Considering M&P 15

[Al T.]

Sadly, i shoot my AK/Swedish Mauser a lot better than the AR. Case in point--i need to put a lot more rounds down range.

Disagree. IMHO and IME, you need some coaching. A class would be great, but as you are new to the platform, I'd suggest an Appleseed weekend to get you well started.

One thing I see folks doing is trying to "align" aperture sights. You simply look through the rear (think "looking through a keyhole") sight and focus on the front sight. Your eye will center the front sight for you.

[Little Creek]

Update on the M&P15 Sport, my first M4gery, an entry level carbine. I still like the fact of no forward assist, no dust cover, and the built in oversize trigger guard. I just added the MagPul ACS butstock, I love that stock. I have the MagPul MOE+ grip, like the hand filling overmolded rubber. Have the MOE handguard. Just added the "Grip Pod" ( I went to a gun show yesterday). Since I am LH I replaced the selector with a LH selector from STAG Arms. Mine came with the MBUIS rear sight. I like that. I put a .3 EOTech riser under a 512 I had gathering dust. That raises the hologram over the front sight tower but I can still cowitness in the lower one third of the screen. Even though the EOTech eats AA batteries and may be more prone to failure in comparison to an AimPoint, I will probably use it until it fails. I will then probably buy an Aimpoint PRO or T-1 with the 2 MOA dot. 320 rounds with only one fail to feed out of a 70's ventage Colt 30 round magazine that an operator gave me a few years ago. It failed to feed round number 29. I may be a packrat. The old worn out colt mag is destined to be shot and recycled. Nothing but PMags in my future. All I need now is an Ambi mag catch and maybe a light etc. Anyone have any expierence with a "Grip Pod"?

Round count is up to 510 rounds through PMAGs, no malfunctions. Just got a Leupold Prismatic Tactical. I like the black reticle with the red fiber optic light. It sharper to my old eyes. Anyone out there have any expierence with a "Prismatic".

[Tamara]

I have a rule about GripPods:
Never pay for one, that way you won't feel bad when you take it off and never use it again.
Yeah, its a combination of two items, but if optimally placed for one application it will be sub optimal for the other. It's like a combination calculator and pregnancy test, it might be able to do two different things, but what's the point?

I just want to say that I really wish I'd written that.

[bdcheung]

I'm giving a hard look at the M&P 15T for my first AR. It's up there along with the Colt 6920 and AR6720.

My concern is that all three options will be "too much" gun for me and that I should get something like a Bushmaster or RRA, since this will be little more than a range gun and paranoia-TEOTWAWKI gun.

[JDM]

I should get something like a Bushmaster or RRA, since this will be little more than a range gun and paranoia-TEOTWAWKI gun.

For the love of God man, NO!

[bdcheung]

For the love of God man, NO!

[Suvorov]

I'm giving a hard look at the M&P 15T for my first AR. It's up there along with the Colt 6920 and AR6720.

My concern is that all three options will be "too much" gun for me and that I should get something like a Bushmaster or RRA, since this will be little more than a range gun and paranoia-TEOTWAWKI gun.

Why?

Why settle for less? Especially when you can buy a quality M&P (the lower end of a quality gun) or basic Colt or BCM for about the same or just a shekel or two more than a Bushy and probably less than a RRA.

I'm not a big AR snob, but I do hate to see people pay more for a commercial grade AR than they could for a quality AR.

[bdcheung]

Good point.

[JDM]

http://dsgarms.com/ProductInfo/CO6920.aspx

VS

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ducts_id/13230

Item #2 shouldn't even be considered given the price point of Item #1.

End of story.

[JMS]

bd, take a look at it from a slightly different angle..... Let's arbitrarily presume that you lay out an expenditure of $1000, period.

If you spend that on the Colt that BOM cited, you've spent $1000 on a no-kidding $1000 carbine.

If you spend that on a BM/RRA or similar, you've spent $1000 on what's actually $750 carbine, and that's being kind. No matter how good a price you find on the thing, you're still being robbed. IF you can find a new BM/RRA or similar for the $$$ the thing is actually worth, from a materials, workmanship, components and QC/QA standpoint, you should be all over it like a cheap suit.

Your original thought of a M&P carbine isn't half-bad. Slightly overgassed easily dealt with IF it presents a problem to begin with; buffer swap, FA bolt-carrier, somewhat lesser barrel material not a huge factor in a non-hard-use gun, 1-in-9 twist unlikely to stabilize ammo at or above 69gr, but most readily-available practice ammo, and even duty amo, is 55-62gr. Easy day. Swap the barrel later if you feel like it, to a properly-made 4150 or better with a proper gas port and more versatile twist rate. Voila....

However, if they have that Colt in stock, that's damned hard to argue with at that price, especially since it means that you won't have to spend more $$$ down the road to swap buffer/carrier/barrel if you decide to up your usage. It's already DONE, and for no extra cost to you....