Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact

 

M&P 22 Compact

In a previous post I made the case for a small, discreetly carried .22 caliber pistol. While that concept certainly still holds, I will discuss the Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Compact pistol here. It is too large to be so discreetly carried, but may still be a good choice for some. It is similar in size to the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0 4.0" Compact and weighs about half what that full caliber gun weighs.

 Some desirable features of this gun include-

• The controls mimic the controls of the 9 mm, so the manual of arms is the same.
• It is omnivorous, that is to say, it has eaten everything I have fed it. This certainly can't be said for every 22 caliber pistol.
• As mentioned above, it is light weight.
• It has a threaded barrel, so a silencer could be attached.

Why get this gun? 

• Mine has been utterly reliable. 
• For those with hand strength issues or arthritis. it is much easier to shoot than the 9 mm.
• With a silencer and laser it would be a good, quiet bedside gun. 
• It is also easier to shoot than the Ruger LCP II 22 that I chose in the previous post. 
• Armalaser makes a custom fit touch activated laser in red or green, which makes hitting the target easier in less than ideal conditions.
• Although it has only a ten round magazine, Red State owners can add a 14+1 Nic Taylor magazine upgrade kit, as shown  HERE, which I have found to be absolutely flawless in operation. Nic Taylor also offers a 16+1 extended magazine kit which I have not tried. . .

As I mentioned above, the manual of arms is the same as the full size M&P with factory magazines. But the Nic Taylor kits change it a bit. The kit I have will not hold the slide open after the last shot from the magazine. The slide goes forward on an empty chamber, and if you pull the trigger you just get a click. The simple remedy is to drop the empty mag, insert a fresh one, rack the slide, and continue to shoot. If you are familiar with the AK, this will seem normal to you. 

Nic Taylor has a different magazine kit which does hold the slide open, but the mag follower is what holds it open, and as soon as you drop the mag, the bolt flies home. Take your choice.

This pistol was introduced almost a decade ago, and Lucky Gunner did a review back them. You can read it HERE.

The Smith and Wesson Spec Sheet is available HERE.

The one negative I will throw out is if you intend to carry it, you may have difficulty finding a good holster for the pistol with a laser. Muddy River Tactical makes holsters for the pistol, so they would be worth asking if they can do it.