[j.wise]

Anyone have one of these? I just picked one up for a helluva good deal!

However, all is not well in paradise. I can't shoot the damn thing!

It comes with a fully adjustable cheek piece (comb). The problem is, it is so high (when adjusted all the way down) that I can't get a sight picture with the iron sights. I'm sure it's perfect when used with a scope, but the reason I like the M21 and not the M25 is that it comes with National Match sights (I like iron sights on my rifles.)

So- am I just retarded and don't know how to "choke up" on my sights or is there a lower cheek piece I can get for use with iron sights?

Anyone else have this problem, or do you all mount optics on it?

PS- the trigger is incredible!

[j.wise]

Has anyone ever shot one of these rifles?

When I "choke up" on the rifle to see through the peep, my cheek is resting in front of the comb and gets abused by the sharp angle.

[4v50 Gary]

Tried to at a Trade Show, but it took too long for them to find a 100 yard range and I never shot it.

[45R]

Not sure how well this would work for you, but you could always pick up a cheapo stock at Freds with no cheek peice and try shooting that ! :)

[762x51]

It's not just you. I played around with an M21 at a local shop about a year ago and had the same issue. Couldn't use the irons at all. Of course....the M21 was made for optics so....not a big issue in Springfields eyes? I dunno...seems like a design flaw to me.

I wonder if the adjustable cheek piece McMillian stocks have the same issue? :confused: I'd be inclined to swap the Springfield one out for a McMillan M1A anyhow and put a removable Eagle cheekrest on.

[Cthulhu]

Before you look at stock swapping, remember that the M21 Tactical is glass bedded into the stock. Remove the action from the stock and you can ruin the bedding and cause wandering zero. A friend who owns one found that out the hard way. It seems to have finally settled down, but its a scary sight to have your $2500 rifle shooting all over the paper at 50yds! I spent some trigger time behind it with a Nightforce scope and saw 0.5"-0.75" groups at 100yds using 168 Federal match ammunition. You may want to look into removing the adjustable cheekpiece to use the irons. Or buy another and have it slimmed down to be useable. Small expense considering the cost of the rifle.

BTW, I thought the trigger was so-so. Now the M25...that is a fine trigger on a self-loader.

[j.wise]

Excellent advice. In fact, I talked to Springfield, and they brought to mind the fact the M21 is not supposed to be disassembled for maintenance/cleaning, much less to be restocked. The glass-bedding issue is the key.

So, I have decided to go ahead and scope it as it was intended to be. Now I'm trying to decide between the M1 and M3 Leupolds. The difference (as far as I can tell) is in the adjustment knobs. I'm not sure which ones I'd rather have... Any thoughts?

[762x51]

What kind of shooting are you going to be doing? The 1 MOA adjustments on the M3's turrets are just too coarse for target work. They are nice to have in the field however when shooting at targets at varying distances. If it is a bench gun....go for the M1.