Shot my new M1A

[NYlakesider]

On 6.27 I did a post about getting a M1A. (Got me a M1A)

Thought I would give you a update.

Picked up plenty of ammo, think my UPS guy hates me!

Found a few NY legal Mags.(Basically no one including the O.E.M had any available.) I went to a small off the beaten path LGS and by luck he had a few in stock

Took the gun to the range sighted it in. Right from the get-go the windage was right on and a bunch of clicks brought elevation up to where I needed it. Sights worked well for my 75 YO eyes, I shot it from 25 to a 100 yards and was happy. I will shoot it at longer ranges soon, hopefully!

Its the wood stock version(Naturally) and I will add very nice wood!

Debating as mine is the Scout Model with a rail if I should put a "dot' on it or perhaps a long eye relief scope. I tend to have a fondness for Leupold glass, but will do my due diligence on what if anything to put on it.

I'm not one to over accessorizing a gun, I see way too many at the range that look like they are a salesmens display of his products. I do have a GI sling.

 

[mckenney99]

When I was running a gun shop several years ago, we had several wood stocked M1A's come through and none of them had hardly any finish on the wood. I bought a beautifully stocked National Match M1A rifle during that period and while it had a very nice piece of wood, it was very poorly sealed and finished. I wound up putting 12 or 15 coats of hand rubbed Tung Oil on mine over the winter, to seal and finish it. Don't get me wrong, I still love the M1A and mine are way more accurate than I can shoot them. But for what they charge for the rifles, they could at least seal and protect the wood a little better.

 

[robertrwalsh]

My recommendation, for what that may be worth to you, is to try a modest magnification long relief (pistol) scope. My 70 year old eyes like it.

 

[Rodan]

Having run an Aimpoint on a Scout a number of years ago, I would recommend one of the new 1-6x or 1-8x illuminated reticle optics. Much better suited to the capabilities of the rifle.

 

[NYlakesider]

My recommendation, for what that may be worth to you, is to try a modest magnification long relief (pistol) scope. My 70 year old eyes like it.

I happily take all recommendations under advisement from the learned members of this forum. Over the years I have received a lot of good info on a multitude of subjects, not just firearm related!

 

[Dhs The IV]

I have really been wanting to pick up an M1A. Most of the guys my age (31) are looking for ARs and AKs and tricked out Glocks. Me I like old revolvers, some real old and M1As and SKS. I agree some of the tacticool M1As are just silly. There’s just something to those old battle rifles. Nice acquisition sir.

 

[Neversink n Klapperthal]

I always loved M1As.

 

[jdlii]

They are very nice rifles and can fill most any need. I started shooting high power competition in 1979 at 100 yard matches in Memphis. Finally got to shoot on a full course range at AEDC in Tullahoma, TN.

My M1A went to Camp Perry three times and allowed me to achieve my Master classification. These rifles, back in the day, ruled the service rifle class. Looking down the firing line and seeing a couple of hundred M1A rifles poised to begin a match, was quite a sight!

Enjoy and good shooting!

 

[Gene L]

When I was running a gun shop several years ago, we had several wood stocked M1A's come through and none of them had hardly any finish on the wood. I bought a beautifully stocked National Match M1A rifle during that period and while it had a very nice piece of wood, it was very poorly sealed and finished. I wound up putting 12 or 15 coats of hand rubbed Tung Oil on mine over the winter, to seal and finish it. Don't get me wrong, I still love the M1A and mine are way more accurate than I can shoot them. But for what they charge for the rifles, they could at least seal and protect the wood a little better.

I put raw linseed oil on my M1A, several coats. Slathered it on and let the wood drink it in. Several coats. Darkens the wood and gives it a great look. An "oiled" look, if that makes sense. It was pretty dry-looking when I got it. The walnut stock isn't a the best grade and pretty open-pored.

 

[max503]

I always loved M1As.

Back in the 70's they took our scout troop to the marine's rifle range at Great Lakes Naval Base and let us shoot those. Wonder if they still do that?

