A Review Of The Smith and Wesson M&P 22 Magnum

The review is over at Spotter Up.  The author also discusses why its difficult to design a semi-auto .22 Magnum without having issues with cases bulging or rupturing on extraction, and how S&W dealt with it in this design. He explains:

Smith and Wesson’s answer to delaying unlocking and extraction is a floating barrel “liner” that lets the barrel freely recoil with the slide for about a quarter-inch on firing.  That imparts momentum into the slide but keeps the round chambered until the projectile leaves the barrel and the pressure drops.  The barrel “liner” stops, but momentum causes the slide to continue rearward, extracting and ejecting the fired case.  From there, it’s business as usual feeding the next round from the magazine and locking it in-battery. Simple and elegant.

The downside to this design, the author relates, is that it won't be a good host for a sound suppressor. Short take on the review, though:

I took a liking to this gun right away.  As someone who carries an M&P 9mm as my CCW, I liked the ergonomics and familiar feel.  Recoil is almost non-existent.  The grip is basically as large as my 9mm to accommodate 30-rounds of double-stacked .22 magnum.  The slide is milled from the factory for a red-dot.  Trigger pull is crisp at a few ounces shy of 5-lbs.  There is a Picatinny rail under the front part of the polymer frame for the attachment of lights or lasers.  The factory sights include a fiber-optic front and a basic square-notch rear. 

The only thing he didn't really like was that it had a manual safety (although there was nothing wrong with the operation of the safety).