New S&W M&P 15 Sport AR

[Armybrat]

After 55 years of collecting guns, I just ordered a S&W M&P Sport AR from Grabagun ($579 + $5.99 shipping + Texas tax, and $25 FFL fee). Was really wanting a Colt LE6920, but the additional $450 is gonna have to go towards a new water heater for the house.

That's ok, because I've read a lot of good things about this little gun and it should suffice as a learning tool - since this is my 1st AR. Before starting to research these AR weapons last summer, I knew nothing about them. Guess all the panic buying hubbub piqued my interest and had to see what the fuss was all about.


Ain't going to be rolling around in a rice paddy or sand dunes, so no dust cover will be necessary, nor a FA.

Was glad to see the big price drop from the inflated bs of 2013, so that encouraged me to take the plunge.

Now to get at least a half dozen Pmags, a 2/1 sling, and a case of ammo.

[Longitude Zero]

Good choice. Colt is waaaay overpriced for what is nothing more than a middle of the road average rifle. Many manfacturers produce equal and most time better product than Colt for comparable prices.


Pmags are nice but overpriced too. Try Lancer magazines. Cheaper and equal to or better than Pmags.

[chrish]

There is a video out there of some major desert abuse of a sport model. It functioned flawlessly. I personally think it's a smoking deal of a rifle at a couple hundred more than you paid even. I think even if the proverbial shtf, it'll be just fine...

[DeaconKC]

I know a couple of cops that have the S&W in their trunks. Great rifles.

[CJB]

I love it... the AR discussion that is.

The guys on the M4carbine forum are poo-poo on S&W rifles. In fact they're all poo-pooh on anything that isn't Colt or Bravo Company, or Knight Armament. Oh, the occasional Noveske or Daniel Defense gets through their filter too.

You can say ANYTHING about liking Smith & Wesson, Stag, Spikes, Mossberg, Remington, Ruger, CMMG, DPMS, Del-Ton, you name it... and you'll catch a load of horse apples.

Why?

Reason #1 - they don't stake their keys correctly. WTF? How easy is THAT to correct!

Reason #2 - they're not 100 percent Mil Spec. What rifle is, besides Colt and FN? None. Even Colt and FN are not Mil-Spec because the trigger and hammer etc are civilian versions.

Then someone can say, but I've got 1500 rounds though my S&W and its never failed. The stock come back is "Well you can trust your life to it, but I'd want a rifle that can go 30,000 rounds without failure to save my butt when it gets hot and heavy". What a load of crap. US Military is seeing something just over 1 failure of some sort in 1000 rounds. Fail to feed, fail to eject, fail to fire, lock backs, etc etc. Thats from published tests by the military services, when recently comparing rifles to be candidates to replace the M4.

And... today I had to laugh and bite my tongue. Guys there arguing about a .308 battle rifle. One guy is done with his M1a, and wants a real battle rifle thats up to real battle conditions. Forget the FAL, only an AR10 will do, or possibly an HK91 (or its newer varient, whatever that is). Had to laugh because the AR10 has never seen battle, and neither has the HK91. They've been issued, but never seen battle of any real consequence. For sure, never in any sort of warfare conditions. On the other hand, the M1a (in its M14 incarnation) and the FAL have seen real combat and came through in fine shape, with complaints being on size and weight, but generally good results with operation and reliability, and accuracy. So, go get that AR10 and be a real soldier (in your mind....).

And to this I say, get your Smith & Wesson. Hey, don't forget to check that gas key! And to quote ol Jocko "shoot it like u stole the fokker!"

[CJB]

Gotta add this.... I've got a Del-Ton lower that cannot be distinguished from the Colt. Great and equal finish, all holes in the right place and are the right size. Everything fit as it should when I put all the parts in place. No slop, and it fits my Noveske (Bravo) upper as tight as my Colt upper and lower fit together. So to all those nay sayers, to the poo-pooh'ers, to all those that don't even acknowledge that things are in fact ok outside the Colt/Bravo world... I say... "whats next, you gonna question the metallurgy of the lower because there's nothing left to pick on?".

Enjoy the Smith, buy a cheap water heater, and use the leftovers on ammo

[Armybrat]

I hear ya CJB, that's why I don't post on ARtalk.

They can be as bad as Glockers, wine snobs or the BBQ crazies.

[garyb]

Good gun. Would love to have one. Maybe some day. Hate to spend the money. No more room in the vault and don't play with half of what I have already. Mostly use my IDPA gun, carry gun (Kahr) and my hunting guns.

[yqtszhj]

Enjoy the Smith, buy a cheap water heater, and use the leftovers on ammo

^^^^What he said ^^^^

I have a Bushmaster Carbine. A guy I work with got the M&P sport and to me it looked quite nice and I think overall I like his better except for not having the flat top. I actually like the straight barrel on it. Reminds me of my H-bar 20 inch barrel that is a tack driver.