 

[Puller]

I put raw linseed oil on my M1A, several coats. Slathered it on and let the wood drink it in. Several coats. Darkens the wood and gives it a great look. An "oiled" look, if that makes sense. It was pretty dry-looking when I got it. The walnut stock isn't a the best grade and pretty open-pored.

I've used raw linseed oil and it can take weeks or even months to dry/cure if you don't cut it. I use boiled linseed oil exclusively on USGI stocks and even then I cut it 50/50 with mineral spirits or it'll take many days to dry.

I gotta say, though, nothing smells better than a stock fresh rubbed with linseed oil.

 

[black1970]

Took BCT at Ft. Polk in 67. Always wanted one. Bought a Super Match in 85. Still have it and 3 more.
BTW-I am not black-my 1970 Chevelle is.

 

[Hair Trigger]

On 6.27 I did a post about getting a M1A. (Got me a M1A)

Its the wood stock version(Naturally) and I will add very nice wood!

Debating as mine is the Scout Model with a rail if I should put a "dot' on it or perhaps a long eye relief scope. I tend to have a fondness for Leupold glass, but will do my due diligence on what if anything to put on it.

First, congrats on getting a great rifle. I have a standard length Loaded model, bought it about 6 years ago for dealer cost. He was a hardware store with a corner carved out as a gun shop, and had the one I bought and a SOCOM sitting in the rack for almost a year without selling them. I offered to pay his cost, tax and FFL transfer fee, and danged if he didn't take me up on it.

SA recommends a "close quarters" optic for the Scout; I agree with Rodan about something like a 1x8, with a long eye relief. At 8X, you'll be tearing up targets at 300 yards pretty quickly.

I scoped my Loaded with a long range scope, a 6-24x58 Millett, and routinely take it out to 600 yards; I'd go longer if I had regular access to somewhere that had more distance available. Mine's a bit heavy with the longer barrel, receiver scope mount and scope, but it's a heckuva bench gun or bipod shooter.

I used Teak oil and hand rubbed a couple of coats, let it dry for a couple of weeks, then used BriWax. Water beads on the stock, and a soft cloth will buff it nice and shiny, but not like a gloss paint job. The grain still shows, which I really like.

 

[Gene L]

I've used raw linseed oil and it can take weeks or even months to dry/cure if you don't cut it. I use boiled linseed oil exclusively on USGI stocks and even then I cut it 50/50 with mineral spirits or it'll take many days to dry.

I gotta say, though, nothing smells better than a stock fresh rubbed with linseed oil.

Takes about a week, uncut, unless you already have a finish on it which keeps it from soaking in. Raw linseed oil is a natural product, you can use it as a dietary supplement if you want to. Boiled LO has chemicals added to it as driers, and it's poison.

I don't want a shiny stock which boiled LO and a lot of rubbing and hand application will give you. Not suitable for a military rifle. I did this last month and it's fine, now. The old adage about it never drying is myth...you can look it up to dispell this myth.

Flax seed oil is the same stuff, different name. You can get raw LO at Ace hardware stores, but you'll have to special order it, generally. They have boiled on the shelf. The reason I used raw oil is because we used it on the one time we applied oil to our M 14 stocks in the Army. March at Ft. Dix, NJ. 1967.

Back in the wood and steel days, the military gun makers would dip the stocks in a vat of hot (not boiled) LO or Tung oil and let them drip...doing a lot of stocks at a time. Or so I read in "The American Rifle." Written by Phil Sharp back in the day.

I like full length M1A rifles unscoped. A scope unbalances it, in my mind, and you pretty well need something to build up the comb to rest your cheek on.

I've posted this before, but in the 1980s when I was a LEO, I attended the US Army "Counter Sniper" school, shooting the M 21 for two weeks. We taped our shooting gloves to the comb to make it possible to see through the sight without excessive fatigue. Shot a lot of rounds those two weeks. About half the class was LEOs, the other half was GI. Range was up to 900 yards on steel targets, center of mass which was about as good as the M 21 could do.

