S&W 15-22 Issues

Pinecone · Feb 27, 2019

A couple of years ago there were some reports of problems with S&W 15-22s. They were banned from Appleseed events.

I thought that it was strange there was never a response from S&W, even to claims of the rifles being unsafe.

So at the Great American Outdoors Show, I asked the S&W factory people about this issue.

The response I got back was that the rifles in questions (ones with issues) were not stock, and that was all they would say.

Thought I would pass it on.

But it seems plausible, since there were never any reports of law suits over injuries.

winch · Mar 1, 2019

No problems with mine, but I heard the same thing, so I dunno. Prolly innernet BS.

clandestine · Mar 1, 2019

IMO, Appleseed is being unreasonable about this issue.

Out of Battery detonations are quite common on .22 autoloaders for two reasons, 1) lead projectiles shaving materials, and 2) blowback actions not having a "lockup".

Can't count how many rimfires have fired out of battery on me. Usually the extractor gets blown out and the magazine gets damaged. Nothing catastrophic.

If anything a 15-22 is less likely to KB than a 10/22 because that is less aftermarket junk for the 15-22.

clandestine · Mar 1, 2019

Pinecone · Mar 1, 2019

clandestine said:
IMO, Appleseed is being unreasonable about this issue.

Out of Battery detonations are quite common on .22 autoloaders for two reasons, 1) lead projectiles shaving materials, and 2) blowback actions not having a "lockup".

Can't count how many rimfires have fired out of battery on me. Usually the extractor gets blown out and the magazine gets damaged. Nothing catastrophic.

If anything a 15-22 is less likely to KB than a 10/22 because that is less aftermarket junk for the 15-22.

I have never had an OOB detonation on any of my rimfire rifles. And LOTS of rounds.

But I was curious about the Appleseed and lack of response from S&W, so I asked.

And was told that all the ones that had this problem, were NOT stock.

ground chuck · Mar 1, 2019

No issues for me other than jamming. If i get 4 out of 25 in a mag thats a good one.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

CrawfishStu · Mar 4, 2019

Your 15-22 is jamming that badly? What ammo?

bkuether · Mar 4, 2019

CrawfishStu said:
Your 15-22 is jamming that badly? What ammo?

Chuck, contact S&W support. They fixed mine and now it runs like a champ.

I used all the correct ammo, and give them a list of everything I used, and they said "send it in". Came back all working.

ground chuck · Mar 5, 2019

CrawfishStu said:
Your 15-22 is jamming that badly? What ammo?

bkuether said:
Chuck, contact S&W support. They fixed mine and now it runs like a champ.

I used all the correct ammo, and give them a list of everything I used, and they said "send it in". Came back all working.

Err, sorry worded poorly. I usually have up to 4 jams or mis loads per mag.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

CrawfishStu · Mar 5, 2019

If I get one issue per 1k rounds I would be amazed. Something is wrong.

bkuether · Mar 6, 2019

ground chuck said:
Err, sorry worded poorly. I usually have up to 4 jams or mis loads per mag.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Som Ting Wong. Call S&W.

mtbiker · Mar 7, 2019

I had problems with mine until I adjusted the ejector and replaced the extractor. Now, it runs any brand ammo I feed it.

Pinecone · Mar 7, 2019

BTW, the issues that got them banned from Appleseed events were out of battery firings.

With pieces of cases striking and injuring other shooters.

clandestine · Mar 7, 2019

The ban is why my boys have not enrolled in Appleseed. I'm not buying them different rifles to participate.

Their guns have been gone over with a fine tooth comb, they won't fire out of battery with mods I have done, and the ammo I have them shoot.

silver78 · Mar 8, 2019

clandestine said:
The ban is why my boys have not enrolled in Appleseed. I'm not buying them different rifles to participate.

Their guns have been gone over with a fine tooth comb, they won't fire out of battery with mods I have done, and the ammo I have them shoot.

Clandestine - what modifications do you recommend for a 15-22?

clandestine · Mar 8, 2019

silver78 said:
Clandestine - what modifications do you recommend for a 15-22?

At first nothing. I just go over them to rework a few areas to improve reliability. Those same mods will help prevent out of battery and doubling issues. Here are the mods:

Check FCG pin holes and ensure the j spring and the hammer lege properly capture the pins.

Polish the feed ramps

Polish the chamber

Deburr Chamber mouth

Lap the barrel

Adjust the ejector

Contour the extractor

Once they can use iron sights and become comfortable I'll put a Geissele or LaRue MBT in it. They often need some adjustment. It's not safe to just drop in a trigger on these guns.

The pins the above triggers come with are too short for the 16-22 receiver, but you can try the factory FCG pins or pins from a Colt 901 work too (longer).

Pinecone · Mar 8, 2019

clandestine said:
The ban is why my boys have not enrolled in Appleseed. I'm not buying them different rifles to participate.

Their guns have been gone over with a fine tooth comb, they won't fire out of battery with mods I have done, and the ammo I have them shoot.

As I stated, according to the S&W rep I spoke to, the ones that had these issues were NOT STOCK.

S&W contention is, that stock, they are no OOB issues. And this is why they have not made recalls, mandatory or voluntary.

BTW, you and your boys need some 10/22s.

Occam · Mar 8, 2019

So the Appleseed guy acknowledges that the problem was with non-stock rifles, but the ban persists?

engineerbrian · Mar 8, 2019

clandestine said:
At first nothing. I just go over them to rework a few areas to improve reliability. Those same mods will help prevent out of battery and doubling issues. Here are the mods:

Check FCG pin holes and ensure the j spring and the hammer lege properly capture the pins.

Polish the feed ramps

Polish the chamber

Deburr Chamber mouth

Lap the barrel

Adjust the ejector

Contour the extractor

Once they can use iron sights and become comfortable I'll put a Geissele or LaRue MBT in it. They often need some adjustment. It's not safe to just drop in a trigger on these guns.

The pins the above triggers come with are too short for the 16-22 receiver, but you can try the factory FCG pins or pins from a Colt 901 work too (longer).

So whats cost to get this work done excluding the trigger work?

clandestine · Mar 8, 2019

engineerbrian said:
So whats cost to get this work done excluding the trigger work?

I could probably do ok at $100 if I was to offer it.

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