S&w 22 Compact - Back in June, I wrote a post about my search for the perfect compact .22 pistol to pair with the new Silencerco Sparrow Suppressor. Not very happy with any of the current production options, I found the now discontinued and somewhat obscure S&W Model 2213. I've spent some more time with the pistol since writing this post, and it's all...good. Still, the Compact 22 isn't scratching the itch.
Turns out what I was really looking for wasn't officially released for months: the Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact. When I first heard about this pistol, I wasn't too excited. I used a full size M&P 22 that came out a few years ago and was not impressed. The trigger is not very nice and has the "toy-like" feel that I have complained about in other 22 pistol reviews. Not surprisingly, the full-scale M&P production .22 pistol was contracted to Walther, which does not have a great reputation for exceptional durability.
S&w 22 Compact
In contrast, the new M&P 22 Compact is manufactured by Smith & Wesson and has a durable aluminum slide. This caught my attention. If you've watched most of the previous videos on this lounge, you'll have noticed that I'm a big fan of the full-size and compact 9mm M&P pistols, so I'm right at home with the controls and layout. M&P series. I can get used to the compact 22 M&P if it is as good as its center cousins. So let's see what we have...
Lg 459 Laserguard® For Smith & Wesson® M&p®9ez™, M&p®380ez™ & M&p®22 Compact
Like most .22 LR pistols, the M&P 22 Compact fires 10-round magazines, two of which come with the gun. It doesn't have the interchangeable backstraps of other double-barreled centerfire M&P pistols, but that part doesn't really matter on a light-waste bullet.
The sights are of the white-painted three-dot variety, but the rear is fully adjustable for elevation and windage, which is always nice to see on a 22. red fiber optic sight from Dawson Precision. If not, I'll try to use the front spare rail and fit it with one of those little crimson trace Railmaster lasers because... "pew pew" laser beam!
Speaking of "pew pew", the M&P 22 Compact comes from the factory with a screw-down muzzle, capped barrel. If you weren't looking, you could easily miss the fact that Smith & Wesson didn't include a single note in the owner's manual about a threaded barrel or providing the right size wrench to remove the barrel cap. After much cursing and gnashing of teeth, I turned the small wrench on the other screw gun and loosened the cap.
You may have noticed that I didn't include any close-up photos of the barrel lid because it wasn't photogenic after I had to remove it. Then it was replaced with a thread adapter, which is necessary if you want to attach a suppressor or other muzzle device. I ordered from EWK Arms to convert my M&P's 3/8" 24 threads to a standard like 1/2"x28.
Smith & Wesson \
Same form factor as the compact centerfire M&Ps. The original compactors have the same dimensions as the full-size M&P, just with a shorter barrel/slide and a shorter grip. The 22 compact, on the other hand, has the same proportions as the full-size, but is 15% smaller in size. The end result is a pistol that feels much closer in size and feel to the M&P Shield than any other M&P offering. At 15.3 ounces, it's a bit lighter than the Shield's 19 ounces, and I wish it was a few ounces heavier to help keep sights steady for longer shots.
That being said, I like the overall size. It's small enough for people with very small hands to use, but the grip is long enough for the average person to get all their fingers on board. The 3.56-inch barrel is long enough to provide a decent sight radius, but not too long in proportion to its light weight.
I'm not sure why rifled pistols seem burdened with unnecessary safety mechanisms, but the M&P 22 CD is no exception. It features an ambidextrous manual safety, modeled after the optional thumb safety found on standard M&P pistols. It's large, easy to use and unobtrusive, especially if you're used to a 1911-style thumb.
It's not really a problem. The safeties I object to are the magazine disconnect safety and the internal safety "lock" which uses a small key to disable the pistol. I've already expressed my opinion about the S&W internal revolver lock, and I can't think of any reason it would be more desirable in a semi-auto. Regarding disconnecting the magazine, I think that's what really makes the gun
Unprepped S&w M&p 22 Compact W/safety
Sure. If I'm going to dry mount a pistol for practice, I don't want the gun to have a magazine if possible. Requiring the presence of a magazine only creates another opportunity for a round to accidentally chamber when empty. But, you know... sages and such.
OK, lame safety features, I still think the M&P 22 is compact, confirmed after taking it to the range. The trigger breaks at about 6 pounds, which is on par with the latest and much more advanced centerfire M&P triggers. When handling and shooting the 22 Compact, it is just that
Like the M&P, despite being slightly different than any of the existing pistols in the series. The accuracy isn't bad either. As I mentioned in the Sig P938-22 review, these lightweight compact .22LR pistols are no substitute for traditional target pistols, but for what it's worth, I had no problems shooting 20-inch groups. Yards use match ammo and benchrest.
My one complaint when using the M&P 22 Compact as a self-defense training tool is the slide lock mechanism. Lefties will immediately notice that it is not as ambidextrous as the original M&P pistols, but even as a right-hander I did not find it useful for reloading. The slide lock grips on my other M&P pistols were tight at first, but they all loosened up after the first couple hundred rounds. The grip on the 22 compact is just as immovable out of the box as it is... at this point, once I engage the slide, I can't force it down without using a few fingers. I think this is another problem for proponents of the "power punch" reboot method.
S&w M&p .22 Lr Compact
In fact, I'm less likely to use the M&P 22 Compact as a serious training tool for myself, but more as an interesting machine gun and something new shooters can start with. This often means that the M&P is equipped with a suppressor that looks right at home in the 22 Compact. With the Silencerco Sparrow, it sounds as quiet as any full-size suppressor boss I can recall. I also found that, at least with the loads I tried, the short barrel didn't give the high-velocity 22 ammo enough room to propel the bullets to supersonic speeds, meaning most factory ammo should be silent and quiet for suppressor users.
Since the .22 LR is still in limited supply, I didn't burn through a dozen rounds of brick ammo through the little M&P for review like I wanted to. However, I managed to salvage a few boxes from our warehouse's damaged box bin. I fired about 300 rounds of CCI mini-mags (after sorting through the broken remains of the little plastic CCI boxes, looking for rounds that didn't break out of recognition), then a Federal Champion bulk pack carry round nose and some magazines. Some Eley Subsonic Hollowpoints.
Then, delving into the Class 22 target supply and going to the reviews, I tested a box each of the Federal Gold Medal UltraMatch and Wolf Match targets for accuracy with the excellent results I mentioned above. Without a drop or two of grease added to the slide rails, the M&P 22 Compact went through more than 500 rounds without a single malfunction out of the box—no small feat for a typical .22LR pistol.
If all this talk of .22 ammo is making you jealous, Smith & Wesson is here to help. When you buy an M&P 22 Compact in the next two months, you can send them a receipt and get 222 rounds of Winchester ammo to go with it. But when you are done with it and have to postpone, don't forget who helped you. One of Smith & Wesson's most attractive offerings recently is the M&P22 Compact. The pistol is similar to the 9mm Shield, but differs mechanically.
Smith & Wesson's Three New M&p Pistols
Smith and Wesson claims they have
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