what m1a would you choose?

Bacon

Love it! Love the camo paint job. Nice rifle...heres mine!

My interest in an M1A would not be as a modern combat rifle but as a replica of a 1950s service rifle.

Actually I just voted because the views count of 666 creeped me out.

I bought a USGI parts kit and had Jon Wolfe buid it up on a Fulton receiver with his Wolfe Modified Medium barrel, with NM sights and trigger. In a GI fiberglass stock this fills a niche as an example of the M14 Service Rifle, and in my JAE-100 G2 stock, SEI ACOG scope mount and TA33HG it serves as my precision rifle.

Between the parts kit, receiver, new barrel and assembly I have about $1900 in the rifle - and about the same again in the aluminum stock, scope mount and ACOG.

I've had all the MBR's (main battle rifle), H&K 91, PTR 91's, FAL's, AR-10's, Dragonov's, M1 Garands, and not that I disliked any of them, they were all a blast to shoot. But each had it's own little idiosyncracies that detracted from the overall rifle. With the exception of one. My SAI NM M1A. I had SAI custom built it for me about 18 years ago. The rest are gone but I still have my old reliable M1A. I have literally thousands of rounds through it and will still easily shoot MOA or even slightly less with my rifle prefered handloads. I originally bought the rifle as a standard M1A, shot the crap out of it for a couple of years then sent it back to SAI for the national match upgrade for a whopping $525 back in 1993. And they did a spectacular job. All other MBR's pale in comparison. It just has a feel that no other can match. It stands head and shoulders above the rest for accuracy. It's easy on brass. I have reloaded the same bras 6 and 7 times without annealing. One time I had a case separate and had to use a broken shell extractor. That was after several loadings. Low recoil. Super sights, even the standard sights are a whole level above the rest. It's never jammed and never failed to go bang.
The second photo is looking through the 2nd Gen Springfield scope at the "gong". The gong is the top 18" of an acytelene tank suspended by chain at 600 yrds. The day I took that photo I hit that gong 27 out of 30 tried and 14 times in a row. Not to bad I'd say. The rest are just wanna be's. The M1A is the real deal. If one is to spend big money on a MBR there simply is no other choice, IMHO

I voted for the loaded. All of the NM goodies without having to worry about the bedding.

I like the Standard, but would also seriously consider a Fulton w/ premium barrel.

i voted for the scout i had the socom16 and the stock was really ruff after 40-50 rnds my cheek was rubed raw becaue the stock was soo dang ruff

My own preference is for an LRB m-14, or else a Fulton arms M-14.

i just picked up a loaded with the walnut stock, i shot it for the first time today and i am so incredibly in love with this rifle i cant compare... what a joy to shoot, even when laying in muddy slush from last weeks snow haha

I chose the loaded model because I already own the Scout & SOCOM 16.

I just picked up super match M1A and am interested in suppressing it, what is that on yours? AAC 762SD? What steps did yu have to take? Did you do anything to the gas system to compensate?

I voted for the Standard, but I would not buy a brand new one from SAI. I would look for an older one built with GI parts. Springfield doesn't even offer a chrome lined barrel anymore. I can live with a cast receiver, and even a commercial bolt and trigger, but when you stop even having a CL barrel as an option, it just ceases to be a serious battle rifle anymore to me. I know the garand and lots of other great rifles had no chrome lining, but anything purporting to be a "battle rifle" produced after 1955 ought to have it IMO. There's just no reason not to. Maybe not for a competition rifle, hunting rifle, or range toy; but a battle rifle ought to.

Built by LRB Arms using their M14SA hammer forged receiver.

Barrel = Lrb (Criterion) 18.5in chrome lined std contour 18.5in

SEI parts = Vortex direct connect flash hider, DT-18 gas lock front sight base, and bolt stop/release.

Sadlak op-rod spring guide

Rest of parts = NIW/new/like new USGI.


11B

You left one out.

The Socom 16

I know you got the Socom II but What if I wanted the 16" barrel and no rails?
Thats my real choice...but because I didn't have that option. I chose the Scout.
RvR

couple months ago I got a new Springfield Armory M1A standard loaded with walnut stock and I love it, now saving up to get the scout squad also with walnut stock, meanwhile an Armalite AR10A2 got in the way first so the second M1A will have to wait a few more days.

Socom 16 minus all the rails, and add a Viltor adjutable lop pistol grip stock.