Bit of forewarning for any of you considering the MP 15-22 rifles.

Found a good deal on the MP 15-22 sport at my LGS. Figured eh what the heck, I'll try one. I have been waiting for a good tube fed Mark XXII to show up around me but thought something to burn through ammo till then might be worth while. My old marlin has the microgroove rifling and stops shooting well after about 2 tubes full. I figured a newer rifle with regular rifling would resolve that.

I have to tell you, this thing is about worthless from an accuracy standpoint. The best group I managed to get out of it was about 8" at 100 yards. For Pete's sake, my $125 marlin will shoot quarters at 100 yards as long as the barrel and its "microgrooves" are clean with any ammo I have tried.

I thought it might be that I was using a rest and the hand guard is not free floated. So I turned the my jeep around such that I could rest my front hand on the tire and grip the magwell. Still 8+ inches at 100yds. Its at least consistent. 

Then I thought it might be the ammo I was using, being my first shoot with this gun I brought several different types to see what shot best. I tried remington's thunderbolt, couple types of CCI. The old remington match ammo I had shot best. Right at 8" 50 rounds and literally 1 single bullet hit the bulls eye.

Checked the mounts for the scope, checked the scope on my marlin 22, everything worked nicely but the 15-22. 2 tubes out of the marlin and every round but one was nicely in the bullseye with the scope that was on the 15-22.

I guess Smith and Wesson really did just make this gun for 25yd range use cause I wouldn't trust this thing to hit a wood chuck accurately at 50 yards. I do have a request into Smith and Wesson regarding accuracy but I'm not expecting much.

Lesson learned. Research the firearm before you buy one. Hundreds of threads across dozens of forums regarding poor accuracy out of these guns.

Have you tried a variety of ammo?  It is not uncommon to see a 3-5 MOA swing in 22 LR rifles based on the ammo preferences they have.  And ammo that shoots like a laser in one 22 shoots like a shotgun in another.

It might just not like the ammo you had on hand.

Thunderbolts are junk, I wouldn't expect much from them.

Just a thought, have you cycled any through by hand and checked to see if the bullets are getting roughed up during loading? Deformed bullets, regardless of brand, won't be accurate.

https://gundigest.com/more/how-to/10-rifle-shooting-myths-exposed

In addition to the above article, there was another in print at Handloader a number of years ago.  IN that one they really went overboard, in some cases filing away one entire side of the bullet.

The only deformation that will have a notable impact on accuracy is to deform the base.  And on the base it doesn't take much at all to really expand groups.

I've seen .22lr autoloaders that roughed up their ammo enough to bend their bullets away from the crimp. That's what I meant. Not just a little dent in the nose.

If the ammo starts out tight in the crimp and after cycling by hand is now loose or bent, it will not fly as accurately. I stand by that statement.

FWIW, Guns and Ammo did an article on brush guns many years ago. Somewhat different conclusions than the article you referenced, Sqlbullet. They used natural brush and claimed that none of the mythical brush guns did very well with an obstruction near the shooter or 20' in front of the intended target. The only one they got to blow through with minimal deflection was a .75" round ball.

Buddy has one, it's a struggle to consistently clay pigeons at 50yds with any ammo.

Hmmmm I just had a primary arms red dot on mine and used to head shoot jack rabbits at 50 yards with it.


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As to the ammo suggestions I tried 5 or 6 types. It was the Remington match ammo that actually pulled off the 8" group.

As to Thunderbolts being junk. I mean obviously the guns are two different leagues, but I can use Thunderbolts in my buddies 455 and break clay pigeons at 350yds pretty consistently.

Looked through a few more threads and the general consensus was any mp 15-22 that does better than 3-4" @ 50 yards is the exception.

After another run of it this weekend I have decided it's headed to the next gun show. There is no place in my collection for such an inaccurate rifle that is otherwise un-remarkable.

M&P15-22 Consumer Safety Alert

https://www.smith-wesson.com/mp15-22-consumer-safety-alert/?fbclid=IwAR1rJNphYfy6ptO2XeBu6o029JKHltkaBJSgWFQmwCUsFLbKG0CbJ3JxWaE