[getsome]

I must be going through "The Change" or something....A couple years ago I wouldn't have given a plug nickle for a black AR rifle but now I'm starting to get the bug big time....Right before last December and Sandy Hook I almost bought a Mini 14 but held off then the ammo crunch hit and I forgot about it but now with the S&W being priced like it is and Walmart getting a fair amount of .223 I'm getting a big time itch for some Black Magic...

Keep us posted on your M&P Sport there Armybrat....That's the one I've got my eyes on and am interested to see how yours works out...Good luck with it!

[aray]

Yeah I never had an interest in the AR platform until our state banned them last October. So before the ban hit I had to go buy one, then later decided to build one too. So I went from 0 to 2 in just a couple of months. Glad i did. Fun gun.

[RRP]

After 55 years of collecting guns, I just ordered a S&W M&P Sport AR


Take for a test drive, yet? Whatcha think?

[muggsy]

The M&P is a good solid entry level AR and you should be happy with it. I prefer the Colt, but then I one of those purists that LZ was talking about. If you just want a rifle for target shooting or plinking the M&P will do just fine.

[Armybrat]

When I picked it up a week ago from the FFL (GT Distributors in Austin), bought 6 extra 30 round Pmags @ $11 each.
This past Friday, ordered 25 boxes (30 rounds each) of American Eagle 55gr FMJ .223 from PSA for $10.99/box - that's 36.6 cents a round. Got an email that it was shipped today. Will do some range break in then maybe some plinking at brother's ranchette.
Need to go to a LGS for a decent sling.

Will play with this one for a while, then when the oil check comes this summer the Colt LE6920 will be the first expenditure.

[RainingAgain]

I am very happy with the MP15 I got nearly two years ago. Cam bundled with an EOTEC 5xx. I added BUIS. Fun to shoot but not as much so as a pistol. I'm still looking for an outdoor facility. Picked up the MP15-22 for $369 + $20 FFL fee in December. Stuck with 40 gr CCI Mini Mags and its been flawless.

[TheTman]

Want to make it Full Auto?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmG-YR-jiQU


For informational purposes only. If you do this you have to go through the process to be licensed to own a fully automatic weapon.

[Armybrat]

Well hey, I'll bet the NSA now has a record of me clickin' on that link. ;)

[TheTman]

Those guys on the AR forum, are going to poo-poo anything "entry level" They have to justify to themselves, spending the extra $$$ on their Colts, and what have you. God forbid someone pays less than half of what they did for their AR's, and get the same results as their Colts and other upper class AR's. Same thing with the 1911 crowd that will only buy a Colt, can't have some $400 Philippine made gun perform just as well as their thousand dollar Colts.

[100percent]

To start with, quit 'collecting' and start shooting your guns. :)

Have fun in your next 55 years.

[muggsy]

The Colt 6920 is the AR that all other ARs are judged by. In that regard it's in a class with the 1911 colt pistol and the Winchester model 12 shotgun. There are those who own a 6920 and those who wish that they owned a 6920. It is the AR that gave birth to all of the other ARs. That's not to say that other ARs are substandard. It is to say the the 6920 is among the best of the best.

[Armybrat]

I will buy a Colt LE6920 as soon as the gun piggy bank recovers. But the S&W will be a nice spare.

[Armybrat]

Those guys on the AR forum, are going to poo-poo anything "entry level" They have to justify to themselves, spending the extra $$$ on their Colts, and what have you. God forbid someone pays less than half of what they did for their AR's, and get the same results as their Colts and other upper class AR's. Same thing with the 1911 crowd that will only buy a Colt, can't have some $400 Philippine made gun perform just as well as their thousand dollar Colts.

Yeah, a lot of those guys are stereotypical gun snobs. I quit lurking there months ago.

I wouldn't mind a Colt 1911, but my SA GI 45 (made in Brazil) is a darn nice pistol.

[knkali]

got a S&W AR 15 with Aimpoint Re dot on it.. Flog the sheet out of it during training. I don think I have cleaned it in the last 2K rounds and the thing eats. Mags are another story. May faves probably differ from many here so I'll shut up on that and not derail the thread. I am not an AR fan but the S&W seems to be a solid performer for me.

[TheTman]

CJB I you made me laugh about the guy that wanted a .308, but wouldn't have an FN-FAL, probably the most battle proven 7.62 NATO Battle Rifle there is. An Ar10 has never seen a battle. The HK91 is most likely a damn good rifle, German engineering and all, but I don't think it's seen battle either. It's also pretty pricey, the least expensive one I saw was going for $2800 on Armslist, with several at $3000. Quite a bit for a rifle that has never been battle proven. I know I would LOVE to have an FN-FAL. Or even an M1A. It's funny, I never much cared for the AR15 type rifles, until lately, and now I keep thinking I'd better grab one while I can. It will have to be on the low end pricewise. I've seen some Windham Weaponry models going for around $600 (flattops with no sights). Don't know if that is a step up from the S&W M&P AR or not.

