what are my AR options in .22LR?

Mr. Friendly

Mr. Friendly

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I want a rifle that's .22LR out of box.

I like the idea of the Smith & Wesson, as like the Browning 1911-22, it is 'shrunk' a bit. but what else are my .22LR AR options?
 
Mr. Friendly said:
I want a rifle that's .22LR out of box.

I like the idea of the Smith & Wesson, as like the Browning 1911-22, it is 'shrunk' a bit. but what else are my .22LR AR options?
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If you are referring to the M&P 15-22, it is not " shrunk" down at all, it is a full size replica of an AR, and is a hell of a good rifle, I love mine, eats anything and is very accurate
 
Another option is the Armi Jaeger AP74... None are available new though, you would need to look at the resale market. It's a restricted rifle, on account of being deemed an AR-15 variant by the powers that be. Neat little rifle that has about the same heft as the real thing. Actually, according to what I read, some armies were using AP74s as training rifles.
 
edgy said:
If you are referring to the M&P 15-22, it is not " shrunk" down at all, it is a full size replica of an AR, and is a hell of a good rifle, I love mine, eats anything and is very accurate
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hmmm...I thought there was a .22LR AR variant that was smaller and there was an uproar when it was classified as restricted as an AR, despite the inability to mod/tweak it in any way. was classified as an AR, because it was still a miniaturized AR and came apart/serviced the exact same way as it's larger stock brethen.
 
Mr. Friendly said:
hmmm...I thought there was a .22LR AR variant that was smaller and there was an uproar when it was classified as restricted as an AR, despite the inability to mod/tweak it in any way. was classified as an AR, because it was still a miniaturized AR and came apart/serviced the exact same way as it's larger stock brethen.
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The 15-22 is restricted because it is exactly the same takedown/ controls as a real AR, it can be upgraded with some AR parts, drop in AR trigger groups for example, don't think I have ever heard of a " shrunk" AR personally, although it wouldn't surprise me if one existed, but the 15-22 is a full size rifle. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for as close to a real AR as you can get in a .22, great training tool
 
CMMG makes .22 uppers. The magazines for these do not have a legal capacity limit.
 
I bought a 15-22 a few weeks ago and I'm already wondering where it's been all my life, If you want a .22 that functions like an AR and doesn't just look like one, it is fact is the one to get.
 
Mr. Friendly said:
hmmm...I thought there was a .22LR AR variant that was smaller and there was an uproar when it was classified as restricted as an AR, despite the inability to mod/tweak it in any way. was classified as an AR, because it was still a miniaturized AR and came apart/serviced the exact same way as it's larger stock brethen.
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The 15-22 upper and lower are not compatible with other AR uppers/lowers. The pins are in the wrong places I think. Which is usually how an AR variant is classified, which gave more evidence that classification is based on looks and not on being a "variant" which is not defined anywhere.

https://youtu.be/v2H3yYSP5KE?t=12
 
I run a race 10/22 for steel challenge normally.
Last month I tested out someones stock SW MP15-22 and ran it in 74.73 seconds. So a big stamp of approval there.
Also, it ran 100% perfect for 2 shooters. And the owner says he has yet to see it jam. Which again is another big stamp because 22's tend to be a bit finicky.
 
You could always buy a Maccabee or ATRS Modern Sporter then buy the JP Enterprises dedicated .22lr barrel with BCG. It is a dedicated rimfire barrel, not a conversion so barrel length doesn’t apply, just 26” OAL. One of the employees at CSC did this with his Maccabee. He says Black Dog Machine magazines work well.

https://www.jprifles.com/buy.php?item=JPSM22-18L16
 
Dexter Morgan said:
Just get a CMMG conversion bolt for any regular AR-15.

They work better than fine.
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There must have been something wrong with the one I had a few years ago. Mine only worked well when it was clean, once it had a hundred rounds of fouling it turned into a jam-o-matic. I sold it and bought the dedicated upper and it has been great.
 
The downside of the conversion bolt compared to a dedicated upper is that rifling twist rates common with 5.56 may be too fast for .22 rimfire, with poor accuracy and/or lead fouling.
 
I use a conversion bolt and 25-32 round mags in whatever AR I feel like shooting that day. Shooting a budget 10rnd limited 15-22 while leaving a custom go-fast AR sitting in the safe didn't make sense in my particular case.

I would agree there is an accuracy loss but shooting Steel or practicing CQB type shooting at distances under 30m makes it a non issue.


Plus instead of owning 1 .22 AR rifle I own as many .22 rifles as I own AR rifles at any particular time, and all of the different barrel lengths, optics and other gadgets they may be sporting.
 
smally21 said:
I use a conversion bolt and 25-32 round mags in whatever AR I feel like shooting that day. Shooting a budget 10rnd limited 15-22 while leaving a custom go-fast AR sitting in the safe didn't make sense in my particular case.

I would agree there is an accuracy loss but shooting Steel or practicing CQB type shooting at distances under 30m makes it a non issue.


Plus instead of owning 1 .22 AR rifle I own as many .22 rifles as I own AR rifles at any particular time, and all of the different barrel lengths, optics and other gadgets they may be sporting.
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I've never understood how it's legal to run more than 10 rounds in a conversion kit or dedicated upper but it's illegal to have magazines over 10 rounds for the 15-22.
I have a couple mags for my dedicated upper that hold 25 or 30 (can't remember) and I'm not complaining or saying I think they should be limited but I just don't get how one restricted 22LR semi auto is legal to use them at full capacity while another can't. I know the law let's non restricted rimfire rifles (except the 10-22 stupidity) run any magazine capacity but figured it would be different for all restricted rimfire, not just a couple.

I still think the dedicated upper is the best way to go, mostly because my old conversion bolt wasn't very reliable and my 22 upper is quite accurate and never jams.
I hardly ever use the 22LR upper anymore though, I picked up a 9mm AR a couple years ago and it's so much fun and since I reload 9mm it's very cheap to shoot.

To each their own though, more than one way to skin a cat and whatever gets someone out shooting more will improve their abilities so there really isn't a wrong way to go.
 
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