Mossberg 715 T 22 Lr Semiautomatic Rifle Review

(This is a reader gun review contest entry, click here for more details.)

Past Tim Going

I am walking proof that Mark Morford is an idiot (as if proof was really needed.) I am a immature Native American with a college caste, a technical skills chore, living solidly in the eye course. I may not have the stiff 2A conviction of the OFWG crowd, but I do believe in being a cocky-supporting and independent citizen. Equally such, I own and enjoy shooting guns. I may not have quite the drove of firearms that many readers on this site have, just I am solidly in the CNN "arsenal" range. Being a human of moderate income means, everything in my collection shares ane key trait; they all cost less than $300 new . . .

In my lifetime I have purchased 12 unlike firearms, ranging in price from the $109 dollar Mosin Nagant I bought two years agone to the $289 Rossi Wizard .308 I "purchased for myself" then simply happened to sell to my dad for a dollar on the twenty-four hour period of his anniversary. This brief experience with "cheap" guns has taught a very of import lesson. But because a gun is cheap, does non mean it is bad.

Now, I will be the get-go to admit that sometimes, a cheap gun is a cheap gun. Don't even get me started on the SIG Mosquito, my life lesson that when ALL the reviews yous read say something is bad, it probably is bad. Simply if y'all think that any gun less than $300 is not even worth wasting your time, well I find your lack of religion disturbing. My Mossberg Maverick, GSG 1911-22 (purchased afterward the review of the gun on TTAG) and my SCCY CPX-ane all stand as testament that a reliable, accurate, and fun gun tin can be had for less than three bills. However, the biggest proof of this signal is my Mossberg 715T.

Earlier I get into the meat of this review, at that place are two things you should continue in mind about the 715T:

In Which Our Hero Defends His Purchase
Start of all, this is not an AR in .22 LR. If you are looking for a cheaper-to-feed trainer for your tactical drills, pitiful, but these are not the droids y'all are looking for. What you want is the G&P15-22, or the Walther-made Colt M4 OPS. These guns are both offering a much more similar experience to the AR-fifteen. The 715T is essentially a Mossberg 702 Plinkster slapped into a plastic clamshell. Your controls are different, action is different, and the balance and weight make it handle strangely compared to an AR-15. You are much improve off comparing this to other .22 semi-automatics.

Secondly, keep in mind that this is a inexpensive gun. When I purchased mine from my favorite LGS, I got the acquit handle model with a 25-rd magazine and a 100-rd box of Mini-Mags for $250 out the door. Not besides bad if you ask me, especially since I probably could have sold the ammo on Armslist for half that price at the fourth dimension.

My feel has shown me to always inspect whatever gun before purchase, but particularly with lower cost guns. The Mossberg was no exception, as the flattop model that I initially looked at had a very pronounced lateral curve in the top rail. Whether this was a event of a missed quality command item, or happened in aircraft and handling was unknown, but the shop owner had to send information technology off for replacement. Net rumors have listed problems with broken grips and bent barrels, but I cannot vouch for any of these.

Now dorsum to our regularly scheduled program:

Overview

Out of the box, a quick examination reveals that this is non a museum-quality piece of art. My rifle required some trimming around the sling swivel and the rear sight to remove some leftover plastic tags. It wasn't a deal-breaker for me, only then again I am used to cheaper guns so YMMV. Fit and finish were quality, merely non precision course. The pictures below shows that the two clamshell halves match up fairly well, even after multiple disassemblies, with very petty gap or misalignment.

The six-position stock is an all-plastic affair, stamped with an ATI logo, and feels…cheap. It has some play to it, just it has shown no sign of smashing or loosening in the year that I have owned it. The finish on the metal components is pretty rugged. I would estimate that I've put about three,500 rounds through this gun and carried it on several squirrel and rabbit hunting trips, as well equally hauling it on the back of the four wheeler a few times.

Information technology helps that I clean my guns as soon as I render from my adventuring, only existence a lower cost gun I'm non exactly easy on them in the field. Impromptu rests, rattling effectually in a truck bed, and getting dragged around under my house chasing deadly rogue possums take withal to cause any problems.

I will say that that clamshell design is a large drawback when information technology comes to cleaning. Breaking information technology down requires removing thirteen Phillips screws and two Allen head screws to get a practiced scrub on, then I observe myself more than and more just wiping downwardly the barrel and what parts of the action I can get to hands. Being a standard blowback rifle using more often than not cheaper form rimfire ammo, information technology can go dirty pretty quick, but I've never had an result due to contamination during my range trips. I would suggest spending a few bucks on a good screwdriver set. I tried to use my 9-in-1 Klein the kickoff few times I disassembled and the screws still have scars from the trauma of information technology all.

