...I'm like most bolt rifle guys, I tinker with a semi-auto here and there, thought some of you might be interested in this particular one, shoots sub MOA, but shouldn't... Take a look, it is for sale in that section as well...
Soltis Rifles, Customized Springfield Armory M1A Scout Rifle, .308 Winchester, “Armageddon” Special
My favorite semi-automatic rifle, the classic and powerful M1A. I’ve customized numerous M1A’s, but this one we did especially to be the headliner at a large gun show we recently exhibited at. We’ve customized it to the max to be extremely versatile and effective. Whether it’s close quarters or extended ranges, this rifle is ready for anything. Upgrades, parts, and components listed below:
• Shortened Factory Springfield Stock, removed factory butt pad assembly, cut LOP to handy 12 1/2”, added Packmayer 1” Trap Decelerator Pad with plastic insert for no-snag shouldering.
• Added standard rear sling stud and forend sling stud/mount.
• Added slight palm swell to wrist area of stock.
• Bedded action to stock, utilizing bedding/pad points.
• Custom-made rear-action recoil lug (mechanical connection), with custom rear pillar in stock, and custom action securing screw.
• Added two picatinny rails to stock, one underneath forend for forward grip and one on offside of forend for tactical light or whatever.
• Added a SureFire P2X Fury Tactical Light, 500 Lumens, 1” tube, attached via a Leupold steel quick-detach scope mount for rock solid mounting and quick on/off capability.
• DuraCoated Stock in four-color Soltis Rifles Custom Tiger-Stripe pattern (Tactical Black, South African Light Green, Urban White, British DPM Tan) with spatter combat/dirty accent, American Flag on stock, caliber, and Soltis Rifles emblem.
• Added a Grip Pod System-02, milspec forend grip with internal bipod/steel-inserts.
• The factory barrel has been shortened to just over 16”, the factory front sight assembly/flash suppressor/threads have been removed and the barrel has been re-threaded ½-28 to accept any standard flash suppressor/brake/sound suppressor component/system.
• The Gas Cylinder Assembly has been shimmed and mechanically connected on top and a Picatinny rail added for a front flip-up sight.
• The Spindle Gas Valve has been modified with a custom lever for quick gas off/on versatility.
• The barrel-mounted factory forward Picatinny rail has been modified for scope clearance and Troy Industries Micro Folding Iron Sights have been added.
• S&W Enhanced Flash Hider installed, timed, no crush washer.
• Magazine Release Lever has been customized, adding a custom-made, mechanically connected oversized pad (ergonomically correct) for comfortable and fast mag changes.
• Added a Badger Ordnance Match Spring Guide Rod and a Buffer Technologies M1A buffer pad.
• All the action components were polished for smoothness, the chamber mouth has been polished, extractor polished, and everything Parkerized and DuraCoated to match stock.
• Scope Mounting is 100% custom, custom-made steel bases/mounts are mechanically attached to the M1A receiver, with Talley Bases mechanically attached on top, with Talley 1” Throw-lever Steel Rings. I used the Talley system instead of a standard picatinny rail because the Talley system has incredible “repeatability”, meaning you can take the scope on and off and there is virtually no change in zero, very forgiving high-quality system. Also, this is a rock solid system unlike some of the aftermarket mounts, plus it’s mounted lower/more natural position so your cheek-weld lines up low, keeping your head down, perfectly aligned with the scope without the need for a cheek rest/pad. When you pop the foregrip button, releasing the bipod, going prone is really a thing of beauty. Everything lines up perfectly, from rifle/stock height to your shoulder pocket, scope height, cheek weld, eye-relief, etc.
• Includes a Kahles Helia C, 6X Fixed 42mm with 4A reticle scope, Kahles bikini scope covers, tied down with 550. I’ve used this same scope on numerous hunting rifles and love it, fixed-6 is a no-nonsense effective rig, Kahles are tough as hell, bright, simple reticle with no clutter, and reticle is thick enough for fast target acquisition but thin enough that it doesn’t cover the target at extended ranges. Also, 6X is enough magnification that you don’t see the back-up iron sights at all in your scope. Lastly, it fits perfectly atop the rifle. If it was a little longer or the objective bell was bigger it would bump the forward picatinny rail. Also, with its stubby hunting elevation/windage turrets, there’s plenty of clearance and you don’t have any ejection/deflection issues. If you wanted to switch out scopes, you could, although it would have to be a scope that met certain parameters as mentioned and then if you wanted a 30mm tube, you would need 30mm Talley Rings (Note. If you want 30mm rings, I would need to send them to you, they would first have to be modified slightly by me to clamp properly with this system, I would lap them in, choose correct height depending on your scope, and mount your scope for you if you prefer).
What’s really cool about this rig is with its carbine over-all length (just under 38” and only 351/2” without the brake), short LOP, balance, and minimal muzzle-flip/recoil, it’s very effective/handy for close quarters (considering it’s a .308 Win) or you can go to the prone position with the bipod and effectively engage targets out to 600m+ consistently and with .308 knock-down. The only thing I would like to have added, but didn’t would be a scope-top-mounted mini-red-dot for the aforementioned close quarters shooting. Also, with the 500 lumen tactical light, you can blind an attacker at close-range by hitting the button with your support hand from the foregrip, or hit the same button, look through the scope and easily/instantly engage targets in total darkness out to 100yds and beyond.
Rifle shoots awesome for a carbine M1A with a stock trigger, I shot some sub MOA three-shot groups with factory Hornady Match 168gr AMAX at 100yds. I also rapidly emptied some full 20round mags with cheap UMC 150gr FMJ and it grouped about 2-3 inches at 100yds, which is what I expect from a “battle” rifle in lead-spraying mode. I did zero the flip-up sights as well, nice back-ups, they line up perfectly when raised same height as scope. Overall, extremely pleased with how it all turned out.
