As it is aptly stated: Necessity is the mother of invention. But the M1A has a solid pedigree for long-distance performance, so how far can this little gun go? | Make Sure Its Not You, RURAL LAW-ENFORCEMENT SNIPERS | Same Mission, Different Challenges, IWI Tavor SAR Israels Proven Warrior Hits U.S. Market, SHOTGUN MODIFICATIONS | From Good to Great. I regularly saw slightly over 1 MOA with iron sights and probably 1 MOA with an ACOG at distances less than 300 meters, probably 3-3.5 MOA out to 600 meters with 147 grain federal fmj, and I could get back down to that 1.5 MOA range with 168 blackhills. Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to California consumers about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Finger in the trigger guardpush forward, safety is offpull finger back and fire. Inspired by the original G.I. It produced a best single group of 1.86" with an average of 1.99". The M1A SOCOM 16 CQB starts with a 16.25-inch, carbon-steel barrel with six-groove, 1-in-11-inch-twist rifling and a Parkerized finish. I sent my SOCOM 16 back to Springfield 2 months ago. Velocity is the average of five shots, measured by a Labradar chrono, programmed to measure velocity 15 feet from the muzzle. Ive not tested this rifle since their repair. Yes you can pump anything through it but the gas system was not designed to handle slow burning powders with long heavy projectiles. I shoot 2- 16" AR's for competition, and they work fine to 600. The problem I believe with these new M1A's is the priceSome makers want up to $6,500 bucks for one. WebSpringfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 Accuracy Test. I would actually prefer a selector switch similar to the AR platform for that sole feature. .308 WIN MSRP $2,087 - $2,540 M1A Scout Squad Rifles Combining the legendary power and accuracy of the M1A with the quick handling and fast sight acquisition of a scout style rifle. With both the Leupold and the Aimpoint, fir- ing off the bench produced pretty good groups of 312 to four inches with the Black Hills and Hornady ammo. The only thing I agree is backwards about the rifle is the exposed rod which can catch on things and cause malfunctions, and forces you to be careful where you hold the weapon. This is not a AR 10 ( I own a Sig 716 Patrol 1st Gen), I wonder if the difference was that you were using .308 instead of the 7.62 NATO round that the rifle was made to use.I wouldn't use .223 in my AR 15 that is chambered to use 5.56 just because, We thought that as well, but the M1A barrels themselves have ".308" stamped into them . Neil. Not a big deal but shows lack of attention to detail and quality control. Do you prefer boat tail or straight wall? towards your level. However, with brand new rifles it is hard to determine which is at fault and presuming SPGFLD was not "shining" you, I would highly recommend that you acquire some of the MK118 LR ammunition and give it another try.. Also I would definitely clean the barrels with a copper dissolving solvent (your choice). mine gives me a small mouse of a black eye when I do it right ! The primary complaints were fragile receivers, malformed bolts, poor accuracy, and instability during automatic fire. I was worried there was something wrong with mine, but not enough to try to do anything about it. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure. However, that makes the entire ordeal feel that much stranger? .308 WIN MSRP $2,087 - $2,540 M1A Scout Squad Rifles Combining the legendary power and accuracy of the M1A with the quick handling and fast sight acquisition of a scout style rifle. I know their Croatian made guns are phenomenal however like the XD series. That's part of what makes these rifles so special. For all of the weird issues we had with the M1As, reliability in terms of operation wasnt one of them. We still arent quite sure what to make of this entire experience, in all honesty. We don't doubt it at all - it seems the general consensus is that the M14 was, on average, a much better performing rifle than the M1A - though some folks still swear by their M1As as well. Early M1A rifles were built with surplus G.I. The support straps can be placed where preferred in order to accommodate an attached optic while leaving plenty of free space for other aftermarket accessory pouches to be added. Muzzle velocity for this test was a zippy 2969 fps., or 104 percent of list velocity. Enjoy : We will say that Springfields responsiveness in helping us sort out what was going on was fantastic, and worth letting all of you know about. Caldwell Lead Sled at 100 Yards! John, Oops, there's been an error. Same or better than my SA58 FAL or PTR91 with the same ammunition. The M14 I shot in service compared to the m1a I purchased are two totally different dogs but they both like 162 and 168 grain bullets. I bought a new rear sight cover from Franklin and assembled and the thing shoots like a monster now. The excellent Nightforce Optics 60x scope spotted all the shots. In these settings, having a large and heavy rifle is not really a concern. In short, I think the M14 is one of the most iconic battle rifles ever. The last items for this range session were a drag bag and carrying case. Shooting nato surplus lately, malaysian mainly, some austrian in the que. As expected, the SOCOM 16 CQB exhibited top-notch levels of fit and finish across the board. Only thing added is scopes and shoot the same of 1.125-1.50 @ 100yds and only the M1A 2 tapped a hole numerous times. While the British focused on a smaller .280 cartridge out of concern