M1A Socom 16 yea or ?

[etrain16]

I did a lot of reading and research before I decided on a full size M1A. My 2nd choice would have been the scout squad, I really never considered the SOCOM. Videos, articles, reviews all led me to believe that the SOCOM, while light weight and fun to shoot, was too much muzzle flash/blast not only for the shooter, but for people unfortunate enough to be nearby, say at the range.

Also, when it came to me deciding which one to buy, I considered what I'd do with it - I wouldn't be carrying it on long treks or hunting with it, so the longer length and extra weight were no concern.

But you should get what you want, especially if those things don't bother you. I don't see how anyone could go wrong with an M1A, regardless of length.

 

[H2O MAN]

I'll add that the shorter 16.25 & 18.00 inch barrels are more rigid than the standard
weight 22" barrel, this rigidity makes them a bit more accurate than the longer barrel.

 

[etrain16]

BTW, when you get your gun and you need some magazines, look into the Checkmate Industries mags, they get good reviews and the prices are decent. If you buy them from 44mag.com (Oregon company), they ship free:

44MAG.com - Check-Mate Industries

 

[orygun]

A friend of mine used to have a short barreled M1A. I believe it was the Scout. I always thought they looked odd, but it looked better in person than it did in pics. I shot it a few times. Kind of a cool gun. I'd be more likely to buy one with a longer barrel, but I'm not the person looking at buying one.

I've bought many guns before just because I wanted to try them out. Most I kept for a while and enjoyed. When I decided to sell one that I had lost interest in, I didn't lose much money.
So, if ya want one, buy one.

 

[Flopsweat]

Never understood that gawdawful muzzle brake. I thought the point of a .308 was that you don't need to double tap. So who cares about a little muzzle rise? And it's not like the recoil is going to beat you up. Geez I can shoot a Garand or AR 10 for hours and I'm nothing to brag about. I'd rather not come home half deaf and half blind thank you.

 

[orygun]

Never understood that gawdawful muzzle brake. I thought the point of a .308 was that you don't need to double tap. So who cares about a little muzzle rise? And it's not like the recoil is going to beat you up. Geez I can shoot a Garand or AR 10 for hours and I'm nothing to brag about. I'd rather not come home half deaf and half blind thank you.

Folks that came into the sport shooting a 223 (5.56) might need a muzzle break. Those of us that grew up on hunting rifles not so much. I always giggle to myself when guys talk about recoil. Yup, that's just part of the game. Right?

 

[Flopsweat]

Folks that came into the sport shooting a 223 (5.56) might need a muzzle break. Those of us that grew up on hunting rifles not so much. I always giggle to myself when guys talk about recoil. Yup, that's just part of the game. Right?

Oh, I talk about recoil too. I like shooting the really big stuff but only for so long. But let's face it, a semi-auto .308 is about the gentlest thing that you could call a "big" caliber.

Funny story. I sat down behind an AR in .50 Beowulf a couple of months ago. For some reason my mind was thinking 6.5 Grendel. That first round hit where I wanted it to but the gun reminded me right away that it was NOT the Grendel. Well the names are from the same poem - it could happen to anybody, right? I carried on like I expected it because there were new guys there. It was actually a lot of fun, but again not a round that I'm going to shoot for a couple of hours straight.

 

[Brutus57]

A buddy of mine admits his bias. He was a member of the Marine Corps Rifle Team at 29 Palms pre Vietnam. He's shot them all from .06 Garand (he was low man and enlisted on the team while other team members were shooting the .308 Garand). He likes the full meal deal M1A wood and 22". He feels that shorter barrels just are compromises and don't get the intended job done....Man sized targets at 600 yards. He says the most comfortable to shoot of the military .308s is the L1A1. All I know is looking at his military arms is like getting the Sears Christmas catalog as a kid in the 60s the same day the Monkey Wards catalog arrived. I ever get enough scratch together I'd go Garand or the full size M1A.

Brutus Out

 

[B5Ben]

I have an M14 w/22' barrel (and definitely go for what calls to you) but I agree with @Brutus57's buddy. I like the FAL/L1A1 better. The ergonomics of it puts it over the top it for me. Don't get me wrong, the M14 is great but the FAL is the bee's knees for me in S/A 308.

 

[Pandaz3]

I have done a lot of M-14 shooting to include the M-14A2 (Or also it was the E2 depending on when you used it) select fire, had a long muzzle brake, bipod, fold down fiber glass fore grip, extra heavy wood stock with pistol grip. "Fire a burst of three, Fire a burst of three!" was the mantra, all done with trigger control.
I love wood and Linseed oil, but the synthetic stock is a practical improvement.
I was looking for a Socom or Socom II when I bought my Armalite AR-10 with 16" barrel I wanted something I could get out of a truck easier...in a hurry. I would take the flash bang.
My rifle will still reach 600 yards, but more drop and less energy on arrival. I took that trade off too.
The Socom is what I wanted, still do.

 

[H2O MAN]

The little 16 will hit man sized targets at 600 yards - all day long.

 

[Stomper]

The price is up there, just need to find a way to break it to the Wife.

Tell you bought a piece of art of historic importance.

OR.... you tell her you're a grown arsed man and you either get the rifle you want, or you will file for divorce...


OR.... (if she doesn't take the threat of divorce seriously) tell her you will poop your pants!



It's a win-win!!

 

[DB is Here]

OR.... you tell her you're a grown arsed man and you either get the rifle you want, or you will file divorce...


OR.... (if she doesn't take the threat of divorce seriously) tell her you will poop your pants!



It's a win-win!!

LMAO...I needed that...thanks.

 

[uscsoldier]

YES

 

[H2O MAN]

Great collection, and avatar uscsoldier!

 

[H2O MAN]

Oh yeah, the 16 makes for a nice folder.

 

[Flopsweat]

Oh yeah, the 16 makes for a nice folder.

View attachment 316634

Great, now I gotta put THAT somewhere on the list. Somewhere high up on the list. Can you tell us a little about it?

 

[H2O MAN]

Great, now I gotta put THAT somewhere on the list. Somewhere high up on the list. Can you tell us a little about it?

The rifle is, or would have been the military version of the SOCOM 16. Smith Enterprise built it for me on a forged Poly Tech receiver that I supplied... it started out in a SAGE EBR.

I put it in the Blackfeather RS with a HERA folder, and a Magpul CTR on a mil spec extension tube.
Here is the same stock with a 22" rifle, notice the high butt stock adapter.



Here is a customers build.



I sold off the HERA because I prefer a fixed, or collapsible stock.

 

[michaeljr]

Oh yeah, the 16 makes for a nice folder.

View attachment 316634

Okay, that may have just changed my mind.

 

[PaulB47]

I just don't understand the appeal of a 16" .308. Is it for masochists, maybe? It's not like a few more inches of barrel is going to make the gun unmanageable. Shooting should be enjoyable.

If I was a masochist, I wouldn't mess around with a .308. Instead I'd get a lightweight .338 WM, cut the barrel to 16" and then install a steel buttplate.

I do have a 16" .30 cal gun, but it is one of those little Handi-rifles in .300 BLK. I guess I can handle the blast from that, heh.