The Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 was made as a replica for the AR-15 rifle but has since grown out of the shadow of the AR rifle. Even though it has gained quite a lot of popularity among shooters, not many people know which are the best M&P 15-22 scopes.
In fact, people assume you’ll struggle to find a scope that matches your M&P 15-22 rifle and while it is true that there aren’t as many scopes for it as say an AR-15, there are still enough to cover whichever needs you may have.
If you already own the M&P 15-22 or are looking to cop one soon, you will be interested in this article that puts together the most suitable scopes for this rimfire rifle with 22.LR cartridges.
M&P 15-22 was launched in 2009 and quickly became one of the most affordable rifles in its category. It is a low recoil rifle with great handling but how can you make this even better? By using the right scope. It may seem simple, but many people struggle to match this rifle with a scope and this is the problem we’ll be finally putting to bed in this guide. Without further ado…
Table of Contents
Best M&P 15-22 Scopes
We took the liberty of researching and testing the top M&P 15-22 scopes in the market, and some scopes stood out. We made sure to include a variety of scopes that cut across different price ranges, brands, and usage. This is so your every need is covered.
- Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-22 BDC 2-7×32 – Our top pick
- Nikon ProStaff Rimfire with BDC Reticle 3-9×40
- Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9×40 Scope
- Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22 – Budget Option
- Aimpoint Carbine Optic (ACO) Red Dot Sight
- Nikon P-Rimfire 2-7×32 Scope with BDC 150 Reticle
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Bushnell Optics Drop Zone | • Magnification range of 2-7x • Objective lens of 32mm • Fast focus eyepiece | View Price |
 | Nikon ProStaff Rimfire | • Wide objective lens of 40mm • Instant zero-reset turrets • Extra rugged | View Price |
 | Leupold VX-Freedom | • Amazing warranty • Beginner-friendly • Great optics | View Price |
 | Barska 3-9x32 | • Magnification range of 3-9x • Duplex reticle • Holds zero | View Price |
 | Aimpoint Carbine Optic | • Unlimited eye relief • High accuracy levels • Lightweight | View Price |
 | Nikon P-Rimfire | • Magnification range of 2-7x • Objective lens of 32mm • Spot on app | View Price |
1. Bushnell Optics Drop Zone-22 BDC 2-7×32
The first thing I must comment on is this scope’s amazing price. You would think a scope topping this kind of list will be a high-end scope with an exorbitant price but this Bushnell M&P 15-22 scope is an exception. It packs a lot of amazing features in a budget-friendly scope and I’ll be showing you more of what it can do shortly.
Its magnification range of 2-7x makes it ideal for short and medium-range shooting. It can reach a distance of up to 125 yards. It also sports a 32mm diameter objective lens that may not be the widest but wide enough to let in the right amount of light for a scope with this power. It uses a bullet drop compensator reticle to streamline its shots for accuracy.
The scope is also optimized for clarity and effectiveness as it can hold zero at 50 yards. Bushnell drop zone-22 will work perfectly on an M&P 15-22 or any other .22 caliber rifle for that matter. This means you can use it on other rifles not only for your M&P 15-22. It also has a good eye relief of 3.7 inches so you do not injure yourself while shooting.
Typically, an M&P 15-22 is a low recoil rifle but that didn’t stop the scope from being as rugged as possible with its aluminum-alloy body and an anodized finish. The scope is also Q-ring sealed around its lenses so water, and dust does not find their way in. Fog cannot form inside the tube either because of fogproof materials added.
There’s a fast focus eyepiece that reduces the time spent aiming, a side focus parallax adjustment to improve your accuracy and elevation, and windage turrets set at ¼ MOA. A downside to this scope is its stiff turrets.
Pros
- Magnification range of 2-7x
- Objective lens of 32mm
- Fast focus eyepiece
- Side focus parallax adjustment
- Q-ring sealed
- Waterproof, shockproof, and fogproof
- BDC reticle
- Affordable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Hard to turn turrets
2. Nikon ProStaff Rimfire with BDC Reticle 3-9×40
This Nikon ProStaff rimfire scope comes in a simple design. Just like the Bushnell scope above, it is an affordable scope that will not burn a hole in your pocket if you decide to go for it. But don’t let that fool you, it does its job and more quite effectively.
