I am waiting for the paperwork to clear so that I can take possession of a new SOCOM 16. I have never owned an M1A/M14 before so I am looking for advice on tools, maintanance gear, and cleaning equipment that I will need for this rifle. Also what do I need to do to be able to attach a Harris bipod to the rifle. Other than McMillian and JAE who makes a quality aftermarket composite stock for an M14 style rifle? I tried to search for info and have been reading up but other than a prototype stock from Manners that does not look like it will actually be made.
- Thread starter Maelstrom
- Start date
M14forum.com is your friend.
I regret selling my socom too. I wouldn't go with a JAE stock for that rifle. Too heavy and really not set up for what that rifle is designed for. If anything I would look at the SAGE EBR stock. It's a great rifle, a little more expensive to feed though.
KJ
KJ
Love my SOCOM 16. I put mine in a wood stock from Fulton Armory and couldn't be happier. Keep in mind
that your SOCOM is more of a bush rifle than a target stick. I think you will be happier if you keep
it and your new stock of choice in the same 9 Lb. range as the original configuration.
At that weight it is very well balanced, handy, and naturally aligns with the eye
when it's raised to the shoulder. Expect 2-3 MOA. Mine will hit COM repeatedly at 300 yards and
stay within that range.
There are many videos on You Tube that detail what you need for the proper care and
maintenance of an M1A/M14/SOCOM. There's also a wealth of info over on the M14 forums. Check them out.
that your SOCOM is more of a bush rifle than a target stick. I think you will be happier if you keep
it and your new stock of choice in the same 9 Lb. range as the original configuration.
At that weight it is very well balanced, handy, and naturally aligns with the eye
when it's raised to the shoulder. Expect 2-3 MOA. Mine will hit COM repeatedly at 300 yards and
stay within that range.
There are many videos on You Tube that detail what you need for the proper care and
maintenance of an M1A/M14/SOCOM. There's also a wealth of info over on the M14 forums. Check them out.
I am running a socom I put it in a sage stock. I enjoy it. Everyone has said it m14 forum. Some things that I didn't know before I got mine. The flash hider is one piece with the front sight. Get a good gas wrench keep her wet and run the piss out of it. Although they are heavy you have a lot of years these guns have been running they are true work horses if you have any questions pm me and I will do my best to help you out.
Thanks guys. I will definitely get signed up on the M14 forum. I was looking for the squad scout when I came across the SOCOM and it was about $150.00 cheaper. I did like the look of the Manners as it matched my T4-A stock that I have on three bolt guns. Not looking to make this a precision rifle by any means. Max range for me will be around 150-200 yards. Hopefully I will get the sign off to carry it in my cruiser at work next to my AR. We have several FNAR rifles now in the agency but i was not really a fan of them. I am contemplating putting the Troy top rail on and adding a scope down the road. For the time being it is going to be shot with the irons and maybe an Eotech from time to time until I can save up to get something else.
Good call on the socom. I love mine.
As far as cleaning, I usually just drag a boresnake a few times down the pipe, then give the whole rifle a good cleaning after 400-500 rounds. I grease it up with lubriplate.
Best tool you can get is a gas cylinder wrench. Springfield really likes to hammer down on the gas plug from the factory so a good gas cylinder wrench will be a lifesaver the first time you remove it for cleaning.
For the sling stud for the Harris bipod, I use the tanks rifle shop adapter plate. It will actually screw right into the springfield synthetic stock once you remove the front sling attachment that comes with it. Really easy to install and steady enough on the springfield stock to get the job done.
After looking into some other options for a stock, I ended up finding a near perfect usgi fiberglass stock and couldn't be happier with it. Only thing I did to it was fill in the cutout for the selector switch.
You might also want to check out Sadlaks NM spring guide. Its not terribly expensive and makes a fairly noticeable difference when working the action.
M14forum.com is great. One of the members RAMMAC has some great advice for accurizing the socom.
As far as cleaning, I usually just drag a boresnake a few times down the pipe, then give the whole rifle a good cleaning after 400-500 rounds. I grease it up with lubriplate.
Best tool you can get is a gas cylinder wrench. Springfield really likes to hammer down on the gas plug from the factory so a good gas cylinder wrench will be a lifesaver the first time you remove it for cleaning.
For the sling stud for the Harris bipod, I use the tanks rifle shop adapter plate. It will actually screw right into the springfield synthetic stock once you remove the front sling attachment that comes with it. Really easy to install and steady enough on the springfield stock to get the job done.
After looking into some other options for a stock, I ended up finding a near perfect usgi fiberglass stock and couldn't be happier with it. Only thing I did to it was fill in the cutout for the selector switch.
You might also want to check out Sadlaks NM spring guide. Its not terribly expensive and makes a fairly noticeable difference when working the action.
M14forum.com is great. One of the members RAMMAC has some great advice for accurizing the socom.
I kept the stock stock, works fine for me, since I use this under 200 yards, and much less, I use a Leupold Deltapoint, like it a lot. Added a grip pod and a streamlight with laser and flashlight, and a VTAC sking, laser sighted at 50 yards. I have a fenced back yards but plenty of yotes around, if one gets inside the fence, at night, with my dogs its hamburger. Can shoot 6" plates at 150 yards all day offhand, plenty accurate for what I need.
Just use an Otis kit and chamber brush for cleaning after going to the range, once a year I tear down all my M1a's & M14's all the way and give a deep cleaning and lube.
Look up Tony Bens videos for maintenance they are all great.
