Mighty Morphin' S&W M&P 15 Sport - With PICS & PRICES

[StrikeFire83]

Hi there everybody. I'm a pistol guy who bought his first rifle in July, a bone stock Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport. I'm going to post a list of what I've done to it, how much I paid, and pics of everything.

M&P 15 Sport Rifle $590+$25 FFL.....$615
Low Profile Gas Block.....................$5 (from my friend's parts bin)
G/S cut off front sight & GB install....$20
Midwest Industries Gen 1 Free Float..$115 (including shipping)
EOTech 512...................................$300 (from my friend again)
GripPod GPS02...............................$60 (used from friend)
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Total Cost: $1,115
(not including my & my buddy's time)

Bone stock just after I bought it



After Front Sight Blade Removal/Low Profile Gas Block Install



After Free Float Rail & Accessories Install









Comments Welcome.

 

[StrikeFire83]

No Love? No Hate? Gimmie input.

 

[Sam Cade]

Gimmie input.

Did you remember to dimple under the gas block set screws?

I think you would have been better off you had just chopped the factory gas block.

You might want to move the eotech forward a couple slots before zeroing so you will have room for BUIS if you decide you want them.


Since you asked, for comments:

If given that particular rifle and your budget of $500 to "improve" it I would have mounted an Aimpoint and a muzzlebrake.

 

[Frankl03]

You did fine. Looks great! How do you like it?

I agree that you should move the Eotech forward. Then you could install back up sights.

 

[StrikeFire83]

Did you remember to dimple under the gas block set screws?

I didn't, but the gunsmith who I paid to remove the the front sight blade did. We checked it today when we took it and the gas tube off to install the rail. Everything's 5x5.

I think you would have been better off you had just chopped the factory gas block.

Do you mean like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zLL84Ryu0Y&feature=fvst

If so, yeah, I think you're right. Unfortunately, I didn't know that was an option when I bought the low profile gas block from my buddy. Likewise, the gunsmith did not suggest it as an option when I went to get the work done.

You might want to move the eotech forward a couple slots before zeroing so you will have room for BUIS if you decide you want them.

Thanks, I wasn't thinking about that, and I don't have any immediate plans to install flip-ups, but I'm sure I'll want to eventually. I'll move it before zeroing it at the range tmrw. Advice taken.

If given that particular rifle and your budget of $500 to "improve" it I would have mounted an Aimpoint and a muzzlebrake.

A muzzlebrake is forthcoming. As for the whole Aimpoint v. EOTech thing, I went round and round about it. Truth be told I just liked EOTech's reticle, 1 MOA dot and the "open window" much better than the Aimpoint tube and dot. That, and the Aimpoints are damn expensive. The only one near my budget was the PRO, and nobody had it in stock at any price.

The Aimpoints are great, don't get me wrong, but I just prefer the EOTech reticle and several thousand hours between battery changes is fine, I don't need 3 5 or 8 years of battery life.

 

[StrikeFire83]

You did fine. Looks great! How do you like it?

Thanks! I like it quite a bit. I haven't shot it with the EOTech/free float rail/GripPod combo yet, so I'll tell ya tmrw after I get back from the range.

I agree that you should move the Eotech forward. Then you could install back up sights.

I agree. I got the allen wrench out and it's already done.

 

[ugaarguy]

I'd move the EoTech forward in case you decide to mount backup irons, as others have suggested. I'd also pop the forearm off, and put some matte black Duracoat or Aluma-Hyde on the gas block to tone it down. The last one is just nitpicking. It looks good, and as long as you like it that's what matters.

 

[StrikeFire83]

I'd also pop the forearm off, and put some matte black Duracoat or Aluma-Hyde on the gas block to tone it down.

Do you think the shiny gas block presents a problem other than looks, like catching the light in a self-defense situation.

Also, given your response in another thread, you seem very knowledgable about S&W M&P ARs, so I'll ask you this: Does it matter that my barrel is NOT chrome lined? I've heard that chrome can actually cut down on accuracy and isn't really needed unless you're shooting thousands of rounds between cleanings.

 

[ugaarguy]

Do you think the shiny gas block presents a problem other than looks, like catching the light in a self-defense situation.

The shine isn't a problem, just a recommendation to make it match everything else. If someone is close enough to see a reflection off the gas block they're close enough to see a reflection off the EoTech's lenses.

Does it matter that my barrel is NOT chrome lined? I've heard that chrome can actually cut down on accuracy and isn't really needed unless you're shooting thousands of rounds between cleanings.

