Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15 rifle is a no-frills entry level AR that did away with features such as the dust cover and forward assist to keep costs down. AT SHOT, S&W showed the new M&P15 SPORT II that includes those additional features the original SPORT did away with.
Manufactured on a forged upper and lower receiver of 7075 T6 aluminum, the new M&P15 SPORT II is chambered in 5.56 NATO. It’s fitted with a 16-inch 4140 steel barrel with a 1:9-inch twist for stabilizing long for caliber bullets. For added longevity, the rifle features a durable corrosion resistant Armornite finish along with a chrome-lined bolt carrier, gas key and firing pin.
It comes with an adjustable, folding Magpul MBUS rear sight and an adjustable A2-post front sight. The rifle is furnished with a six-position telescopic buttstock and comes with a 30-round PMAG magazine. Length is 35 inches with the stock fully extended, and 32 inches collapsed. Weight is 6.5 pounds and an A2-style flash suppressor and forged, integral trigger guard are standard.
If you’re a rimfire fan, S&W showed the new M&P15-22 SPORT that they claim is the most feature-rich M&P15-22 to date. Those features include a 10-inch M&P slim handguard you can really wrap your hand around that incorporates the popular Magpul M-LOK system that allows rifle owners to easily customize and add accessories without removing the handguard.
This gun comes standard with removable Magpul MBUS front and rear folding sights that are lightweight and durable and is available in black, Kryptek Highlander or Moon Shine’s Muddy Girl camo finishes.
Another new gun from Smith & Wesson is the company’s next generation target pistol—the SW22 Victory. It’s the modern interpretation of the classic target pistol–a la Smith & Wesson Model 41—but in a convertible design suitable for multiple sporting applications and at an MSRP of $409.
The new SW22 Victory is a single-action, enclosed hammer-fired, blowback semi-automatic. It’s chambered in .22 LR and comes with a match-grade, interchangeable barrel that you can change in the field with a simple one-screw takedown.
A standard model has a 5.5-inch match-grade barrel with a 1:15-inch, six-groove, right hand twist. Also standard is a fiber optic front sight, adjustable green fiber optic rear sight, an alloy trigger with adjustable trigger stop and a lightweight Picatinny-style rail for easy mounting of optics or other accessories. Fire controls include a single-sided thumb safety, slide stop and magazine release. The target pistol is shipped complete with two 10-round capacity magazines.
When I handled it, I found the SW22 Victory well-balanced and it fits naturally in the hand. It points well. With an unloaded weight of 37.4 ounces, it should not become tiresome to shoot for extended periods.
Smith & Wesson has also teamed up with several of the industry’s top holster, barrel and accessory manufacturers so that owners can personalize their SW22 Victory with high accessories that are immediately available from various providers.
Scott Mayer
www.tacticaltshirts.com
www.john1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
In 2008, Mayer returned to the editorial side of publishing, this time in the digital field, as Editorial Director for Guns & Ammo, Shooting Times, Handguns and Rifleshooter online magazines. After a brief stint in 2011 as the Digital Media Director for an ABC TV affiliate, Mayer returned to the outdoors industry and Safari Club International where he is currently Assistant Publisher and Multi-Media Communications Editor.
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