M1 Garand vs M1A Super match

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HammeringHank

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In need of help. I have a new M1 Garand .30-06 and a new .308 M1A Super Match. I want to sell one to buy a bolt gun. Can you tell me which rifle to keep. I do not hunt, only target shoot. I would like to shoot long range metal. I reload and have enough supplys for well over 1000 rounds each. Which rifle is more accurate, and why? I have never shot a M1 or M1A. And last, why is a bolt gun more accurate?
I am thanking you in advance for your help. Hank
I forgot to tell you I am LEFT HANDED.
 
Can you tell me which rifle to keep.
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That's easy. Sell the M1A. Keep the new Garand.
Which rifle is more accurate, and why?
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You would have to shoot them quite a bit to find that out. I would guess the M1A, but I've shot a Garand that was astonishingly accurate, and I mean crazy accurate, with the handloads the guy developed.
And last, why is a bolt gun more accurate?
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Click Here
 
If your goal is to get a bolt action rifle, I would have to ask what kind of rifle you are aiming towards. The M1A Super Match is essentially an open sight target rifle. If you want to do competitive CMP or Service Rifle competition, this is the rifle to keep. However, if you want magnified optics and consistent sub-MOA accuracy out of a bolt gun, and that bolt rifle is likely to be a .308, you would be best served by selling the M1A and replacing it with a bolt action rifle. I have yet to see an M1A that could consistently compete with a quality bolt action rifle when talking about accuracy. Most tactical and target Remington M700s are sub-MOA out of the box. When you go to a dedicated tactical rifle from a custom builder, or build one yourself, or buy a tactical rifle from someone like Sako or AI, you will have a rifle that will perform better than any M1A could for accuracy. As someone who dumped a ton of money into an M1A, I can tell you that it gets incredibly expensive, and ultimately is not cost effective, to try and get an M1A to even try and compete with a bolt action tactical rifle. In the end, you will find out that you will still not be able to produce the same accuracy. My M1A loaded to the hilt, at it's best, was only able to produce 1MOA. My out-of-the-box Remington M700 is consistently .5 MOA.

The Garand can also be used for CMP and Service Rifle competition, and is more of a nostalgia weapon IMO. Something that would be fun to shoot and show off, but to ultimately leave alone and not modify.
 
"NEW" M1 Garand?

By that do you mean one that was made in Illinois? Like your M1A is?
Then sell the M1 Garand. And buy a bolt in .308.
 
Southpaw here.

Shoot both and it will be obvious as to which one you will want to keep, provided you shoot left handed.

It seems that your looking to simply "target shoot", and since no mention of formal competition was mentioned, I would suggest that you shoot both, and find out as to which is "the most accurate" for you and the way you plan to shoot (Ie... shooting positions)



Are you asking for an accuracy comparison between a Springfield Armory Inc. M1A Supermatch vs a rack grade M1 Garand? I'll give you a hint. Take both next to each other and look at both rear sight apertures. Is the one on the SM hooded, while the M1 is not? Any differences in both concerning size of the aperture holes themselves? any bbl markings that you can see on the M1A's tube?
(Just the tip of the iceberg here.)


Request:
Please post pics of both rifles, as this will help others see what you actually are looking at now.

FWIW, I would not sell either to fund a bolt gun, regardless.

Reasons:

True M1 Garands will eventually dry up, and the folks who bought them CMP rack grade Garands will see this investment skyrocket. If you really want a custom built bolt gun by then, your M1 might just sell for enough to cover the bolt gun and the optics to go with it. ( I sold mine and regret it, but not enough to replace it on account of my addiction to the M1A/M14);)

M1A rifles of any model are not going to get any cheaper in the future either. You have one of the most southpaw friendly rifles out there. Enjoy it.


Last but not least, when you can honestly tell yourself that you can shoot both rifles to their full potential, then it might be worth it for you to sell one to fund a precision bolt gun at that time.

11B
 
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Really wouldn't sell either. Find another way to fund this venue. Both of them rifles are super nice. If and only if, I had to cut one loose, I would cut the Garand first. That supermatch with the rear lugged reciever is rare, I NEVER see them at any gunshows in the Dallas Texas area, and we have them like once a week, I've never seen one at the gun club I am a member of. Don't sell either.
 
Accuracy: Only way to tell is to experiment. With all guns accuracy may vary from individual specimens.

Range: .30-06 will have slightly better range/trajectory/velocity.

Whatever gun you choose to keep, it may be in your interest to get a bolt gun in the same caliber.

Good Luck
 
As P5 asked, is the Garand "new" as in a cast receiver made sometime after 1960, or just new to you?

