Which optic for M1A Socom II

[ratt_finkel]

There are 3 very good deals I have stumbled upon recently. These were lower on my next to purchase list. But at these prices I may have to move them up.

These primarily will be used on my Socom II for general plinking. In the near future, I would like to add a cheap 3x magnifier. I may also swap this setup on to my AR15. Depending on which gun I like it best. Which would you choose and why?

EOTech® XPS2-0 or EOTech® XPS2- 2 for $339
EOTech® 512.A65 for $279
Aimpoint PRO Red Dot Sight 30mm tube 1x2 MOA dot with Picatinny style mount for $378.

I'm not a soldier and not planning on dropping this thing from 5 stories up. But repeatable accuracy and reliability on the .308 would be a must. I am not interested in an ACOG setup.

Thanks!

 

[fragout]

I had a SocomII , but didn't care for the rail system, so ended up removing it, selling it off, and installing a std hand guard instead. (Personal preference)

After that, it felt like a whole other rifle, and is a very balanced, "point and shoot" little beast. Combined with it's XS sights, it performed well concerning ranges under 100yards, hunting inside the tree lines, and acquiring fast moving targets....(hogs).

If your intent is to run it with the Socom II rails, then I would suggest that you pick the optic with the lowest profile out of the 3 you listed.

If you decide to convert it into a Socom 16 at a later time....via use of SAI's "scout mount", then I would recomend the Aimpoint....... as the EO Techs I have utilized didn't handle the heat as well as the M68's did.

Another option is the Ultimak M8 hand guard rail. It's the lowest profile mount I have found to date, and can allow for co-witness with some types of red dot sights, such as the TRS25

 

[Acera]

I had a SocomII , but didn't care for the rail system, so ended up removing it, selling it off, and installing a std hand guard instead. (Personal preference)

I did the same thing, got a brand new wood stock for it also and never looked back. For hunting out to 100 yards the irons work just fine for me.

Prior to my 'revelation' about the set up, I ran an EOTech.

 

[ratt_finkel]

Yeah, the rails are very heavy and cumbersome. But I pretty much only shoot the gun with a bi-pod so it doesn't bother me too much. I have thought about pulling the rails off but not quite there.

Just wanted to see what optic would hold up to the recoil. And what everyone thought was best for that price point.

 

[rehorne]

That big old peep sight works just fine for me and I'm 65. never have seen the needfor optics on an M1a

 

[Deputy25]

My SOCOM 16 is wearing a GI stock. I spent the rest on ammo.

 

[Acera]

ratt_finkel I would not worry about the recoil damaging a decent optic. That rifle does not generate enough recoil I would be remotely concerned. (Coast Guard uses some EOTechs on their .50 BMG rifles for HITRON work)

 

[Welding Rod]

I think you find the Aimpoint T1 the lowest profile, which is really what you want due to the stock being designed for use with iron sights.

Personally I tried EOtech and T1 and a scout scope, and ended up going back to irons. The M1 and M14 platforms are simply designed for iron sights and setting them up otherwise is a step down ergonomically speaking. Plus the balance of the gun is degraded. So there are two big trade off for the additional speed that normally would be brought by a red dot.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

My M1As will stay with just irons...can still reach out and take out hogs at 300 yards regularly and I am almost 60.

 

[LebbenB]

Looking at durability and battery life in isolation, of the three optics you name, I would lean toward the Aimpoint PRO.

 

[henschman]

The problem you will run into with the EOTechs is that they are designed specifically for the AR, which means they will sit way above the plane of your iron sights, and will require a really tall cheek riser to get into a proper shooting position. The Aimpoint PRO comes with an AR-height mount, but it is just a 30mm tube, and can be mounted in a low ring, which will work much better with the M1A.

IMO by far the best setup for that rifle would be to replace the factory scout mount with an Ultimak mount... it sits lower, and allows you to co-witness an Aimpoint with the factory irons. Put the PRO on there in a low ring, and you will be in business. The PRO's are great optics. 3 year battery life constant on, tough as nails, nice and clear... there is very little downside. And when you're co-witnessed with the irons, you don't need to use any rinky-dink cheek risers or anything. Also, if your dot DOES happen to crap out for any reason, you just line the irons up through the tube and keep on rockin and rollin.

 

[ratt_finkel]

Thank you henschman. This is exactly the info I was looking for. I was aware of the issues with mounting optics going in. I didn't realize the aimpoint allowed for co-witness. That pretty much makes it a no contest lol.

P.S. I realize that lots of people love the irons on these guns. I personally, am not a big fan of the Socom II sights. They are hard to acquire quickly and do not lend them selves to pin point accuracy. I swear the blade is 1/4" thick haha! But on top of that, the wings are very similar in height and width. In dim light it is easy to confuse the wings for the center post, despite the tritium and white insert.