Thanks for starting this thread, I've enjoyed reading it.
When it comes to ergonomics, and 'feel', everyone is different. We are all shaped different, with different preferences. To me, that's a huge reason to buy any platform over another: "What 'fits' you best?"
I own an M1A. I bought it new, in 'standard' configuration, 2 years ago. I bought into the hype that the new political admin was going to push to limit/ban/??? more guns, and I wanted to be grandfathered in if that did in fact happen. (I realize that's a debate for a separate thread, and I'm not trying to start it here, I was just sharing my motives for why and when I bought)
I wanted a .308 caliber battle rifle. And, I narrowed it down to 1) M1A, 2) AR-type, 3) FAL. Given the market status of the time frame, they were all harder to find, and really jumping in price. I had a friend that worked at a store, and he said he'd set aside a Armalite "kit" for me when they came in, if I didn't find one before then. It was going to be about $900. And frankly, I don't even know what would have been included in the 'kit'.
Having never shot any of those 3 platforms, I had no first-hand experience with any of them. I respect(ed) the pros and cons of each platform. But everything I 'knew' was based on books, articles, or second-hand statements from folks that had their biases. From what I could gather at that time, here's the jist of what I learned: AR-type is more sensitive to elements, and the DI is more accurate , FAL is less sensitive to elements, but less accurate but could deal with different ammo better. M1A was almost as accurate as the AR, and almost as rugged as the FAL. I was also talking to a few folks that had returned from the sandbox, with their observations of more of the M14s being placed back in service for both cartridge issues and environmental concerns. So when I got a phone call from a friend with a NIB Standard for $1200 (in that market), I jumped on it. I love the gun. But, I also put it into a SAGE stock, (a choice heavily influenced by the photos posted by H2OMAN here)
Now, I'm not trying to say that the M1A is any better or worse than the other platforms listed, but I'm just super-happy with mine. My standard came with a cruddy feeling plastic stock, but I didn't care. I wanted to put it into that SAGE stock. I love that SAGE, sure it's a little heavier, but I'm a bigger guy. So, I don't mind the weight. But... I'm also not lugging it around the desert, or jungle, and I realize that. But that SAGE also changed how it shoulders. And, I like it!
Personally, I WANT to put a DSA FAL (para) in my collection, as well as an original FN 'normal' one for historical purposes. But, I made my choice based on the potential that I might be able to only afford one before a potential ban was enacted. If I could only have one, I went with the M1A. Clearly, there has been no ban as of yet, so my fears have not materialized (thank God), but the prices haven't changed much either, so I didn't really cost myself any $$ with my haste. But, now, the 'next' rifle, I plan to buy an AR-type lower receiver, to secure the serial #.
I like mine, but I don't see any concrete reasons why it's clearly superior in all ways to other platforms. I want all of them in my collection.
PE