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By Jamie Mangrum |
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Article Published
Date: 11/21/2007 |
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Adobe PDF Downloadable Version of Article |
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Note the flimsy factory installed hand guard.
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It all
started with me having surgery and having way too much time
on my hands while sitting at home convalescing. I had
recently picked up a few rifles for my collection and
discovered I had run out of room for storage. I could buy
another safe…but hey that is a heck of a lot of money to
spend. I
started pulling out rifles and looking at them. I was not
even supposed to be lifting anything much less standing up
but here I was spending the next few hours sorting out my
collection.
By the time I was finished I had pulled out almost twenty
rifles that I would never probably shoot
much less find ammo to shoot in them. I decided to sell them
off. Lately I have been leaning more towards U.S. made battle rifles
and some of the French, Japanese, and Italian pieces
really did not hold my interest as much as they used to. I
loaded up the truck and drove them down to a friend of
mine’s store to sell on consignment. After a few days I was
surprised to find out that a sizable number had already been
sold as they were hard to find and very collectible. I found
myself with a brand new dilemma.
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SOCOM 16 |
I had a large credit on the books
as a result of the sales. What was I to do? I looked up and saw
a SOCOM 16 hanging there on the wall calling my name.
I am a sucker for anything in the
M1A family and I really, really like carbines.
It came down and I
did the paperwork. Soon she was on her way home with me.
I much
prefer the design of the Springfield Armory
SOCOM 16 over the newer Springfield Armory SOCOM II. The
SOCOM II in my opinion looks like some kind of BattleMech (Large Futuristic Battle Robots covered with Missiles
and Weapons) out of the
BattleMech video games.
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SOCOM II |
I think you can actually have too many rails and as a
result the SOCOM II looks a little silly to me. Plus you pay an extra $300 to
$500 for the model over the SOCOM 16. The SOCOM 16 is an
excellent firearm and has a small rail on the
top for optical sights. The only negative I can say
is it has a very flimsy hand guard.
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My partially
disassembled SOCOM ready to have the UltiMAK mount
installed. |
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I am one
of those folks that if I know something mechanical like a
rifle has something that is broken or can be easily broken
it bothers the living hell out of me. I get some sort of
compulsion into my head that is not satisfied until I
rectify the problem. In walks the
UltiMAK M-14 / M1A Forward Optic Mount 1913 (Picatinny)
style rail system for $199. Basically it is a CNC
machined aluminum hand guard that has a Picatinny/Weaver
style rail. To me this was the perfect solution to my
problem. I laid down the cash and had one in the mail to me
shortly. |
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My SOCOM
with the original factory hand guard removed.
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Installing the mount is pretty easy on an M1A and does not
require any modifications what-so-ever. Disassemble the
front of the rifle’s gas system and remove the existing hand
guard. The mount comes with all the mounting hardware and
tools you will need and even comes with a set of
Surplusrifle.com style installation instructions with plenty
of bright colorful pictures. After the mount is installed
you have a very solid and much upgraded hand guard and
mounting system on any M1A rifle or carbine. |
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Simple and
solid installation of the mount. |
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Information Supplied by UltiMAK |
This is by far the
lowest, most stable optic mount available for
the M-14 / M1A, and since it replaces the entire
handguard, it does not require a new or modified
handguard. The 1913 style (Picatinny/Weaver)
rail sits lower than the factory iron sights,
providing a better, more natural cheek weld for
rapid target acquisition and natural point of
aim, without the need for a comb riser. Now
for the first time ever, you can co witness
the factory M-14/M1A iron sights with tube
bodied, reflex sights such as Aimpoint or
Trijicon Tripower. The entirely unobstructive
mount can remain in place whether or not you're
using optics. The forward positioning allows
faster targeting with better field of view, very
forgiving eye relief, greater mounting
versatility, and full access to the receiver
mechanism and stripper clip guide with optics in
place. The rifle can be easily and completely
field stripped without removing the mount or the
optic.
No-gunsmithing installation - the M8
mount can be installed in the field by anyone
who can read the instructions and use the
supplied Allen wrenches. Fits standard weight
M-14 and M1A barrels only. Works as a drop-in
installation with any wood or synthetic stock.
Completely CNC machined from super strong
6061-T6 aluminum, bead blasted and Mil Spec hard
anodized for a matte black finish that will hold
up to years of hard use. The barrel clamps and
recoil lug are made of 4142 chrome/molly steel
with a satin black phosphate finish. This is the
mount that should have come with the M-14 from
the beginning.
