Finally Bought a REAL Rifle: Springfield Armory SOCOM 16

[Sheepdog]

(Crossposted from another forum. If you know me from there, hello again.)

Well, a few weeks late, but here she is...

So far, I've only put 20 rounds through it. Ammo is expensive, and the groups I was getting with the first box didn't justify using up another. Not that I suspect the rifle of being inaccurate--it's just that my eyes are crap, and I can barely see the target at 50 yards. Even with the neon orange VisiShot targets, I have no clue where I'm hitting until I retrieve the paper. This is one of my better targets, though.

Anyway, I've decided that I need to put a scope on it. One thing I noticed, though, is that even after only 20 rounds, slow-fire, the scope mount was...very warm. In fact, I started to suspect it wasn't a scope mount at all, but a heat sink, and wondered if anyone made cooling fans with picatinny mounts.

I also wondered, if I were to mount a scope on the heat sink, would the heat affect the scope? Might it kill an electronic red-dot sight? I decided I didn't want to find out.

So I ordered a Trijicon TA-70 scope mount. I went with it, because unlike the Springfield scope mount, it appears to use the rear dovetail where the stripper clip guide is currently located. I think that will provide a more solid mounting platform. Aligning the mount should also be easier than adjusting the screw bushing on the Springfield. And finally, by placing a mount on the back end of the rifle, I'm not restricted to using "scout" type scopes.

That should be here Monday. (Update: It's here! Will install it this weekend.)

Once I've got that on the rifle, I'll need to pick a scope. Since I'm definitely going to need magnification, and I want a red-dot scope, I think I'm going to go with Trijicon again--the TA648-308 ACOG. This one is a 6x model, which should help me see the targets better at 100 yards and, if ever they invent a really kick-ass vision correction procedure, beyond.

I've already got a 4x ACOG on my AR, and it really helps me see where I'm aiming.

I'm hoping for even better results with the 6x. My gun fund almost has enough in it to buy it, and hopefully I'll have it pretty soon. I'll post here again when I've had a chance to try it out.

Quick impressions of the rifle, based on the few rounds I've put through it.

1. I like!

2. .308 through that 16.25" barrel is loud, but not as loud as I was led to believe.

3. Recoil isn't bad.

4. Trigger is good, with short take-up, no creep. The break feels a little heavy, but crisp.

5. Everything on the rifle is tight when new. But practicing mag changes and playing with the elevation/windage knobs seems to have loosened things up a little bit. The safety, however, still requires a good bit of effort to engage or disengage.

6. Forward hand position is far more restricted compared with most other rifles. As mentioned previously, the forward-mounted rail gets kind of hot when shooting. But if you've got long fingers, they tend to wrap around and touch it.

You could try to move your hand forward, but the sling swivel gets in the way, and is uncomfortable between your fingers.

Moving your hand back is generally a bad idea, because gripping the rifle will interfere with the op rod...or it will interfere with your fingers.

So for me, at least, I find myself having to push my index finger up against the back of the forward sling swivel, and keep my fingers and palm curled out a bit.

This isn't the most comfortable hand position, and it may not be the most stable, but I'll practice with it and see if it is workable.

7. Minor quibble 1--there's an area where the op rod apparently rubs, and the metal is bare in this area.

8. Minor quibble 2--the elevation adjustment for the iron sights seems to be off a little bit. Coming from the factory, the sights seemed to be set for well under 100 meters (yards?). I couldn't dial the knob back far enough to get down to the 100 meter tick mark. The dial read about 700 meters with the sight at its lowest position.

In order to set the range at 100 meters, I have to turn it quite a bit in the other direction, rolling past the 1000 meter mark to get back to the 100. At this point, the sight sticks up a little bit.

Turning the knob as far as it can go in this direction, I can only dial it up to 900 meters before the sight reaches its highest point. The manual does not say if the yardage (meterage?) dial itself can be adjusted.

That's pretty much all I can say about it for now. I do have a couple of questions that maybe someone can answer. At the butt of the rifle stock, there's a metal plate that flips up. What is this for? So you can rest the rifle on your shoulder, like an RPG? A reverse bayonet? Garden trowel?

Also, someone told me that if I'm going to use a scope, I'm going to need an elevated cheek pad. Is this really necessary, and if so, is there one that's preferable to the others?

[ShaunM]

Very nice!!!! The butt stock door is to hold your cleaning kit etc.

[TGO David]

I'm quite envious of that rifle! Congrats.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Awww...pretty...congratulations!

Edited September 23, 2008 by Magiccarpetrides

[Guest page90lx]

Awsome looking rifle congratulations

[Guest Honest AK]

That's a good looking rifle. I Hope you enjoy it.

[Guest cgs2326]

I have the same rifle with the wooden stock and it is very funy to shoot. I just added a scope last week useing the Springfield scope mount but have not been able to get out to test.

Congrats on the new rifle I know you will love it

[Mark@Sea]

Hi Sheepdog,

The "buttstock thing that goes up" can be used in the prone position. Some like it, some don't.

The elevation knob can (and should be) adjusted. Sight in at 200yds. Loosen (do not remove) the screw holding the elevation knob. Rotate the knob (only - don't move the sight itself) to line the appropriate yards indicator with the line on the sight housing. Tighten the screw holding the elevation knob.

Get yourself a little piece of paper. Record the number of clicks (with a given ammo) needed to be centered on target at known distances (2, 3, 5 hundred, etc). Tape this to the side of the stock. Waterproof as desired. Instant ready reference.

Scope mount; I recommend that you use the blue locktite. The M1A/M14 is hard on scope mounts. Steel 3 point mounts are desired.

The rifle can be match conditioned, greatly improving accuracy, trigger pull, etc. There is a very good manual available on that subject. If you want it done really well, there are about 3 guys in the country who are artists with this model.

Do not GRIP with the forward hand. Relax the fingers, allow the rifle to rest on the palm. DO get a sling.

Good luck, welcome to the wood and steel brotherhood.

Edited September 23, 2008 by Mark@Sea

[Paletiger13]

Congrats man. Ive been wanting one of these for a long long time.

[shaftbass]

Nice thread. I like that gun.

[Metalhead]

Ahhhhh 308.... God's chosen caliber

[Guest flyfishtn]

That's nice. Would love to have one of those.

[MrNobody]

Very jealous, that's been my day dream rifle for awhile now.