Gun Hub Forums banner

I pulled the trigger on a New Rifle

8K views 40 replies 10 participants last post by  Diamondback 
#1 · (Edited)
Folks,
After much debate and research I bought a new S&W M&P AR15 Sport. (aka Swampy 15 S)
It was on sale, what else, at Shooters of Jax for $599.99 plus tax and $5 civil rights fee.

It came with a lock and one MagPul Pmag 30 round, I live in Florida with it's whacky gun laws, and I have to buy the latest version of that book too.

I'm looking at optics:

Lucid HD-7

Eotech 512-A65

I am leaning toward the zooms

Nikon AR-223 3-9x

Bushnell 1-4x Illuminated reticle

I need chamber brushes with the lug cleaning extension, new .22 rifle brushes and such.

I think I'll stick with Pmags based on various sources including our resident serial rifle abuser.

Anyone recommend a good lube? Is CLP still the cat's meow?

Geoff
Who quiries collective wisdom.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Geoff, I have no experience with the 5.56 S&W's, but the two M&P 15-22's I bought my grandsons for Christmas a couple of years ago have been great rifles. I don't expect you'll have a problem with yours.

And the price you paid was only about hundred bucks more than I paid for my grandson's guns!

As for optics, I can't offer much advise. I have an Aimpoint on mine, and like it a lot. If I had my druthers I would probably opt for an ACOG, but I have other things to spend money on (like mortgage and junk). :O)
 
#4 ·
Nice purchase Geoff...I think you're going to like it.

I've got an Aimpoint Comp M2 on one of mine. I like it a lot, but seriously, try yours for a while with just the iron sights. The red dot's cool, but, honestly, the fun-to-dollars ratio is fairly low.

It really doesn't matter which lube you use; the AR is not a precision instrument. But...run it wet. The old adage about minimal lube on military weapons applies if:

1. You're going to drag it through the sand and mud and don't want excess lube to attract contaminants and

2. You don't care how long it lasts, because Uncle Sugar will just give you a new one when it wears out.

Here's Armalite's Technical Note about lubrication. It made a lot of sense to me the first time I read it. I've lived by it ever since, and my AR's seem to be staying pretty healthy.

http://www.armalite.com/images/Tech%20Notes%5CTech%20Note%2062%20Lubrication%20of%20Firearms%20100726%20Rev%201.pdf
 
#5 ·
Captain,
I'm from the "wet not white" generation of well lubed M-16A1s.

I've cleaned and checked it, a little tight on the rear take down pin, but it's a new rifle. Rings are in good positions. The Sunday options, Wal*mart and Gander Mtn, were either out of magazines (Wal*mart usually has Blackhawks) Gander Mtn had only CA-something for $20 or no name plastic for $25. They had a couple of Bushnells but the price was not marked.

I'm looking for M2 or M3 30 Pmags, or military aluminum magazines. We will see.

Geoff
Who discovered he had bent one of the segments of his favorite cleaning rod and had to go to Backup one...now where did I put Backup two....
 
#29 ·
Captain,
I'm from the "wet not white" generation of well lubed M-16A1s.

I've cleaned and checked it, a little tight on the rear take down pin, but it's a new rifle. Rings are in good positions. The Sunday options, Wal*mart and Gander Mtn, were either out of magazines (Wal*mart usually has Blackhawks) Gander Mtn had only CA-something for $20 or no name plastic for $25. They had a couple of Bushnells but the price was not marked.

I'm looking for M2 or M3 30 Pmags, or military aluminum magazines. We will see.

Geoff
Who discovered he had bent one of the segments of his favorite cleaning rod and had to go to Backup one...now where did I put Backup two....
Best AR magazine that money can buy, and they're about the same price as lesser mags. I have found these to be considerably better than PMAG's.
Lancer Systems L5 AWM Advanced Warfighter Mag AR-15 223 Remington
 
#6 ·
CLP for my Stag M4gery and my AK's.

These are good, hold zero and won't break the bank.

I've heard the Corps is moving away from Pmags; apparently the polymer expands over time and creates feeding issues.

That's third hand info, take it as you will.
 
#8 ·
I bought 3 of those at a LGS, and a 40 Gen 3 with cap.

The 30s were 12.95 plus tax, the 40 24.95 plus tax.

I intend to hit the range after work tomorrow, today I came in early and stayed late to compensate, and now my work computer is acting up...sigh.

Geoff
Who knows about the best laid schemes of mice and men...from too much personal experience. :bigidea:
 
#9 ·
Latest update, after due consideration and examination, I bought a Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40mm with the Ballistic Aiming System. i.e. dots on the bottom crosshair. I'm taking some time and mounted the scope today, I'll go to the range tomorrow, depending on weather. The "Generous eyebox was the deciding factor allowing my wife with the stock shortened to use the scope as well. with the P-223 Nikon two piece mount I lost the rear folding sight. We will see about a side saddle and a holo sight.
Geoff
Who notes the scope is on close out at Academy Sports, but is still on the Leupold website. I got it for $163 7 Jun 14 at Academy Sports.
 