UltiMAK - Take your best shot
*Compatibility: The UltiMAK M8 mount fits
only standard, GI spec barrels. In the current
Springfield line-up, the compatible models are;
M1A Standard, M1A Scout Squad, SOCOM 16, and
SOCOM II. The "Loaded Standard" and all of their
"Match" and "Tactical" models have
heavier-than-standard barrels, which will not
allow M8 mount installation. Chinese M1A clones
have standard barrels and fit nicely with the M8
mount. If your M-14 or M1A does not fit any of
the above descriptions, you should call the
manufacturer and ask if the barrel is of
standard M-14 outer diameter specs, including
the size and location of the op-rod guide. As a
side note; the original U.S. military production
"National Match" M-14s had standard weight
barrels. Among the differences was that the bore
tolerances were halved. |
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Web
Address:
http://www.ultimak.com/M8.htm |
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Solid hand
guard and good looking to boot. |
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Topped off
with an equal set of optics. |
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Information Supplied by
EOTech |
Electronic Features
The HWS uses state-of-the-art digital
electronics design. Twenty brightness levels
ensure proper brightness control in either low
light or very bright sunlight. An on-board
microprocessor provides automatic battery check
indicator, up/down brightness scrolling and
programmable auto shutdown features. All
electronics are fully encapsulated in shock
absorbing resin compound.
The HOLOgraphic AdvantageThe
holographic patterns have been designed to be
instantly visible in any light, instinctive to
center regardless of shooting angle, and to
remain in view while sweeping the engagement
zone. Reticules are designed as large,
see-through patterns to achieve lightning quick
reticule to target acquisition without covering
or obscuring the point of aim.
Heads Up, Full View
The HWS employs a true Heads-Up Display that
eliminates blind spots, constricted vision, or
the tunnel vision associated with tubed sights.
All user controls are flush to the HWS's
streamline housing with no protruding knobs,
battery compartments or mounting rings blocking
vision at the target area. True, 2 eyes open
shooting is realized. Instant threat
identification is achieved by maximizing the
operator's peripheral vision and ultimately
gaining greater control of the engagement zone.
The Magic of Holography
In holography, all the information required to
reconstruct the reticule image is recorded
everywhere in the Heads-Up display window. If
the window is obstructed by mud, snow, rain,
etc., the HWS remains fully operational , with
point of aim/impact being maintained. Even in
such extreme cases where the laminated window is
shattered, the HWS is fully functional! As long
as the operator can see through any portion of
the window, the entire reticule pattern is
visible on target...the operator can still
engage with confidence. |
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Web
Address:
http://www.eotech-inc.com/ |
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From the
EOTech web site a sample of the
sight simulator to
demonstrate what the sight looks like in action. |
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Next I
had to add a worthy set of optics on top of my new mount. As
I have said many times before my eyes are going down hill by
the day and a set of superior optics is the answer to making
me look like a 25 year old kid again when I shoot. Imagine a
sight that if it is covered with mud or broken you can still
get a reticule picture and hit the target. That is not a
dream or fantasy. Modern holographic optics now perform at
this level. The
EOTech sight has recently been awarded the
contract to be the standard sight mounted on weapons carried
by no other than the
USSOcom. Seemed kind
of fitting that one would set on top of my new SOCOM 16.
This sight is every thing and then some - simple to operate
and rugged as heck. As if it does not get any better the scope does
not take some difficult to find type of battery but just the
standard AA cells that I use in my flash light. Installation
of the scope and adjustment can be accomplished with a
nickel right out of your pocket as the two large and
integral mounting screws are large slotted and so are the elevation and windage
adjustments. The model EOTech sight I purchased is the
EOTech HWS 512 Tactical which sells for about $360. The first day I had
the EOTech mounted on my carbine I attempted to rest the
carbine in a rack. I turned my back and heard a loud and
blood curdling thud.
To my amazement my carbine had rolled onto the ground
resting on top of the EOTech scope. A small dent on the
exterior of the overly strong aluminum sight shield was all I could find wrong. The ding
was noticeable exposed metal so I took my handy “sharpie”
permanent marker and colored it in. Now it looks like it has
been carried in some "seriousness" and not just coddled in my
hands while sitting at the bench at my range. At least this
is what I keep telling myself. After putting several hundred
rounds down range I am happy to say that both
the mount and the new scope perform beautifully and are a
joy to shoot and worth every penny. |
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Good looking
setup and works like a champ! |
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Adobe PDF Downloadable Version of Article |
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Copyright 2006, 2007
Surplusrifle.com |