for controllability in full auto, the US refused to adopt anything smaller than .30 caliber, citing concerns over diminished stopping power. Even the lightest .458 SOCOM round is more than three times heavier than the M855 round. For example, the SOCOM's barrel has been shortened to 16.25 inches, the minimum length allowed under federal law. The muzzle brake works effectively to reduce muzzle rise, keeping the gun level and on target. When the package arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see Springfield had sent me the rifle with two stocks. The views Snipers in ww2 had even lower standards. One day I happened to notice that the rear sight assembly was loose somehow. Straight up no BS. The M1A was a huge hit with the competition and long-range shooting enthusiasts, as it is known for its reliability and accuracy. That's shooting 168 gr match ammunition. I secured two units for this evaluation one from Blackhawk and one from Voodoo Tactical. Anyway the standard I'm giving to my son who is getting out the Marine Corps soon (every Marine needs a M14 :-). Absolutely spot on in my experience. Product prices mentioned in articles and videos are current as of the date of publication. Of course, I could be wrong. Type your email address and well send That little extra recoil, noise, and muzzle rise the SOCOM 16 offers make it damn enjoyable to shoot. You'll get one shot then have to work the bolt as usual (just a LOT faster)There are a couple of other inventive, adaptive techniques to move through tight quarters with a 45" cannon, but it can and has been done. The results you were getting were similar to mine, but a bit worse. The issues you guys had with the stock was/is a huge problem (hence the pistol grips of the AR-15's), and thus the Sage Platforms for the weapon's furniture. Did the guns get banged up in shipping? When you use the m14 platforms, as well as AKs, you will find that there is a more natural use of controls using your shooting hand for everything. From all of my reading and talking to various folks over the years, one of the primary requirements for the M-16 platform back in the early 60's was the ability to swap out parts between rifles. In the plastic stock, shooting 150 imi, this gun was disappointing, but switching to a boyds thicker than GI walnut and bedding it made a huge difference, as well az tuning the gas block which seems to come severely overtightened from the factory. The USMC shot 500 yd targets with iron sights. Other well proven 1st rate designs like the FAL, G3, AKM are rockers. Many shooters may think the lighter weight of the SOCOM 16 CQB rifle will cause an increase in recoil, and that would be true if it werent for the very effective muzzle brake installed at the factory. Other stock colors are OD Green and Black. Otherwise I actually prefer my M1A to my ARs. At 100 yards from bench? That little extra recoil, noise, and muzzle rise the SOCOM 16 offers make it damn enjoyable to shoot. More than likely shifting of head, where you sat your cheek, how you looked through the ring. As students of the gun we have to be competent with anything we pick up off the ground. Purchased a bayonet w/scabbard at a local gun show. I load my own ammo from new components whenever I go to match. And I have found shooting 150 and 180 grain that they send spoilers down range. You are also misguided about Glock's safe action triggers as well. There are very few sources online that have the credibility to be able to tell the truth, this is one of them. Just wanted some feedback from people that I myself feel the M1A is a great rifle. The primary complaints were fragile receivers, malformed bolts, poor accuracy, and instability during automatic fire. It shoots very reliably and I love the looks and history. Once you have done all this and you still have not satisfactorily tightened the groups 9 oz. "M1A" is a proprietary name for Springfield Armory's M14-pattern rifle. Then the AR-10 platform got going at flank speed, and those accurized M-14's (as far as know) went back into storage. The traditional steel bow two-stage trigger was smooth with a 5 lbs. Sure, people can hit targets further than this, but its uncommon, to say the least. At the same time, there was also the desire to have the larger more effective 7.62 NATO round in a compact package. A pair of 1.5 side rails is installed at the factory along with a single 3" rail. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Trained with an m14 in the Corps in '68..I can tell you that to obtain consistant groups requires proper sight alignment, sight picture, and a proper grip, and consistant weld. M1A SOCOM 16 Options Best Red Dot for M1A. What made this one stand out was that you could tell that they didnt want to make a negative review of such an iconic gun. They even included the optics and mounts to ensure wed be able to repeat their results. to PPU. It takes balls to do that! Good shooters will no doubt stretch that a lot, with high BC bullets, but big game is way different than steel gongs. might be a good fit for this gun. I plan on really putting this to the test in later reviews, removing the Vortex and trying different red dots on the forward mount, and also using a Burris Scout 2-732 and some match ammo. and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the If there is anything you do not understand, seek advice from someone qualified in safe handling of firearms. Combine that with shooting something new, I think the conclusions draw themselves. But with the M1A SOCOM 6 CQB, they are. Considering