February 9th, 2025
9:38 runtime
Everyone has heard the saying, have your cake and eat it too.
I think we all know what it means, but how does it apply to firearms?
You get the idea.
The addition of a scout scope on this Springfield SOCOM 16 CQB rifle made ringing steel at 500 yards relatively easy.
Thescout scope on a M1A riflemight be one of those things where the old adage applies.
Few will dispute that the M1A has power, accuracy and reliability.
I would even say it has very acceptable recoil.
The above rifles show a traditionally located scope and a red dot optic on M1A rifles. A scout scope mounts forward of the action.
The problem has always been that this is not a particularly compact or lightweight gun.
This is where the SOCOM 16 comes in.
It really got me thinking, just how accurate can this mini M1A be?
The author sighted the rifle in at 100 yards before reaching out to 200, 300, 400 and 500 yards.
Recoil was about the same as the larger rifle, and the reliability and power were the same.
Would this allow me to have my cake and eat it, too?
So, I started looking into scout scopes.
The Vortex Crossfire II scout scope mounted on the Springfield SOCOM 16 CQB rifle.
To be honest, I had never tested one, or even looked down a gun with one.
To me, it seemed like a halfway attempt between a scope and a red dot.
What is a scout scope?
Ammunition matters. In this case, the author selected affordable options to test the performance of these affordable optics.
Thus, I decided I needed to reconsider the scout scope option and take a closer look.
When you look for an M1A scout scope, there are not a lot of options available.
you’ve got the option to find optics ranging from $150 to $500.
The Hi-Lux scope proved itself a worthy addition to the SOCOM 16 CQB at 500 yards.
I wanted to start with the most affordable and go from there.
First up is the Vortex Crossfire II 2-732 Scout, which I found on Amazon for $149.
Next up is the Hi-Lux Long Eye Relief 2-7x32mm with three-postBDC Reticle, which Hi-Lux offers for $160.
So, Imounted each opticand got it zeroed at 100 yards using Tula ammo.
I also wanted to see what I could expect with affordable ammo like this.
I was shocked at a few of the groups I was able to get.
I also played with some other military surplus ammo just to see what kind of groups I got.
Results
I was equally impressed with theeye reliefand clarity of both optics.
Once I got them zeroed, I started ringing the steel at distance.
It was much quicker, simpler and more consistent on hits using the scope over the red dot.
It made hitting the steel at 500 almost too easy once I found the location on the BDC.
It was perfect for CQB and making accurate (center mass) shots under 100-200 yards.
Until next time, happy shooting, help educate our young people to gun safety, and be safe.