[bob98366]

I've seen some Windham Weaponry models going for around $600 (flattops with no sights). Don't know if that is a step up from the S&W M&P AR or not.

Tman, +1 for Windham based on my recent acquisition of their SRC-308 model. I've shot about 300 rounds so far with zero problems. All parts fit well and it feels nice and solid. Bought it directly from Windham and they handled the sale professionally. BTW, I'm not into the "battle rifle" thing. I chose .308 over .223 so I could hunt with it while also having a high capacity home protection rifle.

[Longitude Zero]

What is funny is all the "Rambo Warriors" that hand a laser, light, optical scope, magnifier, tripod and just about every doo dad to ghetto up an AR and then they complain about how heavy they are. Look at the guys in combat and you don't see all that extraneous crap hanging off the rifle.

[knkali]

What is funny is all the "Rambo Warriors" that hand a laser, light, optical scope, magnifier, tripod and just about every doo dad to ghetto up an AR and then they complain about how heavy they are. Look at the guys in combat and you don't see all that extraneous crap hanging off the rifle.

yeah they try to make their AR an all around gun. CQC, distance and all things in between.


I carry my AR in my trunk. Nicely mounted at the ready. Simple set up. Red dot with BUIS. I guess one could throw all that bolt on stuff at the BG if the gun malfunctions. I had this on my gun for about a week. After 1 hour into training I took it off. For some reason, my gun didn't like it. That is when I decided less is more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2dNTRuTlSc Ignore the **** hanging off his face.......

[gb6491]

CJB I you made me laugh about the guy that wanted a .308, but wouldn't have an FN-FAL, probably the most battle proven 7.62 NATO Battle Rifle there is. An Ar10 has never seen a battle. The HK91 is most likely a damn good rifle, German engineering and all, but I don't think it's seen battle either. It's also pretty pricey, the least expensive one I saw was going for $2800 on Armslist, with several at $3000. Quite a bit for a rifle that has never been battle proven. I know I would LOVE to have an FN-FAL. Or even an M1A. It's funny, I never much cared for the AR15 type rifles, until lately, and now I keep thinking I'd better grab one while I can. It will have to be on the low end pricewise. I've seen some Windham Weaponry models going for around $600 (flattops with no sights). Don't know if that is a step up from the S&W M&P AR or not.
I suspect you are referring to the currently produced rifle, but just for the record: early AR-10s certainly saw battle (notably with the Portuguese in Angola and Mozambique).
Mostly photos, but some interesting reads:
http://arlequinsworld.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-portuguese-army-in-angola.html (about 2/3 the way down the page)
http://forumdefesa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10677 (vintage photos posted throughout the thread)
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=62&t=286793
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=123&t=584276
http://worldbayonets.com/Misc__Pages/AR10_Story/Mozambique_picture_index.html
Regards,
Greg

[sw66hiviz]

I have spent the last two days thinking about buying this same gun, but can't get past one major point - WHY? I've never owned an AR or AK. My only long guns are a Hi Point 995TS and a Ruger 10/22. I thought about the AK 74, but then read about upcoming ammo ban on the importation of some of the ammo. Then saw the SW at what appears to be a decent price. Gets good reviews. Seems like a lot of fun if one could shoot steel plates, etc, but I can only shoot paper at the outdoor range I go to. So, help me talk myself into buying this AR. The only reasons I can come up with is to get one for some occasional destruction of paper, get one now in case they are banned in the future, and get one while the price is right. I just need that little push....

[bob98366]

I have spent the last two days thinking about buying this same gun, but can't get past one major point - WHY? I've never owned an AR or AK. My only long guns are a Hi Point 995TS and a Ruger 10/22. I thought about the AK 74, but then read about upcoming ammo ban on the importation of some of the ammo. Then saw the SW at what appears to be a decent price. Gets good reviews. Seems like a lot of fun if one could shoot steel plates, etc, but I can only shoot paper at the outdoor range I go to. So, help me talk myself into buying this AR. The only reasons I can come up with is to get one for some occasional destruction of paper, get one now in case they are banned in the future, and get one while the price is right. I just need that little push....

I went through a similar thought process and decided it's better to be prepared and trained before needing it, than scrambling after you need it. I've got a HiPoint 4095 (love it) and a Henry lever .22 (love it), but both of those are only good to less than 75 yds so felt justified to get a more capable rifle. I'm quite happy with that decision.

[DeaconKC]

sw66, I was never a believer in the ARs either til I built one. It is a very fun and comfortable rifle to shoot. Very mild recoil makes plinking FUN and they are still reasonable for ammo costs.

[Armybrat]

Well, as was stated in my 1st post, I had been shooting & collecting guns for 55 years before pulling the trigger on an AR, and this little S&W Sport is well worth the modest price.
I have no regrets or disappointments - it is a good, well made rifle - except for the fact that it has encouraged me to get that Colt LE6920.... just what fer. :D