Back in the 90's during my Navy days, I was fortunate to do a lot of High Power Rifle shooting, I was in several commands that encouraged competition, so they would let me go for weeks at a time to shoot High Power. I used a Springfield M1A to good effect, shooting up thousands of rounds of Navy match ammo, and getting "Pretty Good", not stellar, but satisfying.

When I retired from the Navy, I had to down size my collection, funding my wife's education, other priorities so the M1A was sold. Recently, the Sun, Moon and Stars came together to enable me to buy another, a Springfield "Loaded" package, walnut stock, match barrel and trigger, 1/2 MOA windage sights. Came in a week or so ago, just ahead of the Corona Virus panic. I am back in love!



I got the rifle zeroed, then tried my hand at shooting some 200 yard steel targets my Nephew made for me. These are hardened steel, 13" in diameter, the same size as the aiming black on a 200 yard High Power Rifle target. Shot from the prone position, these would score mostly nines, I think:



Springfield has a deal till May 30 if you buy an M1A They'll send you two 20 round magazines and a scope mount. I went online to get that deal, they also offered the opportunity to buy additional magazines for $35 apiece instead of the regular $54 or so. So I bought three more and a sling while they were being generous.....

I am going to enjoy shooting this rifle, don't know if I'll take up High Power again, but I'll definately be slaying some steel with it. My mind goes back to the movie "Full Metal Jacket", and R. Lee Ermey was directing his recruits: "Tonight you will sleep with your rifles! You will give your rifles a girls name!"

I think I'll call her "Jan".....

Whats not to love???

My M1A SuperMatch wore out 4 barrels and on a 5th. Shot a lot of NRA Service Rifle matches....Made Master and Distinguished Rifleman with it.

Haven't shot a match in 11 years now.....

Get some M852 replications or load your own and see what your M1A can really do!!

Randy

Well done, Sir!
The M1A is my preferred MBR. I have four of them! A Socom 16, a Scout Squad and an old Federal Ordnance M-14A.
Last year I ran across a deal I just couldn't pass up on a Springfield standard model. Its currently back at Springfield for a National Match conversion.

Congratulations on your new adoption. I love the M1A and it's daddy the Garand. Something about full caliber wood and steel battle rifles that are also very accurate. Good shooting.

I pray for such a conjunction of the sun moon and stars. With two college bound children, I dream (and only dream at this point) of getting a Springfield 1903, Garand M1, M1 Carbine and M1A. I think I will need to settle for the M1A - if that. Congratulations and enjoy!

I have a pair of Poly Techs set up for the zombie apocalypse.

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I'm with her

I have a norinco M14S I been working on, checking it over. I installed a nm guide rod and the hd wold recoil spring. I purchased all the headspace gauges. The headspace is on the low side. I like the forged receiver and chromed lined bore and chamber. For $170 with some free trades I got I couldn’t pass it up.

Have a Standard model. It's a long way from being a match, but I'm a long way from being a marksman. It's accurate enough for me.

Got it last year, used but not much. Remembering my M14 Army days, I wanted to check the gas piston for carbon. The gas cylinder plug was so tight a gunsmith buddy of mine had to vise it down and take a breaker bar to unscrew it. I think we left these snugged down but removable to check for routine maintenance, so that's the way I left it. Don't know if it was over-tightened at Springfield or someone LocTited it, but the piston was fine.

The Socom is on my must have list, this might be the year I pull the trigger on one. Comgrats on getting a great American classic rifle.

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OGCA Member.

Congrats.

I had a nice SAI receiver with all H&R parts that I foolishly sold. After not having an M1A for awhile, I picked-up a SOCOM & Scout for $950 each. Still didn't have a full size.

I found an SA in my local shop for around a grand. It dated to the mid 80's. I guess the original Bolt had a recall, so I sent it to SAI for a new bolt. Unfortunately, they couldn't get the Chrome lined barrel it had to head space, so they were going to replace the barrel. But now they are waiting on barrels to come in, & I'm not sure they are even working with the country shut down?

Anyway, here's how it looked prior to going to SA.

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Watch & Pray

I don't think mine has a chrome-lined barrel, and hope it doesn't. How do you tell?

I looked at videos for bedding a wood M1A but it's far beyond my ability and I don't have a match barrel. Pretty complicated.

The shorter barreled ones leave me cold as they look unbalanced to my traditional-era mind. I don't like the "Tanker" M1s, either.

I would love to have one, but they seem to be a lot heavier than they were back in basic training in 1969.

I prefer a chrome lined bore and chamber. The life of the barrel is extended.

If the M1a/m14 is too heavy for you the Russian izmash saiga in 308win is light and accurate. With surplus 7.62 ammo she will print 1 1/2” groups at 100 yds. Not bad when these were $308 otd new.

