TexasCHLforum.com

I was at the Pasadena gun show yesterday, and Bachmans Pawn & Gun has the S&W M&P15 for $699, and you get either a $100 cash rebate or 5 magazines. I chose the rebate, because there was a place selling P-mags for $13. Not sure if that is a really good price, or an average price, but they are listed on S&W website for $1200 for the M&P15OR, which is the model I got for that price.

I took it to the range after work and put a few rounds through it. I must say I like it. It's my first one, but most likely not my last.

Was it the optics-ready carbine model? (ORC). I've seen CDNN advertise it for the same price. I believe the rebate offer ends October 4th, 2010.

Great find and right in the nick of time.

It is just the M&P15OR. as far as I can tell, the ORC is the "compliant" model for states like California.

It has a full length receiver rail and a gas block rail, but comes with no sights. I picked up a set of Magpul front and rear flip up sights. I'll eventually get some kind of optics for it and a good light, but for now, the cheap Magpul's will work. My buddy has a Bushmaster, and had a fore end that had rails on 4 sides, but he replaced it with a tan fore end, so he said he would give me the other one. I have a feeling that, in the end, this rifle is going to end up having cost me a whole bunch of money.

If you only have a gas block rail and normal hand guards then the front sight will be at a different height than the rear and will not line up. You have to add a quad rail or buy a front sight designed to be mounted to the gas block.