I have been searching for a M&P22 pistol for a while now. After 2 of my favorite dealers could not locate one, I was contacted on another board by a member that had 2, and was looking to sell a new one in the box.
So I said yes, and bought it.
A little about the pistol. It is made by Walther, the same company that brought us the craptastic P22. Before any P22 owners get their nickers in a knot, yes I have owned one. It never worked right. However, this is were the similarity with the P22 ends. It's a 1 to 1 in size, and only 1/2 pound lighter loaded, than a loaded centerfire M&P. The frame is heavier, due to the barrel block and what feels like some weight in the backstrap. The backstraps are not interchangeable, like the centerfire M&P's. The slide is machined Aluminium, not the pot metal type that the P22 is. I would suspect that it will be more robust that the P22's slide. The trigger is hinged, like the centerfire M&P's. It has ambidextrous slide locks and safeties. It also has a magazine disconnect safety.
It comes with adjustable sights, both the front and rear are drift adjustable, the rear has elevation. For drift, they have set screws and are easy to move. The rear's elevation is done via a slotted screw.
The barrel is like the Walther P22, with a barrelnut that holds it in the barrel block. The 1/2x28 thread adapters for the P22 works on the M&P22. I bought the Gemtech one. Here it is, taken out of the barrelblock-
As mentioned before, the slide is machined Aluminium, nearly identical to the stainless steel ones.-
The M&P22 is hammer fired, not striker like it's big brothers. The hammer is internal-
Beside a centerfire M&P-
I had planned to head to my outdoor club today, but we have had thunderstorms and high winds, so I headed to a indoor range. I took the M&P22 and 4 brands of ammo.
1. 40gr Federal Auto Match
2. 36gr CCI Mini Mags
3. 36gr Federal Value Packs
4. 36gr Remington Golden Bullet
I placed a target in the target stand, with 4 Birchwwood Casey Shoot-n-C's on it, and numbered them, 1-4. I placed the target at 30 feet. The course of fire was slow, fast, and as rapid as the range allows.
I had to drift the rear over to the right a tad, as it was shooting left. I fired 400 rounds, 50 first at a seperate target, then 350 rounds at the ammo test target, with zero malfunctions. A elderly shooter inquired about it and I let him run several mags through it, he too, was impressed with it. The trigger took a while to get used to. After shooting M&P's with Apex parts in it, the trigger is a tad gritty, but I think it will wear in nicely with more shooting.
After that, I procceded to shoot a bit more, Then the lights went out. Literally
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area, with high winds and a couple of funnel coulds. The power winked a couple of times and then went out.
I had hoped to shoot at least 500 rounds or more. But Mother Nature did not comply with that wish.
So far, I have been very happy with the little M&P22. It has, in informal tests out back and now at the range, has had 500 rounds run thorugh it, without a malfunction, something my old P22 never even got remotely close to in 1000 rounds before I sold it.
So I said yes, and bought it.
A little about the pistol. It is made by Walther, the same company that brought us the craptastic P22. Before any P22 owners get their nickers in a knot, yes I have owned one. It never worked right. However, this is were the similarity with the P22 ends. It's a 1 to 1 in size, and only 1/2 pound lighter loaded, than a loaded centerfire M&P. The frame is heavier, due to the barrel block and what feels like some weight in the backstrap. The backstraps are not interchangeable, like the centerfire M&P's. The slide is machined Aluminium, not the pot metal type that the P22 is. I would suspect that it will be more robust that the P22's slide. The trigger is hinged, like the centerfire M&P's. It has ambidextrous slide locks and safeties. It also has a magazine disconnect safety.
It comes with adjustable sights, both the front and rear are drift adjustable, the rear has elevation. For drift, they have set screws and are easy to move. The rear's elevation is done via a slotted screw.
The barrel is like the Walther P22, with a barrelnut that holds it in the barrel block. The 1/2x28 thread adapters for the P22 works on the M&P22. I bought the Gemtech one. Here it is, taken out of the barrelblock-
As mentioned before, the slide is machined Aluminium, nearly identical to the stainless steel ones.-
The M&P22 is hammer fired, not striker like it's big brothers. The hammer is internal-
Beside a centerfire M&P-
I had planned to head to my outdoor club today, but we have had thunderstorms and high winds, so I headed to a indoor range. I took the M&P22 and 4 brands of ammo.
1. 40gr Federal Auto Match
2. 36gr CCI Mini Mags
3. 36gr Federal Value Packs
4. 36gr Remington Golden Bullet
I placed a target in the target stand, with 4 Birchwwood Casey Shoot-n-C's on it, and numbered them, 1-4. I placed the target at 30 feet. The course of fire was slow, fast, and as rapid as the range allows.
I had to drift the rear over to the right a tad, as it was shooting left. I fired 400 rounds, 50 first at a seperate target, then 350 rounds at the ammo test target, with zero malfunctions. A elderly shooter inquired about it and I let him run several mags through it, he too, was impressed with it. The trigger took a while to get used to. After shooting M&P's with Apex parts in it, the trigger is a tad gritty, but I think it will wear in nicely with more shooting.
After that, I procceded to shoot a bit more, Then the lights went out. Literally
A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area, with high winds and a couple of funnel coulds. The power winked a couple of times and then went out.
I had hoped to shoot at least 500 rounds or more. But Mother Nature did not comply with that wish.
So far, I have been very happy with the little M&P22. It has, in informal tests out back and now at the range, has had 500 rounds run thorugh it, without a malfunction, something my old P22 never even got remotely close to in 1000 rounds before I sold it.
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Original thread here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/190378-m_and_p22_review_and_range_test.html
Original thread here: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/190378-m_and_p22_review_and_range_test.html
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