CMMG perfects the drop in AR .22 conversion.

[Graves]

Why not just sack up and shoot real ammo??

[mutt]

Why not just get something like an M&P15-22? For the price it's tough to beat.

It's a great option, but it has some drawbacks for me at least:

1) The lower isn't a real lower. Proprietary. It's not an AR, it's AR-ish.
2) Proprietary mags. The standard 22 mags will work with all known ciener bolts and rifles like the sig 522.
3) If you use a conversion bolt, you get to use/train with your normal AR.
4) No flash hinder/compensator. I know it serves no purpose with a .22 but it just looks weird without one. I dislike anything that resembles ban-era =)

The only real advantage (for me) outside of cost for the m&p15-22 was a working bolt hold open. Seems that's going to change soon.

[Jer]

The M&P15-22 goes for $450 and I've seen them sell used for under $400 so they're quite affordable and it's nice to have an entirely separate weapon that was designed for the ammo it shoots. My wife or a buddy can shoot it while I shoot another AR15 so it's nice to have two separate rifles. Not to mention with the M&P15-22 you can put all the same furniture on it so it looks/feels just like your .223 AR15.

You say proprietary mags yet you HAVE to buy proprietary mags to shoot .22 in a regular AR15 anyway so I don't see how this is even a factor. Not like you can go out and buy pmags to run .22LR through your AR15 so that's a wash.

The M&P22-15 is just like a standard AR15 in just about every way save for the ammo it shoots. You can get them with a standard A2 flash hider, the bolt catch is in the same place and all the functions are the same. Bolt hold open, bolt release, mag changes, upper take-down w/retained springs and internals so no parts to go flying like some of the others... it's all the same. Not like some of the other .22's this one is the same all around and even shares most of the same external parts save for the mags. For me, I would rather spend a couple hundred more and have an entirely separate rifle that acts & feels the same way then have a few replacement parts for an existing rifle so no matter what... I have only one rifle. For not too much more you can have two.

I'm just saying, it's an option.

[Circuits]

CMMG, Spikes and a couple others all use the same design that Jonathan Ciener came up with.

Max Atchisson invented the AR-15 .22 adapter (and the lightning link and a bunch of other firearms-related stuff). Ciener just licensed the patent and made lots of $$$ on it.

[Not_A_Llama]

This is awesome - I'm gonna get one.

The M&P 15-22 is a horrible training proposition. With the 22 kit, you train with *your* rifle, *your* trigger pull, *your* customizations. Lords know, I've spent far more on accessories to my rifle than the rifle itself. I'm sure as hell not spending money on another Aimpoint micro, flashlight, FF tube, and Magpul furniture for a little .22, when I can spend $200 total and shoot with a perfect "replica" of my fullpower gun.

[Jer]

The M&P 15-22 is a horrible training proposition.

Clearly you have your opinion and you know what they say about opinions...

[HBARleatherneck]

i bought my cmmg kit with 2 blackdog mags for $125 on coloradogunmarket.com

i think Bob Jensen was selling them for $150 new. probably with 1 mag, but i am not sure.

i still use the 10/22 most. ultra reliable, accurate.

my .22 conversion kit for the AR...not terribly reliable. lots of jams.

[mutt]

You say proprietary mags yet you HAVE to buy proprietary mags to shoot .22 in a regular AR15 anyway so I don't see how this is even a factor. Not like you can go out and buy pmags to run .22LR through your AR15 so that's a wash.

Blackdog/cmmg/cienner style mags are pretty much the defacto mag for .22 AR conversions. That mag will work with all the major conversion bolts, all the major dedicated uppers, the sig 522 and whomever else decides to use them. To use a computer term, they're an open standard. M&P15 mags only work with the that rifle, hence my use of proprietary. I have a dedicated .22 upper, a conversion bolt and plan to get a sig522. Being able to use one mag format is huge for me. But that's me. Most people could probably care less.

M&P15's are slick rifles, nothing wrong with them. I just have different wants.

[Jer]

my .22 conversion kit for the AR...not terribly reliable. lots of jams.

Right here is exactly my point. Sure you can adapt an existing rifle to do this but my experience has been that the reliability decreases substantially. This was my reason for asking why not just get a rifle that was designed for that purpose? From some of the statements being made I think it's a fair assumption to say that those that are so against it haven't fully researched the newer stuff that's out...namely the M&P15-22. I'm not a fan of some of the other offerings for many reasons but this rifle really got it right IMO and fills that need perfectly.

[mutt]

my .22 conversion kit for the AR...not terribly reliable. lots of jams.

Jams as in spent casings stuck in the chamber? If so, I had that prob as well. Check your extractor. If a round won't stay on the bolt face when you turn it horizontal, replace or fix the extractor. Once I did that reliability went way up.