M1A novice question

[DHH]

I have not had my M1A very long. I noticed after cleaning that I
can hear the gas cylnder piston slide back and forth if the bolt
is locked back. Is this something I just didn't notice before or have
I goofed putting it back together?

DHH

 

[Southern Raider]

The fact that you can hear that is a good thing. When the gas piston doesn't slide back and forth of its own weight is when the trouble starts.

 

[vanfunk]

+1 on Southern Raider's reply. Completely normal.

vanfunk

 

[DHH]

Thanks for the reply fellows. Now if I can just get my group size
down I'll be happy.

Go easy,
DHH

 

[NMshooter]

When you clean, try to do so without removing the action from the stock.

A bore snake works great for this, and a toothbrush will take care of the bolt face.

Avoid opening the gas cylinder unless you really need to clean the piston, and always check the plug to make sure it is screwed in tight.

A M-14 combination tool is a good thing to keep with the rifle.

Have fun!

 

[Dienekes]

As regards the gas system, you might want to invest in a gas cylinder tool that will hold the gas cylinder body stable while you remove/tighten the plug.(Brownell's.) That will prevent you from putting too much torque on the slots themselves. Even with that my M1A plug had about 100 foot pounds of torque on it when I got it; very scary to remove but it came out ok. Correct torque is about 10-12 foot pounds, and some anti-seize is good on the plug threads, too.

And yes, free piston movement with the action open is good. A drop of bore cleaner in there before or after shooting is a good thing, too.

Good rifles.

 

[Farnham]

Go check out Battlerifles.com, the best resource for all things M14/M1A.

And yes, it's a good thing if your gas piston moves, put a couple hundred rounds through it, and it might stop moving easily.

 

[Sunray]

"...if I can just get my group size down..." What ammo are you using? Good ammo is the place to start. Anything else you do won't matter if your ammo is mediocre.