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==History==
==History==
Smith & Wesson is a gun manufacturer. The "M&P" stands for "Military & Police." The name goes back to 1899 when the U.S. Army and Navy placed orders for thousands of Smith & Wesson Model 1899 Hand Ejector revolvers chambered for the [[.38 Long Colt]] cartridge. With that government order, the revolver became known as the Smith & Wesson [[Smith & Wesson Model 10|.38 Military & Police]].{{cn|date=March 2017}}
Smith & Wesson is a gun manufacturer. The "M&P" stands for "Military & Police." The name goes back to 1899 when the U.S. Army and Navy placed orders for thousands of Smith & Wesson Model 1899 Hand Ejector revolvers chambered for the [[.38 Long Colt]] cartridge. With that government order, the revolver became known as the Smith & Wesson [[Smith & Wesson Model 10|.38 Military & Police]].{{cn|date=March 2017}}

With the February, 2006 first shipment of the M&P15 tacticle rifles, Smith & Wesson president and CEO Michael F. Golden said in a press release covered in ''The Shooting Industry'' magazine:

<blockquote>We are entering the $1 billion market for long guns...We believe the features of these tactical rifles make them strong contenders in the military and law enforcement markets. We also believe that our M&P rifle series fills a tremendous gap in the marketplace by delivering high-quality, feature-rich tactical rifles that will be readily available in commercial channels.<ref>{{cite news |title=Smith & Wesson Enters Long-Gun Market |magazine=The Shooting Industry |location=[[San Diego, California]] |date=February 2006 |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smith--wesson-enters-long-gun-market-with-mp15-rifles-53595312.html}}</ref></blockquote>


The M&P15 marked the make's return to the rifle market<ref name="ir1"/> in 2006 and was the only rifle platform sold under the Smith and Wesson brand until 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smith & Wesson Investor Presentation, Dec 2012|url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NDg4MTU2fENoaWxkSUQ9NTI0NTU5fFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1|publisher=Smith and Wesson|accessdate=February 2, 2017|ref=SWI12|page=21}}</ref> Smith & Wesson's total rifle production was 4,600 in 2006, 38,000 in 2008, 100,000 in 2010, 302,000 in 2012, and 350,000 in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2006|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=12|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2006-firearms-manufacturers-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2008|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=13|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2008-firearms-manufacturers-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2010|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=19|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2010-final-firearms-manufacturing-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2012|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=19|url=https://data.atf.gov/Manufacturing-and-Export/Annual-Firearms-Manufacturing-and-Export-Report-20/dydm-cswg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2013|url=https://data.atf.gov/Manufacturing-and-Export/Annual-Firearms-Manufacturing-and-Export-Report-20/6ddr-njxx|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=34|}}</ref>
The M&P15 marked the make's return to the rifle market<ref name="ir1"/> in 2006 and was the only rifle platform sold under the Smith and Wesson brand until 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smith & Wesson Investor Presentation, Dec 2012|url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NDg4MTU2fENoaWxkSUQ9NTI0NTU5fFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1|publisher=Smith and Wesson|accessdate=February 2, 2017|ref=SWI12|page=21}}</ref> Smith & Wesson's total rifle production was 4,600 in 2006, 38,000 in 2008, 100,000 in 2010, 302,000 in 2012, and 350,000 in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2006|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=12|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2006-firearms-manufacturers-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2008|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=13|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2008-firearms-manufacturers-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2010|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=19|url=https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/2010-final-firearms-manufacturing-export-reportpdf/download}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2012|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=19|url=https://data.atf.gov/Manufacturing-and-Export/Annual-Firearms-Manufacturing-and-Export-Report-20/dydm-cswg}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2013|url=https://data.atf.gov/Manufacturing-and-Export/Annual-Firearms-Manufacturing-and-Export-Report-20/6ddr-njxx|publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)|page=34|}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:16, 17 March 2017

