Springfield Armory M1A

[Nature Boy]

It is expensive, nearly $1400, and nobody buys one because it's the best, or most accurate, or lightest, or most modern .308 semi auto out there. Everybody already knows it isn't.

But it sure may be one of the coolest, and it's LOT of fun to shoot.

Exactly

 

[MEHavey]

How's the accuracy?

Just so so....

 

[claiborne]

Ten years ago I bought a Loaded M1A model with a composite stock and parkerized barrel. The POS wouldn't get through 5 rounds without 2 failures to feed and 2 failures to eject while using new, commercial 308 ammo and new, 7.62 military ball. My hand loads with new, commercial brass did not function any better. As well, every time I bumped it on something the black painted stock would chip and show white spots.. Two trips to SA and a lot of black sharpie and it still did not work correctly or look any better. That one hit the skids...
Four years ago I bought a new M1A standard with a walnut stock. It shoots to point of aim (mostly), feeds and ejects new commercial 308, new 7.62 military ball and my hand loads (new and used brass, 308 commercial and 7.62 military). It is accurate enough to clock a 2 foot diameter gong at 300 yards all day long. 3000-3500 mixed rounds down range without a hiccup, hitch, misfire or squeal....

 

[1KPerDay]

Has anyone here bedded theirs? I gave it some thought and have a fully glass bedded M1 Garand but my M1A seemed to always shoot well enough I never bothered to bed it. A few years ago at a NC Gun Show I found a perfect original GI stock with all metal and I got it for $30 which I could not hand the guy quick enough. I also have a slightly oversize wood stock still in the white and that would be the one I would bed.

The M1A and the AR10(T)

Ron

Beautiful stock, but it's not GI unless you've patched the fun switch cutout better than I've ever seen.

 

[Reloadron]

Beautiful stock, but it's not GI unless you've patched the fun switch cutout better than I've ever seen.

That is the SA stock the rifle came with. I have a nice GI with all the metal and selector cutout which I got at a NC gun show and additionally have an oversize in the white stock which is less the metal.

The rifle is in the SA stock, the GI stock is above and the in the white stock is on the bottom. The GI stock was marked "S" for Sykes manufacturing who was a sub for Springfield Armory on the M14 production.

The irony with the actual M14 was it was the rifle I trained with as a young Marine. My rifle I began with was a TRW manufacture gun. I eventually worked for TRW and a spinoff Argo Tech in Euclid Ohio eventually retiring after 25 years there. When I began the old rifle test range was still there in existence.

No, I am not that good with Acra Glass or Devcon.

Ron

 

[1KPerDay]

Ah, cool.

 

[Group Therapy]

For anyone who's bought a recent one, any positive/negative experiences? How's the accuracy?

First of all, I love my M1A. Pricey? Yes. But I wanted a battle rifle and was willing to pay to play. I enjoy shooting with the military aperture sights, especially shooting off hand standing. The heft, the balance, the feel, the power of the 7.62 NATO, the natural point of aim behind the irons...its all there. The real deal. It is my favorite rifle.

I do have glass on some of my bolt guns. All good and fun too. And I built a DPMS pattern LR10. Like that one too. But the M1A with irons is the real game for me. (to each his own, of course)

You ask "How's the accuracy?" Better than most marksmen behind the sights. Here are some examples.
Unmodified factory SA M1A Loaded model with military aperture sights. No glass.

200 yard 10 round group standing:


100 yard 5 round group. (this was from the bench):


I am happy. And my eyes are 64 years old.

 

[johnmcl]

Hi all,

I have a M1A Loaded, which came to me about six years ago. Being a student of history, I've always wanted one, so was ecstatic when the chance came along. My first thoughts were that this gun was going to be a quaint historical gun. Far from it, dear friends.

My observations is that my M1A shoots like a house on fire. The attached target was shot last month, iron sights, prone, with a sling employed at 200 yards The ammo are careful handloads that perform approximately like the Federal 168 Match stuff. The gun's a pleasure to shoot.

I find I do not shoot a 308 AR gun any better, and I certainly don't have that wood and steel buzz that this grand old warrior delivers.

 

[Group Therapy]

Love those 10's!

 

[johnmcl]

In all honesty, I had left my spotting scope at home that day. I could not see where I was shooting, but was concentrating immensely on shooting well. I could only see the 8's in the white, and thought I had a terrible target down range. After walking up for a close inspection, the smile broke out.

 

[Nature Boy]

In all honesty, I had left my spotting scope at home that day. I could not see where I was shooting

If you saw how well you were doing you'd probably start pulling shots. I sometimes think our brains are our own worst enemy.

 

[johnmcl]

That is ground truth, Nature Boy. I have proved that principle across several shooting genres.

 

[Reloadron]

For anyone who's bought a recent one, any positive/negative experiences? How's the accuracy?

