Three years after Smith & Wesson introduced its first AR, there's more to like about the M&P15 line than ever.
Talk about timing. When Smith & Wesson announced it would enter the tactical long-gun market with the M&P15 in early 2006, the frenzy over black rifles was just starting to build. Within the short span of a year or so, mainstream interest in AR-type rifles and carbines reached a fever pitch, and the company was well positioned to take advantage of it.
Although the M&P15 was received with much enthusiasm from civilian operators, it was attention from the military and law enforcement side of the industry that Smith & Wesson hoped to attract. After all, "M&P" does stand for "Military & Police." With more than 200 law enforcement agencies across the United States now carrying the M&P15, Smith & Wesson can claim success in that arena, too.
But just as with handgun development, Smith & Wesson is not one to rest on its corporate laurels when it comes to the M&P15. In three years, the company has expanded the line to include 11 models, including a heavy-barreled variant from the Smith & Wesson Performance Center. Here's a look at three of them, each unique in both form and application.
One of Smith & Wesson's first AR models, the M&P15T continues to attract interest from those of us with lots of stuff to hang off the fore-end. In the interest of comfort, three ERGO Grip rail covers are included with the carbine to pad the hand against the fore-end's sharp corners.
M&P15T
The M&P15T, or Tactical, was one of the initial three ARs Smith & Wesson introduced, and it serves as a good model with which to kick off a review of the lineup. Like the M&P15 Standard and M&P15A that were brought out at the same time, as well as the models that followed, the M&P15T is built with upper and lower receivers of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy. Hard-coat anodizing gives the upper and lower an even, matte-black finish that is a near-perfect match with the 4140 chromium-molybdenum steel barrel's phosphated exterior. An independent U.S. contractor manufactures the receivers to Smith & Wesson's specifications, while final machining, fitting and assembly are performed at the hands of in-house technicians.
Chambered in 5.56x45 mm, the M&P15T's 16-inch barrel has six-groove rifling with a 1:9-inch RH twist that works well with mid-weight .224-caliber bullets. Its bore—along with the chamber, bolt carrier and gas key—is chrome lined for wear resistance, a treatment common to these components throughout the M&P15 family. The barrel ends in an A2-style flash suppressor.
Manufactured by Troy Industries and bearing the Military & Police logo, the Modular Rail Forend is constructed of hard-coat anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum. It also has a Teflon finish to resist wear.
A six-position collapsible buttstock allows 3 inches of length-of-pull adjustment and includes an integral oval ring for sling attachment. Deeply molded checkering on the adjustment lever and the buttplate helps prevent slip, which could be an issue in wet conditions or when the stock is placed against nylon outerwear.
The user-friendly attributes and adaptability of the design makes the collapsible buttstock a fitting feature. In fact, the majority of the M&P15 line—save for the Performance Center model and three other variants (the M&P15FT, M&P15I and M&P15ORC, which are altered to comply with certain states' overly restrictive firearm regulations)—is equipped with this feature.
The M&P15T's flattop upper receiver permits a host of optics options, and its full-length, quad-rail fore-end affords even more possibilities for mounting lights, lasers and other accessories. When it comes to setting up an AR for tactical operations, individual preferences abound. However, the Troy Industries Modular Rail Forend goes a long way in covering just about all of them.
Adjustable for windage in 1⁄4-MOA increments, the Rear Folding Battle Sight from Troy Industries features dual apertures. Flipping it down makes room for an Aimpoint 3X Magnifier in this setup.
Machined from aircraft-grade aluminum, the fore-end has 23 slots on each of its four Picatinny rails. Every other slot is numbered for quick
and repeatable repositioning of accessories. In addition, each rail contains five threaded holes for other attachment options. Smith & Wesson supplies three rail covers from ERGO Grip that can be snapped into place on open sections of the rail to improve comfort in the hand. Free-floated to prevent interference with accuracy no matter how much stuff you hang off it, the fore-end is hard-coat anodized and has a Teflon finish. Perhaps most importantly, the top surface of the upper rail section perfectly aligns with the rail on the M&P15T's receiver to allow trouble-free cowitnessing of optics and iron sights.
