Brief Overview
There’s been a small but somewhat underwhelming resurgence recently when it comes to the handguns chambered for .22 WMR. Walther released its optics-ready 15+1 WMP pistol back in 2022, and Ruger added to that in 2023 with its Super Wrangler revolver, which is convertible between .22 LR and .22 WMR with a simple cylinder swap.
Yet, as a fan of the .22 WMR, the recent attention felt a bit lacking, given that the last generous-capacity handgun chambered for the round was the 30+1 KelTec PMR30 released way back in 2010. There’s so much potential in that small but powerful .22 WMR cartridge that it just felt like someone had to break the stagnation.
Related: KelTec PMR30 – Max Capacity .22 Mag Plinker Review
Smith & Wesson mercifully did just that in the summer of 2023 with the 30+1 M&P 22 Magnum. Finally, we had another semi-auto pistol that actually took advantage of the capacity potential of the .22 Magnum.
By the profile and grip texture, the new gun has many of the hallmarks you’d expect from the company’s current M&P 2.0 lineup. It’s the noticeably wide grip and slender slide that really set it apart visually. They closely resemble the new M&P 5.7 launched in January 2023. That’s hardly a coincidence, thanks in large part to the Tempo barrel system used in both firearms.
The guts of the M&P 22 Magnum are unique. From an engineering perspective, Smith & Wesson did a whole lot more than simply stuff 30 rounds of .22 Mag into a double-stack magazine and shove that into your standard blow-back design. So, let’s dig into how this thing really works.
Specs & Features
Other than the 30-round magazine, it’s Smith & Wesson’s proprietary Tempo barrel system that makes the M&P 22 Magnum stand out. Ostensibly, the gun is a gas-operated, locked-breech design. But instead of using a fixed or tilting barrel, the M&P 22 Magnum has a barrel shroud that surrounds the inner barrel.
That barrel is ringed by six fins with a small gas port near the front. These effectively turn the barrel itself into a type of piston. The port ensures the operating system remains locked until the bullet passes the port and pushes gas up into the shroud.
The gas then engages the fins to cam the barrel, giving the M&P 22 Magnum the delayed action it needs to reliably cycle the hotter and longer .22 Magnum. Smith & Wesson used essentially the same system but with a rotating motion to lock and unlock the action for the M&P 5.7.
Features are ambidextrous with a thumb safety and slide release on the left and right side of the slide. Both are easy for me to reach without adjusting my grip, while not obtrusive. The thumb safety has a nice positive feel and audible click. The magazine release is reversible.
The slide comes with a factory optics cut in a RMSc footprint. Total uploaded weight is a slight 1.25 pounds. Adding 30+1 rounds of 40-grain FMJ CCI Maxi Mag and a magazine will bump that up to just 1.65 pounds.
Here’s a quick rundown of the basic specs:
- Weight: 1.25 pounds (unloaded)
- Length: 8.4 inches
- Barrel Length: 4.4 inches
- Sight Radius: 7 inches
- Height: 5.9 inches (5.1 inches without mag)
- Width: 1.15 inches
- Trigger Pull: 4.2 pounds
- Capacity: 30+1
There’s a flat-face trigger with a Glock-like safety blade. The gun uses an internal hammer instead of a striker mechanism, which lends itself to a generally nice trigger with a predictable pull that came in at 4.2 pounds on my gauge. There’s a very light trigger travel of 0.25 inches to get to the wall.
Here's a quick video of the trigger and manual safety in action:
The wall is stiff and breaks without noticeable creep, and the trigger reset travel is just 0.2 inches for fast follow-up shots. My only complaint is the break has a slightly more clunky than glass-like feel. It’s still a rather nice trigger, even with that very minor complaint.
Trigger reset is positive – not aggressive – and noticeable enough to run the gun quite fast. That’s appreciated with a 30+1 capacity, which brings me to ammo selections. Smith & Wesson does not advertise this as a platform that can shoot any-and-all .22 WMR ammo equally. The company provides a list of pre-tested ammo. There’s a reason for this, and I’ll get to that in the shooting section below.
This gun has a large grip to accommodate the longer .22 WMR round. The grip is just over 2 inches wide but slim at just a hair over 1 inch thick. There’s a fine sandpaper-like texture that extends around the entire pistol grip and onto the baseplate of the magazine.
Your front sight is metal with a green fiber-optic rod set into the post. The rear sight is cut to reduce glare. Both are drift-adjustable. The barrel is not threaded for comps or suppressors. You do get deep, aggressive rear slide serrations and a long Picatinny rail up front.
Shooting & Accuracy
Even though this gun comes standard with two magazines capable of hosting a generous 60 rounds before reloading, I could certainly see myself adding a few more to the collection. Even 30-round mags can dry up pretty quickly when you’re plinking away with the light-recoiling and enjoyable .22 WMR.
I will say that running handguns with larger capacities does start to fatigue my personal performance on the range. The below targets were shot at distances between 10 and 30 yards. I noticed my groups opening a bit as I neared the end of each string of shooting, which shows best on the 15-yard target that was shot with two magazines.
The grip texture, trigger, and decent target sights all help the gun hold its own as a target shooter. My first groups were a bit low, but that was from my first range visit with the gun.
All said, I’ve put 500 rounds through the M&P 22 Magnum so far, and the term reliable applies. However, there are a few caveats. Not all ammo was created equal when it comes to this gun. This pistol loved the 150 rounds of 40-grain FMJ CCI Maxi Mag and 100 rounds of 40-grain FMJ Federal Champion .22 WMR I fed it. In the world of hollow-point ammo, it was plenty happy to feed on the 150 rounds of 45-grain FTX Hornady Critical Defense I gave it.
According to the manual, “Smith & Wesson has found that some .22 WMR ammunition has difficulty extracting when the M&P 22 Magnum pistol gets hot, as during extended rapid-fire. Allowing the pistol to cool after a rapid firing session should improve extraction.” The manual also recommends regular cleaning after long range trips to keep the gun running optimally.
The Tempo barrel system should allow lighter bullets to function well since it has assistance from the gas vent. However, the manual also stresses that only jacketed bullets should be used. Debris from non-jacked bullets will work its way into the clearance between the barrel and barrel shroud. Snake/rat/bird shot will not work properly with the Tempo barrel.
Smith & Wesson has a handy list of ammo it has tested. The ammo already mentioned was on that list and ran great for me. I did have numerous failures to feed and a few failures to extract with 30-grain CCI TNT Green hollow-point ammo that was on the list. My recommendation is to stick with Smith & Wesson’s list and test a few boxes of different brands before committing to any bulk ammo purchases.
Pros & Cons
Here’s my short list of the pros and cons for the M&P 22 Magnum:
Pros:
- 30+1 .22 WMR capacity
- Reliable with correct ammo
- Lightweight
- Accurate
- Low recoil
- Nice sights and trigger
- Good grip texture
- Optics mount and Picatinny rail
- Ambidextrous design
Cons:
- No threaded barrel
- Disassembly requires a tool
-
Some ammo limitations
Final Thoughts
Fans of the potent little .22 WMR finally got a new gun that capitalizes on the capacity potential the round offers. Until now, the only real option was the older KelTec PMR30. I’ve tested that gun as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. But that older design has some quirkier features, included many screws and a heel magazine release.
The M&P 22 Magnum offers something a bit more refined and robust. It has the familiar M&P-style controls and texture that make it feel like a proper tactical shooter. Plus, its 30+1 capacity sets it apart from other recent semi-auto .22 Mag handguns that have come on the market.
