S&W MP15 .300 Whisper Suppressed

This is a stock photo from S&W, looks totally different with an Eotech and Suppressor mounted.

At this point in our Media Day at the Range for SHOT Show 2012, my good camera’s battery had long since died. So we were left with the ubiquitous iPhone to carry the load. Fortunately for us the video quality is half decent. And even more fortunate, it was our turn to fire the Smith & Wesson MP15 in .300 Whisper. Not only is this one of Smith & Wesson’s newest offerings in the AR platform, but the one we fired had a can (a fancy and “tacticool” way of saying it was suppressed) on it. Dad (hausofarms.com) said it best when he said we felt like we were doing something wrong because it’s SO quiet.

The .300 Whisper we shot today was a 208 grain bullet traveling at approximately 1020 feet per second suppressed. This means with the suppressor fixed to the barrel, and with the round being completely subsonic that that only sounds we were hearing was the puff from the muzzle, the bolt cycling and the round punching the target downrange. It literally is an impressive phenomenon.

For you AR guys who are wondering how a round traveling just 1020 feet per second sends enough gas down the direct impingement system to cycle the bolt, it turns out it’s a combination of recoil based on the pressure of shooting a 208 grain Amax bullet and the gases that escape from the higher pressure. Basically it takes more pressure to get the round through the barrel, so the pressure and gas together compliment one another to create flawless function. I should also note this is the first Smith & Wesson MP15 type AR platform rifle I’ve had the privilege of firing and it handled as good as you would hope.

Smith & Wesson is essentially saying this will be one of the best hog guns around. If you suppress the MP15 .300 Whisper and get within 300 yards of a gaggle of hogs, you’re bound to get a few shots off before the keen witted razorbacks get wind of what’s going on. This was one of my big wins at range day. Just a blast to shoot. Then again anything subsonic and suppressed is. Might have to get a 300 Whisper or a 300 AAC Blackout in to suppress and do a rifle review on. These would be awesome for close range predators too.