S&W M&P 15-22 AD

[Mesa Tactical]

Lotsa acronyms and numbers in the thread title.

Took our new S&W M&P 15-22 to the range over the weekend. At one point when one of the kids was firing it, there was a jam and we removed the magazine. There was a round in the chamber, and the boy had switched on the safety before I got there. We could not pull the bolt back (or maybe it wouldn't go forward, I forget exactly what was happening). So on a whim I switched off the safety. BANG!

Is this something I'm supposed to be familiar with with AR-15s or M&P 15-22? Or is the firing pin already sticky?

Boy hasn't been shooting much, but he's very conscientious. It was a great example and learning experience of how important it is to follow Cooper's Rules. We kept the rifle pointed downrange at all times, so the AD didn't hurt anyone or anything: Rule #2.

It was a lot less shocking than a centerfire AD would have been. No one had to change their trousers.

[wjc]

I haven't had that happen on mine yet. I'll have to try and duplicate it.

Glad everyone is ok!

[scootle]

Might want to inspect the entire fire-control group (it's pretty much identical to a full-sized AR in there) to make sure everything is OK... sounds like something slipped and was held somehow by the safety until it was switched off.

I've had an AD with a jammed Ruger Mk II before (safely pointed downrange) due to a sticky firing pin, so things like that can happen. e.g. pressed trigger, nothing happened... finger off trigger, started to work the slide... BANG. was startling, but thankfully nothing dramatic happened.

Keep those 4-rules in mind anytime you are dealing with a firearm, malfunctioning or not, and all is usually OK. Glad this was the case!

[wsmc27]

wowie

we haven't had any probs or any type of similar issue with our several year old 15-22, approx. 10,000 rounds i suppose.

we run it wet, just like the AR's.

Glad everyone was okay.

[ch3ck5ix]

OP - I suggest contacting S&W and have them check it out. I have an early model M&P 15-22 purchased more than 2-1/2 years ago. Anyway, I was at the range a couple months after I got it and had a similar incident where I flipped the safety and it fired! Yikes!-- good thing it was pointing downrange. Also, on occasion it fired 2 rounds with a trigger pull -- not good. The first time it happened I was quite surprised and wasn't really sure if it fired more than one round 'cause the recoil was so light and it happened so fast. It only happened randomly, but after it happened a few more times the RO came up to me and said no double taps -- only one round per second...

Anyway, I contacted S&W and they had me send it to them for servicing. I actually got a call from the S&W tech and we went over the issues and he was able to duplicate the problems. He wound up replacing the FCG (with blue colored springs) and BCG plus he sent back 2 additional mags for my troubles. The early 15-22s had some teething problems with OOBs (which fortunately never happened to me) and other issues which I believed were fixed with the advent of colored springs, etc. Since S&W fixed it my 15-22 has been reliable and functions flawlessly. Send it back -- better be safe than sorry.

[Lifeon2whls]

Personally, I would take the rifle apart and CLEAN the snot out of it. If the rifle has been functioning without any problems and all of a sudden you get this, it would lead me to believe that there is something, possibly in the FCG, that has been collecting deposits and has become gummed up, etc.

See if you can reproduce this at home with an empty cartridge and then clean everything and retest. If you have the issue again...send it in.

Or...if the rifle is going to sit for a while, send it in and see what they say.