Im falling for the M1A hard...

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I hunt whitetail deer and feral hogs with mine.

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M1A-A1 Bush rifle with all GI (TRW) parts minus rec. and bbl.
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Weight = 8pounds as pictured minus the mag.



This one is built with an M14S Norinco receiver at it's heart...

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Criterion 18.5in chrome lined bbl with a Smith Vortex dc flash hider, and gas lock hooded front sight..
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GI parts include entire bolt assembly, trigger assembly, gas system, rear sight assembly, op=rod, connector lock, op=rod spring with Sadlak op=rod spring guide, and stock/hg.

Scope mount = ARMS#18 split rail.
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I prefer the shorter OAL of the 18inbbls, vs the std...... especially for hunting.
 
I have the M1A rifle and it is a great .308 battle rifle. However, I have discovered that there are different tools for different applications.
I suppose that the M1A could be the one and only rifle to do everything with, but my discovery has been that its not a great rifle to mount a scope on when a scoped rifle would be a better tool. I'd prefer to mount a scope on a rifle that was designed for it, say a bolt action.
The M1A is already a relatively heavy rifle, add a reliable mount and good scope and it then becomes a awkward heavier rifle.
If your hunting pigs in the brush the semi auto and .308 are great attributes, but the 22" barrel hanging out the front seems to grab even the slightest twig and it won't take much of that to start frustrating you.
If you catch a bunch of 'em out in the open then it'd probably be hard to beat, but I'd rather have an AK or SKS with hi-cap mags, more ammo and lighter recoil and just as devastating within 150 yards.
I recently bought a Remington 700 SPS Tactical which I plan on using primarily for hunting. I also own an AR in 6.8spc, which isn't .308, but is better than either 7.62X39 and .223. So that kind of leaves my M1A relegated to stopping suicide trucks :)
 
I am not a great photographer, but here are a my M1As

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Before I put my 'loaded' into the JAE-100 stock, i rigged it up for hunting. Complete with blaze orange stock. Put on your sunglasses.

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If you want iron sights the M1A well be one of the best you can find. It's cheap and easy to change the front post to NM .062. The rear aperture is inexpensive and easy to change. The M1A is heavy for a hunting rifle but not that heavy. Should take any North American game animal.

It was good parts support, you have a good choice of stocks, still usgi parts around although kind of spendy. I've seen some good prices at http://www.m14tfl.com

This is a all TRW usgi parts rifle with NM sights in a gi glass stock.

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M1A time to buy, pricing, places

If you really want an M1A, now is one of the best times to buy because many dealers are in a pinch and have to move inventory. www.gunsamerica.com has several Walnut, new in box, M1A, Model MA9102 Standard and the Loaded w/NM Barrel MA9226, in the $1200-1400 range. This is a great deal! I just went through their pages and found them, there are not many, but they are there and you don't have to play a bidding game. See item numbers: 955558441, 999594331, 912324044, 915145806, 975365989, 973276560.

I bought my National Match bells and whistles Walnut stock off Guns America but it was $1,700 at the time. Seems times have yielded even better prices now with the economy.

For comparison, you can look at Gallery of Guns pricing, www.aimsurplus.com, or the Springfield Armory (a hard site to navigate to the bottom line dollars).
 
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I love mine. First fell in love with the SOCOM II. But, having held one and researched it, I found out it has more draw backs then I like.
Found the 22" standard in Walnut to be my dream.
Now I want a Scout.
 

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I have an M1A scout and love it. Fun to shoot, accurate, only now I go through a ton more 308! (Which is a good thing, since I love to practice :) )
 
p.s....
M1As are great to hunt with. i blast mutant skunks with mine. here is one i got on a feeder last winter. the .308 really helps in taking these beasts down.

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If you can't kill or hit what you want with an M1A then maybe a person should take up knitting or some other "safer" hobby:neener:
M1A's are the bomb:D
 
great thread

Wow from me too. Now I think I might need one. Man.
Skunk? My gosh.
 
[edited by taliv]

i was just taking some pics w/ my dog and he rolled over. i thought the pics looked funny so there you have it. [edited by taliv]

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I thought that was funny, both times you posted it, Skipbo32.

[edited by taliv]
 
hey desidog,
i like that white stock you have. it would really look good with a few grey camo stripes on it.
 
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