SPRINGFIELD'S M1A SOCOM .308

Springfield's simple, well-thought-out, nicely executed M1A SOCOM is a powerful, reliable, and extremely maneuverable battle rifle.

By David M. Fortier; Photos By Emily K. Fortier

The SOCOM's special muzzle brake reduces muzzle jump and felt recoil and acts as a gas expansion chamber for optimum functioning of the carbine's gas operating system.

Before the original M16 rifles were issued, U.S. Army and Marine units carried 7.62mm M14 rifles. M14s are looked upon with a certain awe and respect all their own. Today, M14s are still being issued and have proven popular with the troops because of their reliability, extended range, accuracy, penetration, and terminal performance.

Compared to an M4 carbine, however, a full-size M14 handles like a splitting maul. Because of this a number of small and specialized military units wanted a more compact version of the M14. This interest eventually led Springfield Armory to bring out an abbreviated model for the commercial market. It undertook a project to make its traditional M1A both dramatically shorter and handier for CQB-type scenarios. The result is the M1A SOCOM.

The SOCOM is basically a drastically chopped and channeled M1A intended to be quick handling and maneuverable. The SOCOM was designed to put not only the reliability and robustness, but also the lethality, of a 7.62mm M1A into a 5.56mm-size package.

This wasn't accomplished overnight. This model has been continuously refined from the prototype stage to the finished product. In a nutshell, the design team at Springfield took the basic M1A and shortened the barrel to 16.25 inches. To maintain the design's reliability, they then added a specialized muzzle device. This unit serves two purposes: it acts as a muzzle brake to reduce recoil and muzzle rise, and more importantly, it also acts as a gas expansion chamber. In this latter role it ensures that a sufficient volume of gas is maintained to assure reliable and trouble-free operation.

Based on Springfield's proven M1A, the SOCOM is powerful, reliable, and extremely maneuverable.

The muzzle device is approximately two inches long, sports 34 circular vents, and incorporates the front sight base. Vent holes are positioned at 1, 2, 10, and 11 o'clock. Thoughtfully, no vent holes are in the 12 o'clock position, so blast and flash are vented away from the shooter's line of sight. The muzzle device is mounted to a standard weight barrel with a 1:11-inch RH twist with six-groove rifling. Controls and operation are straight M1A.

Bolted to the rear portion of the barrel is a four-inch-long steel optics base, which allows an extended eye relief scope to be mounted scout-style. It also allows a red-dot sight to be mounted in an optimal position.

Along with the optics base, the .308 SOCOM has a special set of sights specifically designed for its intended usage. The prototype had a front sight assembly reminiscent of a G3, but the production model's sights have been refined to a protected post. It has a wide, easy-to-pick-up blade with a white vertical stripe and a tritium element for low-light use. The rear aperture has been enlarged from .074 to .125 inch to make the sights quicker to acquire and to facilitate use in low and subdued light. Adjustments on the rear sight remain 1 MOA clicks for windage and elevation.

The SOCOM's accuracy was outstanding. Hornady's new 155-grain TAP .308 ammo posted a 1.00-inch five-shot group at 100 yards.

The barrel assembly is dropped into a rugged synthetic military stock, and Springfield has given the stock and the handguards a black crinkle coat finish. The finish is good looking and adds texture to the stock to improve its gripping surface. At a length of 37.25 inches the SOCOM is almost three inches shorter than Springfield's Scout. Weight comes in at 8.9 pounds.

After disassembling it, I was pleasantly surprised to find a military trigger group built by TRW and a Mil Spec operating rod manufactured by Harrington & Richardson. Good parts make for a reliable rifle, and the SOCOM looked good internally, the bolt and safety operated smoothly, and the two-stage trigger broke crisply with zero creep.

The SOCOM II, a new version of the M1A SOCOM, comes with Springfield's Cluster Rail System, which accommodates virtually any optic, light, or other Picatinny rail accessory.

Surprisingly Accurate
I got a feel for the SOCOM by running 100 rounds of Wolf 150-grain FMJs through it to break it in. Then I installed a Burris 2-7X extended eye relief scope in a set of Warne rings. I checked the SOCOM's accuracy by shooting from a rest at 100 yards with a variety of loads. Test ammunition consisted of Hornady's 110-, 155-, and 168-grain TAP; Black Hills's 150- and 165-grain Ballistic Tips; Federal's 150-grain Barnes Triple Shock and 170-grain Low Recoil; and Wolf's 150-grain FMJ. Four five-shot groups were recorded with each load.

SPECIFICATIONS Springfield M1A SOCOM .308 Semiautomatic Carbine
MANUFACTURER:	Springfield Armory
Model:	M1A SOCOM
OPERATION:	Gas-operated autoloader
CALIBER:	.308 Winchester
CAPACITY:	10 rounds
BARREL LENGTH:	16.25 inches
OVERALL LENGTH:	37.25 inches
WEIGHT, EMPTY:	8.9 pounds
FINISH:	Parkerized
SAFETY:	Two-position M14 style
SIGHTS:	Enlarged military aperture
STOCKS:	Black synthetic
RIFLING:	1:11 RH twist, six grooves
LENGTH OF PULL:	13 inches

The SOCOM's accuracy was surprising. I was aiming at scaled-down silhouettes, and the SOCOM proved capable of posting a best of five shots into just one inch with Hornady's 155-grain TAP. The tightest average group size went to the lighter 110-grain TAP load at just 1.45 inches. Overall average for all loads tested was 2.1 inches.

Swapping the Burris for an Aimpoint Comp ML red-dot sight, I put the M1A SOCOM to work at close range. I was interested in checking controllability, muzzle blast, flash signature, and handling. The SOCOM's balance point is about in the center of the magazine well, which makes the rifle somewhat muzzle light. This aids in rapid target engagement, especially of multiple or moving targets at the close ranges this carbine is envisioned for.

Controllability was surprisingly good, especially with Hornady's 110-grain TAP and Federal's 170-grain Low Recoil loads. Both loads cut recoil and muzzle rise dramatically. Muzzle blast was not overly offensive and flash was wholly dependent upon ammunition. (For example, Wolf's 150-grain load produced a visible flash in bright daylight while Hornady's TAP was visible but subdued in low light.)

Workmanship on the SOCOM is very good, the trigger is excellent, the sights absolutely rock, functioning is flawless, and accuracy is substantially better than required for a rifle of this type. For brute performance, anything the 5.56mm or 6.8x43mm Remington SPC can do the .308 Winchester can do better.

Need a lighter ammo load and increased controllability? When stoked with Hornady's 110-grain TAP load, this short carbine will hammer a .30-caliber expanding slug at more than 2900 fps and be mild shooting.

Getting grief from 600 yards away? Teamed with a Burris scope and an M1907 sling, this SOCOM will easily nail a man-sized target at 600 yards.

The downside is that it weighs about nine pounds ready to go, and you'll have to hump those heavy 20-round 7.62mm magazines.

New versions of the Springfield M1A SOCOM include the Urban ($1757), which sports a newly designed urban camo finish, and the SOCOM II ($1948), which comes with Springfield's new Cluster Rail System that accommodates virtually any optic, light, or other Picatinny rail accessory.

Whichever variation you choose, the Springfield M1A SOCOM is simple, well thought out, and nicely executed. With a suggested retail of $1727, it's not cheap, but it is an impressive little carbine.