Backup iron sights are always a good idea should your optic fail, and the M&P15T comes with an excellent set, also manufactured by Troy Industries. Both the front and the rear Battle Sight attach to the rail via a crossbolt, and each can be flipped down when not in use. To prevent unintentional folding, like when coming in contact with the corner of a wall, the sights employ a stainless steel cross-locking mechanism. Depressing the button on the left side of the sight base releases the lock for folding.
Copious amounts of Picatinny rail on the M&P15T's fore-end permit shooter's to mount an array of accessories, such as this SureFire L72 Laser Sight Module and the M900A Vertical Foregrip WeaponLight with Turbohead.
The dual-aperture rear sight is adjustable for windage in 1⁄4-MOA increments. A pair of upright wings protects the aperture assembly, and the adjustment dial is contained in the right wing. Adjusting for point-of-impact shifts in the field is easy, thanks to the dial includes a set of holes that accommodate the tip of a 5.56 mm bullet and a slot that
pairs with the rim of a cartridge case. The M4-style front sight post is adjustable for elevation.
Thanks to the quad-rail fore-end and the iron sights, the M&P15T is a sort of do-it-all carbine. I set it up three ways during testing to take advantage of this flexibility. First, I shot it at ranges of 10 to 100 yards using the Troy Battle Sights to check for overall function and the sights' ability to answer adjustments. Both the gun and its irons performed without a hitch.
Next, I decked it out with an Aimpoint CompM4 and 3X Magnifier, along with a SureFire M900A Vertical Foregrip WeaponLight and an L72 Laser Sight Module with pressure pad. These additional components certainly added some weight to the gun, but they also made it more suitable for close-quarters and low-light work. With all that rail covering the M&P15T's upper receiver and fore-end, I had no problem outfitting it just the way I wanted.
Finally, I stripped the gun to its factory form, removed the iron sights and mounted a KonusPro M30
4.5-16x40 mm scope for accuracy testing at 100 yards. The M&P15T shot well with several 50- to 60-grain loads from Federal, Hornady, Remington and Winchester. Overall group average after 30, five-shot strings was less than 13⁄4 inches. The best average for five, five-shot groups came with Hornady 60-grain TAP-FPD ammunition and measured less than 11⁄4 inches. That's the type of consistent performance for which Smith & Wesson is known.
The M&P15R looks like any other M4-style carbine, except it has "5.45x39 mm" on its the barrel. Shooters wanting to burn through rounds without burning a hole in their wallet will appreciate the savings realized by purchasing inexpensive, imported surplus ammo.
M&P15R
Besides its combat resume and effectiveness at protecting lives, part of the AR's allure is its fun factor. Paper targets and empty soda cans and water-filled balloons were made to be shot, and with an AR you can shoot a lot of them—fast. The only downside to emptying a 30-round magazine is the cost of refilling it, and those of us on a tight budget these days probably can't refill nearly as many magazines as we'd like.
Noting the increased cost of 5.56x45 mm and .223 Rem. ammo, and the decreased availability of bargain lots of the stuff, Smith & Wesson has come out with an attractive solution for those of us who like to shoot cheap. The M&P15R is chambered in 5.45x39 mm, crates of which imported from various Eastern Bloc countries are still available at very affordable prices.
The six-position, collapsible buttstock on the M&P15R should be familiar to anyone used to shooting M4-style carbines. The buttstock's length of pull is adjustable for length of pull over
3 inches.
If you haven't figured it out, the "R" is for "Russian," a nod toward the 5.45x39 mm cartridge's origin. But make no mistake, the M&P15R is as domestic as AR-type rifles come. Other than the chambering and the dedicated magazine, those shooters familiar with the AR platform will find no changes between it and Smith & Wesson's 5.56 mm version.
ARs chambered in something other than 5.56x45 mm or .223 Rem. are starting to become about as common as sushi joints in strip malls. There are numerous reasons why shooters decide to adapt their AR to another cartridge, but in most cases, the exception being .22 LR conversions, cost isn't one of them. The beauty of the M&P15R is that it looks, feels and shoots just like a standard AR—the 5.45x39 mm cartridge's ballistics are very close to those of the 5.56x45 mm—only it does so at a fraction of the cost.
