Best CA legal Semi-Auto

[The Dutchman]

I have always loved the M1A series rifles from springfield but I have also heard that they have had spotty quality control...while these may have not been from experts I am still unsure. Does anyone have any imput or recommendation of a M1A rifle or any rifle for that matter that is CA legal? This will be my first rifle by the way and I don't want to spend more than $1500.

 

[ArmedBear]

Volquartsen Custom makes a lot of nice semiautos under $1500.

Or you can get an AR. Find out how at calguns.net

What are your criteria? What do you want?

The M1A is a great gun. I hope you have a big ammo budget. .308 ain't cheap.

For $1500, I got a closet full of guns, though.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Kel Tec SU-16CA is a nice little rifle, comes with ten round mags, but can handle AR-15/M 16 mags. You can read more about it over on ktrange.com I believe.

Any M1A is going to be fairly expensive, but you might look into buying a Polytech or Norinco M1A. They aren't perfect, but you pick on up for around $600.00, then have the problems they have fixed by any of a variety of gunsmiths.

Hope this helps,

Dave

 

[jayhway]

I have always loved the M1A series rifles from springfield but I have also heard that they have had spotty quality control...while these may have not been from experts I am still unsure. Does anyone have any imput or recommendation of a M1A rifle or any rifle for that matter that is CA legal? This will be my first rifle by the way and I don't want to spend more than $1500.

At this time I'd highly suggest you get yourself a CA legal AR lower reciever. As posted above there are group buys in Northern and Southern California.

 

[Adventurer_96]

Another option - Cali-legal FAL.

www.dsarms.com
www.arizonaresponsesystems.com

Relatively easy to DIY if you want the experience, plus you don't have to worry about buying mags.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Man, I need to just start cutting and pasting. I'll go right to my standard spiel:

CA legal? Affordable? Respectable and way-cool?

M1 Garand from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (www.odcmp.com)

Mine ran me $390 delivered to my doorstep, no FFL required. I got the Danish Rack Grade, and the barrel was perfectly fine, so I never ended up rebarreling it to .308, though you could certainly do so if .308 is more affordable/available to you.

Way better than a Mini-14, far more durable than a Kel-Tec, way more accurate than an SKS, and 1/4 the price of an M1A. And if you don't end up liking it, I have no doubt that any shooter will give you at _least_ what you have into it to transfer it over to them at your local FFL dealer. Kinda like a "money-back guarantee."

There are tons of threads on THR that describe how to order from CMP, in perfect detail. Looks like you and the Search button have some good times ahead.

That's my vote for best CA legal semi at an affordable price.

Buy now while supplies last...

-MV

 

[Gordon]

The SOCOM M-1A is IT these days! It's what I'd buy if I didn't have a cave full of prebans!

 

[crazed_ss]

The best CA Legal Semi-Auto is the Springfield M1A and its variants.
Mini-14's are also legal here.

The SU-16CA is nice, but it feels too much like a toy to me and Top-Loading, Fixed-Mag AR-15's are just gay.

 

[jeffrice6]

CA. off list lower AR

 

[Kharn]

Definitely two or three not-yet-listed AR15 lowers (different brands, so one of them will likely be added to the list soon, etc). Build one into a complete rifle when its added to the assault rifles list.

Kharn

 

[30Cal]

I have always loved the M1A series rifles from springfield but I have also heard that they have had spotty quality control...while these may have not been from experts I am still unsure. Does anyone have any imput or recommendation of a M1A rifle or any rifle for that matter that is CA legal? This will be my first rifle by the way and I don't want to spend more than $1500.

For $1500, you can get an M1A capable of winning any highpower match. There's a preban supermatch over on www.jouster.com for that price.

 

[ArmedBear]

The best CA Legal Semi-Auto is the Springfield M1A and its variants.
Mini-14's are also legal here.

The SU-16CA is nice, but it feels too much like a toy to me and Top-Loading, Fixed-Mag AR-15's are just gay.

If you didn't yammer about this so much, you might get with the program, read up on it, and get yourself a CA-legal open-magwell AR.

But hey, whatever you want. As far as you know, a FAB-10 or similar Bushmaster are all you can get.

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW a Robinson Armaments M96 is also legal here as long as you don't put on the pistol grip.

Hmmm... Maybe there's a market for a quick-release feature.

Problem is, nobody seems to own the things, and for the price, I'm not surprised.

 

[MechAg94]

I have a Springfield standard model M1A and it works just fine for me. I don't have thousands of rounds through it, but I have been happy. No quality control issues. To be honest, I have only seen/heard a few very loud complaints. Overall, not that many at all. My experience with Springfield's customer service has been first rate (though that was with a mil-spec 1911 - broken slide stop).

As for others, I don't have to deal with those restrictions so I don't know much about that.

