Sights on a SOCOM 16

I have only had a standard M1A before and never fired the SOCOM but I'm wanting a new compact battle rifle and I'm waiting for the SCAR 17 to get some more time under its belt before taking that plunge. I'm mostly looking at the SOCOM 16 right now due to weight and length. My only concern is the factory irons. I wonder how everyone feels they are for long range. I rarely use optics, even on my M4 and have good eyes and even managed to get the best shot in my troop 40 out of 40 with my M4 with irons. Now given it has the XS post I'm sure it is pretty dang wide and I prefer a .050-.062 front sight post. So do you feel it effective and if not how difficult is it to change out the front post? I can live with a larger aperture but the front sight post is significantly more important to me.

For me the front sight post is too wide. At 100 meters it is wider than the black of the Walmart targets I use and I can't group well at all. With that said, the width would be great if used for it's intended purpose.
I have seen pics where people have filed each top edge of the front sight to narrow it to somewhat of an inverted V.
Soon I will change out my gas lock and front sight for the Smith Enterprises gas lock and a USGI front sight. I have the short version of the Smith Enterprises USCG brake. With this brake the overall length of the gun will be 1/2" longer than original.
I have an Aimpoint on an Ultimak and could probably get by for the most part without swapping the front end parts, but I've seen too many reports of the SAI Socom front sights breaking.
I decided that I didn't want to rely on the SAI sight, and I'm not going to spend that kind of money to keep a spare sight onhand, a sight that I don't like at that. The SEI gas lock will let me use any spare USGI front sight.
I'm thinking about changing the rear sight too.

Why not just get the Scout and be done with it?

I am considering that route. I have never been able to look at one in person to see how it compares though.

The sights are standard and it ends up being just slightly longer than the Scout once you install a GLFS-18 and a Vortex.

I just took some measurements.
The Socom is 37.25" long.
The Scout is 41" long.
A Standard is 44.75" long.
All with the factory muzzle device.
A 3.75" jump between each version.

The width of the Socom front sight blade is 0.115"

I noted that the Socom and Scout front sights are the same height @ approximately 0.75"
The Standard front sight height is approximately 0.625"

My Socom has a Trijicon front sight. It is an older gun from 2005, I think, I may be off a year. All of the newer Socoms I've seen have the XS front sight.

I like my Scout. It is a good all around rifle. All 3 versions have their place. For a truck gun/house gun I prefer the Socom.

An 18 inch tube with 2 inches chopped off the stock is the cat's meow. just sayin'....

whats the glfs-18?

Smith Enterprises makes a least 2 Gas Lock Front Sights. The versions I'm thinking of are for 18"+ barrels. Basically you mount the front sight on top of the gas lock, not on the flash hider.

Here is what I went with on the Socom. It was the best way I've found to get away from the SAI front sight, and not make the gun a lot longer than original.
http://www.nokick.com/SOCOM_16_Muzzle_Brake_Kit_SEI_p/pbp%20socom16-mbk-sei.htm
This comes in at 1/2" longer than original.
I really wanted to use a BA Battle Comp, but don't want the increase in length.

sweet! thanks for the link, I may well go that route on the SOCOM.

If youre sticking with irons, definitely get the scout. The irons on the SOCOM are too big for any precision past 100yards in my opinion. Of course they are still minute-of-man capable past that though. Its nice that the front post is a night sight, but i think it hurts more than it helps.
that said, i love my SOCOM with a scout scope.

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