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[FROM GUNS & AMMO]
SHORT...WITH AN ATTITUDESpringfield's stubby M1A SOCOM 16 provides .308 punch from a time-proven platform.By Bart Skelton
 With the introduction of the SOCOM with its 16-inch barrel, Springfield Armory has developed an ideal rifle for law enforcement, plinkers or anyone needing a good brush rifle.
A Punch cigar hung from the corner of Joaquin Jackson's mouth as he carefully scrutinized the short little synthetic-stocked Springfield. The retired Texas Ranger and I had spent a good amount of time discussing the merits of a good car gun for law enforcement, and my receipt of the M1A SOCOM 16 prompted me to take it up to Joaquin's place right away to get his take on it. Joaquin's long-time advocacy of a short, powerful rifle that's handy to pack in a vehicle pretty much parallels my own opinion on law enforcement long guns. We both feel that a short .308 autoloader is ideal for policework--particularly in rural areas. As a Texas Ranger, Joaquin had carried a Winchester Model 1894 in .30-30 for years, but he concedes that a self-loading .308 is even better. "They've got this thing just right," Joaquin said, spitting a bit of tobacco from his cigar as he handled the SOCOM 16. He quickly shouldered it to sight at a distant target. "Like them sights, too," he said with a smile. My old partner and longtime law officer, Kemp Johnson, is a specialist when it comes to such rifles, and his opinion of the SOCOM 16 pretty much corresponds with Joaquin's and mine. In fact, it was Kemp who initially tipped me to the imminent introduction of the SOCOM 16. I promptly contacted Dennis Reese at Springfield and advised him that several old law dogs in West Texas and I needed one to experiment with. And as soon as the rifle became available, one was rushed to me.
I'm no stranger to the standard Springfield M1A. My friend West Texas rancher Penn Baggett has been shooting a spruced-up M1A match rifle for several years, and he's let me shoot it some. Penn's MIA has been customized a bit; it shoots half-minute groups consistently and is one of the most accurate .308 autoloaders I've ever fired. After shooting Penn's rifle, I did have doubts that the short SOCOM could equal the phenomenal accuracy of the full-size number, but I was eager to find out. I've also had experience with one of Springfield's Scout Squad rifles, an 18-inch-barreled M1A with a traditional walnut stock.
The rifle is fitted with a tough Picatinny-type rail that's ideal for virtually any type of optical sight desired.
Upon receipt of the SOCOM 16, I was immediately fascinated with it. The rifle, with its 16-inch barrel and black synthetic stock, was easy to handle, quick to shoulder and just all-around practical. The stock felt more comfortable in my hands than the thicker wood furniture on the Scout Squad. It's clearly personal preference, but a thinner pistol grip just feels better in my hands. Though it would seem that the synthetic-stocked SOCOM 16 would be significantly lighter than the Scout Squad, they're pretty similar in weight. The SOCOM weighs about 8.9 pounds, the Scout Squad about 9.3 pounds. Like the Scout Squad, the SOCOM 16 features a short, Picatinny-type rail mounted three inches forward of the closed bolt. This super-low mount accommodates virtually any sighting system you'd care to use. A small scout scope or a Trijicon sighting system would be ideal for either rifle, although I preferred to evaluate my SOCOM 16 with the factory sights, which included an enlarged military-style rear aperture (which could be a bit larger still) with side-mounted MOA click adjustments for windage and elevation--simple to use and effective. The SOCOM 16's front sight is a bit different than those offered on other Springfields. It's XS Sight Systems' tactical front sight, featuring a white post with a tritium insert that's extremely effective in low low light or at night. It's thicker and heavier, providing more durability than the older style. As impressed with it as I was, I believe it would be even more effective if the white insert went all the way to the top of the sight instead of ending a few thousandths short.
The little Springfield provides .308 power in a self-loading package that does a pretty good job of taming recoil. The bark from that 16-inch barrel, however, is fierce.
I shot the rifle at dusk and after dark and found the night sight to be highly effective. With the aperture rear sight, it's only necessary for the shooter to concentrate on the front sight, which shines brightly in low light. This front sight can be adjusted by loosening the front-sight screw with a 3/16-inch socket-head wrench, then moving the blade laterally along the dovetail base located on the flash suppressor--same as with the standard M1A. The open protective ears on the new sight are a bit different than the older model in that they don't protrude outward, but straight up and down.
The SOCOM 16 (far left) features an enlarged rear aperture sight. The Scout Squad (left) has a standard military aperture. The author believes the SOCOM 16's rear aperture could still be a bit larger.
One of my concerns with the SOCOM 16 was the accuracy issue on the part of the shooter due to the short sight radius. With an overall length of 37.25 inches, the rifle is pretty much a snubnosed M1A (the Scout Squad, although also shorter than the standard M1A, provides a full two inches more sight radius). My first formal shooting exercise with the SOCOM 16 materialized in Ozona, Texas, at Penn Baggett's ranch. Penn has an elaborate range setup, perfect for experimenting with new guns. We started out with Black Hills 175-grain molycoated match ammo, an ideal match for the rifle's 1:11 twist. We began plinking initially, exploding rocks at distances varying from 25 to 150 yards. The rifle produced little recoil; it was a pleasure to shoot. All in all, we fired about 40 rounds without cleaning the rifle during our plinking session.