Its image quality is at the top of what it brings to the table. Its bullet drop compensator reticle is great for improved accuracy, clear lens, and a wide 40mm objective lens combined to produce the crisp and clear images you’ll come to love. Its fully multi-coated lenses help it achieve a whooping 98% light transmission for an even better optical clarity. Compare this to the average of 80% light transmission for most scopes and you’ll see why this scope can boast of superb image quality.
It is rugged and can withstand being bumped around here and there, but don’t go about hitting or dropping it though. There are also waterproof and fogproof features attached to keep it tight so you can use it across different weather conditions. Peep its magnification range which spans from 3x to 9x covering your short distances but a lot more of medium distance shooting.
I love its spot on tool that helps to customize the distance of your shoot for improved shooting. It has spring-loaded instant zero-reset turrets for your quick aiming when out shooting. And yes, its turrets are finger adjustable. So you get the easy adjustment I know you like.
One thing that may go against it however is its parallax adjustment at close range. You’ll struggle to properly adjust its parallax as such distances may lead to blurry images.
Pros
- Magnification of 3-9x
- Wide objective lens of 40mm
- Instant zero-reset turrets
- Extra rugged
- Shockproof, waterproof, and fogproof
- Finger adjustable turrets
- Excellent light transmission
- Affordable
- Fully multi coated lenses
Cons
- May struggle to adjust parallax at close-range
3. Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9×40 Scope
The Leupold VX-freedom series contains five scopes with varying features but the particular VX-freedom scope we’ll be talking about here is the 3-9×40 scope. This scope is perfect for the M&P 15-22 rifle and you’ll see why.
It has variable power between 3-9x and a wide objective lens of 40mm. The power level is more suited to medium-range shooting but can also serve some short distances. The image clarity is enhanced by its wide objective lens. Light goes in through the objective lens and brightens the image. Typically, the more light that can enter the scope the better.
The Leupold name in the optics industry commands respect because of the quality of optics this brand produces. This scope is fitted with the popular Twilight Light Management System which is exclusive to Leupold optics. This system serves as a battery optimizer so you can conserve the scopes battery and use it for longer.
Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9×40 uses a rimfire MOA reticle and is as rugged as you would expect from any Leupold scope. It is made from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, sealed to make it waterproof and fogproof. Its MOA is dialed in at ¼ MOA per click for windage and elevation adjustments which should help you get better precision when shooting with your M&P 15-22 rifle.
It is good for beginners and user-friendly as you won’t need a whole new lecture to understand how it works as long as you’ve used other scopes before. This scope is a high-end scope and is probably the scope with the most features on this list.
Its aluminum alloy build makes it extremely lightweight and its long eye relief of between 3.66-4.17 is more than you’ll need for a low recoil rifle like M&P 15-22. One downside with this scope is that lens covers are not included and you may have to buy them separately.
Pros
- Magnification range of 3-9x
- Wide objective lens of 40mm
- Lightweight
- Twilight Light Management System
- Long eye relief
- Amazing warranty
- Beginner-friendly
- Great optics
Cons
- Does not come with lens covers
- Is not quite affordable
4. Barska 3-9×32 Plinker-22
Barska plinker is made specifically for M&P 15-22 and other .22 rifles. Perfect for plinking as its name suggests and general hunting. Typically medium-range shootings are the ideal ranges here since it comes with a magnification range of 3-9 and a not so wide 32mm objective lens.
The Barska plinker is our budget option for M&P 15-22 scopes. You’ll struggle to find any scope with its amazing specifications and effectiveness in its price range. Apart from its price, it has also been able to stand out as a lightweight yet rugged scope. I know this doesn’t always go hand-to-hand but this Barska optic was able to do that. Weighing just 11.5 ounces, you’ll hardly notice its weight on your M&P 15-22 rifle. The 11.5 ounces weight includes the weight of the 3/8 inches mounting ring it comes with.
There are more added features in the scope which include lens covers and even a cleaning cloth. The MOA of this scope is set at ¼ we click for holdovers, windage, and elevation adjustments. It is parallax-free at 50 yards and comes with finger adjustable turrets.
