I would think that 16" barrel would be mighty loud. Wasn't the 308 designed for a longer barrel to take advantage of complete powder burn ?
How is it different functionally than the M1A ?
16 inch 308 is loud and blasty and the muzzle brake on this is going to make it loud in 20 in and louder in 16 inch not to mention your going to want to get that break out the window of the blind , standing anywhere other than right behind the shooter of a break is just plane no fun
but it does a good job of reducing felt recoil
nearly 50% reduction depending on the gun
how is id different than the M1A
for the user insert mag , pull handle remove safety , pull trigger and it fires till your out of ammo
AR free fall mag rather than the rock and lock of the M1A
the SFAR is Direct impingement like the AR-15 so the gas goes all the way to the bolt and pneumatically moves the bolt carrier where the because of the venting it appears it doesn't put gas back in the shooters face like some other ARs
the M1A is a piston that drives the op rod that pushes the bolt carrier all the gas is vented under the upper hand guard
so while mechanically very different from the M1A the SFAR should be a softer recoiling 308 rifle with less muzzle climb with much greater room to mount optics and accessories that when the dust cover is closed is less open to the elements and blowing debris
and be 2 pounds lighter than a 16 inch barrel Socom M1A in the 16 inch barrel version.
so if you could have a lighter recoiling M1A with a 2 pound weight reduction and lots of rail space , that sent the sent the same 308 Win cartridge. that would be sort of a dream that about everyone has dreamed while carrying one.