M1A (SA, Inc.) and using stripper clips

[Z-Michigan]

I have a fairly plain jane Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A, and recently got some 10rd stripper clips to try with it. If you own an M1A/M14 you know that a stripper clip guide is built into the gun. Anyway, I got the clips to work and loaded a magazine with them, but I had a difficult time getting the clip to slide into the guide. It had to be at a precise, perfectly vertical angle, and still took some effort even then. Is this the norm or does it suggest something is out of whack?

I am wondering if my clips (stripper clips) might be a bit oversize. They are Chinese imports that I got from keepshooting.com*, with a galvanized body and blued spring. I haven't had a chance to try them in any other type of gun - offhand I don't even know what other common .308s will use stripper clips. *This style:

http://www.keepshooting.com/firearmaccessories/add-ons/308-stripper-clips.htm

Also, does anyone know where I can get some genuine USGI, US-made stripper clips at a reasonable price? The few places I've found (like DSA) are selling them for $1 or more each, and I'm not even sure that they are US made or USGI.

 

[Onmilo]

The Chinese build on the metric standard and the Americans build on the English standard, that should answer your question.
I'll bet they function just fine in a Chinese M14 copy.

 

[Bwana John]

Try real 5 rounders, I dont think there is a mil-spec 10 round stripper.

FAL strippers work well in M-14s also.

 

[Rshooter]

Pretty much everybody I know is out of them but there is some Radway ammunition on stripper clips available...your best bet.

 

[ChronoCube]

I have 10 rd clips that I got for $10/pack of 20 at a gun show. They might be repackaged surplus, not sure. I haven't tried it in an M1A but they work fine in an Ishapore 2A.

One problem I had was that the ammo tended to fall out of the clips through the middle (as opposed to at the ends). To remedy that, I took pliers and squeezed the clips to be tighter. Maybe that will help your situation too?

 

[wcwhitey]

Use five round clips. As mentioned still some Radway loaded on them around. Still plenty available in bunches.

 

[Jeremy2171]

10 rounds stripper clips = repo..

only USGI clips for M14 are 5 rnd.

 

[wayne in boca]

Seems like some Australian SLR (FAL) clips were 10 round.They suck.But so do USGI 5 rounders when loading them into a rifle.Loading mags with a charger guide is the way I remember mostly doing it.I have around 50 of them but hardly ever use them.

 

[Average Joe]

Use the USGI 5 round clips , and they will work fine.

 

[One-Time]

Even Mauser Clips should work, they fit the base of a .308 perfectly