Springfield m1a thoughts

[Dmaxboy08]

Hey guys. Im really wanting a springfield m1a standard. For some reason these guns just put me in a awe. I have shot one once and just loved it and now im ready to buy one. I would like some input from you guys on if you like or dislike the gun. Thanks.

 

[mkk41]

Owned mine for over 20yrs. Ever since I first held & shot an M-14 while in the Navy , I wanted one. Shown here with one of my M1 Garands.

If ya can , shop around and find an older one made with all USGI parts.

 

[4506517]

I have owned mine for about 13 years and love it. Springfield is pretty good about servicing it if you need it. DO NOT shot hunting ammunition in it. It will bend the open rod. Don't ask me how I know.

I say go ahead and take the plunge. You won't regret it.

 

[mag318]

I've owned several of these wonderful rifles. If you can find an older one many will have all USGI parts except for the receiver.

 

[kimporter]

i like mine,didnt care much for the stock it came with,but other than that i love it,and as others have said look for an older one with gi parts

 

[Frank237]

I've owned a few, carried a TRUE M-14 as a Patrol Rifle for many years. Before I retired I bought an older SA Loaded model to replace it.

I'd reply it depends what you want to do with it. And what you EXPECT from it.

They are HEAVY. They are LONG.

If you wish to scope yours, a quality mount is expensive. You also have a "cheek weld" issue with the standard stock.

Ammo, especially quality ammo is 2-3 times more than AR ammo. BUT htat 147 or 168 gr ammo reaches OUT there like NO AR ever could!

They ARE tough as nails with the proper care.

NOTHING but old time walnut and forged steel!

Extreme fun with a bayonet mounted!

I have shot FAR more accurate AR based 7.62x51's. Those also had great triggers. And those guns didn't require bedding from time to time to maintain accuracy. And they were easily scoped and easy to shoot once scoped.

All that said....I still own my old SA.

 

[DWalt]

Along with the M1, the M1A and M14 oprods can be bent by shooting ammunition with slow burning propellants, as the port pressure can be excessive. When reloading, it is best to use a mid-range burning propellant such as IMR 3031 or IMR 4895 or similar ball propellants in such rifles to be safe. Don't use IMR 4350 or 4831.

 

[mc5aw]

I looked at Springfield's SOCOM version for several years before taking the plunge in the M1A world. Although a bit on the heavy side, it is a near perfect rifle. I hope to indulge in a Standard Model sometime in the future. Prices are not going down, so buying sooner than later is a good idea.

 

[ACP230]

I have had one since the late 1980s. Used to shoot NRA Highpower Rifls Matches with it. Mine was another match shooters backup rifle. It
had some accuracy work, bedding, etc, before I got it. I have never had to redo it. That M1A is the most consistently accurate rifle I own.

My Ruger 77 lightweight .250 Savage is as accurate, or more accurate, but due to the light barrel the groups open and shift after just a few shots. The M1A just keeps shooting them without much change.

Mine came with a military surplus fiberglass stock. I traded for a
birch stock later. It seems to shoot just as well with either.

I loaded most of the ammo I shot in matches using LC
68 cases, H4895 powder and Winchester overrun, or pulldown, boattail
FMJs weighing 147 grains. Velocity was 2550 to 2600 fps. Had few
issues with brass life. Shot two shots touching at 200 in a match
during sighter firing. Shot three shots into under MOA at the same
range in practice. Prone with shooting jacket and tight sling
for both.

As with most rifles some swear by them and some swear at them.
I am in the first group.

 

[crows]

Frank 237 pretty much covered it. Alot of people try to make them shoot dime sized groups, and wind up putting stocks and scopes and bipods, etc. on them that makes them rival a crew served weapon for weight. It also destroys the "feel" and balance of the rifle as issued. Don't get caught up in the romantic mystic that surrounds these rifles.

Having said that, I love them. I carried an M14 in Iraq for 1 deployment and was quite happy with it. I also own a couple of M1A's.The best way I have found to scope one without screwing up the feel and balance is to go with long eye relief scopes. Try The Firing Line M14 Forum to see all the different things that can be done to them and get a lot of info.

 

[Grayfox]

The top one is actually an old Federal Ordnance M14A that I've had for many years. All G.I. parts and a great shooter.
Just bought the Socom 16 a few months ago and love it. The shorter barrel makes the rifle much easier to handle.
Now if I were going to to it over again and just have one rifle, I'd go with the Scout Squad Rifle. Its the best of both.

