M1a
- Thread starter 2002ford
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Riomouse911
Contributing Member
They are cool 
.
Stay safe.
.Stay safe.
Charlie98
Member
It's a rifleman's rifle! You'll want to learn how to clean and maintain it, though... keep it happy, and it'll keep you happy.
If you are going to handload for it, there are a few generic recipes for easy success.
If you are going to handload for it, there are a few generic recipes for easy success.
Kingcreek
Member
Shoot it without the scope and bayonet and then decide how you want to accessorize it.
Unless you’re just going for a certain look.
Great battle rifle that can be quite accurate and loads of fun to shoot. Easy to reload for, proven platform.
Congrats.
Unless you’re just going for a certain look.
Great battle rifle that can be quite accurate and loads of fun to shoot. Easy to reload for, proven platform.
Congrats.
bangswitch
Member
I highly recommend this book. Beyond military armorer manuals, I think it's the best book out there on the M1A/M14.
reloading for the M1A is NOT the same as for a .308 rifle. The op rod is sensitive to burn rate and there is a relatively narrow range of powders it will work well without risking damage. I use Varget, H4895 and IMR 4895. I use Hornady's .308 Service Rifle loading data. My best loads are 41.5 grains H4895 with a 168 grain Sierra Match HPBT, but you need to try a range of loadings to determine what yours likes best. Also play with the bullet's jump distance.
I agree, shoot it naked for a while and see just how good a rifle it can be. I would also leave the bayonet off when shooting. It isn't necessary and can also affect accuracy.
Charlie98
Member
I'm an iron sight kind of guy... I just shoot mine the old fashioned way...
Be prepared... it can have an insatiable appetite...
Be prepared... it can have an insatiable appetite...
nettlle
Contributing Member
M1A was something I always wanted and got one for my retirement present a couple of years ago. Money well spent.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
Nice rifle congrats. 
I earned my Distinguished, and a Regional Gold with a M1a. Have lots of fond memories of shooting the thing at Camp Perry. Guess I forget the memories of hauling target frames up and down in 90 F weather (sweated out gallons of water!) and waiting for the Coast Guard to chase fisherman from the impact area on the lake.
Since the 7.62 round was developed with, and the National Match ammunition was loaded with, IMR 4895, I consider any of the IMR 4895 type powders to be the first choice for this mechanism. That is, IMR 4895, H4895, and AA2495. AA2495 was blended to the same pressure curve as IMR 4895, but stupidly Accurate Arms named it 2495, and that confuses everyone. Just buy by price. You won't need the "extreme" charactertics of H4895, as you should not be loading at pressures where the technology is supposed to be doing something. You will always be limited by the gas system on this rifle. It was set up to function in a limited range of pressures. Stay there, and your rifle will chug away without a malfunction.
I never got to shoot a real M14, however a M1a was good enough. Mine was dead nuts reliable. You use loads like a 150 with 42.5 grs IMR 4985, or a max of 41.5 grains IMR 4895 with a 168, (I started at 40.5 grs with a new barrel and worked my way up to 41.5 as the throat eroded) or 40.5 to 41.0 with a 175 SMK. Keep your loads within those limites and you will not over accelerate the operating rod and bolt. There is absolutely no need to hot rod a M1a, and doing so is hard on the gun. If you reload, always full length resize your brass, preferably with a small base die to reduce the cases to factory dimensions. And always use the least sensitive primers you can, which current are the CCI #34's. Slamfires are real, and this mechanism, along with the Garand and M1 carbine, slamfires are controlled by primer sensitivity. There is no effective mechanical block preventing that free floating firing pin from rebounding off that primer. That is why you want to use small based dies, as you do not want any resistance to chambering. If the mechanism has to crunch fit a case to the chamber, that firing pin will be rebounding off the primer either when the bolt is out of battery, or partially out of battery. Using the least sensitive primers you can find will reduce the chances of a slamfire, but sensitive primers exist. Having the case smaller than the chamber reduces the chances of an out of battery slamfire.