 

[crazed_ss]

If you didn't yammer about this so much, you might get with the program, read up on it, and get yourself a CA-legal open-magwell AR.

But hey, whatever you want. As far as you know, a FAB-10 or similar Bushmaster are all you can get.

Yea, but it still has to be a fixed mag.

Im convinced the DOJ wont add these to the AW list as that would give everyone the oppurtunity to build fully functional legal AR's with detachable mag.

 

[Black Majik]

I have a Springfield standard model M1A and it works just fine for me. I don't have thousands of rounds through it, but I have been happy. No quality control issues. To be honest, I have only seen/heard a few very loud complaints. Overall, not that many at all. My experience with Springfield's customer service has been first rate (though that was with a mil-spec 1911 - broken slide stop).

Agreed,

the ONLY semi-auto that ticks my fancy is the M1A/M14 variants. I also have a SA M1A that I've been quite pleased with, its accurate, reliable, and an all around fun rifle to shoot.

The other semi autos such as the PC9, SU16, Mini-14/30, CAL Legal FAL, dont really do much for me. They may be fun to shoot but I dont have any burning desire to go own one.

Currently though my funds are all placed in the AR lowers. Though if this whole AR thing does go through, that would definitely become my favorite CA legal Semi-auto (for some)

 

[ArmedBear]

Yea, but it still has to be a fixed mag.

Im convinced the DOJ wont add these to the AW list as that would give everyone the oppurtunity to build fully functional legal AR's with detachable mag.

ROTFLMAO

Wanna buy a Mini-14?

Stainless Ranch Rifle, synthetic, excellent condition, make offer. In SD. With 3 5-round Ruger mags, 4 10-rounders (2 Eagle, 1 Stainless unknown mfg works perfectly, 1 blue TripleK), Ruger stainless scope rings.

 

[ocabj]

Yea, but it still has to be a fixed mag.

Im convinced the DOJ wont add these to the AW list as that would give everyone the oppurtunity to build fully functional legal AR's with detachable mag.

I bet you thought SB23 wasn't going to pass back in 1999, either.

 

[Kenshin]

Yes, the M1A may be the best CA autoloader, but since they HAVE to be so expensive, not everybody can buy them, thus, their popularity isn't realized to its full potential.

 

[ArmedBear]

I bet you thought SB23 wasn't going to pass back in 1999, either.

Either way, I was ROTFLMAO.

"Give us the opportunity..."

One way, swap out a single part and you can shoot it anywhere, but you still have a fully-functional AR, readily converted under whatever circumstances make that desirable, like going to shoot in AZ. The other way, you don't have to swap the part, you just can't hunt with it or shoot it on all public land, just at the range, or in the next state. Either way, he really doesn't get it.

 

[mcmjr]

SKS + a crapload of ammo. This is your first rifle I would spend $200 for the SKS, shoot the crap out of it, hang out at the range try other people's rifles and once you have been shooting for a while, you can decide what you want next.

 

[ArmedBear]

SKS + a crapload of ammo. This is your first rifle I would spend $200 for the SKS, shoot the crap out of it, hang out at the range try other people's rifles and once you have been shooting for a while, you can decide what you want next.

That or a 10/22.

Don't spend $1500 before you really know what you want, through hands-on experience. Even within the Springfield lineup, there are lots of variations, and some are different enough to cause regret.

For $1500, you can get a decent .22 rifle for practice and plinking, a decent .22 pistol for same, a good shotgun with a couple barrels, an SKS, several good milsurp bolt actions from WW II (these won't be available so cheap forever, you know), and a centerfire handgun.

Or you can get an M1A and wish you could afford to put enough .308 through it so you can learn to shoot it well.

I'm being quite serious, here. You're giving up a lot of opportunity here, spending the money on an M1A as a first rifle. Maybe you have more money than me. If so, great. But if not, consider this carefully.

 

[ocabj]

I think the 10/22 is one of the best 'first' rifles to get. $150 gets you a nice autoloader with decent accuracy out of the box with tons of possible upgrades.

As far as a 'first' centerfire, besides the AR, I'd go with the Garand. You can a fully functional one for $350 + $22 shipping and you get one of the finest and most significant service rifle to exist. Why not the SKS? The SKS doesn't have the accuracy that is necessary to help build marksmanship, nor the sights. Plus, the Garand is a rifle that actually goes up in value after you buy it.

 

[mcmjr]

I don't think you should dismiss the SKS. I have a couple that are 2"-3" at 100yds with iron sights. Thats pretty good for your first rifle. Also I would not use anything more powerful than an intermediate round in order to learn proper technique. I let a friend of mine shoot my lightweight .308 and I noticed flinching after a couple rounds. Gave him my SKS and he really started to enjoy himself.