle in your hands with the barrel pointed towards the ground beside you so that the outline of the rifle and the "big magazine" can be seen by someone who is threatening you or your family, then the other person may decide to voluntarily leave and find someone else to attack.
Big Game Animals: A 22 firearm will not kill a big game animal unless you shoot it in the eye, or in the heart, or if you damage a major artery. The heart of some big game animals, such as a bear, is too deep inside the animal for a 22 bullet to penetrate all the way to the heart. And local and state laws forbid the use of a 22 for shooting these types of animals.

If a rifle is sighted to hit the center of a target at 50 yards, then the "average" 22LR bullet will have the following "average" characteristics if there is no head wind.

Distance	Bullet Drop	Energy	Velocity
Muzzle	0 inches	140 ft.lbs.	1255 fps
50 yards	0 inches	110 ft.lbs.	1115 fps
75 yards	2 inches	100 ft.lbs.	1065 fps
100 yards	6 inches	92 ft.lbs.	1020 fps
150 yards	20 inches	79 ft.lbs.	945 fps
200 yards	42 inches	68 ft.lbs.	890 fps

If a 22LR bullet is fired from a rifle at a 40 degree angle up into the air, then the bullet can travel about one-mile or 1600-meters before it falls to the ground.

If a 22LR bullet hits the ground at a high speed at a slight angle then it may ricochet off the ground and continue for a long ways beyond the target. Therefore, for safety reasons, it is a good idea to practice shooting in a location where there is a hill behind your target that can stop all your bullets.

In October of 2021 22LR ammunition is currently selling for between 8 cents to 30 cents per round depending on the store, the name brand of the ammo, and the quantity purchased (50 rounds per box or 200 or more rounds per box). Most centerfire ammunition is currently selling for one-dollar or more per round. Therefore even though 22 ammo is a lot more expensive than it used to be, it is still cheaper than centerfire ammo.

Conclusion
It is important to learn and obey your local and state hunting laws.

It should be mentioned that the "real cowboys" who traveled through the "wild west" of the 1800s normally carried a centerfire handgun and a 22 rifle. 22 ammo was cheap and very light weight, and a 22 rifle could be used to harvest small wild game animals for the cook pot. And it could also be used to kill a deer if the cowboy could get a good clean head shot or heart shot. It was not used on buffalo, elk, or bear because it would not kill these larger animals.

In 1942 when the Disney movie "Bambi" was released in the theaters the public reacted by demanding stricter hunting laws. Therefore it became illegal to hunt deer, and larger game animals, with any type of rimfire ammo including the 22LR. Deer and other animals had to be hunted with a centerfire cartridge.

In 1959 the AR-7 rifle that shoots a 22LR bullet was designed for military Air Force pilots so they would have a collapsible semi-automatic rifle they could quickly assemble and use to kill small edible wild animals if their aircraft was shot down and they survived. The AR-7 rifle and the 22LR ammunition didn't weigh very much so it was a logical choice for emergency use by Air Force pilots. However, after the AR-7 rifle was built the military only purchased a few of these rifles but the military never issued any of these rifles to their pilots. The AR-7 rifle is now called the Henry US Survival Rifle and it has an 8-round magazine.

If I were going into the woods I would take a centerfire firearm with me to protect myself from predatory wild animals. I would not trust a 22 firearm for protection against vicious wild animals, including 200 pound feral hogs or 350 pound black bears.

However, if I were trapping wild game animals then I might carry a 22 handgun with me in addition to a 40 caliber or larger semi-automatic pistol when I checked the traps on my trap line. I would rely on the big caliber pistol for protection against predatory animals because the smell of a dead or wounded animal that is caught in a trap can sometimes attract larger animals. But I would use the 22 pistol to safely and humanely dispatch a wild animal that was caught in one of my traps if the animal was still alive.

Respectfully,
Grandpappy.

Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com