M&P 15 any good? Was thinking of a windham but this is less

Dooran

Dooran

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I was about to buy a Windham but I was shown and M&P 15 and told it was similar quality for $345 less, no dust cover and no forward assist but is it as good and easy to modify as the windham?

Thanks!!!
 
I have no direct comparison info between the S&W and the Windham. I'd have no hesitation buying an S&W M&P15. Miculek uses one, and he's a rock star. :D

Dust cover and forward assist are not needed for range toys, which is exactly why the M&P15 does not have either.

It will be as standard (easy to modify) as every other reasonable-quality AR out there.
 
S&W was founded in 1852, so they know a thing or two about making firearms ;)

however instead of find the lowest price AR and than spend extra money to upgrade, why not just spend the extra money buy something that already have what you like?
 
hbean said:
however instead of find the lowest price AR and than spend extra money to upgrade, why not just spend the extra money buy something that already have what you like?
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For a first AR, most of us really have no idea what features we'll ultimately want.

Unless the buyer is very sure about what they want, I always recommend cheap and cheerful and easily re-sellable for someone's first firearm of any particular type.
 
Dooran said:
I was about to buy a Windham but I was shown and M&P 15 and told it was similar quality for $345 less, no dust cover and no forward assist but is it as good and easy to modify as the windham?

Thanks!!!
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Looking at the price difference you quote and the comment of "no dust cover and no forward assist" I'm guessing the M&P 15 you are looking at also doesn't have a muzzle device and isn't threaded for one. If you want to put a brake or a comp or a flash hider on your AR, you might be better off with the Windham. A good buddy of mine has the M&P15 Sport and it is a solid shooter...without a muzzle device, it is a little louder and flashier at the business end.
 
My wife bought a S&W MP AR 15 'Sport' and I'd like to have one of my own., The money saved will be plowed into a good red dot.

If you need a FA and tacticool muzzle break, go for it! The factory flash hider seems to be adequate. I like the basic M4 carbine configuration. The hand ripping rails just look bad azz if you don't need them.

Last time she was shooting it, a pal was there with his Christenson with a LOT of bells, gongs and whistles. Weighs a ton and it's 2-stage trigger pull was NOT as clean as that on my wife's S&W.
 
Looks like the M&P AR Sporter comes with a melenite barrel. Nice touch. I do like having a dust cover though. Overall, looks like a good buy.
 
the Windham has a transferrable lifetime warranty. To me that's pretty damn good.

and, resale will be lower with the Smith as well, so its a wash if you buy either, you sell for the appropriate price as well. I looked at the S&W Sport as well, but I personally didn't like it as much.

All that said, that's quite a bit cheaper, and that's something.
 
alpining said:
I have no direct comparison info between the S&W and the Windham. I'd have no hesitation buying an S&W M&P15. Miculek uses one, and he's a rock star. :D

Dust cover and forward assist are not needed for range toys, which is exactly why the M&P15 does not have either.

It will be as standard (easy to modify) as every other reasonable-quality AR out there.
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The M&P15 sport is the only one without dust cover and has different barrel coating and no F/A. The regular M&P15's are milspec and have everything.

All I can say is I love mine and have not had a single issue. Everything is well built. The staking on the gas key is flawless. And the bolt is magnetically particle tested or whatever. not sure what else you could ask for.
 
The ubiquitous AR platform comes in so many different configurations, colours, options and brand names as to be an over kill.

I outfitted my wife's S&W 'Sport' with an ambi-safety, mag release and charging handle for less than the cost of a higher model without those features.

Find one you like within your price range that has the options you need/want and take it from there. Might be quicker and easier to describe the 'bad' AR 15's as opposed to lauding the favourites.
 
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Any reason to believe that S&W or any of the other quality makers do less in the way of quality control? I'm always surprised at the small size of some AR 15 manufacturing operations and more surprised to read that the receivers are made by mainly by four producers - for ALL makes.

After that, it's a lot of 'snake oil' and advertising hyperbole, something the Americans excel at.

Green Skull said:

Watch the factory tour if the Windham plant. It might help you out.
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Sharps '63 said:
Any reason to believe that S&W or any of the other quality makers do less in the way of quality control? I'm always surprised at the small size of some AR 15 manufacturing operations and more surprised to read that the receivers are made by mainly by four producers - for ALL makes.

After that, it's a lot of 'snake oil' and advertising hyperbole, something the Americans excel at.
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I always like to check out the manufacturer to see what kind of specs and quality audits they go through. Let's see Norinco let camera's into the prison... I mean plant. I think you'd be surprised at how many products in general are made by one company and branded as 10 different.
 
alpining said:
I have no direct comparison info between the S&W and the Windham. I'd have no hesitation buying an S&W M&P15. Miculek uses one, and he's a rock star. :D
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Mind you Miculek has swapped out some parts with other bells and whistles, but that's par for the course with any AR-15.
 
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