It is also able to hold zero well. It uses a duplex reticle which is excellent for plinking. Its eye relief is 3.5 inches which is decent considering the M&P is a low recoil rifle.
This scope may not give you the utmost image clarity and sturdiness even though it is waterproof, fogproof, and can withstand the recoil from an M&P 15-22 rifle. It is suited for casual range shooting.
Pros
- Magnification range of 3-9x
- Duplex reticle
- Holds zero
- Finger adjustable turrets
- Includes lens covers, mounting rings, and cleaning cloths
- Extremely lightweight
- Affordable
- Fogproof and waterproof
Cons
- May not be well suited for active shooting
- Blurry images may occur at lower magnification levels
5. Aimpoint Carbine Optic (ACO) Red Dot Sight
Red dots sights have no magnification (1x), perfect for short-distance shooting but not limited as you can add red dot magnifiers and have your range expanded. Red dot magnifiers are external magnifications you can add to your rifle and use together with your red dot sight if you want to explore farther distances. So even the biggest issue with red dot sights has been settled.
The sight is beginner-friendly, easy to mount and use. Its lenses are fully multi coated for better light transmission, protection of the lens surface from dust and scratches, and light glare reduction. Its semi-matte finish also helps to reduce the glare reflection on the body. Talking about its body, it is made from high-grade aluminum materials which is why it is durable. It is waterproof and can be submerged in up to 15 feet without issues.
Like most red dots, this sight offers limitless eye relief, which means you’ll have no eye relief issues whatsoever. There are also nine different brightness levels you can choose depending on the light conditions so you can continue to use the sight effectively.
Its reticle uses a red dot instead of the typical crosshairs with a 2MOA dot center. The scope is perfect for short-distance shooting like home defense and range hunting. You’ll get a high level of accuracy with this sight when shooting at targets under 100 yards.
Pros
- Unlimited eye relief
- High accuracy levels
- Lightweight
- 9 brightness levels
- Fully multi coated lenses
- Durable
Cons
- Expensive
- May need a magnifier for longer distances
6. Nikon P-Rimfire 2-7×32 Scope with BDC 150 Reticle
It is made specifically for rimfire rifles and other .22 cartridge rifles. This particular Nikon rifle is built with its Magnification ranging from 2-7x and a 32mm objective lens which is good considering the maximum power level is 7x. This power range makes the scope ideal for short-distance shooting.
The biggest pull to this scope is its focus on accuracy and speed. With this scope, you get improved aiming and shooting speed while still enjoying an unbelievable level of accuracy. This is helped by Nikon’s rapid action turrets added to this scope.
It is a high-end scope made to complement the M&P 15-22 rifle features while being easy to use and effective. Its optics are fully multi coated for better light transmission, protection against scratches and dust, and reduced glare reflecting on its surface.
It is sturdy and rugged and it is no wonder why since it is made from a combination of polymer materials and anodized-finish aluminum. Its parts are firmly attached and the scope is both Q-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to make it waterproof and fogproof.
You can choose between two reticle types, the standard Nikoplex reticle which is Nikon’s version of the duplex reticle, and a Bullet Drop Compensator 150 reticle. Here, we’ll focus more on the BDC 150 reticle as it is more suited to an M&P 15-22 rifle. Its turrets are zero resettable to minimize errors when aiming. This way you can quickly switch back to zero on the go. Its turrets are finger adjustable with audible clicks to make it easier to adjust. It is also parallax-free at 50 yards.
There’s also an extra feature – a spot on app that helps you find the right adjustments to make.
While you’ll enjoy amazing optics below 100 yards, above 100 yards, you may have to contend with a slight blur, increasing as the distance increases. This shouldn’t be much of a problem if you use the scope for short-distance shooting below 100 yards.
Pros
- Magnification range of 2-7x
- Objective lens of 32mm
- Spot on app
- Shockproof, waterproof, and fogproof
- Fully multi coated optics
- Improved accuracy
- Extreme sighting speed
Cons
- Blurry images above 100 yards
Conclusion
After going through this comprehensive list of best M&P 15-22 scopes, you’ll find a couple of scopes that match your need as this list is diverse to cover different factors, including price, brand, and shooting needs.
