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SOCOM 16 Range Report


Hookster

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Hey All,

Got my new socom to the range today so thought I'd share some thoughts. First... I Love It! Recoil/muzzle rise is minimal (my old HK91 kicked more) All the reports of it being crazy loud I think are exagerrated but I had on my usual plugs+muffs. I put about 60 rds through it, no hiccups (40rds Winchester 147 gr. and 20 rds Sellior & Bellot 147 gr.) I zeroed the irons to 100yd zero without a problem. Once zeroed, I was keeping groups inside 2.5" to 3" at 50yds and inside 4" to 5" at 100yds. Not world class precision but fine as far as i'm concerned for a 7.62 coming out of a 16" short sight radius barrel with a wide front tritium blade being fired by my set of 48 year old eyeballs.

I've heard that it does better with heavier loads and I picked up a box of some 180 gr. to try next time.

 

I'd purchased two different mounts for my new Aimpoint. The Aimpoint low 30mm ring in the pics that I posted and an A.R.M.S. 22M68 like this:

 

http://www.mountsplus.com/miva/merchant.mvc?page=MSP/PROD/30mm/22M68

 

The A.R.M.S mount sits about .25" higher but I like/trust the locking system more than the Aimpoint rings single thumbscrew so I used the A.R.M.S. for the first time out.

After I got the Aimpoint sighted in to 100yds, I was having no problem keeping inside about 5" (I'm glad I went with the 2moa dot)

 

The only issue with the Aimpoint on the socom is the cheek weld. With the Aimpoint you need to use more of a chin weld. It's perfectly do-able but not ideal. Even with the Aimpoint low ring (which is as low as you can go) it's still somewhat of an issue and slightly worse with the A.R.M.S. mount. I'm looking at a couple options to make it more ideal. One is the Ultimak rail handguard seen here:

 

http://www.ultimak.com/m8.htm

 

The quality is supposed to be excellent on these and they sit much lower than the rail on the stock handguard so it would effectively lower the sight. I've heard that with the low rings on this rail you can co-witness the irons.

 

There are several add-on cheek piece options too from strap on/lace on options to these adjustable one from DWP that are supposed to be excellent, but you need to drill the stock to install. (I think I'll try the rail first)

 

http://www.desertwarriorproducts.com/M1A-M14CheekRest.html

 

Anyway, just thought I'd share in case anyone is thinking about a socom. BTW If anyone is interested in M1A/M14/SOCOM etc stuff, here's an excellent forum:

 

http://m14tfl.com/upload/index.php

 

Later,

Hookster :)

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The other plus with the Ultimak would be I could run an offset flashlight mount on the rail that would put the light on the right side. Something with a long throw like a Surefire scout.

 

Fulton Armory's super scout handguard looks nice too. You can add rail sections to the 10 and 2 o'clock positions but it looks like it sits higher than the Ultimak. It's on this page:

 

http://www.fulton-armory.com/

 

Later,

Hookster :)

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Told ya you wouldnt be dissapointed:) Oh, also you might want to check on that m14 forum, but i swear i remember reading somewhere that you should never go larger than 175 grains....see what you come up with. I actually read that the 110 grain hornady tap rounds will give some of the best performance and tightest groups. Im glad you decided to see for yourself how cool those rifles really are, and Im glad you seemed to get one that doesnt have all of those finicky gas system problems.;) Enjoy

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Told ya you wouldnt be dissapointed:)

 

You were right! :) Thanks for the tip on the ammo. I'd read in one of the many reviews I'd checked out that they were having good results with some 175 gr match ammo, but I'll definitely look a little closer into it and make sure 180gr. isn't going too heavy. I'd heard the same thing about the 110gr being recommended but I went with the 147 first since that's what was available at the local shop and it's pretty close to the NATO M80 7.62 loading.

 

Later,

Hookster

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Photos snuggling with the Benelli please. :p

Cant believe they let that rifle in commiefornia. What's funny is my I p h o n e recognized the word commiefornia.

 

My camera left town for a week or so but I'll get some hot Benelli on Socom action shots posted for you :rolleyes: (you're sick dude...)

 

That's a crack up about your phones auto-complete.

 

Later,

Hookster :)

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Thanks for the range report on your SOCOM 16.

 

Also thanks for recommending the Ultimak M8 rail. I just bought a M1A Scout Squad, and I might give this M8 rail a try.

 

Regards,

 

M8.jpg

 

While you're looking into the excellent M8 rail, I might suggest you also look into another stellar option from Troy Industries. The M14 BattleRail, while more pricey, offers a rock-solid option for mounting optics to your Scout Squad. it's less expensive option for those who want to add a rail system, but do not want to invest in a total stock system. I cannot recommend the Troy MCS enough. After using a Sage, (also excellent), I can say that for me, the Troy MCS transformed my rifle. It's not cheap by any means, but it took the Sage concept and propelled it. In any case, enjoy your rifle and if not the MCS or M8, give the Troy BattleRail a look-see...

 

http://store.troyind.com/M14_BattleRail_p/sm14-tbr-b0bt-00.htm

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Hey MassMark,

Thanks for the heads-up on the Troy BattleRail. I new about the MCS but I hadn't seen the rail. It doesn't look like it would help with lowering my optic but it definitely would open up a lot of other possibilities. It's giving me a lot more options to think about! I'll keep you posted.