The gun uses a standard crossbolt safety that isn't too shabby. It snaps firmly from side to side, without hanging up partway through. The pistol grip is modeled after a standard AR grip, and has a finger ridge that lines up in exactly the correct spot for my size ix easily. The plastic, not-removable sights are adjustable for windage and elevation. They work reasonably well once you remove the leftover junk from them.

The gun besides sports a bolt hold-open that is activated by pushing the charging handle in when fully retracted. And so a quick pull will allow the bolt to slide forward and chamber a circular. It sounds good in theory, but in practice can be a sloppy. The first few times I used information technology, I found myself accidentally locking the bolt open when trying to chamber a circular. Not a large headache for sure, simply something to be enlightened of. The gun also holds open up on empty, but since it uses the follower of the mag as a stop, you still have to manually bike the activeness to chamber a fresh round.

Ergonomics
My biggest complaint when I first bought the gun, and one echoed past the wifey, was that the top and bottom rails on the handguard are insanely sharp. We're talking Kal Skirata 3-sided knife sharp for my fellow Mandalorian enthusiasts out at that place. I don't accept a ton of experience with railed guns, but the 3 or 4 models I take shot did a lot less pare damage.

The first range visit left us both with big smiles, but raw left hands. The dazzler of the blueprint though, is that it accepts whatever standard Picatinny rail items you would apply with an AR-fifteen, of which there is a plethora. And so one 10-minute shopping trip on Amazon, and a two-twenty-four hour period wait after, my vertical foregrip was installed and gear up to roll. Information technology's no Magpul, but information technology locks up tight and makes for an easier-on-the-easily (and eyes, if yous enquire me) shooting experience. Along with that item was the respond for my second biggest complaint.

As anyone who has ever shot the old fixed carry handle AR rifles will tell you, y'all have to become a little creative with the optics for the best results. While the 715T sports a short Picatinny track on top of the handle, getting your head upwardly there to see it is a different story. A stiff cervix and diminished accuracy after range trip number one convinced me to drop $x on a ready of cheek pieces from Command Arms. The 1.25" riser snapped in solidly, too solidly…(cue dramatic music). I had to use a screwdriver to pry it off when I needed to move information technology forward, merely at to the lowest degree I didn't take to worry about it and the stock wobbling.

These two little improvements were not completely necessary, but made the burglarize much more than comfortable for me to use. The flattop model would eliminate the 2nd problem for those keeping score at home.

The 2d range trip went a lot smoother, and I had no complaints, just observations. A plastic stock and fake receiver meant near of the weight is frontward of the grip. Being a .22, that isn't a lot, but information technology doesn't rest for offhand shooting besides equally my Ruger 10/22 or Savage MK Ii. I guess if at that place was whatever recoil to a .22 rifle, this might assistance reduce cage ascension, so let'due south telephone call this one a feature non a problems. Once I switched from a red-dot to a full telescopic, the problem was reduced, but it even so feels foreign compared to other guns.

There are two things I commonly hear when experienced shooters option the 715T up at the range. The first is, "You're shooting that affair? Y'all're braver than I thought." This is typically earlier they burn down it. The 2d is, "That magazine release sucks." This is especially common with those used to the release on an AR.

This gun uses a paddle on the side of the magazine well that can be a bit…sloppy. Okay, that was my personal bias sneaking in. It is downright nasty. Mine has some play too it, offers no tactile feedback, and was stiffer than Dirk Diggler at a Mom's Demand Action rally. It has loosened a flake with all-encompassing use (insert in appropriate Shannon Watts joke here), but it is far from ideal. Those looking for tactical reloads need not apply. Even at present, my mag changes are like an offensive lineman touchdown: rumblin', bumblin', and stumblin'.

Accuracy

While I usually see somewhat macerated accuracy with my lower-priced guns, I tin can't say that this is true with the Mossberg 715T. It is a tack driver of a gun. I have found that my gun is a cheap date, and shoots Remington Viper 36-grain near accurately. The target above is ten rounds at 25 yards on a somewhat clouded, but very moisture day, using a cheap Centerpoint 3-9X scope and a backpack for a residual, with my golf ball marker for comparison. Stretching its legs out to l yards results in:

That's seven (why seven? Because my target barbarous and I wasn't slogging through the mud for you people once more) rounds in a respectable, but not fabulous pattern. This is what I would call typical accuracy. I could carmine pick some groups I've shot that were ameliorate, but this is fairly representative of my average over the past year.

