YAGT: EDIT: Bought S&W M&P 15 Sport. Any "must have" accessories?

[lokiju]

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EDIT:

I just bought it on lunch.

After a mind-numbing amount of reading, research, compassion in person and online I concluded that for the money and the reputation of solid reliability I couldn't go wrong with the S&W M&P 15 Sport vs anything else in the price point. Yes some other brands had features missing on this but the one thing that kept me coming back over and over and over was the overwhelming reliability being reported by everyone that actually owns one. That alone felt like it held more weight for me than any of the missing features.

Now it's time to see if there's any must have accessories for it. I never realized and just assumed it would of come with one but it did not come in any case. Just a cardboard box. So that'll be one of my 1st purchases. Just want something that's a hard case but not to bulky or over sized. Saw some at Academy while I was waiting for $15 range for rifles in general but they all looks to long for my taste.

After that I'm pretty sure I'll be snagging a Primary Arms 1x-4x illuminated scope in the next few months.

Of course I need ammo but over at AR15.com they have some pretty food resources for finding the best per bullet cost. Looks like I can pretty easily get around ¢18 a round when buying 100 rounds or more of either 223 or 5.56mm.

I bought one reload of 20 rounds for $8 while I was there just so I have at least something on hand until I get some in case I find time this weekend to stop by the local range. Not many rounds, I know, but I couldn't bring myself to spend ¢40 a round locally when I could get them for over half that online.

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I've been reading up and watching videos on the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 Sport AR and it seems like an overall great bang for the buck.

It's NATO 5.56mm so can also shoot .223 which allows for greater options when looking for ammo deals.

The 3 things that seem to be knocks against it are.
1: No forward assist
2: No dust cover
3: Melonite vs chroming

The forward assist doesn't seem to be a real world issue from everything I've read and watched as the general feed back from those that own it seems to be that they've never had a jam.

The dust cover would be a non-issue for me since I'm not in the middle east crawling on my belly through a sand and dust covered village.

The Melonite lining seems to not be a real world issue from everything I can find but there's still a lot of disagreement on that topic.

All said it seems like for it costing $600 locally and at less than half the cost of many other options, it seems like a more doable way to get a AR without going broke in the process.

Does anyone here have one or considered it as well but ended up going with something else? If so, please share.

Edit: thoughts and opinions on this Bushmaster before buying the S&W M&P Sport? http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/1050/products_id/61658

I don't have a FFL of course so would need to ship to a dealer and pay their fee also. There's a pawn shop close to me that's listed though on Buds that says last fee was $20 which isn't all that bad. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/1050/products_id/61658

 

[clamum]

I agree on the forward assist: I don't think there's really a point to them on AR-15s these days. I do like the idea of a dust cover though, but I suppose they aren't really necessary either.

From what I've read the M&P AR-15s are quite good. Other ones to check out in that price range, roughly, are a DPMS Oracle or a Stag Arms. Sorry I can't give any more info on the S&W guns.

 

[DayLaPaul]

From everything I hear, it's a great value. Mall ninja's knock it for not having the items that you mentioned, but usually have nothing bad to say about it's accuracy or reliability.

PSA has a $600 carbine that you might want to check out as well.

 

[Jeeebus]

totally unrelated, but I'm excited to be picking up my M&P 9mm tomorrow. Hoping to take the shotgun and the M&P to the range on Sunday. Got 500 rounds of 9mm delivered yesterday, so I'm ready to head out.

 

[boomhower]

It's a good gun at a good price. Forward assist and dust covers are pointless for 99.9% of AR owners. I would prefer to do without a forward assist but all high end guns have them so I'm stuck for now. Dust covers are pretty much pointless as well for civilian use. Melonite is fine as well. A buddy of mine bought one a couple of months ago and other than the rear site he really likes it. I believe that has been replaced on the new ones with a magpul site that is much better. I say go for it. Only thing close in terms of price and quality would be PSA. $600 and you need to add a rear site, magpul is around $50. http://palmettostatearmory.com/8923.php

 

[lokiju]

It's a good gun at a good price. Forward assist and dust covers are pointless for 99.9% of AR owners. I would prefer to do without a forward assist but all high end guns have them so I'm stuck for now. Dust covers are pretty much pointless as well for civilian use. Melonite is fine as well. A buddy of mine bought one a couple of months ago and other than the rear site he really likes it. I believe that has been replaced on the new ones with a magpul site that is much better. I say go for it. Only thing close in terms of price and quality would be PSA. $600 and you need to add a rear site, magpul is around $50. http://palmettostatearmory.com/8923.php

Pretty sure the PSA was the one I checked out today on lunch. Went to a local to my job shop and they didn't have the S&W but showed me that as an alternative. Had forward assist, dust cover and chroming but no rear iron sights.