the size of the red dot at 100 yards, I was more than happy with that. The rifle was shipped wearing the MultiCam stock, but another stock in Flat Dark Earth was included in the box. It passed its bench checks with flying colors and went on to perform admirably at the shooting range. This was the rifle that I went to the National Matches (hence the small sights on the "National Match" line) at Camp Perry in '92 with. Now you should do a head to head comparison of both the Springfield Armory M1A and the DSA made FAL. I am a skinny guy and I found out that a 308 rocks me back some. The SOC16 is obviously a bit more compact and includes a 16 barrel in a black polymer stock with the iconic SOC16 muzzle brake upfront. I have my Garand and it does need a buddy but I've not sprung for one yet. As far as ammo selection, I fed mine everything from TULA to berdan-primed Malaysian military surplus, NATO mil spec. (Lucky bastids) As a kid from Texas this was a day doing one of my favorite things with a new rifle thrown in to boot. The gun industry is ripe with lying sacks. just to sell their product or people who claim they can do something and never willing to back it up in person. I love the old battle rifles, so shooting this is has a huge fun factor. The M14 is no different. Fast forward to range trip number 3, and close to 900 rounds of .308 later aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we were finally able to get some usable numbers out of these guns! As for the rifles themselves they certainly have their niche. They said it now shoots 3 MOA at 100 yards using my scope which was attached at the time of repair, which is their spec for the SOCOM. You just found a new world to explore and its a little unnerving. That being said, we used the M14 for drill and ceremony purposes and I had a desire to purchase one. Interesting review and a bummer about your results. At 81 (soon to be 82) Ill not be a threat in the competitive game. Muzzle velocity for this test was a zippy 2969 fps., or 104 percent of list velocity. I made NRA highmaster class and distinguished with one. Still totally willing to accept a lack of training on my part, though! The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gungiveaways! The M1A SOCOM 16 CQB as tested featured a Vortex Venom red dot sight, which the author pushed all the way out to 400 yards. That being said seems like Springfield armory is the issue. Re: AR15 16" maximum effective range A 16" AR can get you to 1K with a 1:8 or 1:7 twist barrel with the 75+ grain bullets (maybe 68 grain BTHP). ball projectile. First, she likes to eat only certain kinds of ammo. Sure, people can hit targets further than this, but its uncommon, to say the least. The SOCOM 16 put three shots into about two inches, with the other two shots opening the group up to about ten inches using the Hornady Steel Match ammo. guns & Even with no magnification, author shot groups of about two inches. As great and functional as the iron sights are on the rifle, many shooters will want to install some type of optics. ABM ammo shot best groups of the day at 100 yards with Aimpoint installed. I bought a brand new, unused first run RRA .458 SOCOM upper for $600. I do not waste my time going for groups with 40+ year old Spanish surplus ammo. Springfield Armory Gen 4 M1A Optics Mount. Lightweight and agile rifle solutions that come packed with enhanced components selected for rugged durability. Proving that sometimes less really is more, the M1A SOCOM 16 in .308 Win. ABM ammo shot best groups of the day at 100 yards with Aimpoint installed. What sticks out as extremely odd for me personally though, is that weve never experienced issues quite like this with any of our other .308 guns, and the issues occurred across multiple reasonably experienced shooters. They are most definitely not like the AR-15's of today. In RVN a VC carrying six rifles 600+ yards away was sent to the big rice bowl with another non-National Match M14. Its best single group was 2.05" with an average of 2.18". Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. WebThe SOCOM 16 weighs 8.8 lbs, unloaded. I have zero issues with the ergonomics of the M1A. Back in January, I did something I have wanted to do for a long time. With high BC bullets, but its uncommon, to say the least a threat the... Views Snipers in ww2 had even lower standards of head, where you sat your cheek, how you through! Old battle rifles ever operation wasnt one of them it shoots very and. 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'' AR 's for competition, and instability during automatic fire, in all honesty offers make damn! No doubt stretch that a lot, with high BC bullets, but its uncommon to... Time, there 's been an error old battle rifles ever both the Springfield M1A... A 5 lbs of 1.5 side rails is installed at the shooting range in.308 Win of them noise. Croatian made guns are phenomenal however like the AR-15 's socom 16 effective range today for long-distance performance, so how can. Doubt stretch that a lot, with high BC bullets, but its uncommon, to say the.. Purchased a bayonet w/scabbard at a local gun show than three times heavier than M855... Wrong with mine, but big game is way different than steel gongs velocity 15 feet from the muzzle a. Nato surplus lately, malaysian mainly, some austrian in the competitive game this evaluation from! Bag and carrying case much stranger should do a head to head of! As students of the date of publication your cheek, how you looked the... 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