LGS has one at a gettin' price, but I was holding out for an M1A scout squad, timeline unknown.
With the election nearing, I know I would like to get a rifle for 308, can I count on the SIG to shoot and be reliable enough to not make me regret getting it over the M1A?
Will be suppressed, probably getting a 3-12 SIG TANGO scope.

  I own a Sig 556 and it seems like they have pretty much quit supporting it.  That and this thread would make me choose the M1A between the two you are considering.

Get a Primary Weapons Systems Mk2 instead.

I would buy the M1A over the Sig

With that said I would buy a AR10 pattern rifle from a reputable manufacturer over the M1A if budget allows

The AR10 is so much more optic friendly and customizable (without a chassis)

Just my 0.02

get a AR pattern 308 over the m1a.

I wanted an M1A for quite a while. I used the M-14 in the Marine Corps. But I got in on a deal on AR-10 pattern lower receivers and used it to build a DPMS pattern AR-10. I now have two uppers for it; both are totally reliable and shoot very well. I have no need or desire for an M1A.

Get an MWS instead.

You want to run an optic AND a suppressor? It CAN be done on an M1A, but you're taking a long road to mediocrity.

My 716 is a tack driver with barnes ttsx hand loads
It has been 100 percent reliable
Polymer tipped rounds would deform on the feed ramps
So I blended the ramps with a jeweler file then polished
them with my Dremel

Buy it

But if you want a fun time holding on to a nice looking rifle and shooting irons then the M1a makes sense

I have a Scout Squad and really like it. Got mine when they first started offering them.  Didn't like the brake though. Took that off and put on a GI flash hider.

Coworker bought a SIG 716. Fired it about 3 weeks ago. Its really nice. I may get one soon. I like it.

Our State Police SWAT team bought them for DMR/Rifle duty and had horrible luck with them and made a trade with LaRue.

I have a badass EBR M1A NM......get the Sig.

Not impressed AT ALL with my first and last M1A experience.

Almost any rifle is a viable alternative to an M1A/M14. It's an old, heavy, and obsolete rifle with poor reliability in adverse conditions and lack of adequate mounting optics for optics and accessories that lend themselves to longer range, precision shooting. 308's trajectory is like a god damned rainbow too.

Not sure on the SIG, but I don't think I will ever buy another M1a. I have owned  a full size National Match, a Scout/Brush and a SOCOM. The weight, magazine changes and ease of mounting optics are all so much better on an AR pattern rifle.

I don't have any experience with the M1A, so I won't comment there. If I was going to go a major manufacturer's .308 AR pattern over an M1A though, I'd go with Colt's 901 over the Sig 716 for reliability reasons if nothing else, or a standard AR-10 if you want to lower the budget a bit. There seem to be a lot of posts about 716s' problems, Sig's inability to fix them, etc. Although like other posters I don't know if that applies to the newer ones, or just the old ones.

901 does everything the 716 does, but is super-reliable (I believe LooseRounds had his going for 4000 rounds through testing without even an initial lube or cleaning), and has a plus of letting you shoot your 5.56 ammo from of it with an adapter and AR upper, is lighter, and has great compatibility with AR accessories since it's closer to being a .308 AR-15 than an AR-10. Seems a lot of folks are getting really poor accuracy from the 716 as well. While the 901 does have some outliers it tends to shoot very tight groups from the factory, so it's got accuracy going for it too.

Heard about some police departments turning in the Sig 716 for other platforms be they AR-10(Armalite),other AR .308, stick with bolt rifles...... accuracy, 100%reliabilty being main issues............read this in a magazine and a vendor at a show( they obviously we're not a dealer for the platform=there selection was way better.....)