(Right) The SOCOM 16 features an integrated flash suppressor, and, unlike most M1As, it lacks an adjustable gas plug. Springfield engineers developed the new gas system to function flawlessly, which it does. (Left) XS Sight Systems manufactures the SOCOM's white post front sight with tritium insert. The open protective ears are rock-solid.
Next I sat down at a 50-yard bench rest, still using the Black Hills 175-grain stuff. I fired several three-shot strings through the rifle, finding the two-stage trigger pull to be a reasonably crisp six pounds. The last string fired with the Black Hills was the best, with two shots in the same hole and the third just under an inch from the first two. Less than an inch at 50 yards with iron sights was quite suitable as far as I'm concerned. I didn't fire the SOCOM 16 from the 100-yard bench rest due to the fact that I wasn't using a scope and felt the rifle would certainly shoot better than I can see at that distance. Since I was dealing with what is essentially a close-quarters-battle rifle, the shorter-distance shooting sufficed.
The SOCOM 16 is a handy and tough little rifle, with a matte finish and granite-textured fiberglass stock.
From Baggett Ranch, my travels took me down to Ship Ranch near Laredo, owned and operated by my old friend Col. Evan Quiros. The SOCOM 16 was one of several new guns I hauled with me to the Colonel's place (he also has a superb range setup in his backyard). I spent a good bit of time firing the little .308 offhand at a 100-yard steel plate, finding it difficult to miss the target even in rapid-fire mode. As with any short-barreled, high-powered rifle, the SOCOM 16 produces quite an earful. I've fired .308 carbines extensively and have found them to be loud, but the SOCOM 16 has most of them beat.
The rifle features a 10-round detachable box magazine, although it will also accept preban 20-round mags.
The little rifle produces a good bit of muzzle blast, but the flash suppressor does a good job of spreading around the discharge. Leaves and dirt below the muzzle, however, got stirred about impressively with each shot. Clearly, firing the SOCOM 16 requires hearing protection above and beyond Styrofoam plugs for the shooter and anyone standing nearby. Many M1A shooters I know have expressed concerns with the SOCOM 16's reliability due to the short barrel length. This stems from the theory that the short length may prevent the gas system from allowing the hammer to fully cock after the first shot due to abbreviated barrel time. But the engineers at Springfield did a remarkable job compensating for this when developing the SOCOM by entirely reworking the M1A gas system. And it works flawlessly. The SOCOM 16, unlike most M1As, is not fitted with an adjustable gas lug. After firing several hundred rounds through my test rifle, I experienced no malfunction of any kind. The rifle fed and cycled reliably shot after shot. For a concluding accuracy test, I carried the SOCOM 16 out to the desert mountains near my home and set up a 75-yard target. Having no shooting bench, I winged it, swinging out the spare-tire mount on the back of my SUV for a rest, which, padded with a blanket, actually worked quite well. I started out with Black Hills Match 168-grain boattails, firing a pair of three-shot strings.
The SOCOM 16 performed well with Cor-Bon 125-grain ammunition, punching this 15Ú8-inch group at 75 yards. All testing was with iron sights.
The rifle wasn't as fond of the 168-grain stuff as it had been of the 175s. My best group was 2 3/4 inches--not as good as my 50-yard efforts with the 175s. I then fired a three-shot string using Speer Nitrex 180-grain Grand Slams. These heavyweights the SOCOM 16 loved, delivering a one-inch group on the first string. Finally, I shot up a few rounds of hot Cor-Bon 125-grain JHPs. These lightweights performed well, delivering a 1 3/4-inch group. Keep in mind that my informal accuracy testing was conducted from a makeshift rest using iron sights. For a solid assessment of the SOCOM 16's potential, a quality scope should be used from a solid,100-yard bench. I have no doubt that the rifle will shoot better than I can hold at 100 yards. Dispensing of the unfired rounds from each box of my test ammo was great fun as I shot rapid fire at various targets in the 50- to 100-yard range. Again, the rifle functioned flawlessly. I noticed that the forward-mounted optical rail did heat up considerably after 30 or so rounds in quick succession, though I doubt it would get hot enough to adversely affect any optic or sighting device, especially if aluminum rings were used. My experience with the SOCOM 16 has been more than positive. The rifle is an outstanding choice for a law enforcement long gun as it is relatively simple, accurate and powerful.
The short barrel makes it ideal for carrying in the front seat of a vehicle as it makes it quite handy for getting in and out while avoiding the cache of law enforcement equipment normally found in a patrol unit. Though I'm not a believer in high-powered rifles for tactical entry into homes or apartment buildings, the shortness of the SOCOM 16 makes it a good choice for clearing out buildings in certain situations. The power of the .308 is decisive for most police work, especially in rural areas, and the lack of heavy recoil makes it shooter-friendly. In certain circumstances, the SOCOM 16 would be a good substitute for a riot shotgun in law enforcement situations. Its handiness qualifies it as an excellent brush gun, too. Ranchers, hunters and plinkers will find it to be a great choice for knocking around in the back country. After spending some time with Springfield's stubby SOCOM 16, I have to agree with Ranger Jackson's initial opinion of it. They've got it just right. |
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