A quick glance at the M&P15R should remove all doubt whether the gun is cut from the same cloth as other M4-style carbines. The lower receiver is the same as that used in the rest of the M&P15 line, and the upper is the A3 flattop configuration with an integral Picatinny rail for mounting optics. Other recognizable features are the collapsible buttstock and M4-style handguard. The M4-style front sight is integral with the gas block, which includes a sling swivel and a bayonet lug.
The M&P15R's M4-style front sight is integral with the gas block. A sling swivel and a bayonet lug complete the assembly.
The M&P15R does not come with a rear sight, which is somewhat puzzling. Both the M&P15 Standard and M&P15A have the same front sight/gas block assembly, and rear sights are installed on each of these carbines at the factory. It would be nice to see the M&P15R ready to go out of the box with either a carry
handle, like on the M&P15 Standard, or a Troy Industries Folding Battle Sight, like on the M&P15A. Admittedly, though, attaching the appropriate rear sight of your choice should be no problem given the upper receiver's rail.
The unique feature about the M&P15R, of course, is its barrel, marked "5.45x39 mm" just behind the A2-style flash suppressor. It utilizes four-groove rifling and a 1:8-inch RH twist. This is a barrel dedicated to 5.45 mm bullets, reflected by bore dimensions that are slightly smaller than those used for 5.56 mm or .224-caliber bullets, and not simply a 5.56x45 mm barrel rechambered for the Russian cartridge. The latter approach will work from a safety standpoint, but accuracy suffers.
Like the barrel, the 30-round magazine included with the M&P15R is dedicated to the 5.45x39 mm cartridge. While its external dimensions are the same as a standard AR-15 magazine, the follower and feed lips are slightly modified to ensure reliable feeding with 5.45x39 mm ammo. I've heard that standard AR-15 magazines will work with the 5.45x39 mm, but for positive function, Smith & Wesson recommends using only specifically designated 5.45x39 magazines.
Smith & Wesson includes a magazine dedicated to the 5.45x39 mm cartridge with the M&P15R. External dimensions are the same as a standard AR magazine, but the follower and feed lips are modified to ensure reliable feeding.
Imported surplus 5.45x39 mm ammo, as well as commercial loads, are available from numerous sources. Do a Google search a pick the best deal. A word of caution: Surplus 5.45x39 mm loads are corrosively primed. You must thoroughly clean your M&P15R after shooting corrosive ammo with a quality, water-based solvent to remove the primer residue. Some commercial loads, such as those from Wolf that I used during testing, are non-corrosive if you don't want to deal with the worry, but they usually cost a bit more. In addition, since the majority of imported surplus and commercial 5.45x39 mm ammo utilizes steel cases, it is not reloadable.
On the range, the M&P15R performed right in step with the other two M&P15 models I tested. There was not a single failure to feed, fire or eject. The average of five, five-shot groups was a bit larger at 1.8 inches, but I only had one brand of ammo on hand to test: Wolf 60-grain full-metal-jacket loads. I wouldn't be surprised if some experimentation with other ammuntition would find a load that suits the rifle better and produces tighter groups.
Shooters interested in converting their AR to 5.45x39 mm will be interested to know that Smith & Wesson also offers an M&P15R upper receiver assembly that includes a magazine dedicated to the cartridge. The MSRP is $751.
The M&P15VTAC is Smith & Wesson's top-of-the-line production AR. Several high-end features, such as a Vltor ModStock, JP Enterprises trigger and VTAC handguard make the carbine a slick shooter.
M&P15VTAC
Based in Fayetteville, NC, Viking Tactics is a group of tactical firearms instructors and consultants who provide training to law enforcement agencies and civilians across the United States. Along with this role, Viking Tactics also has a hand in the development of firearms and related accessories, such as slings, weaponlight mounts and handguards. Smith & Wesson teamed up with Viking Tactics for the M&P15VTAC, a fully accessorized version of the company's AR with several upgraded features.
