Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 Performance Center Sport – Go-to rifle

The M&P 15-22 rifle from Smith & Wesson is quite possibly a future classic in its base format, but the Performance Center (American spelling) shows a bit of extra exclusivity atop what is already a totally functional and reliable design.

First look

The Performance Center shows a ½”x28 capped thread at the muzzle of the 15mm diameter, 18” long barrel. The blacked barrel has flutes for weight saving and it sits in a polymer spacer positioned at the tip of the 10”, cylindrical forend/handguard. This is littered with M-LOK slots and a 50mm piece of Picatinny rail is supplied with the rifle for use with a bipod. The handguard has a Picatinny rail along its upper side and it meets the front of the AR-15-styled receiver. Two pins hold the upper and lower together and these can be slid out to either hinge open or fully part the rifle’s sections, for either routine cleaning or major maintenance, just like a regular AR. A 10-round magazine is supplied, yet there are a whole host of aftermarket magazines available with greater capacities (25 and 30-shot). In use, the first nine rounds loaded easily but the tenth was a tight squeeze. The mags are open-sided so you can easily see the remaining rounds, and the red follower can be drawn down by the pegs on its sides for easy loading.

All the action controls are characteristic AR, with a push button magazine release on the right of the receiver and the bolt release catch on the left side. The trigger is a 2-stage, non-adjustable unit that’s surprisingly predictable, breaking at 1500-grams (53oz). Its ergonomically characteristic position is just 64mm from the throat of the grip, but this is the way ARs are. Speaking of which, the stippled Hogue rubber grip is tactile and secure in the hand yet can still be swapped out for a compatible design if you like.

There is a lockable T-Handle at the back that allows you to cock the action, so simply pull back and let go to load. In use, the magazine will hold the bolt open after the last round is fired. The shooter can then swap the mag and either snatch at the bolt handle or press the side release lever to close the action and carry on. The final immediate control is the 90º thumb safety catch on the action’s left side - vertical for FIRE and horizontal for SAFE.

Furniture

The VLTOR stock is attached to a buffer tube and there is a release catch underneath that allows the length of pull to be adjusted through six positions spanning 10.25” to 13.75”. The lock-up is reasonable, and because everything is polymer, there is no annoying metallic battle rattle. The cheekpiece has a tube on either side for additional storage, which is not something I see very often, and a bore pull-through would easily fit inside. Both tubes have latched covers at the front, and they make the cheekpiece somewhat triangular in profile. The butt pad is rubber and grippy, but there is no recoil to absorb or cushion. There are also QD stud anchor points on either side for a sling system.

Sights

A set of superb Magpul MBUS front and rear folding sights are supplied, and regardless of cost, these are wonderful units. They slot on the Picatinny rail with a through bolt to fix the position, and with sprung latches, fold flat or pop up with no loss of zero. You will likely need to remove the rear if using a scope. The front post is vertically adjustable to control elevation and a small tool is supplied to accurately screw it up and down for precise control. The rear has a ghost ring aperture and is windage adjustable with fingertips. In fairness, if it wasn’t for shooting groups to please the review readers, I would have spent a lot more time using them on steel gongs, as they are a lot of fun.

Testing

I ran the rifle with a moderator and subsonic ammunition, which I feel is a hard but fair reliability test. Moderators generally maintain barrel pressure a little longer on gas-operated rifles, but in the recoil-operated .22LR blowback action, it’s perhaps less important. However, there is no reason not to leave that pressure in the barrel system a little longer to maximise any and every rearward force on the cartridge case pushing the bolt rearwards. Similarly, the longer 18” barrel generates a bit more oomph.

The polymer upper, lower, and handguard absorbs and dampens noise effectively, which is very pleasing. I used SK Standard plus ammo, which uses an oily rather than waxy lubricant, as I have learnt in the past that this works well in semi-autos, and as long as you keep the dust down, you will get fewer stoppages, as it also burns cleanly without excessive powder residue to gum up and clog the receiver’s bearing surfaces. I put 500 rounds through this brand-new gun and didn’t suffer a single stoppage, plus it offered acceptable performance on target.

Cleaning requires that the rear hinge pin be pushed through the receiver from left to right. It remains captive so it can’t be lost, and you can then open the gun on the front pin’s pivot. This gives access for bolt removal and to the trigger system for easy cleaning. I usually find that the bolt face is the first place to start because that’s where most of the debris accumulates and starts to pack tight, preventing the bolt from closing properly.

Range time

I did the accuracy and precision testing on paper targets at 50m, with my best group being a 20mm 9-shot cluster. Sadly, this was spoilt by a single flyer, expanding the group to 47mm. I did suffer the ‘single flyer’ issue a few times, which seemingly coincided with the first round out of the gun. This is obviously the last round loaded in the magazine, which always required a very firm press to seat it.

I soon switched to plinking with the ‘irons’, and at 100m on a 250mm steel gong, I had incredible fun without missing. Overall, this was challenging yet not frustrating, and each hit creates a pleasing ‘ting’!

The 18” barrel seems optimum for velocity and energy, generating 1024 fps | 93 ft-lbs, meaning it will easily handle pest control duties. The long Picatinny rail offers masses of optical mounting space, and although I used a 1-8x24 scope, I’m very tempted to run some night vision on it as the nights draw in. When shooting unsupported, kneeling, or even prone with elbows and no bipod, I found that the longer, heavier barrel (which moves the point of balance forward), aids stability and fractionally reduces any recoil vibration through the gun for even faster follow-up shots. The longer tube also seems optimum for speed and reliability on this semi-auto 22, as the shorter, slimmer 16.5” barrels do sometimes feel just too light, on what is already a light polymer rifle.

Conclusion

A simple and effective go-to rifle for anyone wanting AR-15 ergonomics and reliable performance without boutique prices. The added weight aids a more realistic handling feel, and the trigger offers better shot control from a barrel that will stack the rounds tightly on paper with the correct optics and ammo. I would accept the magazine is more reliable with 9 rounds, and the 25/30 round mags will give you masses of fast-fire fun. At the current time, this rifle is excellent value for money, and due to the quiet operating action, excellent reliability, and threaded barrel for a sound moderator, it’s quite a tempting pest control tool, where fast shooting is required. S&W advertise a “match-grade precision barrel, chamber, and trigger”, which in fairness, is a non-committal, vague detail generalisation, but I have to say the gun seems well worth the money, and I will be slightly sad to see it go.