 

Thanks Again!

 

Hookster :)

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Hey MassMark,

Thanks for the heads-up on the Troy BattleRail. I new about the MCS but I hadn't seen the rail. It doesn't look like it would help with lowering my optic but it definitely would open up a lot of other possibilities. It's giving me a lot more options to think about! I'll keep you posted.

 

Thanks Again!

 

Hookster :)

 

I adore the MCS - it puts your optics right in line with your noggin. I live in the middle of nowhere and am on dial-up, but next time I'm in a hot spot I'll post some pics. Before the MCS, I had cheek-weld issues with my Trijicon Tripower on the front rail until I bought a LaRue LT-150 "low"... I also used a LaRue SPR in reverse to hang a Millet DMS over my receiver - worked great. Cheek-weld and optics is always going to be an issue with a standard M14 stock without a cheek pad and I found that issue similar with the SAGE and VLTOR. All that changed when I got the MCS. The Troy BattleRail may be a game changer, as it removes your rear sight and the mount attaches to the sight wings, (as in the MCS). This will put your cheek weld in line with your optics - especially on a low mount. I understand that with the Ultimak, forward mounted red-dot sights "almost" cowitness with optics mounted low...

 

The SOCOM is a boomstick ain't it? :cool:

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  • 5 months later...

Hey All,

I just thought I'd update this thread for the fellow M1A platform guys.

 

I ended up with a Karsten cheek riser. and I'm very happy with it. It's a very solid and comfortable setup and gives me great alignment with the Aimpoint ML 3. I tried a strap on riser but it had a little side to side shift that bugged me. The drill on riser is definitely the way to go. My local shop just got their SHOT show order in from Springfield Armory. I'm thinking about getting an 18" Scout or full length M1A to keep the SOCOM-16 company.

 

Here are some pics:

DSC00522.jpg

 

DSC00520-1.jpg

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Man, I love that gun. My friend bought one a little over a year ago, and after trying god only knows how many loads with it, neither of us could get it to group at less than 6" (And we normally are getting less than an inch at 100yards) Turned out to be defective barrel and springfield took care of everything. Put the new one in and she shot like a dream! I wish he hadnt sold it for an R25. Oh well, just another gun to put on my wish list :)

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Yes they are, I almost bought a m1 match model a few months ago, but decided against it. The fit and finish on it just didn't impress me at all. Take a look at the plastic on it, IMO they tried saving money a bit to much on that gun. Also the finish on the stock was all sorts of splotchy. Just wasn't doing anything for me.

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They have a M1A Loaded with the stainless barrel at the shop that I was thinking about for putting a scope on. It has a really gorgeous walnut stock. If I get it, it would be the only wood stocked weapon I have. Everything else I have reflects my BRD (black rifle disease) the one thing I don't like on it is the color difference between the nice stock and the fiberglass handguard. I was thinking I could get a better look by replacing it with a stell one like Fulton Armory's.

 

Later,

 

Hookster :)

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Yes they are, I almost bought a m1 match model a few months ago, but decided against it. The fit and finish on it just didn't impress me at all. Take a look at the plastic on it, IMO they tried saving money a bit to much on that gun. Also the finish on the stock was all sorts of splotchy. Just wasn't doing anything for me.

 

 

I dont think you were looking at a national match model. Springfield doesnt offer a national match model with plastic stock on it....they should be bedded in a walnut stock. Supermatch rifles can come with a top quality synthetic mcmillan stock...but those are like 400 bucks alone...so they aint doing that to cut corners. So im guessing someone might have tried to swap out stocks...or it wasnt a match model. Also, the supply of usgi stocks has all but dried up....which has led springfield to start producing their own stocks...which do leave some to be desired. Either way...i have 3 m1a type rifles from springfield and they all function flawlessly......and springfield gives a full lifetime warranty should anything go wrong. For the price they are a pretty good deal though.

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I dont think you were looking at a national match model. Springfield doesnt offer a national match model with plastic stock on it....they should be bedded in a walnut stock. Supermatch rifles can come with a top quality synthetic mcmillan stock...but those are like 400 bucks alone...so they aint doing that to cut corners. So im guessing someone might have tried to swap out stocks...or it wasnt a match model. Also, the supply of usgi stocks has all but dried up....which has led springfield to start producing their own stocks...which do leave some to be desired. Either way...i have 3 m1a type rifles from springfield and they all function flawlessly......and springfield gives a full lifetime warranty should anything go wrong. For the price they are a pretty good deal though.

 

I must have mispoke. This was a wood stock. I was saying that the stain on it was all sorts of splotchy and the plastic shroud on it looked like it was made w/o a care in the world about the quality of the finished product. I'm not saying it wouldn't have worked, I just think for the price I would like a better looking gun. I have seen nothing but good things from srpingfields cs. Like I was saying before my friend bought a socom, and the barrel had no rifling so it wouldn't group for **** and the bullets would start to tumble. One call to cs and they sent him a new barrel. There a great company. That particular gun just wasn't for me.

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