Finally Scoped Out My SOCOM 16

billt460

billt460

Joined
Mar 30, 2015
Messages
11,830
Location
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
I've been thinking about going to some type of optic on my Springfield M1-A SOCOM 16. I finally went with a Scout Scope from Hi-Lux Optics. It's a 2-7X that has about the perfect eye relief for the task at hand.

I liked it a bit better than the Vortex of the same type. It has the BDC reticle that allows you to zero at 200 yards. Then allows for a dead on hold out to 600 yards. (Further than I'll be shooting this gun).

For rings I went with the Burris XTR Signature Zee Rings. They have the polymer inserts that hold really well, and allow for most any degree of MOA offset you could want.

So far it looks and feels good, and I like the setup. Hopefully next week I'll get it out to the range to wring it out. As I get older I'm finding iron sights and I get along less and less. Especially at any type of distance.

efdlhVV.jpg
 
Nice rifle! My M1A has the 22” barrel. Irons for now. It’s the Standard model, with a walnut stock. No provision for a scope.

I‘m curious, with the 16” barrel on the SOCOM, is there a difference in bullet velocity? That would affect the BDC reticle accuracy, wouldn’t it?

Also, wasn’t the SOCOM marketed as more of a CQB rifle? So, wouldn’t an LPVO, or even a red dot, be more in line with the intended use?
 
Last edited:
Astro14 said:
Nice rifle! My M1A has the 22” barrel. Irons for now. It’s the Standard model, with a walnut stock. No provision for a scope.

I‘m curious, with the 16” barrel on the SOCOM, is there a difference in bullet velocity? That would affect the BDC retinal accuracy, wouldn’t it?

Also, wasn’t the SOCOM marketed as more of a CQB rifle? So, wouldn’t an LPVO, or even a red dot, be more in line with the intended use?
Click to expand...

When the time comes for a mount.....

M1A Scope Mounts| SADLAK M1A / M14 and AR ComponentsM1A Storehttps://www.sadlak.com/m1a-store SADLAK's M1A store offers mulitple scope mounts and accessories for your M1A / M14 rifle. Made in USA at our plant.

SADLAK's M1A store offers mulitple scope mounts and accessories for your M1A / M14 rifle. Made in USA at our plant.M1A Storehttps://www.sadlak.com/m1a-store M1A Scope Mounts| SADLAK M1A / M14 and AR Components
www.sadlak.com www.sadlak.com
 
BISCUT said:
When the time comes for a mount.....

M1A Scope Mounts| SADLAK M1A / M14 and AR ComponentsM1A Storehttps://www.sadlak.com/m1a-store SADLAK's M1A store offers mulitple scope mounts and accessories for your M1A / M14 rifle. Made in USA at our plant.

SADLAK's M1A store offers mulitple scope mounts and accessories for your M1A / M14 rifle. Made in USA at our plant.M1A Storehttps://www.sadlak.com/m1a-store M1A Scope Mounts| SADLAK M1A / M14 and AR Components
www.sadlak.com www.sadlak.com
Click to expand...
Good to know.

I replaced the upper hand guard with a walnut piece. As a Garand aficionado - I just like the all wood look. I’m a traditionalist. I know that the M-14 had the fiberglass, but I like the wood. Stained it to match the stock, oil finish.

Like the Garands, I’m happy with irons on this one, but would be curious how accurate it would be with a scope.

I had seen that SA offered a scope mount that fits on the side (as these do), so I could keep my traditional walnut look. Might have to give it a try some day.

Also, I’ve had good customer support from Hi-Lux. I’ve got a couple of their scopes, a reproduction one on an M-1D, and one that I had on my M-10X. The latter broke, elevation stopped working, and they sent a replacement quickly. I’ve since gone to a prism on that rifle, but I do appreciate Hi-Lux customer support.
 
Astro14 said:
Nice rifle! My M1A has the 22” barrel. Irons for now. It’s the Standard model, with a walnut stock. No provision for a scope.

I‘m curious, with the 16” barrel on the SOCOM, is there a difference in bullet velocity? That would affect the BDC retinal accuracy, wouldn’t it?

Also, wasn’t the SOCOM marketed as more of a CQB rifle? So, wouldn’t an LPVO, or even a red dot, be more in line with the intended use?
Click to expand...
I haven't chronographed any loads in direct comparison to my Match M1-A, but I'm guessing there is a difference. How much would that be in a 6" of barrel length, I can only guess.

