Need education

[Guy B. Meredith]

Garand, M1A, M14. How do they differ? Are the latter two available through CMP? If not, why?

 

[wasrjoe]

Latter two are not available through CMP. M1A is the civilian version, I am pretty sure, and the M14 is the military version with "da switch". M1A/M14 have a different gas system than the Garand and accept magazines. Stock configuations and such are different as well. Chambering is different, M1A/M14 being in .308 and M1 Garand being in 30-06. (Though you can get it rechambered to .308.)

 

[Phantom Warrior]

What wasrjoe said...

 

[PMDW]

Garand - semi-automatic, gas operated, 30.06 rifle fed from an 8 round "enbloc" clip. Develpoed by John C. Garand in the 30s.




M14 - Basically a fully automatic version of the Garand (some were semi-automatic only). Caliber cahnged to 7.62 NATO, and is fed from a 20 round box magazine. Other changes include new sights, a different gas system, and a flash hider.

M1A - Same as the M14, minus the automatic capability.


Edit: Bah, you beat me to it whilst I was typing.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

What is a good source and price for the M1A?

 

[Swampy]

Guy,

The M1-A is a proprietary name for a semi-auto commercially made version of the M14. The M1-A is made by Springfield Armory, INC (a commercial entity, not to be confused with the US Armory of the same name) of Geneseo IL.

Prices for newly made rifles in rack grade start at around $1k and go up to around $4k for the top of the line tricked out models.

Used rifles can be had for less than $1k if you shop around.

Do a google for "Springfield Armory" and "Geneseo" and it'll come up....

best regards,
Swampy

Garands forever

 

[Steve Smith]

To add, Springfield is hardly the only source of a semi-auto version of an M14. There are many custom builders that can build an M14 much better than the Springfield shop. You would probably have to start with either a Springfield or an Armscorp receiver (there are a few others as well) but you could use all USGI parts and whatever stock (stronger than original and/or fiberglass) you wished, as well as whatever quality of barrel you want. The end price would not be tremendously different from that of a Springfield for the higher models. I can give recommendations for custom M14 builders.

The reason the M14 is not sold through the CMP is that the ATF sees it as a machine gun. Even if the receiver has been altered to prevent full-auto parts to be installed, the S/N of the rifle is attached to a full-auto version and the ATF will not authorize regular sales. IE, thousands of M14s have been cut in half and trashed.

The CMP doesn't sell M16s for the same reason, however, they HAVE sold AR-15s which are the civilian equivalent, semi-auto versions. I don't know if they will start this program again, but I understand that it was a big sucess when they were running it.

 

[Warner]

Steve Smith,

I'd also like to know which builders/shops would be considered at or near the top of the list for semiauto M14's these days.

Do any of them build upon the LRB?

Thanks!

 

[Jmurman]

I am also leaning towards a M1A.

 

[30Cal]

I don't think there's anyone that wouldn't build on an LRB. Where do you live? The list of good M14 builders is fairly long.

Ty

 

[Gordon Fink]

IE, thousands of M14s have been cut in half and trashed.…

And then they have the gall to ask us for more money for new guns.

~G. Fink

 

[Steve Smith]

Yes, they will happily work on an LRB or any other receiver that is out there, but they will have their preferences, so I'd suggest you ask them which to buy, rather than buying what you think is best.

Smith Enterprise
Clint Fowler
Mike Bykowski


To name a few. There are several.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

What is LRB?

 

[pbhome71]

LRB is another manufacture of M14 style rifle receiver...
http://www.lrbarms.com