Smith & Wesson M&P15
M&P15 PS piston AR with standard A2 grip, DPMS stock, added Magpul MOE hand guard, and PRI flip up sights
TypeSemi-automatic rifle
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerEugene Stoner
Designed1957
ManufacturerSmith & Wesson
Produced2006–present
VariantsSmith & Wesson M&P15-22
Specifications (M&P15)
Mass3.06 kg (6.74 lb)
Length813 mm (32 in) (collapsed)
889 mm (35 in) (extended)
Barrel length406 mm (16 in)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO/.223 Remington
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fireSemi-automatic
Feed system10- or 30-round detachable box magazine[1]
SightsFront Sight: Adjustable Post, Rear Sight: Adjustable Dual Aperture

The Smith & Wesson M&P15 is Smith & Wesson's version of the AR-15, semi-automatic rifle. It was introduced in 2006.

History

Smith & Wesson is a gun manufacturer. The "M&P" stands for "Military & Police." The name goes back to 1899 when the U.S. Army and Navy placed orders for thousands of Smith & Wesson Model 1899 Hand Ejector revolvers chambered for the .38 Long Colt cartridge. With that government order, the revolver became known as the Smith & Wesson .38 Military & Police.[citation needed]

With the February, 2006 first shipment of the M&P15 tacticle rifles, Smith & Wesson president and CEO Michael F. Golden said in a press release covered in The Shooting Industry magazine:

We are entering the $1 billion market for long guns...We believe the features of these tactical rifles make them strong contenders in the military and law enforcement markets. We also believe that our M&P rifle series fills a tremendous gap in the marketplace by delivering high-quality, feature-rich tactical rifles that will be readily available in commercial channels.[2]

The M&P15 marked the make's return to the rifle market[3] in 2006 and was the only rifle platform sold under the Smith and Wesson brand until 2013.[4] Smith & Wesson's total rifle production was 4,600 in 2006, 38,000 in 2008, 100,000 in 2010, 302,000 in 2012, and 350,000 in 2013.[5][6][7][8][9]

Design

The M&P product line was designed for military, police, and consumer markets, according to Smith & Wesson CEO Mike Golden in a 2008 earnings conference call with investors.[10][11]

The M&P15 series of rifles is based on the AR-15. Smith & Wesson now offers the M&P15 semi-automatic rifles in a variety of configurations tailored to specific shooting applications and styles. Each model is chambered in 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington, with variants in .22 Long Rifle and 5.45×39mm. They come with either a melonite lined or chrome-lined 4140 steel barrel, and 7075 T6 aluminum receiver with a hard-coat black anodized finish.[citation needed]

The rifle comes with a fixed adjustable M16A2-style post front iron sight and a detachable BUIS (Back-Up Iron Sight) adjustable Double Aperture rear iron sight accessory that mounts on the Picatinny rail along the upper receiver. The pistol grip is the M16A2-style with finger rest ridge. The forend has a four-direction Picatinny rail mount (i.e., with rails along the top, bottom, and sides); some have a rounded forend with no attachment rails. The rifle has a CAR-15-style six-position collapsible stock.[12]

Variants

direct impingement
short-stroke gas piston

Unveiled at the 2006 SHOT Show, the rifle debuted in two varieties: the M&P15 and the M&P15T. Both are basically the same rifle, chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, with the T model featuring folding sights and a four-sided accessories rail fore end. Both have standard AR direct impingement gas system actions. Some of the less expensive rifles get their affordability by omitting some costly conveniences of the other near mil-spec rifles, such as the dust cover or forward assist. These rifles were initially produced for S&W by Stag Arms, but marked and marketed under the Smith & Wesson name.[3] Currently, Smith & Wesson makes the lower receiver in-house, while the barrel is supplied by Thompson/Center Arms, a S&W company acquired in 2007.