That's as solid as it gets for me, and while I've been using .22'due south since I was knee high to a grasshopper, I'grand far from an experienced marksmen. Sadly, my wife is a much better shot with this gun than I am, and she put upwards this impressive 5-shot group at fifty yards on the same 24-hour interval.

She just likes to show off sometimes. On days when I feel like slapping on the onetime cherry dot and doing some running and gunning, I can put upwards offhand, somewhat rapid-fire groups from 10 yards that stay within the A-zone of a silhouette target. Its not jaw-dropping, stop-the-presses tack driving, but information technology offers plenty of practical accuracy every bit the squirrels I've dropped with information technology volition evidence. Lets only say for your boilerplate shooter, it will shoot besides as you can.

A big function of this fairly reasonable accurateness comes from the trigger, which is ordinarily a point of weakness on cheap guns. Information technology'south a two-stage matter with a breaking weight of five pounds co-ordinate to my borrowed-from-work pull gauge. The reset is rather long, only the interruption feels clean with very trivial creep.

It should be noted that the meridian-mounted rail is removable by means of a small nut underneath. Do not expect your gun to agree zero when removing and reinstalling this, though. Your gun may, simply mine typically runs from 1" high to 2" low when I put information technology back on. I could probably articulate this problem upward using a torque wrench on the nut, simply I haven't tested this out still to run into if it will work. You may think, "Well only don't have information technology off and y'all'll be fine," but unfortunately the rail comes off when you detach for cleaning. So permit'south phone call that a issues non a feature.

Reliability
I've already mentioned that I keep the gun clean, merely use information technology rough. I too put a lot of different ammo through it. With the scarcity of .22 I'm constantly ownership small boxes of unlike rounds to keep the beast fed. The total list of what I have put though it is:

CCI Blazer forty grain
CCI Mini-mag xl grain Solid
CCI Mini-mag 36 grain HP
Remington Viper 36 grain segmented HP
Winchester Super-10 36-grain Lead Free
Federal Aureate Match 40-grain Solid
Wolf Lucifer Target 40 grain Solid
Federal 36 grain HP
Remington Thunderbolt 40 grain solid
Remington CBee 33 grain Subsonic

Information technology has run virtually all of them without issue. Information technology would not run the CBees at all, just that is to be expected with a subsonic round meant for bolt activeness guns. The Winchester Super-X's would short stroke the action about twice per magazine, simply I've had that same problem in my 10/22. I read that this is an issue with this ammo in semi-automatics due to rounds being pb costless.

Looking back through my mostly consummate range logs (you practise keep range log books, don't you?) I have had nigh 10 FTF'due south on the CCI Blazers. This is by far the most common round I've shot through it, so it may just be due to statistical probabilities. Of those 10, I tried shooting half of them through my bolt activeness, and all but one refused to fire. I have non had any failures to burn or eject in approximately 300 rounds of Mini-Mags, and this is typically what is loaded in the gun when it'due south around the house as they work wonders on the possums and raccoons that tend to frequent my married woman's chicken coop. Like whatsoever .22 worth its salt, if yous practise your office and go on it clean, it does its job and shoots.

I problem that should be noted though is this; the magazines tin can be a major cause of reliability issues. Since it is based on the 702 Plinkster, the gun seems to be originally designed to run x-round magazines, which are besides available. However, on the 25-rounders, the area where the metal portion mates upwards to the fake plastic has caused me some problems.

What kind of problems you inquire? Well it is difficult…no, very difficult…no, actually hard to load until you become the hang of it. Rounds i through 10 go in shine every bit buttah, but and so have a tendency to catch. Exercise NOT FORCE IT! In case yous didn't grab that I will say again, Practise Not FORCE IT!

Mossberg tosses in a inexpensive plastic magazine loader that can be a big assistance, merely when it stops at round 11 or 12 it is usually the follower catching. My inordinate amounts of forcing led to some dented shells that caused me 3 or four failures to feed before I sorted the problem out. A piffling honey tap on the bottom will clear that right upward and you can load her to the brim. I accept read that some people have issues loading them upwards to full capacity, but the 2 25-round magazines I have load with just firm pressure and a bump on the lesser at about circular 20. The ii 10-rounder's are piece of cake peasy.

