M1A SOCOM vs AR10

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  • Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    Help me understand this:

    A M1A Socom is a banned weapon in MD ??
    An AR10 is NOT banned??
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    Also, it's not just the Socom. Even the big woodstocked long barrelled original style M1A is banned (unless it's Chinese or NOT .308)
     

    rbird7282

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 6, 2012
    18,538
    Columbia
    Also, it's not just the Socom. Even the big woodstocked long barrelled original style M1A is banned (unless it's Chinese or NOT .308)


    I bought an M1A a week before 10/1/13 and kind of wish I hadn’t. Almost never shoot it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    KIBarrister

    Opinionated Libertarian
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 10, 2013
    3,923
    Kent Island/Centreville
    You can get a nice 6.5 MIA

    This. Although, IIRC the 6.5 isn’t offered in any of the “tacticool” configurations. Also, I think you are limited to Springfield Armory, as of when I last looked into this.

    The M14 is a shitty battle rifle, and there are far better 308 rifles (like AR10) - but I always wanted an M1...
     

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,180
    Sun City West, AZ
    Parts on the Polytech aren't interchangeable with M1A or M14 clones built here...different threading, etc. It takes some doing to get parts to interchange. Still...just another example of MGA stupidity.
     

    joppaj

    Sheepdog
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Apr 11, 2008
    46,461
    MD
    Apropos of nothing...

    A friend of mine is a cop out west in a rural, remote sort of place. There's money because rich people build vacation homes there. The local PD is issued a handgun and they can buy their own rifle and shotgun for duty use.

    My friend is a smart guy, former soldier and avid hunter. His major risks include predatory animals, human traffickers, people hunting illegally, clandestine drug labs and growing ops, and sovereign citizen types. He's encountered all these things and a few have shot at him.

    My friend looked at his rifle budget a few years ago and decided that an M4 style wouldn't cut it, he bought the M1A Socom for his duty rifle. He almost immediately hated it. He sold it at a considerable loss about a year later and bought an AR-10 that he found much more inherently accurate. Being a former infantryman the AR platform was of course a quicker adaptation for him.
     

    G8tor

    Active Member
    Nov 30, 2013
    373
    Calvert County
    I fired a friend's M1A years ago and found the rear peep sight hole to be too large to be accurate with. Cool looking yes, but would need optics or a smaller peep to be useful.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Apropos of nothing...

    A friend of mine is a cop out west in a rural, remote sort of place. There's money because rich people build vacation homes there. The local PD is issued a handgun and they can buy their own rifle and shotgun for duty use.

    My friend is a smart guy, former soldier and avid hunter. His major risks include predatory animals, human traffickers, people hunting illegally, clandestine drug labs and growing ops, and sovereign citizen types. He's encountered all these things and a few have shot at him.

    My friend looked at his rifle budget a few years ago and decided that an M4 style wouldn't cut it, he bought the M1A Socom for his duty rifle. He almost immediately hated it. He sold it at a considerable loss about a year later and bought an AR-10 that he found much more inherently accurate. Being a former infantryman the AR platform was of course a quicker adaptation for him.

    On that, I'd love an M1a, but for nostalgia reasons.

    I've shot one once, never owned one. Of all of the various reviews, feedback, etc. I've seen on M1a, it just is not an accurate platform. It can be MADE accurate. Or at least reasonably so. But most seem to range between 2-3MOA with high quality ammo and it is a fair amount of work to get them better than that. They are also relatively heavy and optics mounting is a pain and generally limited to scout scopes.

    A similar 16" .308 AR-10 is typically going to be about a pound or so lighter. No issues with optics mounting. At least a reasonable quality one is typically going to be closer to 1MOA than 2MOA with high quality ammo.

    Mine seems to be not out of the realm of ordinary, my home built AR-10 manages about 2MOA with M80 ball (the couple brands I've tried), is a little under 1MOA with match and good hunting ammo. Cost about $900 for all parts including the optic and scope mount. It tips the scales with a fluted 18" heavy barrel with optic at 9lbs. And of course the perks of similar manual of arms to an AR-15.

    I still want an M1a, but if I needed a "battle rifle" or DMR to carry for a possibly gun battle I know exactly what I'd want, and it is NOT an M1a.
     

    TheOriginalMexicanBob

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 2, 2017
    32,180
    Sun City West, AZ
    I've had a couple of M1A rifles over time...sorry I let them go. They're just classic battle rifles but an AR-10 is simply easier to work with. Once you've worked with an AR-15/M4 platform the AR-10 is a simple transition. Less expensive to buy...less weight...less recoil...equally accurate or more so depending on the rifle...magazines are more available and less expensive...much more modular and easy tp add accessories...just a win-win all the way around.
     

    SCARCQB

    Get Opp my rawn, Plick!
    Jun 25, 2008
    13,614
    Undisclosed location
    I bought a polytech m14S about a year ago. It’s okay for a basic rifle. It is serviceable.

    Accuracy isn’t something to write home about. It can be made to shoot great. But that requires a lot of modification.

    It’s still cool and nostalgic. The one I got is reliable. But it’s a 2.5 Moa shooter. ( with optics and military ball ammo). I have a couple of pre 2013 m1A that I still shoot on occasion. Those have become irreplaceable . Mostly stays in the safe nowadays. The polytech m14s is a beater gun that I can still shoot and treat as a tool. Instead of a display piece.

    The AR10 out of the box is a much better option. It’s still md legal. But, it’s still another AR variant.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    I have both. M1As can be accurate, my loaded model can get under 2MOA with decent OTM loads, and a little over with FMJ, not too far from my Aero M5s(DPMS pattern AR308s). M1As are a little heavier, harder to suppress, harder recoil, need NATO spec ammo to function(commercial 308 is too hot), rock&lock mag, and optic mounting is a bit more challenging. AR10s are simply a more modern rifle, especially the modern versions, where the M1A might hang with a classic AR10, it's outmatched by many of the new models. Doesn't make the M1A a bad rifle by any means, still fun to shoot, still accurate and 308 will always be awesome, but the last half century of technology redesigned the AR10/AR308 into a modern weapon system, while it just gave the M14 a couple new options for stocks.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I love my M1A, but it is not practical. I will never sell it, but it rarely comes out of the safe. If you want practical, a AR-10 is it. I am building an AR-10 from an 80%, with the goal of being super light. I plan to use all carbon fiber stuff on it, just for fun. Light, reliable, accurate.

    https://www.smokecomposites.com/products
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    Help me understand this:

    A M1A Socom is a banned weapon in MD ??
    An AR10 is NOT banned??

    From my understanding - the M1A is still available, in calibers other than .308.
    The Chinese M14 rifles are legal, due to metric 'stuff' that's not easily converted/swapped.

    Before the 2013 Ban, I TRIED to get ahold of a "Scout/Squad" M1A.
    Nobody had one, or could get one.


    I'll just say that Maryland's Legislators are STOOPID idiots, and don't give a rat's behind about law-abiding citizens in this state.

    I have nothing 'kind' to say to any of them, or about them.
     

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