What should I know about the M1A?

[Mosinguy]

Just your standard Springfield M1A, nothing special. What all do I need to know about it? My teenager with low money/high dreams senses are kicking in and I'm jonesing for a nice parkerized gun in a nice red walnut stock

Anyways, tell me what all you'd like to share about the M1A. I "could" google the subject BUT...I like supporting my local brick and mortar internet forum

 

[03A3]

SAI bolt codes :
A = Cast.
B = Machined from bar stock.
F = Forged.

 

[indianashooter]

They are expensive, they can eat a lot of ammo, it is expensive and hard to come by in bulk. They are great guns, a blast to shoot. You will become addicted if you continue to play around with this idea.

 

[downzero]

They are amazing historical pieces but they are not as accurate as newer designs, they are hell on brass, and people will hate me for saying that.

I sold mine a few years ago when I really needed the money and I really wish I could have it back.

 

[IndyDave1776]

The rifle will cost you something on the order of $1500 without any accessories. I would budget $2000 for the project without ammunition. By contrast, you could have several thousand rounds of ammunition and some nice magazines for your WASR and probably have enough left over for your KP31 build.

 

[jd4320t]

I've read the new ones aren't like the old ones...something about older better parts used to be around and are gone now. Maybe someone else can explain what I'm saying lol.

 

[Mosinguy]

The rifle will cost you something on the order of $1500 without any accessories. I would budget $2000 for the project without ammunition. By contrast, you could have several thousand rounds of ammunition and some nice magazines for your WASR and probably have enough left over for your KP31 build.

Yeah, I can see the WASR and KP31 as a lot more practical. Probably wouldn't buy an M1A for a long time anyways.

 

[03A3]

Actually when you look at the lack of good milsurp 7.62x51 ammo, the price of an M1A and its magazines ect, a CMP Garand and HXP ammo is a pretty good deal.

 

[ssblair]

M1As have bonafide target rifle potential (out to 1000 yards even), but need some money to get there. WASRs and AK types dont and wont ever get there, and won't even look as good hanging on a wall. Incidentally, the US Navy Marksmanship Team still uses M14s at the National Matches, so they aren't totally out of style on the service rifle teams yet.

CMP Garands are good too and might be a little cheaper to accurize, but CMP's supply of cheap HXP reloadable surplus ammo is almost gone. They might have another year or 2 of supply left? Note that their ammo is mostly coming in mixed lot/loose packed cans now. Only a year or two you could buy cases of the same headstamp, but no more.

Both Garand and M1A are related and nearly identical actions (designed by the same guy) and are considered way more reliable than the AR platforms of today. Compared to a Kalashnikov, it might be a toss up..

Both actions (Garand and M1A) are also hard on brass; reportedly only likely to get 3 or maybe 5 reloadings out of the brass coming out of an M1A.

Nobody buys an M1A because they're "inexpensive". They aren't. Accurizing parts are expensive for the M1A; bolt assemblies and gas cylinder assemblies are $2-300 each. Other than that, the small parts arent terribly expensive.

308 ammo is expensive to come by compared to smaller milsurp calibers, particularly if you don't roll your own. Most milsurp ammo is foreign and berdan primed, which isnt reloadable. Best pricing on commercial reloadable stuff that is suitable for an M1A I've seen in the last year or two was like $.45/rnd + shipping and that was on a sale. Nowadays I think its more like $.60-.65/rnd. If I have the brass, I can reload match-grade ammo for $.60-.70/rnd or "cheap stuff" for about $.05-.10 less--and these figures include some allowance for new brass.

I want to highlight a point that was buried in that last statement "ammo that is suitable for an M1A". M1As are gas operated, and therefore have a more limited range of suitable powders than a bolt action gun. Gas operated actions prefer medium burning powders. Slower burning powders with heavy bullets will bend OpRods, which can be expensive to replace (upwards of $100-200). Use milsurp ammo or stuff that is known to work well in M1As.. I think Federal or American Eagle sells "7.62x51 NATO" or otherwise packaged ammo that says "for M1As" on it. Its probably 150gr. FMJ bullets. Federal Gold Medal works well, as would anything marked 7.62x51 NATO. Stay away from bullets heavier than 175gr, and stay away from the commercial hunting bullets you would find at Walmart.

Good luck!

 

[red_zr24x4]

If you're just shooting paper or steel out to 5-600 yrds I think the only accurizing you'll need to do is maybe unitize the gas cylinder and clock the cylinder plug,( I have not done either of these to mine.)
If you want to learn all you can about the M1a/M14 check out M14 Forum - M14 Forum for M14 M1A Rifles

 

[indyjohn]

My M1-A is my favorite gun of all. It will put rounds in a 6" ring at 600 yards all day long and I've shot it out to 1,000 yds and had a blast doing that. But it comes at a price - upwards of $2,000 when done right.

I think the CMP Garand route is an excellent idea. You'd be getting the M14's father. I've owned a Garand and it's a blast to shoot as well, maybe even a little easier despite the big .30-06 round. It would be a fraction of the budget of even a Standard M1-A.

 

[indianashooter]

If you want it to be cheap, it's not, don't buy one. If you want a gun you can love for a lifetime, you should have one. Take your time with research before you buy one. I would suggest finding one pre 90's with USGI parts or a chines M14s and build one the way you want it. It will never be a 1/2 MOA gun but it WILL ruin an opposing forces day at several hundred yards. You can bet your life on that.

 

[Airwolf]

Most of the newer receivers do not follow mil spec dimensions which can make scoping them correctly a challenge.

 

[indianashooter]

If you want it to be cheap, it's not, don't buy one. If you want a gun you can love for a lifetime, you should have one. Take your time with research before you buy one. I would suggest finding one pre 90's with USGI parts or a chines M14s and build one the way you want it. It will never be a 1/2 MOA gun but it WILL ruin an opposing forces day at several hundred yards. You can bet your life on that.