So Why Shouldn't I Buy A 10/22?
I'g glad yous asked. Let me to explain in these 4 concluding points.

one. Imagine beingness a kid and getting this as your first rifle. How cool would it be to evidence this off to your friends? Answer: Super Absurd. It looks like a armed forces rifle and takes any accessories you could throw at it. It has an adjustable stock and so it can grow with you. And it works well, so you tin can actually use it. As Robert noted in the initial printing release back in 2010, these would be the ultimate Christmas souvenir for a young shooter.

2. Information technology accepts all the "set on rifle" rail-mounted accessories like shoulder thingies that become up and 25-clip per infinitesimal magazines. But since it is my understanding that rimfire rifles are not limited to a certain number of features, you can have your California cake and eat it too. If zippo else, y'all can have a gun that looks the office, and unleash your inner Stickittothemaniosis. And if there is one thing near People of the Gun can concord on, it'southward that getting the anti's undies in a bunch over aught is worth whatever price.

3. It's actually a pretty good semi-automatic .22 in its own right. The 702 Plinkster has been a popular gun for a while, though far from a pretty sight. I get it, it's no Ruger ten/22 with its classic lines and timeless charm. If my business firm was on fire, I would probably relieve the Ruger first to be honest. Still, its accuracy speaks for itself and with its adaptability it can be used for everything from hunting varmints to a domicile defense rifle for the recoil adverse. Mine has turned into my wife's bedside gun. I know that a .22 is far from the ideal weapon for stopping an intruder, just with 25 rounds on tap in a gun she is familiar with, shoots well, and won't accident her ear drums out? Well, at that place are far worse options out there. Plus, most of the intruders she has to deal with are of the egg-stealing, four-legged variety so it works well. Sure, you could trick out a Ruger with aftermarket stocks, mags, and accessories. Or you could get a S&W or Colt made AR .22. But then you're just paying more for something that the Mossberg does well plenty already.

4. Lastly, the fun cistron cannot exist overstated on this gun. I have used it to interruption in over a dozen new shooters, and this is the gun they continue wanting to shoot. With a red dot, you get an easy-to-use gun that will hitting what you're aiming at. All for less than $300. A friend who had never owned a gun before went out and bought one of the flattop models because he enjoyed it so much. That should be considered a victory unto itself.

Non all cheap guns are created equal. See: Mosquito, SIG. But as manufacturing techniques improve, and costs of durable materials like plastics decrease, some quality weapons tin can be produced for a depression toll. Remember, that plastic isn't always bad, equally GLOCK users and Denise Richards fans will tell you. If you can look by their little quirks, yous can rewarded with a expert little gun like the Mossberg 715T for not a lot of money. And for anyone who sees it as a gimmick or market fad riding on the coattails of the surge in AR popularity, it should exist noted that they have been selling these guns pretty well for four years now. Read into that what y'all will.

Specifications: Mossberg 715T Behave Handle west/Adjustable Stock

Caliber: .22 LR
Barrel Length: 18"
Weight: 5.3 lbs
Sights: A-2 Style Plastic with adjustable rear
Length of Pull: ten.five-14.25"
Capacity: 10 or 25 round magazines
Cost: $309 MSRP (Typically seen in the wild for $229-289 depending on the area)

Ratings (out of five stars):

Style: * * * *
I like the wait, and as this is my review, so information technology gets a solid form. You'll never mistake it for a Wilson Gainsay or a LaRue, but it looks good with minimal flaws in construction.

Ergonomics: * * *
Y'all can mount a lot of accessories on those track and the adjustable stock means it tin can adapt to a wide range of shooters. But that magazine release….

Accuracy: * * * one/two
The targets don't lie, I tin can consistently shoot with this gun as well as I can with whatever .22 I own. I doubt yous'll exist inbound any Olympic smallbore contests with information technology, just I figure it will hold its own with whatsoever of the other "tactical .22s" you'll meet.

Reliability: * * * * 1/2
Roughly 3,500 rounds downward the tube with nary a breakage in sight. Find an ammo that suits your gun, larn to load the magazines right and information technology is as shut to reliable as a .22 can be.

Overall: * * * *
I similar this gun. Other people similar this gun. Mossberg has sold a lot of these guns. Only I just can't get information technology above four stars due to that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mag release and the extra hassle of the clamshell for disassembly. In its cost range though, it gives y'all a level of customization that is acme notch.

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Source: https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/gun-review-mossberg-715t/