If it is not GI, that would definitely be the one to sell. If the Garand is GI, and/or If you don't think you'll use the super match for a match rifle, or want to stay at the service-rifle level, keep the Garand.

If you think you'll ever want to scope one of them, the M1A would make a better platform. Finding a good mount will be a little pricey, but with the Garand you would either have to disassemble the rear sight for a B-square mount or have a scout-mount in front of the receiver.

Bolt rifles are considered more accurate since the action does not move during the shot. That said, there are plenty of bolt guns that are not accurate. Your M1A should be plenty accurate given that it should have been bedded and unitized by Springfield.

If you are looking to finance a high-end target rifle, selling the M1A would get you there quicker.

Both should be about the same for a lefty.

My personal opinion, if the Garand is GI, keep both. If the Garand is commercial, sell it and keep the M1A.
 
im curious about the "new garand" as well.

if it is a g.i. garand there is a good chance it will shoot just as well as the m1a. the only way to know is to have a little competition.

if the old m1 barks everytime you pull the trigger, and bites in 1"-2" groups @100yds, then i would likely sell the m1a.

unless you are holding a garand that is all original ww2, then you will likely get more money for the m1a, and still own a fantastic rifle that will have the old timers at your local range completely lovestruck (not to mention everyone else)
 
A SA super match M1A well out shoot a standard Garand, even most NM Garands. Most likely the shooter well be the limitation for both rifles. Why sell either one, if you want a bolt gun go buy one.

You own both these rifles and have never shot them?????
 
The new Garand I have is a IWO JIMA Comm. from Springfield. I believe its put together with G.I. parts. I think it's G.I. spec.
 
The Illinois Garand is of little to no collector value and when they came on the market some years back the MSRP was $995. At the same time the CMP was selling Greek Rack Grades for $295 plus shipping to your door.
The Illinois M1s have a cast receiver, new commercial barrel and a Boyd's stock. Some also had functioning issues, too.
 
That shows you how much I know. I will Keep the M1A and try to sell the Garand. Thank you very much for your input. Hank


Is the M1A a cast receiver also?
 
Yes but they give a lifetime warantee.

Try some posts and see if you can find someone who actually wore one out. I would not worry about the cast vs. forged issue. Sure I would like forged but at the end of the day I am not willing to pay the extra tariff to get forged. My cast M1A's have all held up well and had no issues with.
 
Here's a photo Hank
 

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Yes, the M1A is a cast receiver.
Maybe some one with more knowledge can chime in about the PolyTec or Lithgows. I thought they had some forged receivers.
 
Either one you sell, will come back to haunt you. You will be SORRY! Keep them, and get the bolt gun of your choice.
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I am living proof that this statement is very true. No bolt gun is worth either one of those rifles.
 
Again, just an opinion, but I wouldn't have a Garand (or any gun) I wasn't going to shoot. Some people may really prize commemorative guns, but shooting it would kill any value it has. For those that don't value them, they're not going to buy one anyway.

If you can sell the Garand for the $1200+ that other people are asking for out there, you can buy a GI garand from CMP to shoot and get started on a decent bolt gun.
 
The Poly technology M14/S (Sporter) rifles utilize forged receivers, as do the Norinco M14/S . I have owned both and shot quite a pile of 7.62x51mm as well as commercial 308 WIN through both types, and have yet to wear out either receiver. I like both equally well.

Here is some things that might be of interest to you.

* Neither of them (Poly's or Norinco's) come with a lifetime warranty as the cast SAI M1A receivers do.

* SAI customer service is excellent from my dealings with them regarding an XD service.


* The rifle with the ARMS #18 mount below is a Norinco, while the other is a Springfield Armory Inc (SAI) (Next to each other for comparison)

SANY1245.jpg
SANY1257.jpg
Note: I paid less for the entire Norinco rifle than it would have cost to buy an SAI stripped receiver, and after selling the chicom parts off that I didnt want....then purchasing the parts that I did want for this specific build, the total cost came to around the $800 mark (06-07). This rifle was built for the purposes of being a very reliable, durable shooter/hunting rig.... so I was not concerned about any collector or resale value.

If an American made 8620 hammer forged M14S receiver suits your fancy, then the following may be of interest for you.

http://www.lrbarms.com/m14receivers.html

http://www.762mmfirearms.com/8620hammerforgedsemiautomilspecm14receiver.aspx





11B
 
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I know zero about M1A's and Garands. What are you trying to show. Are they scope mounts. If they are I am very interested in the mount on the right. Please give info. Also, how would I mount a scope base on a Super Match. The manual warns you about stripping the rifle. Thanks



For those who want to know why I have'nt fired my rifles or handguns for that matter. I am retired and have health problems the past few years and I am now in a wheel chair. Unable to leave the house at this time.
 
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