Opinions and experiences with 22lr conversion kits for AR15.

[Karl Blanchard]

As the title states, what can you guys tell me about these? Thought it may be something fun for my son to mess with. He has out grown his little rascal single shot.

[b23]

As the title states, what can you guys tell me about these? Thought it may be something fun for my son to mess with. He has out grown his little rascal single shot.

Can't directly help you with the above, but have you given any thought to getting a M&P 15-22 instead?  I'm not sure what a conversion kit cost or even how well they work, but a few years ago, on a whim, I bought a M&P 15-22 w/adj stock and it ended up being a really fun little gun.  It functions really well with everything I've fed it and it shot pretty decent too.  The trigger was a little rough and kinda on the heavy side but they're a standard AR trigger so you can tune it up yourself or just replace it.  It's been awhile so without looking I don't remember if I tuned it up or put a CMC 3-3.5 in it.  You can get the model with the adjustable stock for right at $300 and they're a fair bit lighter than a centerfire AR so a perfect fit for a youth, but still fun for big kids too.

[Westside88]

I also bought a 15-22 and it’s a really fun little rifle. Initially I was thinking of buying an AR and a conversion kit. I decided it would be way more convenient to just get the 15-22. I never did find out how the kits work out, but love that little S&W

[wadu1]

Some of the folks I shoot steel with use conversions kits, the work most of the time. Had a buddy (long gone) with an early AR15 with a conversion (1972 ish) and it worked well. I even took it out on maneuvers at Ft. Lewis and ran it through my M16/M203 worked great even on full auto.
As stated by others, an M&P 15-22 would be a good option. Also look at Colt .22RF M4, the H&K version and Walther Tac1 they are made by Umarex in Germany good options as well and Mag's are interchangeable.   

[Pnwrider]

What “conversion” is needed? A 22lr upper and a mag?

[huntnphool]

 5.7x28mm is a .22 caliber, the upper (AR57) is manufactured locally and fun to shoot.

http://www.57center.com/

[huntandjeep]

Just buy a dedicated 22 AR . Like the M&P 22 .

[Karl Blanchard]

If I'm buying a whole new gun it sure won't be a rimfire AR. The whole point of the conversion kits is to not buy a whole new rifle which now requires all the semi auto Washington bs.

[actionshooter]

The newer conversions work well but the gun will be fairly inaccurate, bullet diameter and twist cause some issues. Also, depending on how much you shoot, the fouling is terrible.
 I have gone away from the conversion kits and bought a dedicated .22lr upper for a standard lower.

[jasnt]

Tagging
I’d love to have a 22lr upper

[lamrith]

I would just get/build a dedicated upper.  You get the better barrel specs that will make 22lr work and be accurate without the WA BS.   Takes a minute to swap over and off you go.

Right now you can buy a stripped lower without the BS as well..  That ends sometime next year though, so might be worth grabbing a stripped lower (or two, three,.....)

[Karl Blanchard]

The newer conversions work well but the gun will be fairly inaccurate, bullet diameter and twist cause some issues. Also, depending on how much you shoot, the fouling is terrible.
 I have gone away from the conversion kits and bought a dedicated .22lr upper for a standard lower.

thank you. This is what I was looking for. I'm an accuracy snob so I'll definitely go a bolt gun I guess. 

[opdinkslayer]

Have you checked out those tikka t1’s Karl? I am jonesing for one pretty bad in 17!

[Karl Blanchard]

Have you checked out those tikka t1’s Karl? I am jonesing for one pretty bad in 17!

I haven't. I'm not a 17 fan. Old school .22 mag guy but I need a 22lr for the kids to train on. The AR conversion appealed to what I needed as the 6 position stock could be adjusted to fit him but if I am gonna have to buy a new gun I'll go bokt action with adjustable stock as a bolt gun is a better trainer for a kid who will hunt with a bolt gun.

[huntandjeep]

If going bolt gun go with the CZ 455 with Manners stock  . Mines so accurate with CCI its almost boring , had The Range thread mine for a suppressor . Both my daughter's (11 & 7 ) love shooting it .

[Karl Blanchard]

If going bolt gun go with the CZ 455 with Manners stock  . Mines so accurate with CCI its almost boring , had The Range thread mine for a suppressor . Both my daughter's (11 & 7 ) love shooting it .

too rich for my blood for a .22  that's a defiance action worth of cash! I think we'll be leaning ruger precision route

[opdinkslayer]

Have you checked out those tikka t1’s Karl? I am jonesing for one pretty bad in 17!

I haven't. I'm not a 17 fan. Old school .22 mag guy but I need a 22lr for the kids to train on. The AR conversion appealed to what I needed as the 6 position stock could be adjusted to fit him but if I am gonna have to buy a new gun I'll go bokt action with adjustable stock as a bolt gun is a better trainer for a kid who will hunt with a bolt gun.

I believe they come in 22lr & 22 mag. Incredibly smooth little action & there are some aftermarket parts for them.