 

[pasote]

I had to do the same thing with my M1A

When I was running a gun shop several years ago, we had several wood stocked M1A's come through and none of them had hardly any finish on the wood. I bought a beautifully stocked National Match M1A rifle during that period and while it had a very nice piece of wood, it was very poorly sealed and finished. I wound up putting 12 or 15 coats of hand rubbed Tung Oil on mine over the winter, to seal and finish it. Don't get me wrong, I still love the M1A and mine are way more accurate than I can shoot them. But for what they charge for the rifles, they could at least seal and protect the wood a little better.

I had to do the same thing with my M1A.

 

[pasote]

Great

They are very nice rifles and can fill most any need. I started shooting high power competition in 1979 at 100 yard matches in Memphis. Finally got to shoot on a full course range at AEDC in Tullahoma, TN.

My M1A went to Camp Perry three times and allowed me to achieve my Master classification. These rifles, back in the day, ruled the service rifle class. Looking down the firing line and seeing a couple of hundred M1A rifles poised to begin a match, was quite a sight!

Enjoy and good shooting!

Yes , I was a high power service rifle shooter for many years. I shot across the course out to 600 yards with iron sights. I started with a WWII garand, then I had to go with an M1A when my garand went full auto on me at the 300 yard line (luckily I alway shot with a very tight sling and I had a good firm prone position). These are marvelous rifles!

 

[Sgt911]

I have a scout squad on back order. I picked up a USGI fiberglass stock and handguard I am probably going to have them duracoated. I own a couple other M1A rifles, one Loaded SA and a Fed Ord. The Fed Ord is mostly USGI parts. I found a SEI Navy brake in a workbench drawer that I just got back from SEI today. They were nice enough to refurbish it on their dime. The navy brake will go on the scout squad.

 

[NYlakesider]

Takes about a week, uncut, unless you already have a finish on it which keeps it from soaking in. Raw linseed oil is a natural product, you can use it as a dietary supplement if you want to. Boiled LO has chemicals added to it as driers, and it's poison.

I don't want a shiny stock which boiled LO and a lot of rubbing and hand application will give you. Not suitable for a military rifle. I did this last month and it's fine, now. The old adage about it never drying is myth...you can look it up to dispell this myth.

Flax seed oil is the same stuff, different name. You can get raw LO at Ace hardware stores, but you'll have to special order it, generally. They have boiled on the shelf. The reason I used raw oil is because we used it on the one time we applied oil to our M 14 stocks in the Army. March at Ft. Dix, NJ. 1967.

Back in the wood and steel days, the military gun makers would dip the stocks in a vat of hot (not boiled) LO or Tung oil and let them drip...doing a lot of stocks at a time. Or so I read in "The American Rifle." Written by Phil Sharp back in the day.

I like full length M1A rifles unscoped. A scope unbalances it, in my mind, and you pretty well need something to build up the comb to rest your cheek on.

I've posted this before, but in the 1980s when I was a LEO, I attended the US Army "Counter Sniper" school, shooting the M 21 for two weeks. We taped our shooting gloves to the comb to make it possible to see through the sight without excessive fatigue. Shot a lot of rounds those two weeks. About half the class was LEOs, the other half was GI. Range was up to 900 yards on steel targets, center of mass which was about as good as the M 21 could do.

Very interesting! I will do more due diligence about adding optics.

Even for my old eyes I did good enough with it to have confidence in the ranges I would encounter. Doing no competition shooting.
I got if if the situation out there goes even more crazy than it is now and I need better than my Mini14 can do.


A big thanks to all that replied it seems the M1A has a lot of admirers. Going to have to read up on stock finishing and perhaps a winter project up here in the boonies.

 

[jake1945]

I once owned a Divine Texas M1A. It would function flawlessly with factory 308 and military ammo but would not with reloads.

 

[rich5674]

M1A NM

Dad bought a Springfield Armory National Match M1A. He put on a Leupold 3-9x40 scope because it was what he had. It worked well and the rifle was very accurate with Federal 168 grain HPBT ammo. I finish my wood stocks with a few hand rubbed coats of Tru-oil then a couple coats of spray on Varithane Spar Urathene Finish is easy, smooth, durable, water proof, looks excellent