BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencil: 0.7 mm #2 Lead
The BIC Xtra-Smooth is a budget mechanical pencil with 0.7 mm HB (No. 2) lead, sold in packs from 5 to 320. Each pencil holds three leads, which you advance by clicking the eraser cap. Retailers cite NPD data making BIC the top-selling US mechanical pencil brand, and most listings give Mexico as the origin.
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Product facts
- Product
- BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencil, 0.7 mm, No. 2 (MPP40MJ-BLK, MP11, MPP51)
- Brand
- BIC
- Brand origin
- France
- Made in
- Mexico*
- Material
- Plastic barrel and grip
- Price range
- $under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
Notes on these facts
- Made by Société BIC (France); sold in the US by BIC Corporation. Made in Mexico: Retailer and distributor spec sheets give Mexico for the 12-pack MP11 (PartsSource), the 40-pack clear barrel (Noble), the 5-pack MPP51 (OnTime Supplies, Gateway) and the MP320 and MP40TX packs (MX). One Noble listing for a dozen with a tube of lead gives France, so origin can vary by pack. PartsSource still gave Mexico for MP11 on October 20, 2026; the Noble pages no longer loaded. BIC's French corporate site has no product pages, and its former consumer product sites now return 'gone', so check the box. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Lead: 0.7 mm in HB, which retailers label No. 2; listings say each pencil comes with 3 leads.
- Packs found at US retailers run from 5 to 320 pencils, including a 40-pack (MPP40MJ-BLK) and a 320-pencil carton (MP320).
- Staples and Kroger listings cite NPD unit sales for the 12 months ending June 2022 to call BIC the No. 1 selling mechanical pencil brand in the US.
- A wooden No. 2 pencil's graphite core is about 2.2 mm thick, roughly 3 times the diameter of the Xtra-Smooth's 0.7 mm lead.
- Six of the 7 pack listings we found with an origin give Mexico; one dozen pack lists France.
What is the BIC Xtra-Smooth mechanical pencil?
It is BIC’s mass-market mechanical pencil: a clear or colored plastic barrel holding 0.7 mm No. 2 lead, sold mostly in multi-packs for school and office. Pack titles call the 0.7 mm size a medium point.
Retailer listings on Staples and Kroger quote NPD unit sales for the 12 months ending June 2022 to call BIC the No. 1 selling mechanical pencil brand in the US. That is BIC’s claim as carried by retailers; we haven’t seen the NPD data ourselves.
BIC Xtra-Smooth specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Société BIC, France |
| Lead size | 0.7 mm (medium point) |
| Lead grade | HB, sold as No. 2 (PartsSource’s distributor title says “HB (#2.5)”) |
| Leads included | 3 per pencil |
| Lead feed | Click the eraser cap (top advance) |
| Eraser | Built in, under the cap |
| Common item numbers | MPP51 (5), MP11 (12), MPP40MJ-BLK (40), MP320 (320) |
| Refillable | Yes, with 0.7 mm lead |
| Made in | Mexico for most packs (per retailer spec sheets) |
Specs come from Staples, Quill, Kroger, H-E-B and ClassWallet listings. BIC doesn’t publish a length or weight in the sources we found, so we don’t give one.
What pack sizes does the Xtra-Smooth come in?
We found packs of 5, 10, 12, 24, 40, 144 and a 320-pencil carton at US retailers. The 320-count carton is sold as the Xtra Value Pack, in assorted barrel colors.
Some packs use colored barrels instead of clear ones, such as the Bright Edition and Pastel Edition. Retailers list the same 0.7 mm No. 2 lead in each.
Per pencil, every listing we checked falls in our lowest price band (under $5 a pencil), and the bigger the pack, the lower the cost per pencil.
Can you refill the lead and eraser?
Yes: retailers list the Xtra-Smooth as refillable, and it takes standard 0.7 mm lead. Each pencil ships with three leads, so most people won’t need a refill for a while.
BIC sells its own refills, such as the Break-Resistant Lead and Eraser Refills (LMV7PR42-AST) at Staples, but any lead of the same 0.7 mm diameter fits. Because the eraser is also the advance button, it wears down with use.
How does it compare to a wooden No. 2 pencil?
The Xtra-Smooth never needs sharpening and keeps a constant line width, while a wooden Ticonderoga No. 2 has a thicker core that is stronger under pressure.
| BIC Xtra-Smooth | Ticonderoga No. 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Graphite | 0.7 mm lead | 2.2 mm core |
| Grade | HB (No. 2) | HB (No. 2) |
| Sharpening | Never | Needed |
| Line width | Constant | Widens as the point wears |
| Eraser | Under a cap, also the lead button | Glued in a ferrule |
| SAT scratch work | Allowed (any pen or pencil) | Allowed |
| Allowed on AP exams | No | Yes (No. 2 pencils) |
Both are No. 2 graphite, so the darkness is similar. The difference is the format: thin, constant lead in a refillable barrel versus a wide core you sharpen.
