Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport III Review

---

M&P 15 Sport III Pros & Cons

Pros

• Affordable price
• Easily upgraded
• Updated features

Cons

• Not ambidextrous
• No QD

M&P 15 Sport III Specs & Features

Specs

• Caliber: 5.56×45 mm
• Action: Semi-auto
• Capacity: 30 rounds (or by magazine)
• Barrel Length: 16″
• Overall Length: 35″
• Height: 8″
• Width: 2.5″
• Weight: 6.52 lbs.
• Comes With: Cardboard box, 30-round PMAG (where allowed), owner’s manual, gun lock

Features

• Free float handguard
• Mid-length gas system
• 1:8 Twist barrel rifling
• Integral trigger guard

Move over M&P Sport II…

Smith & Wesson recently released the M&P 15 Sport III, the latest entry into a series that has provided quality AR-15s at an affordable price since 2010. Now, with tons of very usable upgrades from the II.

Featuring a free-float handguard and mid-length gas system, the Sport III has a lower MSRP than the now-discontinued Sport II. While this sounds like a great deal, cautious consumers might wonder if the new rifle is up to par.

Smith sent us one to test out, and we’ll share the results (including one hiccup) with you below. So read on!

How We Tested the M&P 15 Sport III

For this review, we tested the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport III with a Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25×56 riflescope at 100 yards for accuracy and a Vortex Sparc red dot for closer work. For each gun we hands-on review, we test with both FMJ and JHP ammunition and a couple of magazines to evaluate accuracy and reliability with different types of ammo and magazines. Ultimately, we ran through a 500-round mix of AAC 55gr FMJ, Remington Match 69gr, and Nosler 55gr hollow points.

We shoot 5-10 round groups for each bullet weight tested and fire supported and unsupported to test accuracy. Finally, we bring along a couple of magazines to evaluate the AR-15’s ability to feed, drop cleanly, and lock back on empty.

M&P 15 Sport III Background

In 2011, Smith & Wesson released the first M&P 15 Sport, which looked very similar to the Colt M4 but did not include a dust cover or forward assist. They aimed to create an inexpensive, no-frills rifle that ran, and they succeeded.

Building upon the success of the original, Smith & Wesson later added the dust cover and forward assist to the M&P 15 Sport II, which was released in 2016. The Sport II was still very similar in appearance to the original.

Who Is the M&P Sport 15 III For?

The M&P Sport series has traditionally been viewed as budget bangers. This series is a real workhorse that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg yet still provides good accuracy and reliability for the price. The Sport III follows in these footsteps.

Anyone wanting a low-cost/high-value AR-15 would enjoy this rifle.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

I appreciate what Smith & Wesson has done with this rifle series, and the third generation is following suit. By using low-cost parts that many people replace anyway, they’re able to pass those savings on to the consumer.

For example, the six-position adjustable stock is of the venerable M4 Carbine variety. It’s purely functional but has no butt pad or QD wells. Similarly, the grip is an A2 style with the tell-tale hump between the middle and ring fingers — I have a drawer filled with both of these discards.

That said, the fit and finish are good. Twisting the forend, I could detect a tiny bit of wiggle between the forged upper and lower, though nothing terrible.

Lockup is solid, and the handguard is firmly attached with no discernable play. Smith also brought the Sport series into the modern era with a full-length rail, replete with M-LOK slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions, though no QD.

Picatinny rail adorns the receiver and runs the entire length of the 15-inch handguard. This is a welcome addition and upgrade from the previous two versions.

The handguard covers a 16-inch barrel made with a 1:8 twist and 5R rifling profile. It is also finished with Armornite, a nitride-based approach that hardens and makes the metal more durable.

Many of the features appear to be standard or Milspec, what you’d come to expect on a base-level AR-15. One notable improvement on the lower is a forged, integral trigger guard, though some people may prefer the original version which allowed removal for use with gloves.

The mag well is not flared, though the outer lip is beveled in a bit to help guide magazines in. Magazines fed, locked up, and dropped cleanly when I pressed the release.

No sights were included with the Sport III, so it was tested with optics instead.

