The Firearms Forum banner

opinions on M1A

7K views 63 replies 18 participants last post by  jedwil 
#1 ·
Thinking about getting one.

Any suggestions / opinions?

I like walnut.. so woold go with wood stock..e tc.
 
#2 ·
Soundguy - you are talking about one of the greatest semi-automatic rifles of all time in my humble opinion. There is a catch with the M1A, though. That catch is that there are numerous options, in that you can go with the 'basic issue style rack grade' all the way to the Match grades. There are also modernized SOCOM short versions.

I have owned 2 M1A rifles. The first I bought back in 1980 to use as my personal property for use in Military Matches. It was an earlier M1A with old surplus parts built by the 'Springfield Armory' company with only the receiver be a new part. I had the trigger group smoothed over by a National Guard armorer, and the only thing he really did to it was smooth out the trigger group and left the stock and sights alone. Although the rifle still had the standard issue sights, it out-shot many National Match M-14 rifles at various matches over 2 years.

My current M1A is a later production Springfield Armory. It is also an as-issued style rifle, but all of the parts were newly made by Springfield Armory and I can find no surplus parts on it. It will shoot as well as I can hold it.

As far as the shorter SOCOM versions - if you want a short rifle, why buy an M1A? They look more modern and cool, and I guess it's just a matter of taste.

Just a peep from the Peanut Gallery. I know a lot of people will insist on a National Match rifle. Being an OLD former Military Match Rifle compeditor, most of shooting a winning match comes from between your ears, not from the rifle you are shooting. If you think you have an edge, you do have an edge. Of course your rifle and your ammo must be accurate, but the differences are really not all that great. Those National Match rifles are really slick, and may be worth the extra cost. Good luck - Jim
 
#4 ·
Best rifle on the planet IMO.

My next will be a S.A. Loaded but any of them will shoot well. I like composite stocks due to the weather here (rains about 75% of the time) but shot walnut stock for many years with no issues also. Scoping them are a bit of a challenge but not that bad. Magazines are a tad expensive (just get S.A. magazines, avoid the $15 specials and you'll thank me later)

All in all, if you have the $$ then buy one... or two... you won't be disappointed.
 
#6 ·
tell me more on the magazine vs sa magazine issue?

difference?

interchangeable?

lastly. am i correct in thinking that .. lets say.. on a walnut stock job. that it is going to have a plastic upper hand guard.. but that an m14 upper handguard will fit? or?
 
#7 ·
I love my Springfield M1A Standard to the point it is rapidly becoming my go to rifle.

Scoping the rifle is actually pretty easy with this scope mount (http://www.bassettmachine.com/prod_smhi.htm) and it has the added benefit of not requiring the stripper clip guide removal. I'm waiting on my cheek riser to arrive since I didn't want to go the duct tape route before I zero the scope.

The real hard part about owning an M1A is finding mag carriers that don't cost a lot of money. There is some surplus stuff out there, but it is becoming harder to find.

If I ever save enough to get another one, I'll probably go with the Squad Scout to make it a little more maneuverable. I would avoid the SOCOM's since parts aren't really interchangeable with the other models.
 
#9 ·
tell me more on the magazine vs sa magazine issue?

difference?

interchangeable?

lastly. am i correct in thinking that .. lets say.. on a walnut stock job. that it is going to have a plastic upper hand guard.. but that an m14 upper handguard will fit? or?
Springfield Armory and CheckMate Magazines are quality mags for a decent price. Avoid the CTD and no-name knockoffs because they have reliability problems. I know from experience after buying three 20 rounders for about 10 bucks a piece. I am unable to load the magazines past 19 rounds, so they are my range mags. FYI, CheckMate is the current USGI supplier for M14 mags.

As to the handguard question, you are correct...if you do not have a SOCOM M1A. Like aa1911, I have the synthetic stock on mine for durability and fit. The wooden stock was very loose on the rifle I handled at the gun shop where I purchased mine.
 
#10 ·
cool, what i thought then.

and yeah. i'd go with sa mags.

Any work on how hard it is to find m14 upper hand guards. I have a weird problem about having a walnut stock with a plastic upper handguard. :)
 
#12 ·
Bought my Springfield Armory M1-A "Loaded Package" with medium heavy stainless match barrel and synthetic stock about six or seven years ago. Front sight is NM spec. With its factory match tuned trigger and 1/2 moa windage rear sight it was a phenomenal shooter right out of the box. Ordered a hooded NM rear sight from Fulton so I could get 1/2 moa adjustments on elevation as well. Always preferred walnut over synthetic so eventually ordered the heavy walnut match stock from SA - it arrived within 48 hours. The walnut stock is heavier, but I find that to be an advantage. There's no selector cutout in either the synthetic or walnut stocks. Have had absolutely no problems at all with the SA mags - both 10 and 20 round. At the time I bought the rifle the "Loaded Package" came with a coupon for discounts on various accessories, though I don't know if that's still the case. If you decide to go for the SA M1-A I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
 
#14 · (Edited)
sound guy:

About two years ago I thought I wanted a M1A. To be frank the pricing scared me away. There were other factors too and here is my situation:

I already have two M1 Garands: a Beretta parts (USA receiver) gun that is just OK and a CMP M1 Special that is superb. Both are 30-06. I also have a Chilean (made in Argentina) Enterprise Arms FAL that has a USA receiver and Chilean parts. I really like the FAL for its good looks. It shoots well. I also have the most accurate of the lot, the PTR-91 which is a H&K clone of all new parts. It is one accurate gun. All of these are 308.

