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I gotten tried of the 5.56, and hungered for something far harder hitting.
And not being a fan of the AK or it's round, I went the next step up- 7.62x51(.308).
It is a bit heavy, mainly near the muzzle, but it balances around the magazine, and the use of a 20roung mag, makes for a nice foregrip.
Using the magazine as a foregrip, the gun lightens up a bit, and is quick to move around. Really as bulky as the gun appears it doesn't handle as such.
Using a real foregrip on the bottom rail, is too far out, and make the gun hard to handle however-unless you just have really long arms.
Recoil is very light, and rapid fire produces little muzzle raise. Recovery time between shots is naturally a bit slower then AR15, and I could properly get 2 rounds, maybe 3 on target with an AR15 for every 1 on the SOCOM.
However, speed isn't really what the gun is about, it's power, and that it has lots of. Despite the 16" barrel when shooting 150 grain, my loss in velocity over a 22" M1 was only around 250fps. Accuracy is effected, but I hit out to 300yards without problem-granted grouping was a bit wide.
Then again this isn't a distance or accuracy gun, sticking to 100 yards and closer, the gun was very good-factory sights are nice, but hard to use quickly as the rail system gets a bit in the way. It would however greatly benefit from optics, but the rail system is too far forward for magnified optics(eye relief problems), but redots are perfect and better suited anyways.
Back to power, in my half-assed test of power. I place a 1 gallon jug of water, and laid it down(what was normally the bottom is facing the gun).
Shot one with a 5.56NATO-the jug exploded somewhat, but remained intact, only spiting along the seams. The round did not exit, and broke up inside(I found fragments around the impact zone, and no exit point).
Shot one with 7.62x51NATO-the jug truly exploded, water spray around a 30' radius, and went just as high. The jug was ripped to shred-looked like a dog chewed on it, as all four sides of the jug were ripped off, and blown about 2-3' from the original spot. There was even some 2"^2 piece that got loosely stuck into my rotten tree trunk back stop. The round went right through(found the exit via the cap), and round not recover-although I think the FMJ peeled off a bit, as I found some pieces of it near the back stop.
As for quailty it's all top notch, rails are rock solid, sights are fully adjustable, with a front Trijicon night sight, and stock was surprising not cheap and worthless, but well made. I will in fact keep it, despite plans to replace-it does however not allow you to place the cheek on the stock, and still see the sights. It could use a check rest of some sort maybe.
An Ar15 still have many advantages, but in some big SHTF stuff, I think I'll deal with the weight, and reduce fire rate, so to throw some serious lead, capable of defeating light armor, and near guaranteed one shot kills-or at least no fail-to-stop drill required in close range.
Awesome gun, but damn expensive. I paid $2200(urban camo tend to run the gun up $200), magazines are $40 each, 20 rounds of ammo near $18.
(shown with 10 round mag)
I dont plan to do much with the gun, but I will add a Trijicon TriPower soon. I like the Chevron sight, better then just a dot. :
Sweet gun . I went a step bigger . Less shots but . Winchester xrt sporter chambered in 300 wetherby mag with a burris 3by 9 50mm posi loc scope. Only hols 3 rounds but you should see what a gal of water looks like. Shot a buffalo and put a hole bigger than my fist in the neck. That was with a 170 extended range shell at 250 yds.
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2005 Grand tour roadster. SOLD 1-19-09. Bought a 07 ZO6 corvette vin# 30. Added air intake and dyno tune 480.68 rwhp .
Beautiful gun. Just picked up an M1A myself not too long ago.
A National Match version with Super Match ultra heavy barrel substitution, JAE-100 mod, Smith Enterprises HK-style ringed front sight, Harris bipod, Leupold Mk4 scope.
With the JAE, definitely much heavier than regular black synthetic stock.
I have the M1A Socom 1. I didn't like the weight of the forward rail.
Also, with the forward scout rail for optics, it's not too good for anything but 1x magnification red dots as it is so far forward for the eye relief.
Honestly, I like the rifle way better than my AR. The thing just feels solid and reliable (and is).
A lot of people I know prefer to go with the M1A National Match rifles... but I am not really a long range shooter and if I ever go hunting I don't want to hump a 50" + long rifle.
MagicPie, if you get that trijicon sight, tell me how you like it. I was thinking of doing something similar to mine. Look into the sadlak scope mounts (IIRC there is another company that makes good ones too).
There a big difference too in the AK's 7.62x39 and the M1's 7.62x51. In the very scientific milk jug test the AK round only did a bit better then the 5.56. The round made it out the jug, oppose the the 5.56 breaking up, but other then that not much different.
The Socom is very heavy upfront, but the rails dont seem to make up a great deal of weight, it seem more to do the with gas piston and the large amount of metal that houses it and the recoil spring.
Yeah, Janus, I let you know about the Trijicon, but it will be a few months. Gun money is near zero at the moment.
Yeah $2200 isnt too bad, I've noticed as much as $2550 on gun broker.
And they do seem to have a small but steady price increase, as a year ago an urban camo was going for $1900 just about everywhere, now the used black stocks socoms are going for that price.
^^^Congrats on the Socom II. I myself prefer the 7.62Nato/.308 Win round. I did think the Socom II felt heavier than a typical M1A, perhaps it's the way it's balanced?
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"Buckets of awesome are heavy" - Tubbs
I like the SOCOM and the 7.62x51 but the 5.56x45 is no joke in its own rights. Guns are guns but cartridges and bullets are what does the work and everything has its purpose, just like every tool in your toolbox has its own purpose. Here is a nice little read on a Filipino gun forum where someone was shot in the leg by a M193 out of a M16. http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=17111.0
Basically, the M193, a .223" dia 55gr FMJ will fragment and cause explosive tissue damage reliability above speeds of 2700 fps. So out of a 16" carbine, this kind of tissue damage is expected out to ~80 yards. Between 2700 fps and 2000 fps most FMJs will cause a temporal stretch cavity that will damage or tear tissue. Thats why the effective range of the .223 rounds are generally considered out to ~300 yards, unless your using special hunting rounds. Below 2000 fps, the most likely damage would be icepick like wounds. By the time you reach around 700 yards, the 55gr bullet has about the velocity of a 22lr. Still lethal if you hit the heart or CNS.
A Real Man's Gun- M1A SOCOM II
. Winchester xrt sporter chambered in 300 wetherby mag with a burris 3by 9 50mm posi loc scope. Only hols 3 rounds but you should see what a gal of water looks like. Shot a buffalo and put a hole bigger than my fist in the neck. That was with a 170 extended range shell at 250 yds.