Starting with the buttstock, Smith & Wesson replaced the standard M4-style configuration with the Vltor ModStock. The ModStock follows the basic six-position, collapsible design, but its widened, adjustable comb promotes a more positive and consistent cheekweld. While shooting the M&P15VTAC, I also found it more comfortable than a standard M4-style buttstock.
Instead of a A2-style flash suppressor, the M&P15VTAC's barrel ends in a model from SureFire. It also serves as an adapter for SureFire's quick-detachable sound suppressors.
Beneath the comb on either side of the stock is a compartment for batteries and other small necessities, accessible from the front by popping out a plug. Each plug has a raised wing that makes it easy to turn with the thumb.
While the upper and lower receivers are the standard M&P15 format, the trigger assembly comes from JP Enterprises. The single-stage trigger broke at 4 pounds even, a vast improvement over the heavy 7-pound pull weights of the other two Smith & Wesson M&P15 models I tested.
The barrel of the M&P15VTAC also differs from the rest of the line's ARs chambered in 5.56x45 mm. It has a 1:7-inch rate of twist, the fastest in the bunch, to stabilize heavy-for-caliber bullets. Instead of ending in an A2-style flash suppressor, the M&P15VTAC's barrel features SureFire's FH556-212A flash suppressor, which also serves as an adapter for the company's quick-detachable sound suppressors.
The Vltor ModStock is one of the upgrades included on the M&P15VTAC. Beneath the comb are two compartments for batteries and other small items.
Besides the M&PVTAC's excellent trigger, the feature I most appreciated was the gun's unique tubular handguard. Viking Tactics and JP Enterprises developed the design, which consists of a free-floated aluminum tube with slots for mounting short sections of Picatinny rail.
Full-length, quad-rail handguards provide a host of options for mounting accessories, but all those sharp corners can be hard on the hand. Conversely, tubular handguards are comfortable, but without rails, it's tough to add a weaponlight or a laser to the fore-end. The VTAC handguard provides the best of
both worlds.
Two-piece sections of Picatinny rail can be attached to any of the 18 oval cutouts that run the entire length of the handguard. A pair of crossbolts seated in the outer rail section run through the selected cutout and attach to a separate piece of aluminum backer that is machined to fit the slot. Tightening the crossbolts sandwiches the handguard between the rail sections for secure placement.
Short, two-piece sections of Picatinny rail attach
to the VTAC handguard's oval cutouts via crossbolts.
A VTAC Light Mount and a SureFire G2 Nitrolon
flashlight are part of the package.
The system is infinitely adjustable; just loosen the rail section and slide it forward or backward until its position suits your need. If you need a major adjustment, move the rail section to another cutout.
The handguard can be removed from the upper assembly by backing out six Torx bolts just ahead of the receiver. Trust me, it's much easier to change the position of the rail sections with the handguard removed. The top of the handguard is also drilled and tapped to accept sections of rail for mounting an optic forward of the receiver or an iron front sight.
The beauty of the VTAC handguard is you can leave it as clean as possible, or you can add as many accessories as you desire. To get you started, Smith & Wesson includes a VTAC Light Mount and a SureFire G2 Nitrolon flashlight with the M&P15VTAC. The handguard is also free-floated, and its skeletonized construction doesn't add much weight to the gun.
I had a chance to run the M&P15VTAC with a SureFire suppressor attached during an informal range session last summer. Targets were close, and I did most of my shooting on the move. The gun felt light and responsive in my hands, and despite me shooting it until it was scorching hot, there were no malfunctions.
More recently I took the M&P15VTAC to my local 100-yard range. I fired several brands of ammunition, but not surprisingly the best results came with Federal Premium Gold Medal 69-grain Sierra MatchKing loads. The overall group average with the Federal ammo was under 1 MOA, no doubt due in part to the light trigger.
Smith & Wesson's dedication to the M&P15 has produced nearly a dozen models to suit a variety of needs and preferences. Only time will tell, but I bet there are even more models to come in the line. Although most shooters know the company for the legacy and quality of its handguns, the M&P15 line proves Smith & Wesson takes ARs just as seriously as revolvers, 1911s and polymer pistols.