Can you use a BIC mechanical pencil on the SAT or AP exams?
The BIC Xtra-Smooth mechanical pencil fits the SAT rules but is banned on AP exams. The College Board’s SAT rules allow any pen or pencil for scratch work, say it doesn’t have to be a No. 2, and don’t mention mechanical pencils.
For AP exams, the College Board lists mechanical pencils among the items students may not bring and asks for sharpened No. 2 pencils for the paper parts. Michigan’s paper PSAT instructions also tell students not to use a mechanical pencil.
Some retailer copy calls the Xtra-Smooth suited to “test time” because its lead is No. 2. That refers to the grade, not to any test rule, so check your exam’s own list and pack wooden No. 2 pencils when in doubt.
How does it compare to premium mechanical pencils?
It is a disposable-priced pencil, not a drafting tool. A Pentel GraphGear 1000 adds a metal grip and a retractable 4 mm sleeve, and the Uni Kuru Toga turns its lead to keep the point even. Both cost many times more per pencil. To carry a pack, a zip pouch like the EASTHILL pencil case works.
Where is the BIC Xtra-Smooth made?
Most US retailer and distributor listings give Mexico as the country of origin. PartsSource lists the 12-pack MP11 as made in Mexico, and Noble, OnTime Supplies and Gateway list Mexico for 40-packs and 5-packs. One Noble listing for a dozen pack with a tube of lead says France, so check the box of the exact pack you buy. BIC itself is a French company.
Frequently asked questions
What size lead does a BIC Xtra-Smooth mechanical pencil use?
It uses 0.7 mm lead, which BIC calls a medium point. The lead is HB, sold as No. 2, so it writes about as dark as a standard yellow wooden pencil.
How do you advance the lead in a BIC Xtra-Smooth?
Press the eraser cap at the top. Retailer listings describe a top-advance design, so the same eraser you erase with is the button that feeds new lead.
How many leads come in a BIC Xtra-Smooth pencil?
Retailer listings for the 10-count and 40-count packs say each pencil comes with three No. 2 leads. When those run out, you can refill it with any 0.7 mm lead.
Can you use a BIC mechanical pencil on the SAT or AP exams?
On the SAT, the College Board's rules allow any pen or pencil for scratch work, it doesn't have to be a No. 2, and they don't mention mechanical pencils, so the BIC Xtra-Smooth fits the rules. AP exams are different: the College Board bans mechanical pencils there and asks for sharpened No. 2 pencils.
Can you refill a BIC Xtra-Smooth?
Yes. Retailers list it as refillable, and any 0.7 mm lead fits. BIC sells its own 0.7 mm lead refills, such as the Break-Resistant Lead and Eraser Refills (LMV7PR42-AST) listed at Staples.
Is BIC Xtra-Smooth the same as BIC Xtra Life?
Retailers use both names for the same 0.7 mm clear-barrel pencil: Staples' URL for the MPP40MJ-BLK 40-pack still says Xtra Life, while the product title says Xtra-Smooth.
Where are BIC Xtra-Smooth mechanical pencils made?
Most US retailer and distributor listings give Mexico as the country of origin, though one dozen pack is listed as made in France. BIC itself is a French company.
Sources
- Groupe BIC (French): corporate site (no consumer product pages; former BIC consumer sites return 410 Gone)
- Staples: BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencil 0.7 mm, 40-pack, MPP40MJ-BLK
- Staples: BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils (NPD No. 1 selling claim, eraser advance)
- Kroger: BIC Xtra Smooth No. 2 Mechanical Pencils with Erasers, 10-count (3 leads per pencil, NPD claim)
- H-E-B: BIC Xtra Smooth 0.7 mm Mechanical Pencils (3 leads, eraser advance)
- Quill: BIC Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencil, 0.7 mm, #2, 12/pack (MP11)
- Walmart: BIC Xtra-Smooth Mechanical Pencils, 0.7 mm, 144-count
- Walmart: BIC Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencils, 0.7 mm, 10-count
- Staples: BIC Xtra-Smooth 320-carton, MP320
- Staples: BIC Break-Resistant Lead and Eraser Refills, LMV7PR42-AST
- PartsSource: BIC MP11 (country of origin Mexico; titled HB #2.5)
- Noble: Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencil, 0.7 mm, 40/pack (country of origin Mexico)
- Noble: Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencils with Tube of Lead, dozen (country of origin France)
- OnTime Supplies: BIC MPP51 5-pack (country of origin Mexico)
- OnTime Supplies: BIC MP320 Xtra Value Pack, 320/carton
- ClassWallet: Xtra Smooth Mechanical Pencil, dozen (top-advance)
- College Board: SAT testing rules (pen or pencil for scratch work, not necessarily No. 2)
- College Board AP Students: What to bring on exam day
- Michigan Department of Education: testing materials diagram (no mechanical pencils)
- Quill: Ticonderoga #2 pencils, 12-pack 13806 (2.2 mm core)