Earlier this year, we attended Range Ready’s “Plinkapalooza,” a celebration of all things rimfire. There were writer-to-writer shoot offs, challenges of skill and feats of marksmanship on display, with most firearms chambered in .22 LR, but also some .17 HMR and .22 Mag. represented. Firearms, in semi-automatic pistol, revolver and rifle, were plentiful, as well as various ammunition offerings and sound suppressors. There were even a few new products unveiled at the event.
One of the new items was provided by Smith & Wesson in the new Cerakote version of the company’s rimfire AR-15 variant, the M&P15-22. Most noticeable in this rifle is the new OD Green Topographic finish, which uses a topographical-style design to give the .22 LR-chambered rifle a distinct look. Aside from the new finish, this M&P15-22 is a standard Smith & Wesson .22 LR semi-automatic, AR-15-based rifle with a 16.5-inch threaded barrel, M-Lok attachment slots on the fore-end, AR-15-compatible stock and pistol grip from Magpul and a 25-round magazine.
Dave O’Connor from Smith & Wesson joined us in the studio and walks us through some of the features of this new .22 LR rifle. Of interest are the Magpul back-up sights on the Picatinny rail atop the receiver, a feature often omitted to keep costs down. Having the sights already installed allows the rifle to be ready to go right out of the box, without the need to add a red-dot sight or magnified optic. The discerning eye will note the atypical upper receiver, which is dedicated for .22 LR as evidenced in the ejection port; it’s also constructed from polymer rather than aluminum, as is the lower receiver.
On the range, the M&P15-22 functioned as expected, with minimal hitches and excellent accuracy. Note, we say “minimal” because there’s always some minor variations in .22 LR ammunition that make perfect function more difficult to achieve than with centerfire firearms; it’s not a knock on the M&P by any stretch. As a less-expensive-to-run training option or just as a fun plinker, this new M&P15-22 stands out for more than just the Cerakote design.