In addition to ease of cleaning hard chroming provides less friction, far greater corrosion resistance, and greatly increased bbl. life vs. untreated or unlined bbls. Because a barrel must be overbored to allow the hard chrome lining to then reach the correct bore diameter it is possible to lose accuracy if the chrome isn't kept at a perfectly uniform thickness. However, the Sport has a Melonite (Black Nitride) treated bbl. Nitriding increases surface hardness, reduces friction, reduces fouling (easier cleaning), and greatly increases bbl life compared to untreated, unlined bbls. Because it's a surface treatment, there's no need to overbore which negates potential accuracy loss. Depending on whose research you trust Nitrided bbls. give you anywhere from 3/4 the life of chrome lined, to slightly better barrel life. There's some good info on S&W's Melonite / Black Nitride contractor here - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=609734

 

[JPG19]

It looks nice so far, but to be totally honest with you, it strikes me as a rifle without a purpose. Are you setting it up as a long range precision weapon (you chose a "heavy" free float, bipod, yet no magnification on your sight) or is this going to be a CQB weapon (eotech, vertical fore grip, 16" barrel).

This may be something others don't quite get, but the first thing I do when deciding to purchase another firearm is decide what the main duty or role the weapon will fulfill. For example, in my latest acquisition I purchased a Spike's Tactical 16" M4 LE Carbine and set it up as a close quarters rifle using a 1x red dot sight, lightweight Magpul MOE hand guard as opposed to a heavy free float, vertical fore grip, backup iron sights, laser/flashlight combo with pressure switches, and a single point sling. See pictures below (red dot, laser/flashlight combo, and sling were not mounted when I took these pics)...

 

[StrikeFire83]

^Thanks for the input.

it strikes me as a rifle without a purpose. Are you setting it up as a long range precision weapon (you chose a "heavy" free float, bipod, yet no magnification on your sight) or is this going to be a CQB weapon (eotech, vertical fore grip, 16" barrel).

The rifle has a very clear purpose: a self-defense carbine that I'll use at a maximum of 150 yards. When I'm in law school I live in a 3 story apartment complex. When I go home for holidays/summers, I stay in my parents' house...a two story on a 1 acre lot. Frankly, in both of these situations, I have trouble envisioning a situation where I'd have to shoot beyond 25-50 yards and still be able to reasonably claim self-defense. Hence the close-quarters holographic sight and foregrip. I got a screaming deal on the rail and I don't feel that it adds very much noticeable weight to my load out at all. As for the bi-pod, it is built into the grip and I like that I have the ability to push a button and have a very sturdy bi-bod for paper punching at the range or shooting from the roof of a truck. Also, I got a really good deal on it as well.

You seem to be very weight conscious and that's great. I'm not going to be running through the jungle with this gun any time soon, and even if I do I don't see myself having a problem. I started hunting deer with my dad at about age 6 and he made me carry his heavy 30-06 with a walnut stock pretty much the whole time, even if HE was the one who was going to be taking the shot. Bottom line, this AR-15 in featherweight by comparison and I foresee no problems carrying it, especially with a good sling.

 

[JPG19]

I stand corrected then, sir! Sounds like the rifle fits your needs between both residences and good 'ol paper punching. I still tend to build rifles with a more specific purpose, but to each his own. As far as backup sights are concerned, I'll join the rest of the guys and really urge you to get some asap. Can you imagine your batteries going dead right when you need to take a shot? I have the Magpul MBUS and it's a terrific sight. Easy to deploy, very solid and sturdy, and seems to hold its zero very well.

 

[StrikeFire83]

^ Yep, I went ahead and ordered a set of Magpul "Gen 2" MBUS (I have no idea if they're any better than the Gen 1) a few hours ago and the EOTech has already been moved up to make room.

As for the rifle being purpose built, it really wasn't. I've been a handgun guy since I turned 21 (7 years ago) and hadn't touched a rifle since my teen years until this past July. My step mom didn't allow guns in the house so there was a dark period from about age 15-21 where I didn't have guns in my life at all. (My Dad's since gotten rid of her, thank god, and is now on Wife #3) I read about the M&P 15 Sport and I basically just said to myself "it's time to get a rifle now" and here we are several months later. It's been fun learning and reading and tinkering, but if I had it to do over again I might have bought a slightly better model with the rail already in place...but I think I did okay for the $1100 I have invested.

 

[JPG19]

Definitely man. Well welcome to the dark side of black rifles. Be aware though: there is a well-documented disease that every AR owner acquires, often leading to the purchasing of more black rifles, gear, accessories, and gadgets than you'll know what to do with. Enjoy

 

[regal]

Wouldn't the barrel be a good longer range type Recce especially with the ecotech. I mean recce;s are usually SS because you gain accuracy by not haveing the chrome lining. But SS match barrels sacrifice lifespan, this would seem the best of both worlds if S&W bored it like a SS match barrel to not compensate for chrome lining.

I would be interested in accuracy reports with this barrel.

 

[ugaarguy]

Regal, One of the main motivators for S&W to buy T/C Arms was T/C's bbl manufacturing capability. All M&P15 rifles have bbls made by T/C. Most are 1:9 twist, conventional rifled, chrome lined. The Sport and the current M&P15T share a common bbl. Not only is it nitrided rather than chrome lined, it's 5R rifled with a 1:8 twist rate. Remington uses 5R rifling on the 700P & M-24 to give you an idea of the significance of that feature. I really need to get my Sport out to the local long rifle range to test what you're theorizing.

 

[Girodin]

Looks like a nice gun for range use.