Just use an Otis kit and chamber brush for cleaning after going to the range, once a year I tear down all my M1a's & M14's all the way and give a deep cleaning and lube.
Look up Tony Bens videos for maintenance they are all great.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your SOCOM. I unfortunately had the misfortune to buy one when they first came out. That's when I became very familiar with typing "USGI parts" into a search engine. Mine fired two rounds before eating its extractor and ejector. Round three brass stuck in the chamber, which was fine because somewhere around round two and three, the front sight decided it wanted to roam wild and free on the range and was never seen again.
SA's customer service is excellent although when you and the tech are calling each other by first name like you grew up together, it can get a bit awkward.
Bottom line though, once it was gutted except for the barrel and receiver, it ran like a champ. I have used both the Sage and Troy chassis and prefer the Sage if that is something you want to do although the SOCOM is much handier with the standard stock. Good luck and get good mags.
SA's customer service is excellent although when you and the tech are calling each other by first name like you grew up together, it can get a bit awkward.
Bottom line though, once it was gutted except for the barrel and receiver, it ran like a champ. I have used both the Sage and Troy chassis and prefer the Sage if that is something you want to do although the SOCOM is much handier with the standard stock. Good luck and get good mags.
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Any particular mags I should look for or stay away from?
Itoo have a socom 16. for mags either CMI or SAI only,
I have been tempted to go crazy with it and had this and a fullsize match rifle built( think m14 ebr clone) for awhile
I had the socom in a sage stock for awhile, and even a mcmillan.
I switched back to trim it up.
Current configuration is factory sai polymer stock ( looking for an older fiberglass) with a magpul section installed on forend fromwhichasurefire scout hangs. I tookthe factory scope mount off and replaced it with a fulton armory super scout mount, holding a leupold scout in qd warnes.
I shimmed the gas system, and had a smith do the trigger group.
It is decently accurate, fast reliable and fun. Good Luck
I have been tempted to go crazy with it and had this and a fullsize match rifle built( think m14 ebr clone) for awhile
I had the socom in a sage stock for awhile, and even a mcmillan.
I switched back to trim it up.
Current configuration is factory sai polymer stock ( looking for an older fiberglass) with a magpul section installed on forend fromwhichasurefire scout hangs. I tookthe factory scope mount off and replaced it with a fulton armory super scout mount, holding a leupold scout in qd warnes.
I shimmed the gas system, and had a smith do the trigger group.
It is decently accurate, fast reliable and fun. Good Luck
CMI mags are OEM for Springfield. They just don't stamp the logo on them for SA.
I'd stick with them. M14 M1A Magazines - Check-Mate Industries, Inc.
I'd stick with them. M14 M1A Magazines - Check-Mate Industries, Inc.
I love my SOCOM16. For the most part I left it stock. I did add some rails up front and a 3.5x ACOG on a Smith Enterprises GI ACOG mount. Needed a cheekpad as well.
+1 on this. I've learned a ton here on my m1a standard. Welcome to the platform its turned into one of my favorites. Also there is a good deal of info on youtube.
I always joke around when people ask me what my favorite rifle is. I tell them my bolt guns are my favorite to shoot, but my M1a is my favorite rifle. I joke, but its the truth too.
Their loud, obnoxious, shoot a ball of fire, and annoy the hell out of the guy next to you. What's not to love? Softest shooting .308 going.
I went with the scout but i got it for 1200 dollars new i couldn't touch that for anything . i ended up going with the EBR Mod 0 then switched to the mod 1 . it is a very very solid platform . Get a nice optic for it and enjoy it much more .... Here is my set up 
I had the misfortune to buy a SOCOM II when they first came out. I could not get 2 rounds out of it before it failed to extract. The chamber looked like it had been chewed out buy Bucky Beaver. I had to send it back to SA 2x before they replaced the barrel. The first attempt at fixing it looked liked the tech just ran a reamer on the forward part of the chamber. The rest was still a mess. The replacement barrel was functional but still looked like the finishing reamer was never run thru it. It did however function. Compared to the chamber of my 2 early M1A's whose chambers are beautiful the SOCOM II's 2nd chamber was a disgrace. THe kicker is when I got the rifle back the first time the said it functioned perfectly which of course it did not.
The last straw as the accuracy with 168 FGMM was abysmal 5 shot 100 yard groups were 3" sometime worse. My standard grade M1A serial # 78xx shoots the same ammo into 1.25"-1.5" at 100 yards.
The rifle is now gone.
The last straw as the accuracy with 168 FGMM was abysmal 5 shot 100 yard groups were 3" sometime worse. My standard grade M1A serial # 78xx shoots the same ammo into 1.25"-1.5" at 100 yards.
The rifle is now gone.
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I love my SOCOM 16, I use it as a brush rifle. I have been thinking of putting a scout scope on it since I got it, but I love the ability to just point and shoot, anything inside 100 yards is easy. The sights are set up so the rear aperture is opened up quite a bit and it has a fat front sight post. I find both of these very useful for quickly acquiring targets at moderate ranges, it becomes much harder than the NM set up on my full-size out past about 200 yards though. I kept burning my hand on the forward mount block after rapid firing, so my advice is to take it off and order a USGI top hand guard if you aren't planning on running optics. I use the CMI mags exclusively, they are a lot cheaper than the Springfields and they are the same exact mag, made on the same exact line just not stamped with the Springfield logo. I got mine from 44MAG.com - Wholesale Rifle and Pistol Magazines and always had good luck with them. Enjoy your rifle!
I am local to you and can help with almost anything you need. Sent you a PM.
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