 

[Dmaxboy08]

Are there factory ammo that will damage the gun?

 

[scooter123]

Are there factory ammo that will damage the gun?

The M1A has been chambered in 2 distinctly different calibers that are very similar in external ballistics. The 2 calibers are the 30.06 Springfield and the 308 Winchester.

Note the Springfield designation in the 30.06, because this is at the heart of the issue with bent prop rods. The Springfield variant of the 30.06 was loaded to a slightly lower pressure with a pressure curve developed specifically gas operated rifles such as the M1 Garrand and M1A. Try using machine gun 30 caliber or some of the hotter hunting loads of the 30.06 and you can bend the op rods. As noted you can also create problems with some powders that cause pressure spikes at the wrong instant.

In the 308 Winchester, or 7.62x51, bent op rods aren't as great a concern. BTW, the 308 versions came much later in the M1 history and is what the new rifles today are chambered in. However, you do want to stick with loadings that are pretty much "standard" for the 308, which means avoiding hot rodded ammo more appropriate for a bolt gun.

BTW, I would just love to get a SOCOM 16 because I'm a real fan of carbine length rifles, however the slush fund is well short of funding one. Mayber in another year or two.

 

[Foodfuzz]

I have owned several over the years from National Match, Socom,and Standard. I would recommend you get one. You will enjoy it. Muzzle blast from the Socom will get your attention.

 

[Bob R]

I shot on a Navy team with a Winchester M14, along with a match prepped 1911. Whenever I needed ammo all I had to do was go pick up another case of it. Those were good times.

Scooter, I have also seen the M1A chambered in .243. Not a lot of them, but I have seen a few here and there.

From M14 Rifle History and Development Fifth Edition:

"Springfield Armory, Inc. offered M1A rifles chambered in .243 Winchester from at least 1978 until 1994 and in .358 Winchester from 1978 to 1980. Barrel blanks in .22, 6 mm, .25, .270, 7 mm, .30 and .35 caliber were offered from 1978 through 1980. Springfield Armory, Inc. would install one of their barrels into a M1A rifle during this period for a nominal charge, $10.00 to $14.00. From 1990 and later, the M1A was available in 7mm-08. These M1A rifles were sold in the United States and in countries where civilians were prohibited from owning military compatible ammunition, e.g., France. For example, Super Match M1A serial number 088619 was custom built in 1995 by Springfield Armory, Inc. It had a Hart 7mm-08 heavyweight barrel and the receiver was rear lugged. M1A rifles exported to Spain are chambered for .307 Winchester."

I have a Springfield Armory M1A, it is the IDF version, of which about 300 or so were made. It has been up the hill from where I live so that someone who knows a thing about M1As could work on it a little bit. The smiths name is Al Ewing.

Here it is in one of its other sets of clothes.

bob

 

[Wyo]

I've had several of them over the years and wouldn't be without one. I prefer the old fiberglass stocks, so I've painted up a couple of them and usually drop the barrel/action into one of them. I prefer the older ones with GI parts, but haven't had any real problems with newer ones either.

In my experience, some can be a bit fussy with handloads,especially if you're reloading brass that was fired in a machine gun. That sometimes has to be run through a small base die. Honestly, (and I know this sounds sort of un-American) I think the FAL is a more reliable rifle, I have an LMT/MWS AR-based rifle that is more accurate and handier, but I sure 'nuff still do like the ol' M1A. Buy one, you won't regret it.

 

[mkk41]

My -E2 stocked version.

 

[jws1006]

On hunting loads look for 168 grain,as they seem to be loaded for the m1a/m14. Nothing over 175 gr.
As far as scope mounts,look at the basset. Regular for 100 bucks,picatinny for 150, or the sadlak for more.

Look for loads in the 2650to 2700 feet per second.

Love my m1a and want a couple of LRB's to keep it company.

 

[Beemerguy53]

I bought my "loaded" M1-A (a National Match rifle in everything but the name) almost 20 years ago and love it. Accurate, reliable, well-made...you can't go wrong with it.

 

[peyton]

You can't go wrong with an M1A. I showed up at the Alaskan Rifle Matches in 1991 with mine and a bunch of Porteguese surplus ammo and came in third place. The fellow I was shooting with lent me his shooting jacket, all I had was a army field jacket.
The magazines are available everywhere and it will be passed to your great grandkids!!