Much has been written about the fantastic Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 – a .22LR version of their popular S&W M&P carbine rifles.  The M&P 15-22 is a near cosmetic and functional identical twin to my M&P 15 – it’s essentially a .22LR caliber AR-15:

The M&P 15-22 is certainly a fantastic rifle for doing everything from plinking to varmint hunting.  But if you own an AR-15 (and not just one from Smith & Wesson) the M&P 15-22 can be a tremendous asset as a low-cost training platform to hone your AR-15 shooting and operating skills – the main reason I acquired one.  Bulk .223 ammo runs around $0.33 a round.  You can buy .22LR bulk for about a tenth of that cost.  So, if you’re looking to reduce the cost of training with the AR-15, it’s hard to go wrong with the M&P 15-22.  Of course, you could be saying “why not simply buy a .22LR upper for my existing AR-15?  You could do that, sure – a good .22LR upper will run at least $200.00.  For only a couple hundred dollars more, you can have the advantages of having an entire 2nd rifle and for me it was well worth having a 2nd rifle.  In fact, since the M&P 15-22 is a relatively low cost rifle, and using it would be saving me a great deal of money over time in ammunition, I spent some extra money to make it more similar to my other AR-15.  The M&P 15-22 is so  similar to a MILSPEC AR-15 that many parts are interchangeable between the two.  That made it easy to set up my M&P 15-22 in a near identical configuration to its “big brother” M&P 15, which I also own.  I’ve installed an Aimpoint PRO red dot optic,  a Geissele SSA trigger, and a Hogue Rubber Grip
– all components found on my AR-15.  I’ve also installed a Magpul Vertical Forward Grip on my M&P 15-22 to simulate the ergonomics of the VFG I use on my M&P 15.

Spending the extra money on the accessories and modifications was money well spent – now I have no qualms about shooting my M&P 15-22 and getting legitimate value as a training tool.

Shooting the M&P is a rare treat.  The lack of almost any recoil means you can click off rounds as fast your trigger finger can move – and I can empty the 25 round magazines made for the M&P 15-22 pretty darn fast.  The almost negligible recoil also makes the M&P 15-22 an ideal candidate to introduce new and young shooters to carbine rifle shooting.

The M&P 15-22 is also remarkable precise and is rock-solid reliable, even with cheap value pack Federal .22LR.  CCI also makes a special line of .22LR tactical rifle ammo for which the M&P 15-22 is rumored to have been used as a test bed:

It’s my go-to ammo when I want to do any precision shooting.  Here’s what I can do from 50 yards with this ammo, using a non-magnified Aimpoint PRO optic from 50 yards:

Whether you’re looking for a training tool, a starter rifle for the family, or simply a fun gun to shoot, the S&W M&P 15-22 fits the bill.  Since purchasing it, my rifle shooting skills and accuracy have improved dramatically.