The JP 22/15 Match Upper

I ordered this upper in late February. My plan is to switch all my rifles to the same platform in order to simplify my training regiment. In theory, if my long range, 2 gun, and 22 match rifles are all the same it will make me more proficient with the AR platform. I hope that every 6.5 Creedmoor, 224 Valkyrie, 5.56 and 22 LR round fired strengthens my ability to shoot the other.

I started my testing with a Leupold VX 5 HD scope, an AREA 419 ARCA rail with Harris bipod, and a Timney Calvin elite trigger. I believed this was a great combination of parts and accessories. You can imagine the disappointment I felt in finding I was wrong.

The first round of testing was the worst accuracy I had seen to date. CCI standard velocity grouped at 2.2 and 2.3 inch five shot groups at 50 yards. Lapua Center X provided a 1.5 inch five shot group at 50 yards and SK long range was somewhere in between the other two ammo types. Disheartened is the only word that can accurately explain my feelings at the time of this testing. Luckily, JP had excellent customer support and aid in troubleshooting.

I was able to get in touch with JP’s customer support quickly. I spoke with Dave and we discussed my setup and any potential shortcomings in my combination of parts. He mentioned that the trigger I was using had a heavy hammer. The added mass of the hammer could lead to some accuracy issues. JP was more than willing to have the upper sent back to inspect for any deficiency. But, I was reluctant and wanted to test. So, I took Dave’s suggestion and tried a different lower with a different trigger. This time, I used a DDM4 lower with a CNC trigger and I gained .5 of an inch smaller groups with all previously mentioned ammo types.

Seeing such a change in my accuracy, I ordered a JP fire control group. The trigger arrived within two weeks. After a little work on the install it was time to retest. This round of testing didn’t give me bad results, but it was not what I was hoping for. When I zero a rifle I shoot from barricade, bench and other positions to show how my zero was affected by the different positions. The JP had no point of impact shift from my zero when conducting this exercise. However, I observed when I was shooting from a barricade with my WHISKEY HOTEL Stock+Aid, my groups not only had no POI shift but were also smaller. This was intriguing and confusing. In my experience, the most accurate position a person can shoot from is prone with a bipod and rear bag. Thinking back to my time in the military and a conversation I had with my sniper brother, we discussed his theory of pack rest VS bipod shooting. The shooter's theory was that no matter what type of ground he found himself shooting from his pack would change less than a bipod. If the shooting position is mud, rocks, concrete or a Humvee his rifle and rifle rest was always consistent. I decided it was time for a new bipod.

I packed a small assault pack, as I would for a match, and strapped a couple of shooting bags to the outside. This created a very stable pack-rest for me to shoot from. Testing the rifle showed that not only with proper ammo could this upper achieve sub MOA accuracy, but also with CCI Standard Velocity I could group around 1 MOA. I believe the reason the bag rest is more accurate has something to do with shock absorption. The extended amount of time a 22 LR is in the bore vs a centerfire cartridge highlights all shooter mistakes and error in equipment choices. When you add in the fact that you have the shock of an AR trigger hammer smacking the firing pin it doesn’t help. Then, it sends vibration down the rifle to the bipod and back. The pack rest helps dampen this shock.

With some kinks worked out and the rifle shooting more like what I expected it to, you can probably guess what came next. It was time for the PRS test! I ran the two previous rifles I reviewed through these same stages. Stage one was a simple stage. It consisted of one three-inch target at one hundred yards, and two different positions on the tank trap barricade. On the sound of the buzzer, I moved to the tank trap, fired five shots at the target, then proceeded to the second position and fired five more shots. I completed this stage clean in 26 seconds, I am way more familiar with AR controls than 10/22 controls. I’m guessing this is why my time is faster with the JP. The next stage I ran was a little harder. On this one, I shot five different targets from five different positions, moving every two shots. On the buzzer, I moved to position one and shot it two times then moved to the new position. I cleaned this course in 67 seconds. The targets consisted of a two-inch steel circle at seventy-five and eighty yards, a two-and-a-half-inch target at eighty-five and ninety-five yards and a three-inch target at onehundred yards. All positions were fired from a barricade with the help of my WHISKEY HOTEL Stock+Aid bag. All movement was on the clock. The JP AR can be tough to shoot from a barricade, but it can be mastered with a little practice. My times with the JP were faster than the BXR or the TCR which I tested previously. I’m positive my faster time is due to the fact that I am more experienced in the AR. I have used and competed with the AR platform in a professional capacity during my 12 years in the infantry. Also, the AR-15 has superior ergonomics compared to most rifles.

I am very pleased with the professionalism and customer support from the JP staff. Every piece of equipment I have purchased from this company has been top notch. To say that the JP 22 is upping my AR rifle game is an understatement. This upper has taught me new tricks and reminded me of old ones. The AR 22 is so adaptable it could be a 3-gun trainer, NRL rifle, squirrel hunter, or just for fun. I would absolutely purchase this rifle and any other equipment from JP. If you choose to purchase the JP 22, stick with it and train a lot. Zero your body to the rifle, master the art of the AR platform, and be ready to learn. Shooting precision AR is not as easy as a bolt gun, but it can be a lot more fun.