What were "pre hysteria" prices on M1A's?

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shaker

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I posted a while back on adding .308s to the collection and recieveed many good replies. Thank You. For my first purchase, I've settled on a nice, older, perhaps upgraded Springfield/Fulton/LRB M1A/M16. I know there is a wide swing in prices due to the many aftermarket (sometimes less desireable) and nicely manufactured replacement parts (very desireable) and stock USGI parts that are in the market today and incorporated into some of these used/built rifles for sale on GB.com. I know it's a pretty rediculous question to ask, what a M1a in various configurations costs but what were you guys paying for M1A'S in the, standard, loaded, national match and super match configurations before all this buying frenzie started? And if you dont mind, what goodies did it come with when you took posession?

What would be a reasonable price range be to pay for a used, older, loaded or somewhat custom M1/M16 today?

What were the "hi quality" years of manufacture for the USGI issue of MIA's. I've read that some years were better than others due to imported componets. I know the deal on wood verses plastic and bedding and all the little nuances that go into an accurate M1/M16 and it holding it's accuracy for years. It's just such a classy rifle, in any form.

My next .308 pruchase after a M1/M14 will be a upgraded tactical style rifle, still thinking and hunting around for that one.

Any advice for buying on GB.COM outside of the obvious?

Thank You,

Scott
 
I got mine(with sling, scope mount, and 3 mags) for about 1,200.

Details:
NIB w/ 18 in. standard gauge barrel, and pollymer stock.
 
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What part of the US do you live in?

My advice is that you not buy your M14/M1A on GB.
I prefer to buy mine from local private individuals.

Older Springfield M1As that have "7.62mm" stamped on the heel are recommended.
I also recommend Poly Tech and Norinco M14s for those are not intimidated by investing in a few upgrades.
 
I'm in the dredded Maryland, your reccomendation on poly and norinco and alike will most likely be my second purchase. Why do you say stay away from GB.com if it's a reputable seller and good equipent at a fair price? I am no stranger to online auctions and all the possible pitfalls that sometimes go along with them. I would only deal with reputable sellers and quality equipment if I went that way, not the first rifle that popped up at any price. I'm in no hurry.

Thank You,

Scott
 
GB is fine, but the selling/buying frenzy has made pricing go nuts.
You can get a better deal in a private face to face transaction and
you get to inspect the rifle before buying it.

The last thing I did before moving away from the police state known
as Maryland was buy myself a brand new HK/Benelli M1 Super 90 :evil:
 
I live in NY and I received my M1A on 11/4/2008 from Sportsman's Safari in Georgia via gunbroker. I paid $1550 shipped for an SAI Loaded in a Walnut stock. I had it on layaway for a few months so I did not get to haggle on the price much. A couple months ago the prices (+/- $100 or so) for a new SAI standard were around $1350, Loaded: $1550, SOCOM 16: $1550, SOCOM II: $1600 or so. You could get a used standard M1A with all USGI parts for around $1100 - $1200. Good luck the prices will come down.

On the Norinco or Polys for safety it is generally reccomended that receivers and bolts be checked for the proper hardness (and heat treated if needed) and the bolts usually need to swapped for USGI one and therefore the barrels need to be changed also. Some people may argue this and I'm sure many are just fine but that is what the general advice is. The chinese receivers are as close to USGI specs as you will find though. There is a Norinco on Gunbroker for $800 now but it needs too much work IMHO for it to be worth that.
 
Thanks H20 and lipadj,

I'm not really looking for a deal, just a few great rifles at a reasonable cost, deals happen when the happen, when you go looking, their hard to find. I like most am a collector and sporting shooter (used to be a sport shooter anyways in younger days) and I'm just trying to "ease" back into it in my spare time. I'm just looking for a few classy rifles in .308/762 to add to the crowd and trying to get educated on all the new semi stuff out there. Compared to 40 years ago, when all guns were cheap and easy, everything out there these days adds up to one big candy store and I'm not looking to break any teeth on something that I should have known better about. I've never had any experience with semi rifles, just lever action, shotguns and lately a few semi pistols. I just like good old american hardware and the ingenuity of those that seek to design, manufacture and improve it along the way, I will pay a premium for "true" quality if I see it, if I need more money, I just go get it. Call me fool if you will but I still drive all american cars as well and always will assuming they make it through the latest. If not, well I got a bunch of horses out back that will do just fine. Reckon I still have alot of learning to do.