Soltis Rifles, Customized Springfield Armory M1A Scout Rifle, .308 Winchester, “Armageddon” Special
My favorite semi-automatic rifle, the classic and powerful M1A. I’ve customized numerous M1A’s, but this one we did especially to be the headliner at a large gun show we recently exhibited at. We’ve customized it to the max to be extremely versatile and effective. Whether it’s close quarters or extended ranges, this rifle is ready for anything. Upgrades, parts, and components listed below:
• Shortened Factory Springfield Stock, removed factory butt pad assembly, cut LOP to handy 12 1/2”, added Packmayer 1” Trap Decelerator Pad with plastic insert for no-snag shouldering.
• Added standard rear sling stud and forend sling stud/mount.
• Added slight palm swell to wrist area of stock.
• Bedded action to stock, utilizing bedding/pad points.
• Custom-made rear-action recoil lug (mechanical connection), with custom rear pillar in stock, and custom action securing screw.
• Added two picatinny rails to stock, one underneath forend for forward grip and one on offside of forend for tactical light or whatever.
• Added a SureFire P2X Fury Tactical Light, 500 Lumens, 1” tube, attached via a Leupold steel quick-detach scope mount for rock solid mounting and quick on/off capability.
• DuraCoated Stock in four-color Soltis Rifles Custom Tiger-Stripe pattern (Tactical Black, South African Light Green, Urban White, British DPM Tan) with spatter combat/dirty accent, American Flag on stock, caliber, and Soltis Rifles emblem.
• Added a Grip Pod System-02, milspec forend grip with internal bipod/steel-inserts.
• The factory barrel has been shortened to just over 16”, the factory front sight assembly/flash suppressor/threads have been removed and the barrel has been re-threaded ½-28 to accept any standard flash suppressor/brake/sound suppressor component/system.
• The Gas Cylinder Assembly has been shimmed and mechanically connected on top and a Picatinny rail added for a front flip-up sight.
• The Spindle Gas Valve has been modified with a custom lever for quick gas off/on versatility.
• The barrel-mounted factory forward Picatinny rail has been modified for scope clearance and Troy Industries Micro Folding Iron Sights have been added.
• S&W Enhanced Flash Hider installed, timed, no crush washer.
• Magazine Release Lever has been customized, adding a custom-made, mechanically connected oversized pad (ergonomically correct) for comfortable and fast mag changes.
• Added a Badger Ordnance Match Spring Guide Rod and a Buffer Technologies M1A buffer pad.
• All the action components were polished for smoothness, the chamber mouth has been polished, extractor polished, and everything Parkerized and DuraCoated to match stock.
• Scope Mounting is 100% custom, custom-made steel bases/mounts are mechanically attached to the M1A receiver, with Talley Bases mechanically attached on top, with Talley 1” Throw-lever Steel Rings. I used the Talley system instead of a standard picatinny rail because the Talley system has incredible “repeatability”, meaning you can take the scope on and off and there is virtually no change in zero, very forgiving high-quality system. Also, this is a rock solid system unlike some of the aftermarket mounts, plus it’s mounted lower/more natural position so your cheek-weld lines up low, keeping your head down, perfectly aligned with the scope without the need for a cheek rest/pad. When you pop the foregrip button, releasing the bipod, going prone is really a thing of beauty. Everything lines up perfectly, from rifle/stock height to your shoulder pocket, scope height, cheek weld, eye-relief, etc.
• Includes a Kahles Helia C, 6X Fixed 42mm with 4A reticle scope, Kahles bikini scope covers, tied down with 550. I’ve used this same scope on numerous hunting rifles and love it, fixed-6 is a no-nonsense effective rig, Kahles are tough as hell, bright, simple reticle with no clutter, and reticle is thick enough for fast target acquisition but thin enough that it doesn’t cover the target at extended ranges. Also, 6X is enough magnification that you don’t see the back-up iron sights at all in your scope. Lastly, it fits perfectly atop the rifle. If it was a little longer or the objective bell was bigger it would bump the forward picatinny rail. Also, with its stubby hunting elevation/windage turrets, there’s plenty of clearance and you don’t have any ejection/deflection issues. If you wanted to switch out scopes, you could, although it would have to be a scope that met certain parameters as mentioned and then if you wanted a 30mm tube, you would need 30mm Talley Rings (Note. If you want 30mm rings, I would need to send them to you, they would first have to be modified slightly by me to clamp properly with this system, I would lap them in, choose correct height depending on your scope, and mount your scope for you if you prefer).
What’s really cool about this rig is with its carbine over-all length (just under 38” and only 351/2” without the brake), short LOP, balance, and minimal muzzle-flip/recoil, it’s very effective/handy for close quarters (considering it’s a .308 Win) or you can go to the prone position with the bipod and effectively engage targets out to 600m+ consistently and with .308 knock-down. The only thing I would like to have added, but didn’t would be a scope-top-mounted mini-red-dot for the aforementioned close quarters shooting. Also, with the 500 lumen tactical light, you can blind an attacker at close-range by hitting the button with your support hand from the foregrip, or hit the same button, look through the scope and easily/instantly engage targets in total darkness out to 100yds and beyond.
Rifle shoots awesome for a carbine M1A with a stock trigger, I shot some sub MOA three-shot groups with factory Hornady Match 168gr AMAX at 100yds. I also rapidly emptied some full 20round mags with cheap UMC 150gr FMJ and it grouped about 2-3 inches at 100yds, which is what I expect from a “battle” rifle in lead-spraying mode. I did zero the flip-up sights as well, nice back-ups, they line up perfectly when raised same height as scope. Overall, extremely pleased with how it all turned out.
