Tell me what you know about M14/M1A

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    Master
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Apr 11, 2009
    2,711
    84
    Martinsville, IN
    I'm a believer that M1a's are Springfield and Springfield Supermatches are the best M1a, I believe they should be left with good iron sights and shot with a 20 round mag and a Turner leather sling. Of course Wood is the only stock.

    The Springfield's have a reputation of Consistent performance I've never ran across anyone that is unhappy with a springfield but I have know at least 2 friends that sent Polytechs on their way
     

    DragonGunner

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 14, 2010
    5,514
    113
    N. Central IN
    The new M1A should not be confused with Springfield, its changed alot and is now SAI. You can alot of info on the M14 Forum. I did alot of research over there, and decided i didn't want a SAI....unless it was a older model with mostly if not all USGI parts. I did research on all the makers and when a good deal came up for a Fed. Ord. with all USGI parts I nabbed it. I also researched what shiiming the gas system was since it was used, and glad I did because it needed it. Shimming the gas system helps in accuracy...also I wanted to see if it would shoot milsurp NATO ammo and or .308....a friend here on INGO sent me his go and no go gauges to check everything and it turned out to be able to shoot either.....the guys on the M14 forum have a wealth of knowledge and there are some here on INGO that can help you as well....ask questions, research and then decide what direction and how much you want to spend....if $ isn't an issue I would check out LRB.....good luck and let us now what you end up with.
     

    sloughfoot

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    26   0   0
    Apr 17, 2008
    7,153
    83
    Huntertown, IN
    My 20 year old Springfield Armory M1A in .308 shot a perfect score in the 300 yard prone rapid stage a couple of years ago. Nobody was more surprised or happy than me.

    The rifle wants to shoot clean. Too bad the guy behind the buttplate won't let it.

    That is my story and the highlight of my M1A shooting career.

    If you own a M1A, no matter the make, and have not gotten bloody on the competition shooting field, that is sad beyond words.
     

    Cerberus

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Sep 27, 2011
    2,359
    48
    Floyd County
    New or old, USGI parts or not, there are not a whole lot of complaints about the SAI M1A. 300,000 rifles with such few complaints, not bad. My 08/2012 vintage rifle has been wonderful so far.

    Used to own a Poly and it shot wonderfully. It still shoots wonderfully for a friend of mine.

    The only Con, is the scarcity of good surplus ammo nowadays.
     

    indyjohn

    PATRIOT
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    77   0   0
    Dec 26, 2010
    7,505
    77
    In the trees
    Same results for me as Sloughfoot (well, not the part about the perfect score in a rapid fire stage).

    My 15 yr old SAI M1A is the best rifle I've ever owned. My M1A is still my favorite rifle to shoot and compete with (closely followed by the venerable Garand). I have others that are easier to shoot well but I still prefer the big, heavy, walnut wrapped machine with purpose. It has never failed, never faltered. Good out to 1000 yds.

    I've heard the bad stories of the current production too. I don't have anything for that, mine has always been and still is GTG.
     

    hammer24

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    I've also been looking into an M14/M1A, what I know...they are one of the meanest looking and most reliable battle rifles ever designed and I want one. There is also a lot of brand loyalty and elitism when it comes to them. The guys that spend the big bucks on the high end rifles are always trying to justify what they got for their money, while the guys that buy the newer Springfields rarely have any complaints and love their rifles. My :twocents:? It is a great design and pretty much all of the ones out there are good rifles.
     

    Cerberus

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Sep 27, 2011
    2,359
    48
    Floyd County
    I have been reading about M14/M1A from other gun forums, but i get mixed reviews about every maker of M14, who saying saying the truth:dunno:

    That is a good question. And it's one that shows up with just about any gun manufacturer in existance.

    In my research from some time ago, I came away with the following in the areas I was looking into.
    1. If you have a Chinese M14, buy a back up bolt. Just in case.
    2. If you have a SAI, buy a back up extractor. Just in case.
    When it was all boiled down and I filtered out all the secondary and terciary info, both of the above were the true complaints and very rare.