I believe what you will find is this thread and all similar threads take the same direction. The M1A is one of those rifles people buy for any number of reasons. Some are happy they bought the rifle while others not so much. The rifle itself is one of those love or hate rifles. Me? I like mine. I guess I like it enough to still have the one I got well over 20 years ago. As a young Marine a long time ago I was surprised at how, at the 500 meter line, in the prone position using the sling as a pulse stopper, I could place ten rounds in a 5" X ring at 500 meters. Basic USMC issue M14 using basic issue ammunition. At 500 yards the X ring is 5 inches and the 10 ring is 10 inches. My rifle today an M1A is every bit the rifle that the USMC handed me in 1969. Thus I love the damn thing. Others have been less happy with their M1A rifles. It becomes a toss up, some love the things and some hate the things with a few in middle ground. Should you choose to buy one I wish you the best.

Ron

 

[Llama Bob]

To answer OP's question rather than argue about the merits of the M1A, I've shot two of recent (post 2014) manufacture quite a bit. These were the base model, no NM upgrades. Off the bench with both irons and optics both shot about 2MOA shooting 168gr FGMM. As most M1A shooters are aware, the scope mounts are not very good. Neither gun had functional problems, but there were some non-USGI parts that concerned me.

 

[Group Therapy]

My rifle today an M1A is every bit the rifle that the USMC handed me in 1969. Thus I love the damn thing

I hear you, brother!

Not to dis anyone's shooting ambitions (I have many different rifles from mil surp bolts to modern Stoner gas guns and enjoy shooting them all), but IMHO the M14/M1A platform is still the "rifleman's rifle", especially in it's proper military aperture sights.

I think it might be the short eye relief to the rear sight, the easy natural point of aim with the traditional shape of the stock, and the long distance to the front sight post, and the steadiness from the heft of the whole package that makes it "just work right" in the field. (and it's dang accurate if you know how to handle a battle rifle)

By contrast, the light AR/LR platform with the high stock necessitated by the buffer spring/tube requires some weird body mechanics to get behind the sights, unless there is high mounted glass. Which is OK and does fantastic things of it's own. But it seems to be a different game.

Before you rant at me about being against the AR/LR platform, know that I own one in .308. And I really like it. I built it and it works fantastic. And I put a truck load of ammo through my M16 45 years ago. But the game I like is on my M1A instead.

If you are reading this and never seriously fired an M1/M14/M1A, find a buddy who has one and get a hundred rounds of ammo and go the range. Learn how to use aperture sights properly, and form your own opinion after your range session. I will bet you will be surprised at how well you do.

There is just something about these rifles that says "serious", and "Mission Accomplished". And they help you be a better marksman.

 

[someguy2800]

After shooting my buddy's M1 garand at 100 yards for the first time years ago I honestly can't understand why every non scoped rifle doesn't come with M1 style aperture sights. I don't understand why the "post and notch" style of sight is still the standard on hunting rifles. My eyes are bad and I've struggled with iron sights ever since I was a kid. I would have been alot more dangerous with my daisy red rider as a kid if I would have had a proper set of sights!

 

[salt&battery]

After shooting my buddy's M1 garand at 100 yards for the first time years ago I honestly can't understand why every non scoped rifle doesn't come with M1 style aperture sights. I don't understand why the "post and notch" style of sight is still the standard on hunting rifles. My eyes are bad and I've struggled with iron sights ever since I was a kid. I would have been alot more dangerous with my daisy red rider as a kid if I would have had a proper set of sights!

I have always said the same thing but I have seen guys with 24x scopes on a 22 shooting 50 yds

 

[Group Therapy]

After shooting my buddy's M1 garand at 100 yards for the first time years ago I honestly can't understand why every non scoped rifle doesn't come with M1 style aperture sights. I don't understand why the "post and notch" style of sight is still the standard on hunting rifles. My eyes are bad and I've struggled with iron sights ever since I was a kid.

I spoke with an eye specialist about this. The aperture functions somewhat like a corrective lens, the smaller the better (to a point). Your brain works with the "ghost ring" created by the aperture and self centers the target and post. And remember, the important focus is the font sight. I have corrective shooting eyewear that corrects to the font sight post. The target aiming black is a bit fuzzy and the ghost ring is a bit fuzzy. That is no matter. Fuzz still centers. The dynamics of this sight system helps by "self aligning" everything.

But also remember to be careful with rifle "cant". Tilting left or right will move your POI off target.

Also, I have a Mauser that I put a scope on because the notch leaf rear sight is WAY forward and I just could not make it work. It was totally useless to me compared to the far rearward aperture sight on the M1A. Different aiming dynamics altogether. The Mauser notch sight just does not work naturally with the eye and brain.

 

[someguy2800]

I first learned about the aperture affect when I shot compound bow in high school league. I had a peep sight put in the bow string that comes right back to me eye just like the sights on an M1. It was like this but with a much smaller aperture. Without this I really struggled to see the targets well past 20 yards, but with the aperture my vision was perfect. I used to me able to put 10 arrows in a 3" circle at 40 yards with a $75 bow I bought at a pawn shop with lawn mowing money when I was 15.

I have tried wearing glasses but they give me migraines. My vision is perfect for about 5 feet but past that it gets increasingly worse and I can barely read a speed limit sign at 100 yards. I do good with sights on pistols out to 30-50 yards if I have a large enough target to center on by just focusing on the front sight, but rifle sights are impossible. With a rifle at 100 yards I can't see the front sight and the target at the same time at all let alone the front rear and target! With an aperture sight though I can hit whatever I want.

 

[bersaguy]

That's a thing of beauty