[b23]

I'm not a 17 fan. Old school .22 mag guy

I can appreciate that, I was the same way.  Was a 17 rimfire holdout for a long time until I just couldn't take hearing about the 17 HMR anymore and bought one just to prove to myself it was all just a bunch of marketing hype.  Well, long story short, as much as I tried to not like the 17 HMR, for what I was using it for, mostly sage rat chootin, the 17 just flat did everything better, in fact, a lot better.  Now, I don't own a single rifle in 22mag and have two HMR's and a WSM.  The only 22mag I have now is a KelTec PMR30.

[opdinkslayer]

Ya I have 22’s & a 22mag but not a 17 hmr. My boy has a 17 & it is a grouse killer of the escapees of the shotgun that land in the trees & was 17-18 on prairie dogs in Wyoming last year our to 125 yds. It is a bad little cartridge imo.😎

I might add that I really like that T1x a lot due to the smooth action/bolt design & a full size bolt handle. The ruger action,bolt & handle are a bit crude imo but they do shoot good from what I’ve heard.

[Karl Blanchard]

Ya I have 22’s & a 22mag but not a 17 hmr. My boy has a 17 & it is a grouse killer of the escapees of the shotgun that land in the trees & was 17-18 on prairie dogs in Wyoming last year our to 125 yds. It is a bad little cartridge imo.😎

I might add that I really like that T1x a lot due to the smooth action/bolt design & a full size bolt handle. The ruger action,bolt & handle are a bit crude imo but they do shoot good from what I’ve heard.

I think everyone has missed the point here so I'll break it down again into cliff notes 

• young shooter
• .22lr
•SHORT length of pull
•cheap

I needed feedback on the conversion kits not caliber and rifle recommendations. Thank you everyone for their input but let's go ahead and let this one die off as now that I've decided that the AR conversion is a no go, I pretty much know what I wnat.

PS, I've owned several 17's and they are not and will never be a 22 mag

[konradcountry]

I'd look into a 9mm AR.

Lot more fun for the 8-12 range.

[BULLBLASTER]

Have you thought about a voodoo 22 Karl? It’s crazy expensive and uses 700 pattern accessories, they can be very expensive too... I think you could outfit the little guy with a good shootin 22 for a cool $7-9k with an adjustable length of pull. But in the end it wouldn’t be a 22mag or a 17 hmr so you may not be interested.








 

[Henrydog]

My Dad owns a very early Colt AR (pre forward assist) and in the late 70's he bought a Cobray .22lr kit.  It never worked worth a darn (his language was a tad more colorful)  I would hope some company has come up with something better in the last 40 years

[opdinkslayer]

Ya I have 22’s & a 22mag but not a 17 hmr. My boy has a 17 & it is a grouse killer of the escapees of the shotgun that land in the trees & was 17-18 on prairie dogs in Wyoming last year our to 125 yds. It is a bad little cartridge imo.😎

I might add that I really like that T1x a lot due to the smooth action/bolt design & a full size bolt handle. The ruger action,bolt & handle are a bit crude imo but they do shoot good from what I’ve heard.

I think everyone has missed the point here so I'll break it down again into cliff notes 

• young shooter
• .22lr
•SHORT length of pull
•cheap

I needed feedback on the conversion kits not caliber and rifle recommendations. Thank you everyone for their input but let's go ahead and let this one die off as now that I've decided that the AR conversion is a no go, I pretty much know what I wnat.

PS, I've owned several 17's and they are not and will never be a 22 mag

  c’mon Karl! You know how much everyone on this board likes to spend somebody else’s money on cool stuff!

if cheap is the criteria than get a Marlin & a couple bricks of ammo & go nuts. I have a Marlin 22 mag that cost me $100 years ago & all’s it does is kill stuff & shoot tiny groups!

[Karl Blanchard]

Me too but I dont want to chop the stock in half to fit him.

[konradcountry]

c’mon Karl! You know how much everyone on this board likes to spend somebody else’s money on cool stuff!

if cheap is the criteria than get a Marlin & a couple bricks of ammo & go nuts. I have a Marlin 22 mag that cost me $100 years ago & all’s it does is kill stuff & shoot tiny groups!

I honestly can't imagine spending more than $200 on a 22.

Right or wrong I view them as glorified 50 yard pellet guns for shooting cans and squirrels.

I've seen the high end setups at the range and I really don't get it.

[huntandjeep]

Me too but I dont want to chop the stock in half to fit him.

Then dont pick up a CZ 455 and throw it in a chassis 

[actionshooter]

Ya I have 22’s & a 22mag but not a 17 hmr. My boy has a 17 & it is a grouse killer of the escapees of the shotgun that land in the trees & was 17-18 on prairie dogs in Wyoming last year our to 125 yds. It is a bad little cartridge imo.😎

I might add that I really like that T1x a lot due to the smooth action/bolt design & a full size bolt handle. The ruger action,bolt & handle are a bit crude imo but they do shoot good from what I’ve heard.

I think everyone has missed the point here so I'll break it down again into cliff notes 

• young shooter
• .22lr
•SHORT length of pull
•cheap

I needed feedback on the conversion kits not caliber and rifle recommendations. Thank you everyone for their input but let's go ahead and let this one die off as now that I've decided that the AR conversion is a no go, I pretty much know what I wnat.

PS, I've owned several 17's and they are not and will never be a 22 mag

I think a Ruger RPR 22 is exactly what you just described... They are sooo much fun to shoot its stupid, especially with a can and a good scope...