In May 2008, Smith & Wesson introduced their first AR-15 rifle in a caliber other than 5.56×45mm NATO. The M&P15R is a standard AR platform rifle chambered for the Russian 5.45×39mm cartridge.[13] It had a 1-in-8" [1:203mm] barrel twist. This model was soon abandoned due to poor sales. Cheaper surplus Communist Bloc AK-series weapons were already available and few shooters wanted an expensive AR-15 clone in a non-standard caliber that needed special magazines.[citation needed]

In 2009,[14] S&W released the M&P15-22, chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.[15] It had a 1-in-15" [1:381mm] barrel twist, a 10- or 25-round box magazine, and weighs 5.5 lbs empty.[citation needed]

The Standard model has an adjustable CAR-15 stock and comes with full-capacity 25-round magazines. The Compliant model (designed for the California market) has a CAR-15 stock fixed in the open position (with an overall length of 33.75 inches) and comes with 10-round magazines.[16]

The Performance Center target shooting version has an 18-inch bull barrel threaded to take any AR-15/M16-style compensator, a 10-round magazine, Hogue pistol grip, and a Vltor adjustable stock; the compliant Fixed Stock version lacks the threading on the barrel and has a Vltor stock fixed in the open position (with an overall length of 35.75-inches).[citation needed]

In January 2009, Smith & Wesson announced their first short-stroke gas piston action rifle, the S&W M&P15 PS and PSX (piston AR-15).[17]

In 2011, the S&W M&P15 Sport and S&W M&P15 Whisper were released.[14] The Smith & Wesson M&P10, a version of the AR-10, was introduced in 2013.[18]

Official users

References

  1. ^ "Product listing". Smith & Wesson. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Smith & Wesson Enters Long-Gun Market". The Shooting Industry. San Diego, California. February 2006.
  3. ^ a b "S&W press release on new M&P15 Rifles". Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. January 18, 2006. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Smith & Wesson Investor Presentation, Dec 2012". Smith and Wesson. p. 21. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  5. ^ "Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2006". Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). p. 12.
  6. ^ "Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2008". Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). p. 13.
  7. ^ "Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2010". Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). p. 19.
  8. ^ "Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2012". Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). p. 19.
  9. ^ "Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report: 2013". Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). p. 34. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  10. ^ Parks, Brad (July 29, 2012). "America's rifle". New York Post. Retrieved March 12, 2017. "The entire M&P product line has been a tremendous success," Smith & Wesson CEO Mike Golden told shareholders during a conference call in 2008. "These products were designed to cross multiple markets including military, law enforcement and consumer, and they're hitting — they're hitting their mark in a big way."
  11. ^ "Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation F4Q08 (Qtr End 04/30/08) Earnings Call Transcript". SeekingAlpha. June 13, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2017. The entire M&P product line has been a tremendous success. These products were designed to cross multiple markets including military, law enforcement, and consumer, and they are hitting their mark in a big way.
  12. ^ "https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/mp-15-sport-ii". Smith & Wesson. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  13. ^ "Smith and Wesson M&P15R: New AR15 Platform Rifle and Uppers in 5.45×39".
  14. ^ a b "Smith & Wesson Investor Presentation, Dec 2012". Smith and Wesson. p. 21. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  15. ^ Rackley, Paul. An AR Plinking Good Time, American Rifleman
  16. ^ . Smith & Wesson https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/mp-15t-10-round-fixed-magazine-bullet-button. Retrieved 16 March 2017. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ^ "S&W M&P15 PS and PSX (piston AR-15)". TheFirearmBlog.com. January 23, 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Introducing the Smith & Wesson M&P10 in .308 Win". Guns and Ammo Magazine. January 17, 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  19. ^ "Smith & Wesson M&15 Rifle". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  20. ^ "Smith & Wesson Supplies M&P Rifles to Maricopa County Sheriff's Office". Outdoorhub.com. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  21. ^ "S&W Delivers New Sidearms to West Virginia State Police and Wyoming Highway Patrol". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
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