I had the opportunity to try out the flat-dark earth M&P15-MOE at an S&W writers’ event held at Gunsite Training Facility in Paulden, Ariz. We went through an abbreviated version of the school’s carbine course, which was designed to give us an opportunity to put the handy little carbine through its paces. The M&P15-MOE was fitted with Trijicon’s TA11-G 3.5x 35 mm ACOG sight and Crimson Trace’s MVF-515 modular vertical foregrip with integrated white LED light and red laser units. Throughout the three-day course we ran several such carbines through a full range of CQB and defensive-style shooting drills.

During the event, the DGIS M&P15-MOE carbines were not cleaned or lubricated, all in an environment that is extremely dry and dusty. I personally ran several hundred rounds of ammunition through the M&P15-MOE without a single malfunction. Accuracy of the rifle also proved to be astounding, with snap shots at 25 yards impacting within a roughly 3-inch-diameter ring.

Hands On
Needless to say, I came away from the Gunsite course very impressed with the M&P15-MOE. Once I arrived home, I put in a call to S&W and requested that a test sample MOE be sent to me for a more traditional evaluation for this article. The carbine that arrived was just as I remembered from Arizona. The fit and finish of the M&P15–MOE were excellent, with a deep black anodizing on the aluminum upper and lower receivers and a dark black/gray phosphated finish on the steel parts. The 16-inch barrel of the rifle, fitted with a standard A2-style birdcage flash suppressor/brake, featured a 1:9-inch rate of twist.

The quality of the Magpul MOE parts was excellent. Light and sturdy, the stock set, rear sight and magazine all featured a matching flat-dark earth color. The MOE pistol grip, a simplified version of the company’s MIAD modular grip, featured horizontal grooves on its front and rear faces, with a pebbled surface on it sides. A polymer floorplate on the grip allowed access to a storage area inside.

The MOE stock was a slightly simplified version of Magpul’s CTR stock. The six-position collapsible unit was practically the same as its CTR sibling, except for the exclusion of the tension lock. The A-frame style stock was topped with a rubber buttpad. In particular, I was very impressed by the MOE handguard on the M&P15. Vaguely reminiscent of FAL handguards, the two-piece unit was hand-filling and extremely comfortable, with numerous cooling vents.

The polymer rear sight of the MOE was also quite clever. As compared to a steel or aluminum back-up sight, the polymer Magpul MBUS was significantly more affordable and lightweight. Featuring a dual aperture, the windage-adjustable unit was spring-loaded and could be released to pop up by pressing down on either of two ambidextrous levers on the base of the sight assembly.

The included flat-dark earth PMAG was also quite impressive. Sturdily constructed of thick polymer, the PMAG featured a clever dustcover that snapped over the open mouth of the magazine for storage. In addition, the dustcover could snap over the baseplate of the magazine to prevent loss as well as act as a “magpul” to help pull the magazine clear of the rifle.

Range Time
I fitted the rifle with the Trijicon TA11-G ACOG sight and Crimson Trace laser/light MVF-515 I had used at Gunsite. The 3.5X ACOG, with its green “donut” circular reticle powered by both tritium and fiber optics, proved to be a good fit for the M&P15-MOE. The Crimson Trace MVF-515 also proved to be a nice addition to the rifle, offering excellent ergonomics as well as instantaneous access to white light, a red laser, or both.

Once I had inspected the rifle and properly lubricated it, I headed to the range with a selection of Black Hills, Federal and Winchester ammunition. The M&P15-MOE proved to be a pleasure to shoot. Perceived recoil was mild, and the handling characteristics were excellent. Through the course of several hundred rounds, there was not a single malfunction.

Accuracy of the carbine was quite good, averaging around 1 3/4-inch groups with all three types of ammunition, and it showed a clear preference for the 43-grain load with one sub-m.o.a. group. This accuracy was particularly impressive considering that the rifle had a somewhat heavy 8 pound, 8-ounce trigger pull and a relatively low-powered 3.5X optic.

The M&P15 line from Smith & Wesson has quickly taken the AR community by storm, and with good reason. Exhibiting excellent quality, unbeatable brand recognition, varied offerings, and impressive performance, any one of the M&P15s should make for an ideal addition to the AR enthusiast’s collection.

And you can add me to that list.

Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson; (800) 331-0852; www.smith-wesson.com  
Action Type: direct gas-impingement, rotating bolt, center-fire semi-automatic rifle
Receiver: 7075-T6 aluminum
Barrel: 16", phosphated 4140 steel
Rifling: six-groove, 1:9" RH twist
Magazine: detachable box 30-round PMAG
Sights: MBUS folding peep aperture rear, fixed winged post front
Trigger: two-stage; 8 lbs., 8 ozs.
Stock: Magpul MOE: length of pull, 10¼" to 13½"; drop at heel, 3/4"; drop at comb, 3/4"
Overall Length: 32½" to 36"
Weight: 6 lbs., 8 ozs.
Accessories: hard plastic case, 30-round magazine
Suggested Retail Price: $1,406

Watch Mark Keefe's video review.