Could this be the best all-around rifle ever?

[hankdatank1362]

Just saw the Oct. 2008 edition of Special Weapons magazine. It's cover feature is an improved Springfield SOCOM II sporting what I believe is a JAE stock. From the pictures, it seems to be an incredibly attractive rifle, with many desirable features. Anybody out there have any real-world experience with this rifle?

It looks heavy.

MSRP is around $2K.

 

[gvnwst]

chamber it in a 6.5mm caliber like 6.5 creedmoor, .260 rem or 6.5x47 lapua and very possibily. .308 is overkill for some applications, IMO

 

[hankdatank1362]

Yeah, but it's easy to come by, ballistics are well-known and published, and there's nothing in North America that CAN'T be killed with it.

 

[Deer Hunter]

H20 MAN will be in here soon telling you that it is.

 

[Vermont]

It looks way too heavy. That bipod looks like aircraft landing gear.

 

[Mass-Diver]

I have a SOCOM 16 in the standard stock. It's a very nice rifle - but the one drawback is that it is very heavy.

 

[hankdatank1362]

H20 MAN will be in here soon telling you that it is.

I'd be suprised if he wasn't.

The bipod looks like a TangoDown Advanced Combat.

 

[H2O MAN]

Could this be the best all-around rifle ever?

No.

The .308/7.62 NATO round is just fine, but the SOCOM configuration pictured is all wrong and extremely heavy.

The MK14 SEI Mod 1 is a much better and much lighter all-around rifle configuration.

 

[hankdatank1362]

It does look rather heavy.

Thankyou for your insight.

 

[Al Thompson]

Loud!

 

[H2O MAN]

Deer Hunter H20 MAN will be in here soon telling you that it is.

Guess again

 

[Acera]

hankdatank1362 I like mine, it's a SOCOM II with an EOTECH and a cheek piece. But as most everyone else has said, it's heavy. Would not want to hump it very far. But that seems to be the old argument between a battle rifle and an assault rifle.


H2O MAN, good looking project. I was wondering why all the Norinco/Chinese parts? My impression is that the American stuff is of higher quality.

Just curious.

 

[hankdatank1362]

I've always heard that the metallurgy in Norinco products was outstanding.

 

[H2O MAN]

Acera


H2O MAN, good looking project.
I was wondering why all the Norinco/Chinese parts?
My impression is that the American stuff is of higher quality.

Just curious.

Thanks!

Chinese trigger groups are just as good as USGI.
Chinese op rods are forged 1-piece items that are just like USGI TRW op rods.
Chinese receivers are forged and as close as you can get to real USGI receivers.

I currently have 4 M14s built on Chinese receivers, two with all USGI TRW and
SEI parts and two with a mix of Chinese and SEI parts. All four have TRW bolts.
The Chinese parts used are just as good as the USGI parts used.

I'm sure it does make things better that I use Ron Smith @ SEI to build my M14s

 

[Eightball]

If there was a way to lighten the dang thing and shift the point of balance a little farther back so it's easier to swing around (without just adding worthless weight), then sure, you might have something.

While I love my Garand and the derivative designs of it ("Mini" series excepted), the weight penalty is always one of the biggest drawbacks. M1As of their varying flavors are just unpleasant to hump around for extended periods--or so I hear from folks I know who have tried it.

 

[ArmedBear]

It looks heavy.

Oh yeah.

Any M1A is heavy, by modern standards. Add that stock, scope and bipod, and I think you're looking at 15 lbs.

No thanks.

For those who don't understand why the Army uses the M4, a hike with that thing and a couple hundred rounds of 7.62x51 ammo will be enlightening.

 

[Tarvis]

I've fired a friend's socom 16, which seems very robust for it's size; I can't imagine adding a ton of goodies to it and still be of a practical field weight. As quoted from "The 13th Warrior" - Antonio Banderas: "It's too heavy, I can't swing this," Northman "Grow stronger." I don't know how strong you'd have to be to be able to handle a 15lb rifle like an average/smaller male can handle a 7-8lb AR, but it sounds like the answer to a light weight 308 carbine/rifle is an AR10, unless I am totally ignorant about the weight difference.

 

[gvnwst]

well, a light AR 10. some are actually quite heavy

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

If by all around, you mean will double as a boat anchor for an Iowa-class battleship, then yes.

 

[H2O MAN]

My AR-10A4 carbine was a heavy SOB... I sold it & the 20" SPR upper with no regrets.



One thing that stands out in the picture is that everything is Cali-legal and that may be the point.
The JAE has no true pistol grip and the SOCOM can never be equipped with a bayonet lug.
Also, I bet the MSRP as pictured is over $3K

If you live in a free state and want a modernized M14 type rifle consider a SOCOM or Scout
in a SAGE CQB M14, EBR Stock with the M4/M16 style receiver extension tube. M14ALCS/CV.
It's a much lighter and more flexible configuration than the JAE / SOCOM II contraption featured.

 

[Acera]

Thanks for the info H2OMAN, I will now take a closer look at the Norinco's I have been seeing at the shows. It seems you can get some good deals on the ones produced during the ban.

 

[gentleman987]

looks awesome but very heavy

 

[Domino]

What does that thing have that this doesn't???

 

[HorseSoldier]

I'm not sure what "best all around rifle" encompasses, but I'm not really sure a 16" 7.62mm carbine would meet the requirements -- too much gun for CQB, too little gun for long range work (hugely oversized scope and helicopter-skid style bipod notwithstanding).

 

[stubbicatt]

I will concur that the best all around rifle is probably a 7.62Nato chambered rifle, of your favorite flavor.

Heavy weight is not a good thing.