A columnist’s long-running experience with a popular .22 rifle took an unexpected turn during a visit to Scottsdale Gun Club, where modifications to the firearm allowed his daughter, who has Down Syndrome, to shoot accurately and confidently for the first time.
AWR Hawkins, a Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, first reviewed the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 in October 2013, noting even then that it was becoming one of the most popular .22 rifles on the market. In the years since, Smith & Wesson has expanded the model into multiple colors and configurations, and Hawkins has continued shooting various versions, finding each one retained the brand’s reliability.
According to Hawkins, his daughter has long wanted to go shooting alongside him and her sister, but struggled with the weight, recoil and sights of many firearms, including traditional iron sights.
To address that, Hawkins outfitted an M&P 15-22 with an Aimpoint Micro T-2 2 MOA red dot sight and replaced the rifle’s flash hider with an Ambient Arms Stratos .22 suppressor. At the range at Scottsdale Gun Club, he checked that the safety was engaged, loaded the rifle, chambered a round and handed it to his daughter, standing beside her to walk through the controls and confirm she could see the red dot clearly before switching the safety to fire.
Hawkins said she was able to shoot the rifle with control and accuracy, and asked to shoot again as soon as the first magazine was empty.
Years of Upgrades
The M&P 15-22 has changed since its original AR-platform foregrip design. The current version includes a Magpul MOE grip with built-in M-LOK rail slots, and Hawkins said he plans to add a Streamlight PROTAC Rail Mount HP-X Pro Long Gun Light for his daughter’s next visit to the range.
Hawkins described the rifle as already a strong firearm before the added upgrades, and said the Scottsdale range day gave it lasting personal significance for his family.
