yet another M1A question...and yes, i did use the search function first...

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boots

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i live in california, and i want a battle rifle with detatchable magazines...


the best choice is an m1a of some type...

i have decided on either a scout model or a socom...

not sure which one to get...my first priority is reliability...second priority is reliability and third priority is a tossup between reliability and accuracy...


i have done some research and both models should run about $1500...


i want a rifle that can be manuverable indoors and can serve as a cqb weapon and can also hit accurately out to 250-300 yards...and like i said before, reliability is a must...

thanks for your time...
 
Either will serve you well out to 300 yards - both have a muzzle brakes and detachable box mags.
If you find an original SOCOM 16 there is a good chance it will have a few USGI parts.

HTH ~
 
Neither of those models will be more reliable than the other, neither will be more accurate.

Get the one you like, they will both do very well.

If you like to hang "tacticrap" on your rifle the SOCOM probably makes that a little easier.

Are those still legal in California?
 
If you like to hang "tacticrap" on your rifle the SOCOM probably makes that a little easier.
Click to expand...

That's true for the SOCOM II, but not the original SOCOM 16.
Most people that buy a II end up selling the cheese grater rail
system and run the original rail free configuration.
 
Amen - I bought the SOCOM-16 - no rails. In it's stock form, it's a sweet and handy carbine length boomer. I was looking for a Scout when I came across the SOCOM-16 and impulse led me to buy it - I'm glad I did. Accuracy out to 300-yards is easy, though you'll find the wide CQB blade covers the target at that range. Add a Trijicon Tripower to the rail and the world is yours. Mine is now in a Troy MCS, but will one day reside back in USGI birch, as I'd like to put a longer, (18") build in the MCS...BTW - my SOCOM-16 has a completely USGI trigger group, bolt, oprod spring and guide.
 
Even the new rifles coming out of Springfield have USGI parts in them, so when it was made isn't really much of an indicator.

But in regards to SOCOM or scout, just pick whichever you like the looks of the most. Not much difference other than the 2" or extra barrel on the scout.

Oh, and I think the front sight on the scout would be a little more well suited for longer range shooting.
 
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Springfield marks their own bolts to look like USGI. I'm not certain, but I think their bolts (and op rods, which are also marked to look USGI) have been commercial for years.

Ash
 
so not much difference in reliability??? i've just read that the gas system in the socom is slightly different and that it was a bit less reliable than the original and scout models...
 
I'm with Ash. I didn't think SA had used USGI parts for years and years.
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That's my understanding too. I remember reading that they ran out of surplus parts many years ago.
Either ran out or the refurbing was costing more then making new, not sure which.
 
They're using repro oprods, bolts, barrels and trigger housings. Most of the smaller piece parts are still USGI.

With the exception of the repro extractor, all their other parts have a really good track record.

The repro parts are marked very similarly to USGI. You can tell them apart, but not without a little knowledge.
 
New rifles don't have as many USGI parts as the old ones, but they still have them.
My loaded was made in '06 and has an all USGI trigger assembly.
 
Come to think of it, wouldn't it be hard to confuse an SAI repro bolt and a USGI bolt, one would be black and the other would be grey?

On both my SAI rifles the entire trigger assembly is HRA and both stocks and related components were also GI.

And these were made in 2007.
 
Unless I'm mistaken, although some M1 and M14 parts are interchangable, they're not identical.
Do you even like the M14?
 
Yes, I do. I owned an M1a, and it had an HRA barrel and original trigger group with, if I am correct, an M1 hammer and trigger. It had a SAI oprod, trigger housing, and bolt. I replaced them with CMP M14 parts.

Ash
 
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I'm a bigger fan of the scout than I am of either of the socoms.

IMHO:

1) 18" is a better ballistics compromise than 16".
2) IIRC, Socom I used a custom gas block, early examples of which were problematic
3) Socom II's tacticrap rail adds 2.5 lbs onto what is already a heavy gun
 
Unless I'm mistaken, although some M1 and M14 parts are interchangable, they're not identical.
Do you even like the M14?
Click to expand...

Lower sling swivel and screw, rear sight assembly, most of the trigger group parts are identical. The ones built under M14 contracts may be marked differently, but there is only one drawing.

The M14 extractor is different, but they're interchangable.
 
Obviously if it's marked TRW it is from the M14, but otherwise, a great many of the USGI parts on M1a's are not M14 parts but Garand parts. Of course, this may have been the case on original M14's. I don't know. I changed the parts out because I didn't want the cast SAI trigger housing. It really doesn't matter, though, as I haven't heard of the commercial housings breaking.

Ash
 
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