Reader Josh e-mails me with a tough one:
I desire to upgrade from .223 to .308, and as such I have settled on a Springfield M1A rifle. I am already very familiar with this configuration having used it in the military and I know this is what I want. The issue lies with which model. I have it down to 2, either the Scout/Squad, or the Socom 16.
My logic cells tell me to purchase the Scout model and that the Socom 16, while being touted for its low recoil and maneuverability, is just tacticool…….. But it is really tacticool.
I find so much conflicting information on the various interwebs that I wanted to ask someone I would listen to as none of my friends own either iteration.
Thank You for assistance and for your site.
First off, Josh, thanks for your service. Secondly, there's conflicting information about which of two guns is better on the internet? :) And lastly, thanks for the kind words about my humble corner of the 'net.
Your question is a tough one, IMHO, because the guns in question are fairly similar. Here's the Springfield Armory Scout Squad:
And the SOCOM 16: 
Now, as far as I can tell, the only difference between the two rifles is the barrel length - 16.25" on the SOCOM16, 18" on the Scout Squad. They have the same twist, the same number of grooves, the same trigger, and the weight is within 0.3 pounds (9.0 vs. 9.3). The major differences are the barrel length (and corresponding overall length) and the sights, which become less important if adding optics anyways.
I wouldn't think that the extra 1.75" on the Scout Squad's barrel is really going to make much of a difference in accuracy, but I'm terribly knowledgeable about rifles (hell, I just got an AR last year!). My advice would be to go for the SOCOM16 if that's what you really want - I can't imagine there being a lot of difference in performance between the two, and if you want tacticool, get what you want. Anyone out there in blogland have any other thoughts/suggestions?
And all I can say is I want a National Match M1A so bad I can taste it...
That is all.
8 comments:
I own a SOCOM, and I think the sights are too coarse for long range shooting, so I may put a scout scope on it, but it might mess up the weight/balance.
Depends on what Josh wants to do with it, I suppose. If he wants to do any iron sight shooting at distance, I'd go with the Scout for the standard sights. Inside 75 yards, the SOCOM is fun even with the fat ghost ring sights.
The SOCOM muzzle brake is really loud, but effective.
Best regards,
Jay, I beleive you need to ask your buddy a threshold question.
As with any other tool, what does he want to do with it?
"Upgrade"? I don't understand. Different platforms, different jobs.
Shootin' Buddy
Joh,
If you WANT the 16, get the 16. I'd think the 18 would be a little more pleasant to shoot, much less blast noise, and probably an extra 100 FPS muzzle velocity, and better accuracy with iron sights.
But if you just want to have fun at distance out to 100 yards, it is not going to make any real difference. If you planned on much at 300+ yards, The 18" would be my pick.
Jay,
I had a NM M14 (14, not 1A) and it was the least accurate rifle that I have ever laid a finger on. Good riddance.
"But if you just want to have fun at distance out to 100 yards, it is not going to make any real difference."
For that kind of money, you can buy 3 or 4 AKs, if all you wanted was a hundred yard noisemaker.......
Anybody have some actual muzzle velocities from a SOCOM, or even the "Scout"? ..... IIRC, the 7.62 x 51 was developed for a 22" barrel.... chopping a third of it off is not going to do it any favors in the terminal ballistics department. A waste of all that case capacity, IMHO, unless you just like the muzzle blast.
It's yer money.....
The SOCOM 16 is a seriously fun rifle. Standing braced (roof support), an 18" plate at 325 yards is a regular clang. That is not myself, but onlookers that want to try it out can also repeat the feat.
If you are a bench rest shooter, go for the Scout.
And if you want to get some attention, make sure you touch off the first rounds during a quiet moment on the range line. That muzzle brake/flash diverter on the 16 puts out some awesome bang.
Owning a SOCOM II, I strongly recommend going for the SOCOM over the Scout...and the II. In reality, those two inches will not really matter, but it will result in a relatively more compact firearm, which is largely irrelevant, but still useful when doing things like flying cross-country with it (total length+width+height limits for baggage is a bitch). Muzzle blast/noise from behind it is about what I would expect and have experienced for other .308 rifles, but from reactions of people on ranges, out to the sides it can be a little... energetic. The optics situation for the SOCOM is something of a bitch, requiring either a new rail over the receiver, an interesting mounting system off the current rail, or something with hellacious eye relief. And, all that said, even at 100 yards and a 0x red-dot scope, even I can manage 2 inch groupings from a bipod and 4 from offhand. I definitely agree that the SOCOM's aft ring is about large enough to throw a gorramed cat through, but that is something easy enough to swap out. And for those poor souls trapped in Kalifornistan, that thing on the end of the barrel may look like (and might function like) a flash suppressor, but it is really and truly a muzzle break (specifically designed to work with the M1A's gas system), making this little gem completely legal there.
As for muzzle velocities, scroll down to the bottom here: http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory28.php. Best was 2647fps, worst was 2425fps. Comparatively, a 22" barrel was tested here: http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory17.php with the best being 2972 and the worst being 2545. If you really, really care about long-range high-accuracy shooting, I can see how that 330fps and extra spin imparted would matter. If you are just concerned about being able to hit head-sized targets at 200 yards (and let me tell you - ornamental gourds stand no chance), though, a SOCOM should do you just fine.
Oh, and I really want that VLTOR rig... Of course, that brings up one last point - if you go with the SOCOM, that means the "BullDog" rig is out, due to the overall length being too short for us civilians without a tax stamp (if that matters to anyone).
If Josh is near Eastern TN, I would be happy to let him pound away on things with my SOCOM II... been a while, what with .308 costs these days.
I don't care either way but for longer range shooting(at zombies) you do need a bi-pod.
I'd check out Ballistics by the Inch and see if there is any significant drop off with the .308 caliber going down to the 16" barrel.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/
Post a Comment