m&p 10 handguard

M&p 10 Handguard - At SHOT Show 2013, Smith and Wesson introduced their new line of 7.62mm / 308 caliber rifles, featuring full ambidextrous operation, compatibility with SR-25/M110 cartridge magazines and an attractive price. With an unloaded weight of about 7 3/4 pounds, the rifle (also called the M&P 10) is very light and handy. After a cursory research at SHOT, I knew I had to buy one and try it out for myself.

After I got home from SHOT, I called my good friend Chris Corino, who has been a big supporter of the 10-8 and law enforcement in general since he worked at Kimber. Chris was one of the Good Guys in the industry and wore the blue uniform at the time. He pointed me in the right direction and was instrumental in finding a rifle that was in such high demand, especially in this climate of panic buying.

M&p 10 Handguard

So in a matter of days I picked up my brand new M&P 10. My first thought to myself was, "Why did they make this with an 18-inch barrel instead of a 16-inch barrel?" and "What's with that ugly flash concealer/compensator?" The trigger is quite acceptable for a working gun. The gas block is blocky, ugly and just clamped, but it seems to work. Otherwise the gun calibrates well and appears to be well built.

Smith & Wesson M&p 10 .308win

Smith & Wesson have clearly put a lot of thought into this rifle. As well as being fully ambidextrous (a plus for our bad-handed brothers,) there's a small addition that many owners will appreciate. Four elastomer inserts fit into machined pockets in the top receiver to take up any slack between the top and bottom of the gun. The result is a solid match. While this has nothing to do with real-world accuracy, it's important to most AR owners.

The bolt group looks good, with a solid spike on the throttle lock. This is a step that some manufacturers skip, resulting in less reliable weapons. The AR platform is highly dependent on gas pressure and any gas leakage between the lock and carrier is likely to result in sub-optimal operation.

I mentioned the ugly flash/compensator above, even the folks at the gun store noticed. So while I should have left it in to see if it actually stabilized the muzzle, my vanity side took over and I quickly replaced it with an A2 style flash I had on hand. Note: I had to use some spacers in addition to the washer to properly index it on the shoulder. Another change I made was replacing the clamshell style handguard with a MagPul MOE faceplate. I ordered the black one, but the green one showed up in the box. There's nothing 5 minutes of quality time with a can of Krylon can't fix.

If you look closer, you can also see the bolt stop on the right side of the gun. The 18-inch barrel is longer than I'd like, but it doesn't really affect the usability of the rifle.

Leaked: New Smith & Wesson M&p10 In 6.5 Creedmoor And M&p45 Shield Ported The Firearm Blog

Since the base model didn't come with a sight, I slapped a set of Troy Industries inverted front and rear sights on the gun. With that, and a few drops of lubricant in the bolt carrier bleed hole, I was ready for the range.

Since the rifle came with one PMAG 20LR, I had a few spares with me. This lightweight, durable, and relatively inexpensive magazine (compared to the Knights Armament SR-25 factory magazine) is my favorite multi-purpose magazine. Firing excess 7.62 German NATO ammunition, the rifle cycled smoothly and reliably through 80 rounds. The recoil is quite firm for the rifle's light weight, but controlled enough for relatively fast follow-up shots.

I can set the rifle on the iron sights. Next trip I'll be whipping out some goggles for accuracy testing. So far, Smith & Wesson's new M&P 10 looks like a serious contender, especially given its aggressive pricing.

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