Need some .22 help please

AR/M4 AR Pistols & Pistol Caliber ARs
1

Rimfire Trainer thoughts:

Hello gents, I would appreciate some input on a subject that I’ve been struggling with a bit lately. We all know that .22’s are cheap and fun to shoot. If you have a .22 silencer (and I do) that makes things even better. For pistols, I carry and shoot the S&W M&P9. Thus, the M&P22 is a logical choice for a .22 counterpart. I purchased one this week and have already run a couple hundred rounds through it both suppressed and un-suppressed. It is a great deal of fun, but also useful as a training aide because size-wise it’s the same as my 9’s. It even fits the same holsters so I can practice drawing and putting rounds on target from the holster. My question is in regards to a rifle. I use and train with the AR15 but due to the price of 5.56 ammo, shoot it somewhat sparingly. Thus, I’d like to have a .22 rifle as a training crossover. The easy and logical answer is to get an M&P15-22. I’ve had one before and while it was fun, I didn’t use it much and thus sold it. I really wish I hadn’t now and want to buy another. I like the 15-22 because it’s the same size and uses the same controls as the
5.56 AR. The issue I have in getting another right now is financial. I cannot go out and spend the money on one, so I’m looking at selling/trading some other firearms for what (along with the M&P22 pistol) would be my most-used firearm.

The trade:
I have a Browning Buckmark .22lr pistol that I had threaded to use as a suppressor host, but I so much prefer the M&P that I can afford to move the Browning. I also currently have a Marlin Model 60 semi-auto .22 rifle. I really don’t like the rifle, but my (somewhat estranged as he left when I was 6) Father gave it to me when I was 5, so I guess there’s some nostalgia there (although not really any good memories). I have it set up with some “Tech Sights” aperature-style sights so the sight picture resembles that of an AR. I also have a red dot I was going to add and co-witness, but even with that, the ergonomics are all wrong, not to mention FCG manipulation and loading controls. Thus, I feel like it’s not really useful as a training aide, but would more just be “plinking” and wasting ammo.

Hence, my thought is that between the 60 with the Tech Sights and the Buckmark, that would be enough money to purchase the 15-22 that I really want. Another plus to the 15-22 is the threaded barrel that I could use my suppressor on. Now, as far as other .22 rifles go, I have a 10-22T setup with a Zeiss scope and a threaded barrel that is a very nice “suppressed precision” .22. I love that gun, but it’s not really setup to mimic an AR. I also have a Reminton 511 Bolt action sporter that I inerited from my great-grandpa and a Winchester model 270 slide-action that was a gift from a buddy. I say that to point out that I have other .22 rifles and thus I don’t think I would miss the Marlin.

So, with all of that said, do y’all think it’s a good idea to swap the Buckmark and the 60 for the 15-22 or should I sell the Buckmark (gonna happen either way) and just take a few months to save the remainder for the 15-22. Should I even try to make the Marlin work or is the 15-22 the way to go? I guess the bottom line is I really don’t like the gun at all but a part of me is afraid that someday I might regret selling it because of nostalgia. Then again, I’d rather make good memories with my son (currently 9 months) with a 15-22 than trying to mess around with that stupid tube-fed 60.

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond!

2

The m&p won’t mimic much except sight picture and some manipulations. But it still feels much different to change mags.

It won’t do much in the way of recoil impulse and malfunction clearing.

Have you thought of getting a ruger 10/22 and putting a stock on it similar to an AR platform? Something like the tapco stocks.

I really just don’t see how a fully polymer .22 is worth what they ask for it.

3

I think the S&W 22’s are fantastic. I have the pistol and the 15-22 and they see almost weekly use between my wife & kids.

They’re outstanding for kids that want to transition to the real thing later on, or people new to the platforms.

If you’re not attached to the others, I can’t imagine you’d regret trading. The 15-22 is one of the most enjoyable firearms I own.

4

First off, I’m taking it that the OP is referring to the M&P-15-22 Rifle, since he mentions the M&P22 pistol separately.

By the time you do all that, you are almost back-up to the cost of the M&P15-22, and you have a rifle which has absolutely No controls similar to an AR-15.

“Worth it” is a subjective term, but around here I can buy one from LGS for around $400-$450.
I have one and IMO it was worth it because it has all the exact same controls as my 5.56 AR, even down to the last-shot hold-open and bolt-release.

I don’t see what the bias is against a Polymer framed firearm, I thought we were past all that after the Glock. It’s a dedicated .22LR rifle the polymer is fine. I use mine in Competitions (500 rounds per month or more for a few years now) and the polymer is not the weak point in this rifle.

I previously tried a .22 conversion Bolt and it has its own problems, I recommend against .22 conversion bolts for high-volume shooting.

Just understand what it is and what it is not: the M&P15-22 is not a long-range target rifle, don’t expect bolt-action accuracy.

5

I think you would be able to sell the buckmark for what you can find a used or a good deal on a new m&P 15-22. ~350-450.

The manipulations are almost identical to me for mag changes, bolt release, etc.

Malfunction clearing will be learned due to bolt override, FTE (both extract or eject) possbile double feed. The clearing is pretty much the same for both platforms ar15 and mp15-22.