Fixed front sights like the S&W but the trigger guard isn't solid like the S&W which is a plus if I ever wanted to do anything there.

On a side but related topic. Anyone have any experience with the Vortex Sparc red dot sights?

Seems like it's pretty well reviewed and at $200 on Amazon it's a hell of a deal.

Shop I went to on lunch today had much lesser (IMO) quality/design red dots at $300 and up.

I like the compact size of the Vortex for one thing. Reminds me of the OEM red dot Sig puts on their AR's.

 

[JEDI]

I've been reading up and watching videos on the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 Sport AR and it seems like an overall great bang for the buck.

It's NATO 5.56mm so can also shoot .223 which allows for greater options when looking for ammo deals.

The 3 things that seem to be knocks against it are.
1: No forward assist
2: No dust cover
3: Melonite vs chroming

The forward assist doesn't seem to be a real world issue from everything I've read and watched as the general feed back from those that own it seems to be that they've never had a jam.

The dust cover would be a non-issue for me since I'm not in the middle east crawling on my belly through a sand and dust covered village.

The Melonite lining seems to not be a real world issue from everything I can find but there's still a lot of disagreement on that topic.

All said it seems like for it costing $600 locally and at less than half the cost of many other options, it seems like a more doable way to get a AR without going broke in the process.

Does anyone here have one or considered it as well but ended up going with something else? If so, please share.

dpms panther 5.56/223
$550 shipped @ buds

has forward assist and dust cover.

(not the sportical/oracle nefed version)

 

[irishScott]

Forward assist (and to a lesser extent dust covers) were designed for soldiers who would theoretically need to go through days or even weeks of active combat without cleaning their weapon. For the average civilian they're simply not needed. I've also heard nothing negative about S&W's melonite.

 

[lokiju]

Forward assist (and to a lesser extent dust covers) were designed for soldiers who would theoretically need to go through days or even weeks of active combat without cleaning their weapon. For the average civilian they're simply not needed. I've also heard nothing negative about S&W's melonite.

Yeah I agree with you at least from everything I've been able to find from people that actually own it.

The only thing anyone every says about melonite is that if you don't clean and oil it soon enough after use it can cause corrosion and barrel issues. Yet again though I cannot actually find any real world cases of this ever happening.

Seems like in most cases it's probably people that built or bought a $1,300 AR that use these knocks against it to make themselves feel better about dropping so much dough.

 

[lokiju]

I went to another gun shop yesterday to see if they had the S&W. They didn't but did have a DPMS Oracle for $650. It has chromming, forward assist and dust cover and a non-solid trigger guard. But has no sights. Overall it seemed like a nice gun.

Going to try and get my hands on a S&W today to properly compare then decide between the S&W, DPMS or the PSA.

Between the DPMS and the PSA though the only difference I can find is the PSA has fixed front sight like the S&W does that for me would be more in the way since I want to get the Vortex Sparc red dot scope.

 

[IGemini]

S&W is probably the best deal of the three. It'll have everything you need to start (i.e. w/o buying a rear sight) and I'm reading some reviews that show it still performs pretty well in dusty conditions even without the forward assist or dust cover. I'm hearing some DPMS rifles have extractor issues. Can't really speak for the PSA. The front A2 post shouldn't get in the way of whatever optic you want to mount. At worst it'll be sighted with it.

 

[schneiderguy]

Between S&W and DPMS I'd go for S&W.

 

[boomhower]

Skip the DPMS, the Smith is a better gun.

A fixed front sight doesn't interfere with a red dot, it co-witnesses. Speaking of which, skip the spark. If you want a cheap red dot get a Primary Arms sight and call it a day. They are decent sights for cheap that hold zero. If you like it and want something better save for an Aimpoint. An Aimpoint Pro at $400 with a mount is a very good deal. PSA also has a deal of their rifle and that sight for $999, very good value.

 

[lokiju]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Really do appreciate it.

I've been still leaning towards the S&W with everything I've read but want to give all options a fare shake out before making a final pick.

 

[olds]

Skip the DPMS, the Smith is a better gun.

