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Looking to practice with something a little cheaper than .223 ammo.

I see a lot of .22 rimfire conversions and have been aware of 9mm complete uppers for a long time.

It's time to try and save a few pennies, so which is the better way to go ?

From what I read here are the +/- to each :

.22 rimfire conversions

Cons:

Mags aren't cheap or commonly available
Mags are sometimes proprietary
.22 rimfire isn't reloadable

Pros:

.22 LR is cheap, available almost everywhere and easy to carry enough to shoot all day
Cheaper to purchase than a 9x19 upper
Easy to store in a range bag

9x19 complete upper

Cons:

Full uppers run $600 plus
Mag block necessary to accommodate 9x19 mags
Not as portable as a rimfire conversion

Pros:

Mags are available in a variety of styles (Colt, Sten or Uzi conversions)
9x19 ain't too shabby as a SD round especially with a 16" barrel
Brass is reloadable
Lead/cast friendly (with the right lube of course)
Will probably outlast a rimfire conversion

Either will be easy to sell should my shooting habits change, both are cheaper than shooting a steady diet of .223, recoil is very light so either would be great to introduce new shooters to the AR.

I will most likely keep whatever I buy here for years to come, so reliability and longevity are definitely a consideration.

If you have one or the other (or both) can you provide some first hand feedback on your likes/dislikes of these ?

Any idea which 9x19 upper/ mag block/ mags combination is the best solution in terms of value; price vs reliability ?

Any idea which of the rimfire conversions is the least amount of hassle ? Best bang for the buck ?

Which would you buy and why ?

Thanks for any feedback, they both look good on paper, neither is clearly superior (to me) for my needs.

I went for the separate rifle in the S&W M&P15-22. I got it for my daughter, but also really enjoy shooting it. The controls are identical to my M4. I haven't gotten my M4 completely sighted in yet, so I shoot way better with the .22. I just tried shooting both of them today with both eyes open for the first time. I only shot at 25 and 50 yards, so other than the sound, kick, and accuracy of my M4, they were pretty much identical to shoot. I have seen this rifle at gun shows for about $420.

Regarding the ammo, I bought 1,000 rounds of that Winchester M-22 stuff at about 4.5 cents/round at Walmart.

I recommend a CMMG dedicated upper. I have the M4LE upper with stainless bolt and it is great. Dropped right on my PSA upper and added a bunch of Black Dog 26rd mags and it's a fun cheap day at the range. I originally bought 5 mags from 44mag.com but Palmetto State Armory is running a special on them right now for $12.95 a mag. The best place to get the upper is from shadowcop on ar15.com

I had a Colt 9mm AR about 10 years ago and while I liked it the mag springs were weak on the Colt mags. If I were to try another 9mm AR it would be one that takes Glock mags. That rifle was fun when it functioned properly but the .22 is the way to go.

I went with a SW MP 15-22 over a conversion due to the price of conversion vs the MP . I love the gun
But I am looking for a AR in 9mm too, 9mm in bulk for me to reload is 5/100 rounds and I have always wanted a 9mm AR.
If I could only have one it would be the 22 , if you just want to shoot and have fun you don't have to look for brass after . The mags for the SW can be found cheap.

I love the 9mm uppers. Magwell can be had for $45 from promag. Don't forget to get the correct buffer and hammer!!!!!

I've shot both. The 9mm can be fun. But from a strict head-to-head gotta look at all the choices, follow the money.

I'm now shooting a Sig 522 I got from Salty1 on this board.
Has the same controls as a Sig .223 and fun to shoot b/c I'm not blowing my bank account when I go a run off about 350 rounds.
And, its just fun to shoot.

The .22 is my choice. Less expensive is the way to go.

LabRat

The CCMG conversion is inexpensive and reliable. All you have to do to your rifle is change out the Bolt Carrier Group. They use the most nearly universal .22 mags out there. I have one that I shoot in either of my ARs.

.22 conversion. But i did that and now wish I had just bought the S&W rifle. I have $450 in mine.
Don't just buy a conversion kit, get a full upper if you go that route. The twist rate for .22 is 16:1, whereas a .223 will be 9:1 or 7:1.
It works with the tighter twist rate, it's just not as accurate.