Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled "Should the M1A Have a Scout Scope?" and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/should-the-m1a-have-a-scout-scope/.
Should the M1A Have a Scout Scope?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Blackfeather
Custom
When it comes to optics on my M14s I prefer a red dot sight with a 2 MOA dot, or a Holographic sight with a 1 MOA dot. The "have your cake and eat it to" scope that I use on my 16.25" Socom length "Walter Mitty" M14 is an awesome Leupold 1.5-5x33 Scout scope with a 1 MOA Firedot. Unfortunately Leupold discontinued the scope, but you can still find them on the secondary market.
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Talyn
SAINT
A scout scope should mount entirely forward of the opening of receiver.
If you have a conventional scope then a good mount (over the top of the receiver) should be designed to prevent ejection issues, although if youe ejector/ejector spring has issues that can affect shell ejection.
Keystone19250
SAINT
Really great shooting, I’ve taken my .308 M1A standard out to 200 yards with great result with a Sig Sauer Sierra3BDX 4.5-14X44 scope, the only range available to me only goes to 300 yards but I’d love to see how far out I could take that gun.
I will say that M1A Scout in the video doesn’t jump under recoil like my standard does.
I will say that M1A Scout in the video doesn’t jump under recoil like my standard does.
Blackfeather
Custom
Consider replacing the factory M1A scout mount with an Ultimak or the lighter, cooler running scout hand guard from M14.ca. These rails allow you to position the optic lower than you can on the factory mount, and you can co-witness the iron sights through some low profile RDS.
No, you can't co-witness through the Comp M4 pictured here.
No, you can't co-witness through the Comp M4 pictured here.
deftdrummer
Alpha
I really appreciated this video! It is what partly sold me on the scout idea though I have been thinking about it for a while.
Here's my problem: I have the M1A Socom 16 as well, and the Vortex Crossfire II Scout 2x7 and I am not able to get the optic aligned with my laser boresight. I know the laser is accurate, but the crossfire reticle seems to be high and to the left in comparison with the laser boresight.
I have read about others (including this post) running out of elevation on the scope, but it has 60MOA adjustment so should be more than adequate for the application due to height over bore.
My problem is I went to the range and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at 25 yards. I literally couldn't even hit the paper.
I am now on my second Vortex Crossfire II, and a second set (low mount this time) of rings.
Vortex optics had this to say to me by email:
I am going to try and get this one to work, I have leveled everything properly, double checked everything, and can't understand why I'm having these problems when many seem to not have the issue.
I am going to test at the range today, and if I am still way off the mark with the reticle this thing is going back to SA for warranty repair for the PIC rail being out of allignment. This is BS for a $2000 brand new rifle.
Here's my problem: I have the M1A Socom 16 as well, and the Vortex Crossfire II Scout 2x7 and I am not able to get the optic aligned with my laser boresight. I know the laser is accurate, but the crossfire reticle seems to be high and to the left in comparison with the laser boresight.
I have read about others (including this post) running out of elevation on the scope, but it has 60MOA adjustment so should be more than adequate for the application due to height over bore.
My problem is I went to the range and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at 25 yards. I literally couldn't even hit the paper.
I am now on my second Vortex Crossfire II, and a second set (low mount this time) of rings.
Vortex optics had this to say to me by email:
I am going to try and get this one to work, I have leveled everything properly, double checked everything, and can't understand why I'm having these problems when many seem to not have the issue.
I am going to test at the range today, and if I am still way off the mark with the reticle this thing is going back to SA for warranty repair for the PIC rail being out of allignment. This is BS for a $2000 brand new rifle.
Certainly it could be the rifle rail, but did you make sure the rifle and scope were level, independently of each other during the mounting?
Just 2 days ago, I mounted a scope on my newly acquired Socom. Basic rings, nothing exceptional. Hi-Lux 2-7 LER scope. Had to move in to 40’ for paper hits and then moved out to 75’(range max unfortunately)
150g ball / elbow rest :
Just 2 days ago, I mounted a scope on my newly acquired Socom. Basic rings, nothing exceptional. Hi-Lux 2-7 LER scope. Had to move in to 40’ for paper hits and then moved out to 75’(range max unfortunately)
150g ball / elbow rest :
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deftdrummer
Alpha
Thanks for the info. Yes, I did use leveling tools on both the scope and the barrel, and the gun before all that.
I used proper torque settings and still couldn't get it to laser bore sight.
Ended up taking it to a Scopesmith who literally took it to his back room came back in 2 minutes and said "good news, there's nothing wrong with the rifle or scope - you may have just got outside yourself."
Even if there wasn't a bit of a language barrier - I knew exactly what he was talking about. I had consumed myself with this thing all week, making adjustments, tightening and loosening, thinking up new ideas where I went wrong (loctite, no loctite etc.)
Anyways, I am not sure exactly what he did but he had it fixed in 10 mins free of charge. Went to the range that same day and can now get on paper at 25y. Not as good as I'd like but I'll take it to an outdoor range next week.
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Scope of any kind…NO, unless you are roleplaying a sniper. Carried the M-14 in 1968-69 and scored Expert in Quantico…all the way out to500 meters. OK, rant over…if a scope, scout or otherwise, floats your boat go for it. My laser rangefinder at An Hou had a pair of Kellmorgan 10/20 power pair of binos boresighted to it and a 5th Marine Sniper section had a M-2 with a scope on it in the same tower, so yes, scopes do assist. I scope all my hunting rifles, but a scout s one just seems “weird” to me!