I don't know what the requirements are for any competition with these military guns but if it is competition you want then go with the M1A. If it is target shooting for fun I'm thinking the PTR-91 is the way to go. It is very accurate, all parts are USA made, and it is priced quite a bit lower than the SA M1A. I think it to be a better choice than the SA M1A for general shooting. My son-in-law has both and he prefers the PTR-91 for accuracy.

Just my thoughts. Your opinions may vary.

LDBennett

CORRECTION: The Enterprise Arms FAL parts are IMBEL (Brazilian) and Enterprise arms makes the receivers in the USA on CNC machines.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Re the fiberglass vs walnut handguards; the synthetic stock comes with a black guard and the walnut with a brown guard, and USGI M14 guards will fit the M1A regardless of standard or medium heavy barrel. I know there are aftermarket walnut guards available, but if you choose to go with the medium heavy match barrel you may run into a problem with fitting - I know I ran into that problem with an SA medium heavy match barrel on my Garand (at least 20 years ago) and a standard walnut handguard. The guard had to be thinned internally (by SA) for it to fit over the heavier rear portion of the barrel. The handguard furnished with the SA rifles is a solid fiberglass arrangement, but there are slotted variations available. Avoid the latter due to escaping heat causing visual distortions in your sight picture. For what it's worth, on a whim I ordered an M14 stock from CMP and tried it on the M1A; it fits fine and locks up tight, but looks kinda weird with its gaping selector cutout (no I'm not about to install a dummy selector just to have it look tacticool, or whatever). That said, I also found the USGI stock a bit too light for my tastes.
 
#16 ·
thanks for the info guys, and yes. the SA is originally what I have looked at. I'm seeing prices new in the 1600-1800$ range. with some real setup ones as high as 2300, and some used ones in the 1500$ range.

is that about what you guys are seeing?


PTR-91 reminds me of my FA 91 I don't know what the differences are.. but the pic of a PTR-91 , as far as I can tell looks darn close.

I know the PTR-91 go for more $$ than I paid for my fa91 ( 350$ ).. and i have heard some bad talk about the FA91 though mine shoots fine.. for the price i didn't feel too bad about it ( at the time anyway ).
 
#17 · (Edited)
NM on the hand guards.. yeah.. I see the slotted gi FG ones. I think if I did upgrade the hand guard to walnut ( ? ) and i didn't have a heavy bbl, I'd probably sdand the handguard and force match it to the gun.. which if i have my way.. will be walnut as well.

still open to advice and opinions.

the $prices$ i'm seeing will be a couple paychecks away at least.. unless i'm seeing way wrong/high prices, clue me in.

thanks

ps.. i opened that link on parts.. i see the palstic and wooden handguard.

when they say requires fitting. i mean. do they ship you a rectangular piece of walnut and a whittling blade? :) or is it externally cut, and just requires some finish bedding to make it perfect, or are the clip recesses not cut in.. etc..? anyone know / tried one?

thanks... big purchase.. so asking lots of questions. trying to answer and of the questions asked back.

um.. LD.. you asked if i was doing competion? no.. just mostly killing paper and steel targets. :) (sport / enjoyment ) I do hunt.. but that would not be my hunting gun. i have a few favorite boltguns for meat taking... really 1 favorite.. a rem 700 30-06... hasn't let me down on a 1 shot 1 kill ratio yet.

NM.. on the m14 stock set. it had a fg handguard right?
 
#20 ·
I think if I did upgrade the hand guard to walnut ( ? ) and i didn't have a heavy bbl, I'd probably sdand the handguard and force match it
ps.. i opened that link on parts.. i see the palstic and wooden handguard.
when they say requires fitting. i mean. do they ship you a rectangular piece
NM.. on the m14 stock set. it had a fg handguard right?
The standard SA M1A barrel accepts USGI style fiberglass handguards without any fitting required. What outfit's wooden handguards were you looking at that require fitting? Boyd's perhaps? The CMP's M14 stock comes with all the metal - buttplate, swivels and so forth, but no handguard. They're refinished, and it's kinda luck of the draw as to what sort of wood you receive and in what condition it's in. They're currently priced at $35.00. If you go to the CMP Estore site and enter M14 stock you'll get a picture of a typical example.
 
#23 ·
I will quote General Patton in WWII

"the greatest battle implement ever devised"
 
#24 ·
WHSmithIV:

Not to put the M1A down but that is not the gun Patton was talking about. Patton meant the M1 Garand on which the M1A is based.

The M1A was not deployed until the late 1950's (WWII ended in 1945). Patton died in 1945 and never even saw the M1A. Its aim was magazine feeding and NATO ammo (308 or 7.62 NATO) so all the nations of NATO could interchange ammo in a war. The 308 cartridge was developed for that very purpose (7.62 NATO) in the 1950's. The FAL and H&K 91 were the rest of NATO's nations answer to a 308 gun.

LDBennett
 
#26 ·
As far as the slotted handguards, they look 'cooler' than the plastic/fiberglass issue 'guards, but I see a problem with those: they will let dust and debris into the forend. That is where the operating rod, rod spring and the op rod guide is, and it doesn't sound like a real good idea to expose them to more abrasive dust and grit than necessary.

One of the ideas behind replacing the old M14 stocks with the selector switch cut-out with the new M1A stocks without the cut-out was to reduce dust and debis from entering the action.

I wasn't the guy who designed them, but reason tells me that the slotted handguards were designed to aid in cooling the rifle barrel when fired on full-auto or sustained semi-auto fire. Not too many of us do that these days. The wooden handguards may dress up the rifle, but they will add a little more wieght. It would seem that wood would also retain more heat in the forend than the old style handguards. Just my two little pennies worth - Jim
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top