M1a help please

Springfield Armory...Polytech is not even close to the same quality. Springfield Armory has the M1A business down pat....Or if you even wanted to go nicer, get a Fulton Armory.

I agree, not sure I would spend the money on a knock off, but that's just me. Plus, Springfield has a lifetime warranty, so they'll take care of any issues that might come up. Also, it's American made...

Springfield M1A all the way.
I prefer the walnut stocks, it's just a personal preference.

The poly has a very nice forged receiver if you are doing a custom ground up build. That is the only reason I would buy one. Buy the SA loaded, put a usgi extractor in it and it's gtg, you won't regret it.

I would go with walnut stock and the carbon barrel. M1A/M14 look and feel best in wood!

Also when considering an M1A you need to consider the extras as in the tools and accessories you need to keep it up. You may want to accurize it and add GI parts, a scope mount etc. Just some stuff to keep in mind.

Depends on your budget. The Chinese rifles generally work okay, and most USGI parts are interchangeable on them. I've got a Norinco, and the Chinese chrome lined barrel shoots fine on mine. I did replace the stock with a GI surplus walnut stock that looks better than the Chinese wood, and I've added some other US made parts so the GI flash hider with bayonet lug will be legal. I've got well under $1k invested in it, and I'm perfectly happy with the way it shoots, which is the main thing I'm interested in.

You could buy the Polytech, install a USGI bolt, and potentially have a better rifle than the Springfield.

But you won't have the lifetime warranty and Springfield's excellent customer support.

If there's a problem with the SAI rifle, Springfield will make it right.

The Polytech has a better receiver (forged instead of cast), and actually comes with a chrome-lined barrel, unlike the SAI. For my money, I'd take the Poly.

Part of it is that I don't like the heavy Loaded M1As with the medium weight barrel. The Polytech will be lighter weight. I'd check the headspace on the Polytech though, and if it is off, buy a GI bolt and have it fit to the rifle by a gunsmith. I might also replace the rear sight with a GI piece, and if it has one of those dummy flash hiders that some of them came with, I'd replace it with a NM hider.

New with a lifetime warranty, or used with no warranty? Ummmm, let me see. I think I'd go with the loaded Springfield. It's not like you're going to be purchasing several more M1As this year, at least you haven't expressed a desire to do so. I have an M1A Supermatch that was made in '93. No issues with the rifle. I tend to think as with many other weapons you get what you pay for with rare exceptions and at least Springfield will make things right for you. I put a little more money into my gun up front in order to avoid issues down the pike. My Supermatch is the only M1A I own so the quality of the rifle and the warranty was important to me. I could have saved some money and gone with an import, or some other knockoff, but I stayed with Springfield and haven't regretted it.

Is the argument that you would choose to support one economy (ours) over another economy (theirs), germane to your descision?

Mike

their economy is our economy

springfield armory

mmitch said:

Is the argument that you would choose to support one economy (ours) over another economy (theirs), germane to your descision?

Mike

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Shouldn't be. The Polytech is used. The ban on importing them has been in effect since long before the PRC became a significant threat to our economy.

Purchasing a Polytech puts money in another US citizen's hands, and does no more to hurt the US economy than purchasing any other second hand goods.

I cannot comment on the imported Polytech rifle but I can tell you that I have had an extremely positive exprerience with my Springfiel M1a - Loaded.

It is well made, has handled all the different ammo I have fed it and has functioned flawlessly.

The customer service from SA has been very good and I feel like any extra dollars spent on my M1a over an imported rifle has been money well spent and will more than pay off over my life and the lifetime of the rifle (whoever gets it after I am dead and gone, my sons can fight that one out.)

Also, and many may not agree, but I like knowing that my rifle was made in America. It is, after all, patterned on an American service rifle.

-D

word of advise when buying guns.......

whenever you try and save money.....it will cost you money. buy the M1A SAI and dont look back. the only people that buy those chineese M14s are looking for parts in a gun build.

spend the extra 500 and get yourself a good gun for crying out loud!

whenever you try and save money.....it will cost you money.

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That is only an opinion. There times when folks get extra value for $$$$ spent. I suppose the Winchester 52B I purchased a coupled of years ago for $50.00 in excellant condition only missing the papers and org. box as money ill spent?

Sounds like he got a good deal.

Good price!!! Pics are REQUIRED!!!!

BTW I wouldn't buy anything from Fulton right now...biggest news is FA new production M1A bolts are soft.....

Think resale...someday you may want to sell it.

Here is what one of mine turned into......

You will spend the $500 savings + to get the Polytech up to snuff and in the end will have a forged receiver rifle.
That said, I have three investment cast M1A rifles, all work just fine but none are exactly current factory either.
Mine all have USGI bolts, trigger groups, USGI or quality aftermarket operating rods and sight assemblies.
The gas systems use a mix of USGI and high quality aftermarket parts also.
One is on its third Spring Inc. barrel, one has a USGI barrel and the Match rifle is on its fourth aftermarket barrel.



Your question is a pertinent one.
'Is a Spring Inc. better than a Polytech, (In factory form)?'
In my humble opinion, no, both are comparable and both require a bit of work and tweaking to get them up to the standards of a genuine military issue basic M14 rifle.
Your other two questions which is better, a stainless steel barrel or a walnut stock?
Does either make the rifle shoot better?

A walnut stock will not make the gun shoot better, it will make the rifle look better.
A stainless steel barrel may, or may not, make the weapon shoot better, that is entirely up to the quality standards of the barrel.
As a general rule Spring Inc. S.S. barrels do tend to produce better groups than the chrome moly barrels. as is right from the box.

Polytec is Chinese. Normally their bolt is of softer metal.

Springfield Armory with out question.