| Smith & Wesson M&P15 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Semi-automatic rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Eugene Stoner |
| Designed | 1957 |
| Manufacturer | Smith & Wesson |
| Unit cost | $1,169-2,244 (MSRP)[1] |
| Produced | 2006-present |
| Variants | Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 |
| Specifications | |
| Cartridge | 5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Remington |
| Action | Direct impingement |
| Feed system | 10 or 30-round detachable box magazine[2] |
The Smith & Wesson M&P15 is Smith & Wesson's version of the AR-15 rifle with which Smith & Wesson reentered the rifle market in January 2006.
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Smith & Wesson is a gun manufacturer and long time supplier of law enforcement and personal-defense firearms. The "M&P" stands for "Military & Police," and it puts this line of 5.56mm (.223 Remington) 16-inch semi-automatic carbines in the forefront of Smith & Wesson's continuing century-plus tradition of duty-oriented M&P firearms that date back to the world's first .38 Special revolver in 1899 the S&W .38 Hand Ejector Military & Police.
The M&P15 series of rifles are based on the AR-15 platform.
Unveiled at SHOT Show 2006, the rifle debuted in two varieties; the M&P15 and the M&P15T. Both are basically the same rifle, chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, with the T model featuring folding sights and a four-sided accessories rail. At its debut, the M&P15's suggested retail price was $1,200, while the M&P15T retailed for $1,700. Their current line consists of twenty-four models, ranging in price from $739 to $1,989. These rifles were first produced by Stag Arms, but marketed under the Smith & Wesson name.[3] Currently Smith & Wesson makes the lower receiver in house while the barrel is supplied by Thompson/Center, a S&W company.
In May 2008, Smith and Wesson introduced their first AR-variant rifle in a caliber other than 5.56x45mm NATO. The M&P15R is a standard AR platform rifle chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge.[4] In 2009, they released the M&P15-22, chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.[5]