#11 ·
I have now been to the range several times. The rifle zeroed and then re-zeroed from the 50 meter bench, working with the bipod. 20 round Magpul required. I am quite pleased, time to hit the rifle range and see what it will do at 200 and find out the next time the 300 will be available.
Geoff
Who will see about a picture.:oops:
 
#13 ·
The SWaMPy Sport 15 now sports a Magpul Grip and a Magpul handguard, which allowed me to mount attachment points for a light and a bipod, the short, plain UTC I also bought the tall one. The short one with a 20 round magazine works best from the 50 meter range.

Geoff
Who is taking a few days off for range work. Foggy this morning and only 74 F here in beautiful St. Augustine.
 
#14 ·
In response to my Wife's questions, the red gizmo is the S&W Factory Chamber unloaded indicator, required of rifles at rest on my clubs range.

The sling is an old Milsurp from the post VN era, black nylon with black plastic buckles.

The rifle is not completely black, the Leupold scope has a gold ring.

The flashlight, a 350 Lumin Gander Mtn, on sale for $29.99 last month is not mounted on the magpul rail segment on the other side of the handguard.

Geoff
Who notes the Rifle was on sale at Shooters of Jacksonville, during the S&W Factory sale for $539.99 !
 
#15 ·
Love my MP-15. Learned to run it a bit wet during break-in. Now it feeds anything with no troubles. I use WD40 Specialist on it with no troubles.
I realize the thread is from earlier in the year, just my humble 2 cents and change...
RF
 
#17 · (Edited)
Aimpoint is the red dot to beat in my opinion. Anything from the CompM2 to the newer ones will be downright acceptable.

On the cheap, the Primary Arms is damn near indestructable and really cheap: https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Micro_Dot_With_Fixed_Base_p/md-fbgii.htm
I have personally witnessed a guy throw one several times onto blacktop and then turn it back on and it worked.

For scopes, on the low end there is the Primary Arms which are highly regarded: https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_1_6X_Scope_with_Patented_ACSS_Reticle_p/paps1-6x.htm

Medium price, Leupold VX-R Patrol: VX

High end, Trijicon VCOG: https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product1.php?id=VCOG

The absolute best magazine I've seen for the AR is the Lancer L5 AWM; it's significantly better than the PMAG, and the PMAG is a downright decent magazine. But the Lancer is the same price and a much better magazine, so you won't see me buying PMAG's when the Lancer is the same price. The Lancer has steel reinforced feed lips, is translucent so you can see how many rounds are left, and a rubber bumper on the bottom to cushion falls when dropped.

ETA - As for lubricant, CLP really is hard to beat and it's pretty good in most weather conditions until you get down to around zero degrees. Then military LSA or just plain Automatic Transmission Fluid is the best bet. Be generous with lubrication on the bottom rails of the bolt carrier and she'll run like a Singer sewing machine.
 
#18 ·
Good info Kevin, I'm seriously looking at Primary Microdot for mine....cheap and tough, good combo. Thanks
 
#20 ·
#22 ·
I'm amazed at how well the Bushnell did...but perhaps I shouldn't be. Bushnell is big and they can use their purchasing power to buy a good quality optic at a very competitive price. Regardless, Bushnell took a beating on their reputation in the '80's & '90's by importing really horrible scopes. But they clawed their way back with the 3200 & 4200 line of scopes which are both outstanding scopes for an outstanding price. The nice thing is, an AR doesn't develop any real recoil, so it's really easy on scopes. Unless you routinely do face plants on hard surfaces, one of the less expensive red dots will do just fine.
 
#21 ·
Thanks Geoff, I enjoyed reading those comparisons and it backed up my decision to go with the Primary Arms MD sight. Lot's of good info there but they are "out of stock" at their web site for the $49 price...so I'll wait.....................
 
#23 ·
My "SightMark" didn't fair to well..but then, it was $30 used...No problems with it but always looking to improve. Thanks Geoff!
 
#24 ·
Just got back from the "range" as I call it ( National forest ) and was pleased with my "cheap "Sightmark" red dot. Pulled off a 6-8 inch group of 20 @ 50 yards with it...
(measured off 147 feet because 150 would put me off a cliff) So fairly decent I think..
"For a one-eyed fat-man" Rooster Cogburn...
 
#28 ·
Since this thread has been revived, I'd like to bring up an option that I'm surprised many AR owners don't seem to take advantage of: the ability to swap uppers. In other words, when hankerin' for a new AR, why don't folks consider the possibility of buying just the upper, then placing it on a lower they already own.

Case in point: I have a couple of Aero Precision lowers that I built up myself. One has a Geissele target trigger, one is pretty much mil spec. The mil spec rifle usually wears a pretty standard mid-length flat top upper, while the other has a Rock River upper with a 24" fast-twist stainless target barrel.

When I wanted to explore the .300 AAC Blackout, I simply bought a new upper, and can pop it on either of the lowers. The swap takes less than a minute.

So, why don't more people seem to take advantage of this mix-n-match capability?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top