If you shoot factory ammunition, use the stuff labled for M1a only:
The military did not want a mini 300 H&H magnum as a service rifle, though one member is making the case that is what a Garand should be. This ammunition was loaded with a 168 grain bullet, and 2650 fps is just fine in this rifle. Another reason to use "for M1a" is that the primers should be the less sensitive military primer.
Always feed cases from the magazine to slow the forward movement of the bolt. Don't drop a round in the chamber and hit the bolt release.
Since the 7.62 round was developed with, and the National Match ammunition was loaded with, IMR 4895, I consider any of the IMR 4895 type powders to be the first choice for this mechanism. That is, IMR 4895, H4895, and AA2495. AA2495 was blended to the same pressure curve as IMR 4895, but stupidly Accurate Arms named it 2495, and that confuses everyone. Just buy by price. You won't need the "extreme" charactertics of H4895, as you should not be loading at pressures where the technology is supposed to be doing something. You will always be limited by the gas system on this rifle. It was set up to function in a limited range of pressures. Stay there, and your rifle will chug away without a malfunction.
I never got to shoot a real M14, however a M1a was good enough. Mine was dead nuts reliable. You use loads like a 150 with 42.5 grs IMR 4985, or a max of 41.5 grains IMR 4895 with a 168, (I started at 40.5 grs with a new barrel and worked my way up to 41.5 as the throat eroded) or 40.5 to 41.0 with a 175 SMK. Keep your loads within those limites and you will not over accelerate the operating rod and bolt. There is absolutely no need to hot rod a M1a, and doing so is hard on the gun. If you reload, always full length resize your brass, preferably with a small base die to reduce the cases to factory dimensions. And always use the least sensitive primers you can, which current are the CCI #34's. Slamfires are real, and this mechanism, along with the Garand and M1 carbine, slamfires are controlled by primer sensitivity. There is no effective mechanical block preventing that free floating firing pin from rebounding off that primer. That is why you want to use small based dies, as you do not want any resistance to chambering. If the mechanism has to crunch fit a case to the chamber, that firing pin will be rebounding off the primer either when the bolt is out of battery, or partially out of battery. Using the least sensitive primers you can find will reduce the chances of a slamfire, but sensitive primers exist. Having the case smaller than the chamber reduces the chances of an out of battery slamfire.
If you shoot factory ammunition, use the stuff labled for M1a only:
The military did not want a mini 300 H&H magnum as a service rifle, though one member is making the case that is what a Garand should be. This ammunition was loaded with a 168 grain bullet, and 2650 fps is just fine in this rifle. Another reason to use "for M1a" is that the primers should be the less sensitive military primer.
Always feed cases from the magazine to slow the forward movement of the bolt. Don't drop a round in the chamber and hit the bolt release.
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thump_rrr
Member
I shot this target at 600M with my M1A National Match with peep sights nearly 11 years to the day.
September 8 2013
September 8 2013
Thanks everyone for the replies. Very good information on here. I'm not going to shoot it with the bayonet obviously. Lol. Unfortunately my eyes aren't the greatest anymore hence the optic. I didn't know you had to reload like a garand though. Right now I have varget, tac, and I think 1 pound of imr4895. Bullets I have factory second 168 gr match king and berrys 150gr. Primers are nato large rifle primers from years ago.
Somewhere I saw a picture of m14 in Ukraine I think. Anyway they had awesome cheek rests looked like metal screwed on.When I put a scope on mine ( old eyes ) I found I had to put a cheek piece on it to get a decent cheek weld! I forget the brand but it is a strap on. Now lets keep our minds out of the gutter
AlexanderA
Member
If you can find them for a reasonable price, I would recommend the issue bipod and compensator. These were intended for the squad automatic version, but they're equally applicable to a scoped Designated Marksman rifle. The compensator slips over the standard flash hider, and locks down on the bayonet stud. (Obviously you can't use a bayonet if the compensator is installed.)
Charlie98
Member
Then you are fairly well stacked.