    It just so happens that it's usually a good idea to have a few spare parts for any gun.
     

    LarryHoosier

    Marksman
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 22, 2011
    234
    28
    You mean like this?

    8557271003_471bc13f96.jpg

    This is a SA made in 1994 (I think). GI parts with a 1969 barrel. It came in a beautiful Boyd's oversize stock which made it look fat and lazy. I placed it back in a GI stock and it looks so much leaner and meaner now! To shoot it is to love it.:ingo:
     

    jblomenberg16

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    67   0   0
    Mar 13, 2008
    9,920
    63
    Southern Indiana
    I love the M1 Garand. So much that I saved my pennies to get its cousing the M1a. I got an older Springfield M1a Loaded...national match bbl, sights, etc.


    Really tough to go wrong with it IMHO.
     

    Sgt7330

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Jan 25, 2011
    674
    12
    Rush Co.
    I decided last year to build my M14/M1A. Went with a Fulton Armory receiver and then built it with USGI parts and a USGI walnut stock. No problems at all. Great rifle. My last bit of work on it was shimming the gas system and peening the barrel splines to tighten the front sight assembly. It was a fun project and have a nice rifle. I wouldn't hesitate on a Springfield, LRB, Fulton or Smith Enterprise base rifle. Heard some negatives on Chinese makes, but no personal experience to knock them
     

    Redtbird

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   0
    Apr 18, 2012
    1,676
    48
    Monroe County
    I got my Springfield Armory M-1A last summer from a company advertising on gunbroker.com. They were in Florida, and with shipping, my brand new
    M-1A cost $1394, plus a $25 transfer fee at my FFL.:yesway:

    Absolutely love shooting it! Feels, sounds, looks, acts, smells just like the
    M-14s I had in the Army back in the late 60s.:rockwoot:

    When you get one and show up at the range with it, you will find yourself very popular. Everybody wants to look at it or hold it. I've let several shoot a few rounds through it and when they hand it back, they are grinning from ear to ear.:D:D:D

    Trust me, you'll love it!:)
     

    gunman41mag

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Feb 1, 2011
    10,485
    48
    SOUTH of YOU
    I've bought two POLY-TECH M14 one came in the factory box in mint condition with bayonet, functional flash-hider paid $650 the other POLY-TECH M14 came with USGI fiberglass stock, BASSETT MACHINE scope mount & rings, SIMMONS 4X scope, functional flash-hider PLASTIC hard-case, gunsmith that sold me that M14 told me it's been worked on for match shooting paid $900. My other M14 is a ARMSCORP NATIONAL MATCH paid $1,475 cause i've heard they are really good. I've heard that POLY-TECH are good M14, then I heard that you have to change the bolt:dunno: so far I don't know anybody that had to change the bolt of there poly-tech cause of failure:dunno:
     

    Airwolf

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Apr 22, 2009
    191
    16
    Terre Haute, IN
    SAI receivers are commonly found out of spec. If you use a Sadlak mount they will provide pins to determine how to correctly machine a mount for your rifle. Sparrowhawk mentions the same thing for his dummy selector switches. Mine is out of spec.

    Note about M1A Receivers

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    Classic

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   1   0
    Aug 28, 2011
    3,420
    38
    Madison County
    I have a SA "Loaded" model, full size M1A. It shoots farther and better than any other weapon I have right now, including a couple of pretty nice bolt guns. Will easily produce those lovely little cloverleaf shaped groups at 100 yards.
     

    sig1473

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    100   0   0
    May 28, 2009
    2,759
    12
    The Greater Good
    SAI receivers are commonly found out of spec. If you use a Sadlak mount they will provide pins to determine how to correctly machine a mount for your rifle. Sparrowhawk mentions the same thing for his dummy selector switches. Mine is out of spec.

    Commonly? I don't agree with that. I currently have 2 SAI M1As(Socom II and Standard) and both are in-spec so I wouldn't say they are commonly out of spec. At one time I had 3 which included a Loaded and the Basset mounts I had mounted perfectly on all three of them. I am 3 for 3 it seems. If your SAI receiver is out-of-spec then send it back to them.
     
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