I've always liked the Scout Scope concept a bit better than a red dot. At least for this application. The reticle on this scope is designed with the SOCOM 16" barrel in mind. I would have to look up the velocity they established it with. I believe Hi-Lux has that information available.

The only other thing I want to get is a Schuster Adjustable Gas Plug. They allow you to fine tune the gas system to put minimal pressure on the op rod for any given load, or powder burn rate. They are also supposed to be able to allow to tune for accuracy, by adjusting around the barrel harmonics.

Much like the Browning BOSS System does. It's somewhat of a trial and error process. But I've talked to a few guys who have gotten really good results from them. I just can't find anyone who has them in stock at the moment..... Including Schuster.
 
@billt460 I didn’t know that Schuster made a plug for the M1A. I was aware of the Garand plug, and I think I’ve got one in my Garand parts stash*.

Good to know. To be quite honest, I’m slightly embarrassed that I’ve had the M1A for over a year, and I still haven’t put a round through it.

It’s a nice rifle. I like it a lot, it’s been cleaned, oiled/greased, and fitted with the hand guard, but not really enjoyed. I need to correct that.



*As parts from the CMP have started to dry up, and given the weirdness in firearm pricing and parts availability of late, I’ve collected several trigger groups, trigger guards, hammers, triggers, safeties, bolts, spring sets, sights, gas cylinders, op rods, even a couple of barrels, just to have on hand. Some of those parts are for a Gas Trap Garand build, I’ve got a 4-digit serial receiver, that I just haven’t started.
 
Found it on their site. Long eye relief. Designed to be mounted forward on a scout rifle, ala Jeff Cooper.

Sounds like the perfect optic for the SOCOM.

hi-luxoptics.com

Hi-Lux Long Eye Relief 2X-7X Rifle Scope

The Leatherwood™/ Hi-Lux® Optics LER is a 1” tube conventional rifle scope with an extended eye relief.
hi-luxoptics.com hi-luxoptics.com
 
Astro14 said:
Found it on their site. Long eye relief. Designed to be mounted forward on a scout rifle, ala Jeff Cooper.

Sounds like the perfect optic for the SOCOM.

hi-luxoptics.com

Hi-Lux Long Eye Relief 2X-7X Rifle Scope

The Leatherwood™/ Hi-Lux® Optics LER is a 1” tube conventional rifle scope with an extended eye relief.
hi-luxoptics.com hi-luxoptics.com
Click to expand...
That's the one. I have one of their M-1000 ART scopes that operate on a cam principal. They're old school, and many were used by snipers in Vietnam. It's a good, solid scope that has very good, clear optics. This is it mounted on my Colt 6940.

jqydqFH.jpg
 
Astro14 said:
Nice rifle! My M1A has the 22” barrel. Irons for now. It’s the Standard model, with a walnut stock. No provision for a scope.

I‘m curious, with the 16” barrel on the SOCOM, is there a difference in bullet velocity? That would affect the BDC retinal accuracy, wouldn’t it?

Also, wasn’t the SOCOM marketed as more of a CQB rifle? So, wouldn’t an LPVO, or even a red dot, be more in line with the intended use?
Click to expand...
6" inches of barrel will be between 100-200 FPS difference. I reload and have a chronograph and that is generally what I have observed while shooting the exact same loads from different rifle barrels. It also applies to pistols and shotguns. Same self loaded 10 pellet 00 buck from my TS12 is 150FPS slower than they are from my 30" SxS, pistol is a little weird mostly because you start with an incredibly short barrel to begin with but the difference between a 4.5 and a 6" barrel is 100FPS.
 
Astro14 said:
@billt460 I didn’t know that Schuster made a plug for the M1A. I was aware of the Garand plug, and I think I’ve got one in my Garand parts stash*.
Click to expand...
As far as I know, they currently make 3, (or did), for the Garand / M1-A series. One for the M1 Garand. Another for the Standard M1-A. And a third for the M1-A SOCOM 16.

I EMailed Schuster to find out when they would have them available. But that was several days ago, and I have yet to get a response.
 
I wonder what is going on with Schuster. They ran out of the reproduction Gas Trap gas cylinders a couple years ago. I got one of the last ones. The Garand adjustable gas plugs have been out of stock for a while.
 
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