Controls

The Sport III’s controls feel very Milspec, with the classic, anemic charging handle, left-side bolt release and fire control, plus magazine release on the right. One exception from the bargain bin controls is the trigger.

In a word, it is decent. While there was a bit of creep before it broke, it broke crisply and had a resounding and tactile reset. Pull weight averaged 3 pounds 2 ounces on a Lyman Digital gauge.

How Does the M&P 15 Sport III Shoot?

Starting off with AAC and the Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25×56, I pushed out to 100 yards to establish zero. Once set, I shot from a prone position using a P3 Ultimate Gun Vise from CTK Precision. I shot a series of groups using multiple types of ammo, including 55gr AAC, 55gr Nosler hollow points, and 69gr Remington Match.

The groups averaged around 2-2.5 MOA, though the best were 1.5 MOA. This was achieved with both AAC and Nosler 55gr ammo.

Reliability was a more interesting story. Somewhere between 150 and 200 rounds, the Sport III started having feeding issues. I tried several different brands of magazines to see if this would resolve the problem, but it didn’t.

After a while, it became evident we couldn’t continue testing, so I sent the rifle back to Smith & Wesson. They promptly sent out another one and we resumed testing another day.

On our second outing, we ran through another 300 rounds using multiple magazines and different ammunition. The gun ran absolutely flawlessly, to the point that the need to complete another 500-round test seemed redundant.

Why is the M&P 15 Sport III Unique?

The Sport III represents an incredibly solid value at the price. Over the years, many people have told me an M&P 15 Sport (I or II) was their first AR-15.

Anecdotal reports I’ve received are that those rifles are accurate, reliable, and still trucking after years of service. The number of quality, name-brand ARs for well under $1,000 is a short list.

By The Numbers

Reliability: 3.5/5

I believe in this instance, I got a dud from Smith. The second rifle ran flawlessly.

Ergonomics: 3/5

Ergonomics are on par with Milspec, though lefties will need some upgrades.

Accuracy: 3.5/5

With a couple of groups at 1.5 MOA, the rifle is solid.

Customization: 5/5

The AR-15 aftermarket makes the world your oyster.

Value: 5/5

Regularly sold for $700, this gun represents a true value and can be inexpensively upgraded.

Overall: 4/5

Upgrades & Accessories

Although the Sport III’s trigger is serviceable, it would benefit from an upgrade. I recommend a Geissele.

Another area I’d update is the stock. You can get a great deal more comfort and function out of something from Magpul.

You’ve got to have solid ammo to run this rifle and we’ve found AAC to be reliable and accurate.

Why You Should Trust Pew Pew Tactical

At the helm of this review was Pew Pew Tactical Content Producer Sean Curtis. Sean has been shooting since childhood but really began to delve into guns more during his law enforcement career. He spent over two decades in law enforcement, where he became a POST-certified handgun instructor and NLEFIA Red Dot Instructor and received CLEFIA Advanced Firearms Instructor Training and AR-15 armorer training. He has since attended a variety of training, including Tactical Performance Center Handgun Mastery & Carbine Mastery, and earned USCCA rifle instructor certification. Aside from training and prior to joining the Pew Pew Tactical team full-time, Sean wrote for several gun publications evaluating and testing guns and gear and has written hundreds of articles.

This review was edited by Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings, who runs Pew Pew Tactical’s experienced team of reviewers. Jacki is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association and has her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years, and has worked as an editor for five years. She uses her extensive professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards.

Final Verdict

Although our first test gun had a feeding issue, the second one performed to the standard I’ve come to expect from Smith & Wesson. It was accurate and reliable.

Upgrading the Sport III while simultaneously lowering the cost is an impressive feat. Who doesn’t want a free float, full-length handguard, and mid-length gas system?

In the end, these components improve accuracy and reliability in a series of rifles already well-known for both qualities.

One of the best aspects of this gun is that it is a sleeper. With minimal cost, you can upgrade the trigger and furniture to make something truly impressive.

Do you own an M&P 15 Sport, or will you be picking one up? Let us know in the comments below. For more AR-15 action, check out 13 Best AR-15s: Ultimate Hands-On Guide!