Which M1A?

Standard or loaded would meet your expectations within your budget if you look around.

I'd go for the loaded. This is the one I have been looking at for months now. I think Bud's has them (when in stock) for about $1575.

The 18" barrel and iron sights will do everything you are asking and more.
Get the Scout and convert it to Bush configuration.

Sell off the forward optic mount and hand guard with cut out.
Replace the cut out hand guard with a standard USGI hand guard.
Sell off the muzzle stabilizer and install a neutered GI flash suppressor with a taller NM sight.

Use your choice of synthetic, wood or modern stock.
This was my National Match Scout before I put into a SAGE EBR stock.



The MK14 Mod 0 & 1 configurations are also excellent choices.
Also, all of my M14s are custom built by Smith Enterprise, Inc. (SEI) on Norinco and Poly Tech receivers.

BTW, I have some standard M14s, but I never shoot them - the 18" versions are what I like best

What is your recommendation and why?

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Just don't forget that Springfield is not the only company out there.

If you do a custom build on an LRB receiver you can get exactly what you want.

Same with Fulton, they will build you exactly what you want.

Rather than the "cookie cutter" menu from SAI look around at all the folks building these rifles.

Nothing wrong with Springfield of course but they are NOT the only game in town.

$1500 might buy what you want, but this is a high dollar rifle. You might consider spending a little more to get exactly what you want rather than just take whatever you can find. It's a BIG investment.

Here is a Fulton shorty I had built, but with NM parts and a 2 stage trigger. For reference this one came in at around $1800 or so but it's been several years. The South African ammo is now worth more than the rifle

Yes I know the sling is on wrong, I had no idea how to use a 1907 when I got the rifle

I voted for the Standard M1A.

Springfield Armory is a good company, the Standard is the cheapest, and it should be accurate enough for your purposes.

The Loaded would not be a bad choice either.

If you're shooting targets only, do not get a SOCOM as the front sight is too wide.

SA Loaded.

IMHO it has the best options for the money. I also like the Scout rifle. I am not a fan of the SOCOM II or 16.

For the money, do you think it'd be worth going for the National Match over the Loaded?

Go for the gusto!

Go national match!

For what it's worth, I have two standards and either one of them will meet the criteria you listed, or at least they do for me. I highly recommend the standard or the loaded for your purposes. In my case the NM would be wasted on me, I couldn't do much better than I can with a standard. I have loads of fun with them and if SHTF I am completely confident in them. AMMO continues to be the problem, supply and prices are the pits. I never could get into the shorter models.

IMO, the loaded is the nicest value. You get some nice upgrades w/o breaking the bank and a gun you can grow into....enjoy!
PS...the std M1A is no slouch either -- if $$ is an issue, rest assured, it too is a fine shooter!

I'd go with the loaded. Definitely capable of doing everything you want.

I have 3 standards, all usgi, all preban.Thats what I would recomend to you. The most I ever spent was $1400 and that was last year for an unfired all USGI standard.

Standards are OK...


But I prefer the Bush, Scout and MK14 configurations

For the money, do you think it'd be worth going for the National Match over the Loaded?

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NO. IF/When you can out shoot the Loaded, then you can bed the stock and add the heavier barrel.

Otherwise,

The Loade comes with the National Match Barrel, Trigger & Sights.

The SA Inc M1A 'loaded' model doesn't come with NM sights. It has the NM front post, but the rear sight is a 'modified' rear with a 1MOA elevation and 1/2MOA windage adjustment rear sight with a hooded aperture. A true NM rear sight will have a 1/2x1/2 MOA rear sight.

It has the NM front post, but the rear sight is a 'modified' rear with a 1MOA elevation and 1/2MOA windage adjustment rear sight with a hooded aperture. A true NM rear sight will have a 1/2x1/2 MOA rear sight.

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The aperature gives you halves in elevation. For halves in windage, you need a different base and windage knob.


One thing to add: the Loaded is a full pound heavier than the standard.

Armscorp has been shut down by the ATF. You can still find their receivers, but Armscorp is no more.

The aperature gives you halves in elevation. For halves in windage, you need a different base and windage knob.

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I know that much, but I was under the assumption that you needed to get the "National Match" model (one step above the 'Loaded' in the SA Inc product line) to get the 1/2 MOA elevation sight.

I know that much, but I was under the assumption that you needed to get the "National Match" model (one step above the 'Loaded' in the SA Inc product line) to get the 1/2 MOA elevation sight.

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Dunno about the various models. If the aperture is hooded, then it's got halves for elevation. There is a different NM aperture which is like the regular GI one, just with a smaller hole. I think that's the one on the loaded.

I have a Springfield NM. The rifle is indeed one lb heavier than the Standard, and that lb is all in the barrel. This makes it handle significantly worse than the Standard. It's not unmanageable by any means, but it does feel worse than the rack-grade rifle.

This is because Springfield's NM barrel is a heavy match-grade barrel, as opposed to a match-grade standard-weight barrel (on the "real" M14 NM rifles) or a milspec barrel (like the Standard).

I'm not sure which barrel the Loaded has, but IIRC it is a standard-weight barrel. Could be wrong.

Mike

I think the SAI Loadeds come with the same medium-weight barrels that the SAI NM rifles do. And then the Super Match has the rear lug and the heavy-weight barrel. I could be wrong though.

From reading SAI's website, it appears that way.

Well then I lucked out because somehow my loaded came with NM Sights on front and rear. yes 1/2" adjustments.

It also comes with the stamped NM barrel and I do believe it is the "standard" not the "heavy" barrel.