I don't like chrome bores. Great for a combat rifle, and I guess it wouldn't matter in a field grade rifle, but they detract from accuracy. The M16A1s we had in VN had neither chrome lined barrels nor chambers and the AKs we saw did, and we wondered why ours didn't. And they didn't have a trap in the butt for cleaning equipment, got it in a nylon pouch which was easily lost. That rifle has come a long way in 50 years.

I doubt I'll live long enough to shoot out the barrel of my M1A. I didn't even know they made M1As with chrome and I'm glad mine isn't. I've got a very-good coated pull through kit, which equally doesn't matter with a field grade rifle, but it encourages cleaning..

Since the longest distance I'll carry it is from to my truck to the bench, I can deal with the 9#+ weight. While the Saiga rifle may shoot 1 1/2", I can't. Anyway, I wanted an M1A for nostalgic reasons.

I never cared for the m16/ar 15 nor the 223 round it shoots. The ar 15 is way over priced. The saiga was $259 in 223 when it was first offered.

Went to basic with an M14 and like my Springfield M1A but I really shoot my M1 more .

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

The M14/M1a just looks like a battle rifle. Here's mine in progress...

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Isaiah 41:10

Not over priced any more. Every body is making them now and it's a buyer's market. I really like the AR and the 5.56. Very accurate rifle platform, they win lots of matches. Hardly any military shoots full-caliber battle rifles any more.

As for the M1, I've never owned one and can't remember shooting one, but have seen videos of them being shot by good riflemen. They were quite a bit superior to any other rifle of their era. They weren't a lot more accurate firing one round at a time, individually, than bolt guns, but they were a helluva lot more accurate when shot multiple times. The Bloke on the Range in his video Mad Minute demonstrated this, firing as many rounds as possible in a minute and reloading with several service rifles. The M1 shot 39 rounds, about twice as many as any bolt gun, and because the shooter didn't have to change his position to work the bolt, shot a smaller group in a much shorter time. I think for a couple of clips the shooter shot high, increasing the lateral size, but after tore the center out. I don't know the range and the M1 rifle was a Italian one, I believe, in .308. A very impressive and quite practical demonstration.

You got that right!
A few months ago I hefted one, did a manual of arms and shouldered it at the LGS, and my 10 lb rifle from 1964-70 now weighs 38 lb! 'Course I've gained more weight than that since then, so it can be forgiven.

Question for you M-14 users to now M-1A owners:
I swear to goodness, the Springfield stocks, even on the standard model, feel thicker than the GI stocks did in my mind, especially under the handguard area forward of the magazine. Does it seem that way to you, or am I just mis-remembering?

Congratulations Canoeguy, that’s a nice looking rifle! I bought a M1A “Loaded” several years ago (maybe 15 years ago...?) and it has a stainless steel barrel. I’ve only shot it a couple of times and put it in the back of the safe. It was very accurate, and smooth to shoot the .308. It’s one of those, “they don’t make them like they used to kind of rifles,” but yet they still do. Well, except for the forged receivers, but does it really matter... .

Enjoy that rifle, I think you’ve inspire to get mine out and shoot it!!

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NRA Life Member

I built 2 Springfield M1A rifles. One had Winchester parts and the other had Springfield (U.S.) parts. I used Match parts and glass bedded the stocks. Sold both of them. Bought a Match Springfield and ended up selling that one also.
In 2014 I bought an Armscorp M1A and sent it to Jon Wolfe, who installed a match barrel on it and glass bedded the stock.
It has NM sights, a unitized gas cylinder, and Match flash suppressor too.
Unfortunately due to my Arthritis and other health problems, I can't shoot any matches anymore, and I don't believe I've shot the gun since Mr. Wolfe worked on it.

While some decry them, they’re fine old rifles. Congrats on the acquisition!

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Some Might Say.

Don't know for sure, but the one I have is pretty thick. So is a M1. After reading this post, I weighed mine last night. It was a half ounce shy of 10 pounds, with the leather military sling. Specs from Springfield say 9 pounds, 3 ounces without the sling. I don't think the sling weighs 13 ounces so mine seems slightly heavier. Not that it matters.

Mine could definitely be slimmed down in the fore-end area if you wanted to make it lighter (somewhat) and more graceful. I don't know how that would affect accuracy, though.

Very nice rifle you got there!! Glad you got to reunite with a past flame!!! I would love to take advantage of this deal that Springfield is running. Unfortunately, for the time being anyway, I still live behind enemy lines in Colorado. Where we are only trusted with 15 round and under magazines. I cannot wait to get away from here. Looking to move to the currently free state of Tennessee, so me and my family can enjoy our Freedom.

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Proverbs 21:2

Got a call from Springfield today. My National Match conversion is ready! Will ship Friday and be back in my hands by Tuesday.
But, Dammit! Our range is closed for at least another month.