I would run the IMR4895 with the 168's, and you can use TAC for the 150's. I will tell you, in my fairly limited testing, TAC does not like Magnum primers... and arsenal (NATO) primers are to be considered Magnum primers. If all you are loading is blasting ammos, it won't make a difference (I load CCI arsenal primers with TAC and 150's for blasting ammos meself...) but if you are trying to shoot for accuracy, maybe try both, and see if there is a notable difference.
I have loaded TAC with 168's, and it did very well... but I usually recommend either IMR4895 or IMR4064 for that bullet in the M1a... it's the Easy Button.
The key to safe handloading in the M1a (or Garand) is to make sure the primer... ANY primer... is seated at or slightly below flush.
tark
Member
That is an interesting picture in the cover of that book. The selector is set on Full auto but the connector assembly is missing from the gun. Looks like a civilian M-1A with an actual M-14 stock and a dummy select fire switch.
Anywhooo... I have a Bula Armaments M-14 that I love. Is it as accurate as an AR? No. Of course not. But is it far more fun than an AR? For me, that answer is yes!
Kingcreek
Member
If you can find a copy of Art Alphin’s A Squared book on reloading for rifle, it has an excellent section on the M14/M1a and reloading for it.
I always used LC match brass, 39.5g 4895, pulled 150s or 168g SMK. I never saw any reason to experiment with other combinations.
I always used LC match brass, 39.5g 4895, pulled 150s or 168g SMK. I never saw any reason to experiment with other combinations.
AlexanderA
Member
Good catch. Yes, that's a fake selector.
On mine, I very carefully carved a plug out of matching walnut and epoxied it in place. (This was part of the whole epoxy bedding process.)
(The scope mount is an army-contract Brookfield Precision. Sadlak makes the current version, which has Picatinny cross slots instead of the irregular Weaver slots. Only difference.)
(The National Match iron sights are usable with the scope mount in place.)
Charlie98
Member
Same here. When I bought my M1a, I also ordered a surplus stock from Fred's. It dropped right in, and I was happy with it... until I started to shoot it. Accuracy went from very good in the USGI fiberglass stock it came in, to... 'what the hecken happened to my rifle???' ...the accuracy was that bad. Pulled it out, dropped it back in fiberglass... and it tightened right up at the target. So... if I plan on shooting it in wood, I'll have to do some accurization, first.
Once I refinish the walnut stock, I've got a dummy selector lockout button to fill the gap in the stock.
I also found out, my rifle was one of the last ones that came in USGI fiberglass. Shortly after, Springfield must have ran out, and switched to their own stock, identified by the checkering, and some would say, the flimsy feel to it.
EMC45
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2008
- Messages
- 2,295
They are good shooters. I have fired them in semi and full auto and will say give me semi auto all day long. Controllable, accurate and a fun gun to shoot.
Buddy of mine had just the plain jain standard M1A and we were shooting irons with Chinasports steel cased .308 from it and it was holding tight and hanging in there. Good guns.
Buddy of mine had just the plain jain standard M1A and we were shooting irons with Chinasports steel cased .308 from it and it was holding tight and hanging in there. Good guns.
Frulk
Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2018
- Messages
- 1,929
Put me in the some would say it’s flimsy group. It’s definitely not as rigid as your fiberglass version.
Not looking at driving nails with it at 400-500 yards. Local range is 100 yards and occasionally somewhat longer when I take it out in the desert.
The OEM just FEELS cheap so the wood is more an aesthetic upgrade.
AlexanderA
Member
The rifle deserved the extra attention I lavished on it. It's one of the early "Devine, Texas" guns with serial number under 1,000. All GI parts except the receiver. I bought it new in 1973. It cost me $260. (Worth much, much more than that now.)
It originally came with a GI fiberglass stock. For $20 extra, I replaced that with a National Match walnut stock (that you see in the pictures). This stock was pre-routed for epoxy bedding, which I proceeded to do.
I also have a Boyds heavy target stock, without the cutout for the selector. Unfortunately it's too thick to allow the bipod to fold flush.