Thank You for the pointers, any others?

Scott
 
There is so much to know and learn about the M14. The best advice I can give is to go over to M14tfl.com join up and read everything you can. That is the one place you can go and become M14 literate in a month or so of searching and reading posts alone. Word of advice though just mind your manners over there. It is a very polite site and they do not stand for the normal forum antics. Also after you join you have to change your settings to see all the old posts.

Good luck I really enjoy M14 type rifles and always have. I will probably get around to building an AR one of these days but the M14 I had to have. The .308 caliber makes it much more useful to me for deer hunting and what not.
 
Thank You for the link, I'll be spending some time over there. I hope I didn't participate in any undesireable conduct while I was posting here, its just so difficult retaining information and learning the new laws and such. Guess I should be thankfull I can still read, write and see and on occasion find a couple brain cells to scratch together. Off to college.

Scott
 
Don't read into my comments too much I am just giving fair warning that the moderators over there are strict/run a tight ship :)
 
Yeah, that's not a forum that I would recommend...

Shaker, check your private messages.
 
I bought my M-21 last year for $2600. Bud's is showing them for $2741 but out of stock. The only one I saw for sale was on gunbroker used for $3700.
M1Aafterrangetrip.gif
 
That's a sweet M-21 :cool: ... What scope mount are you using?



I figure it would take about $4500.00 to replace my M21A5/Crazy Horse EBR.
God only knows what it would bring on GB...
 
That's a sweet M-21 ... What scope mount are you using?
Click to expand...

Thanks,

I'm running a Smith Enterprise mount. They are expensive but well worth the extra $$$.
 
prices

Friend of mine just sold his Devine for $3500.00.
That , however, is not a run of the mill M1A.
 
H20, I don't have PM or the capability. That other forum is a bit strict I would say. I can see how someone could screw up and not even realize it until it's too late. Kind of like Md. gun laws as I'm finding out. Most of the information seems way above my level on that forum. Did you try to send something to me?

TIMC, That is a nice looking M 21, excuse my ignorance but is it .308 or nato? A $150.00 increase in a year seems reasonable to me but not $1500.

H2O, I've seen that Crazy Horse somewhere, isn't that a decked out Smith rifle? Based on what I been seeing, i'd say you might geat near 6 for it, but what do I know, would be an interesting market test though.

navajo, What is a Devine? A custom M1? What all ooh ahh goodies did that rifle include?

Just trying to learn here and thank you for your time gentlemen. I need to go wash up, I got sprayed in the face with grey matter butchering dinner, hate it when that happens. Don't ask...

Thanks Again for your time,
Scott
 
TIMC, That is a nice looking M 21, excuse my ignorance but is it .308 or nato? A $150.00 increase in a year seems reasonable to me but not $1500.
Click to expand...

A $1500 dollar increase is a little rediculous. The rifle listed was nice but not that nice!

My rifle is chambered in 7.62x51. I got lucky and picked up 500 pieces of unfired Lake city match brass here a while back, that should last me a good while. My hand loads are punching in the .6" range at 100 yards. I think with a little more work I can get to less thant .5".
 
The Devines are the very earliest Springfield Armory M1A's made in Devine, TX by Elmer Balance before the company was sold and became what it is today. They have a collector cache to them because they are rare and made with all USGI parts (besides receiver obviously).
 