A fixed front sight doesn't interfere with a red dot, it co-witnesses. Speaking of which, skip the spark. If you want a cheap red dot get a Primary Arms sight and call it a day. They are decent sights for cheap that hold zero. If you like it and want something better save for an Aimpoint. An Aimpoint Pro at $400 with a mount is a very good deal. PSA also has a deal of their rifle and that sight for $999, very good value.

On my M4, I have a fixed front site and an Primary Arms red dot. I get 1/3 co-witness.

Ignore the fingerprints...

 

[lokiju]

Played with the S&W in person and an sold. Even the rear iron sights are pretty good.

 

[lokiju]

Just shopped around and no one has any left in stock but Academy Sports has just one coming on tonight's shipment. I was able reserve it at least after speaking to the manager. Can't wait to get it!

Its $650 there. A little more than other places list it for but not by much and none locally have it in stock. Buds has it for $617 but since I don't have a FFL I'd be just as much to have it shipped to a local shop after their fee.

 

[Texashiker]

JIts $650 there.

You live in a hurricane prone area (at least that is what you have for your location, Atlanta Georgia). If you ever have to use the rifle to protect yourself and your family, do you "really" want to use one of the cheapest rifles on the market?

Hopefully we will never see another Katrina, but if we do, do you want a cheap AR with no forward assist as your home defense weapon?

If you want a S&W, Academy has the S&W M&P on sale for $899 - its in the Sunday sales paper of my local newspaper. Put some flip up sights on it, and your ready to go.

A lot of people say "I just want to use it for target shooting". But when they have a hurricane or earthquake, they are going to wish they had bought a better quality weapon.

 

[lokiju]

You live in a hurricane prone area (at least that is what you have for your location, Atlanta Georgia). If you ever have to use the rifle to protect yourself and your family, do you "really" want to use one of the cheapest rifles on the market?

Hopefully we will never see another Katrina, but if we do, do you want a cheap AR with no forward assist as your home defense weapon?

If you want a S&W, Academy has the S&W M&P on sale for $899 - its in the Sunday sales paper of my local newspaper. Put some flip up sights on it, and your ready to go.

A lot of people say "I just want to use it for target shooting". But when they have a hurricane or earthquake, they are going to wish they had bought a better quality weapon.

Not like it's my only gun and not like it won't work because it doesn't have a dust cover. Just read up on it. It's highly reliable and everything I've read everyone says zero jams.

Also ATL is not impacted by hurricanes. To far inland.

Smith and Wesson themselves put over 170,000 rounds of various ammo and brands through two of these side by side with no detectable damage.

 

[boomhower]

You live in a hurricane prone area (at least that is what you have for your location, Atlanta Georgia). If you ever have to use the rifle to protect yourself and your family, do you "really" want to use one of the cheapest rifles on the market?

Hopefully we will never see another Katrina, but if we do, do you want a cheap AR with no forward assist as your home defense weapon?

If you want a S&W, Academy has the S&W M&P on sale for $899 - its in the Sunday sales paper of my local newspaper. Put some flip up sights on it, and your ready to go.

A lot of people say "I just want to use it for target shooting". But when they have a hurricane or earthquake, they are going to wish they had bought a better quality weapon.

Forward assists are retarded. The round didn't chamber for a reason. Do you really want to cram the thing in there? I'm all for high quality guns, I've got well over $2K in my AR but not everyones needs justify putting $1k into something to punch holes in paper.

 

[Texashiker]

Forward assists are retarded. The round didn't chamber for a reason. Do you really want to cram the thing in there?

The FN/FAL is probably new of the most battle proven rifles in the world, and it does not have a forward assist.

But then again, when you pull the cocking lever back on the FN, you can feel the carrier pushing against the buffer.

With a sissy round like the 223/5.56mm, you probably need a forward assist. In my years of recreation shooting, I have only had to use the assist one time in my AR.

And no, I would not spend 2k on an AR. If anything, I would spend 2k on an FN or an M1.

 

[shortylickens]

Doesnt Bushmaster have some bargain rifles?

 

[Texashiker]

Doesnt Bushmaster have some bargain rifles?

Yes, Academy sports and outdoors has a Bushmaster AR for maybe $900.

 

[tfinch2]

Cabelas is going to have a Bushmaster AR with red-dot for $599 on Black Friday.

 

[lokiju]

Cabelas is going to have a Bushmaster AR with red-dot for $599 on Black Friday.

Damn. To bad those aren't around here.