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Thanks lipadj and TMC, just learned about some more desireable rifles there. I suppose a good history lesson is in order now that I'm starting to discover all the little nuances that determine a premium rifle. You know I would probably give 3 for that M21 on Gb but there is a crazy horse on there as well for 45 and if I was so inclined, whats another 1000 when your talking about a rifle of that class that would be in your family till you drop? I'm really begining to see the scalpers now. Fulton, LRB and alike have a 3 to 5 month backlog right now, imagine that. That crazy horse actually looks like a good buy, if it's everything it's touted to be. I wonder what all it has?

Thank You,

Scott
 
The "Crazy Horse" M14 is made at Smith Enterprises Inc. and Ron Smith is one the original big names in M14 accurizing. His M14s go to Iraq and Afghanistan as DMR rifles. That one on GB has a poly receiver (good). Here is what the SEI site lists all that is involved in the crazy horse build/rebuild process:

M-14SE “CRAZY HORSE” PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS (STANDARD CONFIGURATION)

Medium Heavy Barrel, 22.0” (P/N 9345-M14SE) or optional 18.0” (P/N 9345-MK14) length, Chrome Moly 4140, 1:10 ROT, Four lands and grooves, right hand twist, chambered for M118LR Special Ball ammunition.
SEI Gas Cylinder Modification Program, unitizing gas system, Meloniting (AMS 2753) gas system to include gas plug, lock and front band with new 440 SS hard chrome piston.
SEI M-14 Scope Mount and Ring Package. Scope Mount, NSN 5855-01-506-5750, (P/N 2006), melonited heat-treated to AMS 2753, 4140 Chrome Moly and our 4140 Chrome Moly CNC machined 30mm Heavy Duty (HD) Tactical Tall M1913 Picatinny ring set, P/N 7018.
SEI Strap-On Check Pad in either black or desert camouflage, Cordura with PVC inserts (P/N 2020).
SEI Direct Connect Vortex® Sound Suppressor-capable Flash Eliminator, 8620 steel heat treated for High Wear (P/N 2000V).
Gas Lock Front Sight - Hooded (GLFS-H), or GLFS-Dovetail (GLFS-D).
SEI Extended Bolt Stop (EBS) (P/N 2010)
SEI standard, 4.5 pound tuned trigger assembly with oversized SEI S-7 tool steel triggers and hammer pins.
Redesigned SEI hammer and trigger springs for extreme long life.
Redesigned tool steel connector link pin for positive sustained and secure magazine changes.
Weapon finished in black phosphate, per appropriate MIL SPEC. Other finishes upon request.
Weapon is normally supplied with excellent-to-new condition SEI-modified USGI synthetic stock. Other stock configurations at extra cost and upon request.
M-1907 sniper/target sling in either leather or synthetic material.
Deep thermal cycling
 
You could get a used standard M1A with all USGI parts for around $1100 - $1200.
Click to expand...
I have seen standards at that price, but all usgi parts rifles I have seen went for 1500 and up. If all parts are the same manufacturer it even more.

There seems to be a lot of M1A's moving at ar15.com and m14firingline.com. Prices seemed to be at pre election levels. Some good buys in the 13-1500 dollar range. Some guys are selling to buy AR's and ammo, the price of 7.62 has run some off.
 
I see that SEI M14 on GB was built on a Poly Tech receiver, I've been reading good and bad about Poly Tech, is this generally a hit or miss receiver or more hit than miss? I guess LRBs the best and then there are the betters like USGI and others. Poly Tech is just good huh?

I've also scoured the ammo areas I know about on the web and can't seem to find prices on 1000 round cases of M118LR for this rifle, why would you shot anything less than what it's chambered for? Any sources you all know about?

As far as having one built in this current envriroment, I would asume that with all the military contracting he's involved with right now, he's probably backed up pretty good, not to mention the existing civilian customer backlog he probably has.

I'll check out some of those M1s for sale on other forms, sometimes expensive ammo can be a good thing, too bad I gave all my reloading stuff away, should have known.

Thanks Guys,

Scott
 
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