Springfeild M1a IDF sniper

[jimsmith80]

I have an M1A sniper configured that has the star of david on the reciver and the serial number is IDF***. It has the case, manual, scope, mount bipod, and the certifiac.
Does anyone know anything about these rifles. From what I have been able to find there was somethere between 200-500 of them that where re-imported, demilled and sold with the IDF case and gear.
There does not seem to be alot of imformation on these rifles. Any imformation would be most useful

 

[Sunray]

Rumour has it that the Israeli's bought some M1A's for just that purpose. Mind you, they're decidedly close mouthed about any military acquisitions or disposals. A Star of David is a good indication they owned the rifle at some point. They likely found that a commercial target rifle isn't the same thing as a rebuilt M14.
The action bedded?
"...the certifiac..." Certificate? From who? What does it say?

 

[jimsmith80]

The "certificate" is from springfeild stating that the rifle was used by the IDF. The case has the sighout log for the shooters and some spotters who where issued the rifle. The barrel is a national match (NM stamp on barrel). I don' know if its bedded because taking an M14 apart to check means having to re calibrate everything and puts wear one the rifle. (As I was told by 2 sniper instructors, and 1 depot armorer) And as the thing shoots .5 MOA I think i won't mess with it. The scope is a nimrod 6x that is came with. I have since however put that one in the safe and put a leupold 4.5-14 on it. Now why would a commerical M1a not be a good as a rebuilt 14? But these are suppose to be rebuilt M14's so? Just wondering is what way would the commerical not be as good?

 

[Sunray]

Hi. I'd bet its a standard NM M1A with a bunch of provenance and history.
Have a semi'd, Winchester, M14 with the issue synthetic stock. Find the light weight of the stock increases the muzzle jump. Not the recoil. Cost me $600Cdn when that was a lot of money. Mind you, semi'd M14's have been declared evil up here. 'Once and MG always an MG' too. It's neat, but not as good as my M1 Rifle. No rifle is though. Not even my '03A4, that'll shoot circles around my M1. There's just something an M1 has that no other rifle has.
"...I won't mess with it..." I wouldn't either. You should be able to see the bedding material in the receiver area. A thin line of a different colour than the stock. Worked in the Canadian distributor's shop, long ago. Before there was such a thing as an NM. Standard, Match and Supermatch, only, in those days. Late 70's/early 80's. The Match and Supermatch were factory bedded with no stock cut for the evil parts. M1A's were long dollars vs pay scales then too.
"..."certificate" is from Springfield..." Documentation doesn't get any better than that. It give a date of manufacture? Just curious. Early M1A's were built with milsurp receivers and parts. Before the ATF declared 'Once and MG always an MG'.
"...the thing shoots .5 MOA..." What ammo? Changing the scope when it shoots like that isn't a good idea. That means sighting in again. Not that that will change how it shoots. Scopes don't do that.
"...means having to re-calibrate everything and puts wear on the rifle..." Re-calibrate what? Wear on what rifle part? It's not a big deal, but, and it makes no sense to me, that the action needs a few shots to settle it in the bedded stock.
"...why would a commerical M1A not be a good as..." Daft assumptions that cast receivers are somehow not as good as a forged receiver. Been telling the M1A/M14 receiver 'snobs' that their engine blocks are cast forever.

 

[Riss]

"...why would a commerical M1A not be a good as..." Daft assumptions that cast receivers are somehow not as good as a forged receiver. Been telling the M1A/M14 receiver 'snobs' that their engine blocks are cast forever.

As far as I know that came about because the entire gun at one time was made with military surplus parts. The newer models were made with commercially made "aftermarket" parts, not with genuine USGI milsurp. Not sure if this held true for the receivers, but it is what I have read about the earlier vs more recent parts.

 

[jimsmith80]

I miss spoke so let me clear it up. The 6x nimrod scope came with it and I set it aside still mounted and put the leupold on a new mount and been using that to shoot the .5 moa groups. The loads where black hills 168gr BTHP. Great ammo all my .308s love it. As for the bedding, yes it is. Sorry I was always an AR15 guy and just kinda fell into this M1a, love it though. As for the remoing from the stock I was told that everytime the rifle has to "settle" back in it creates a new void in the bedding and if done say 15 times will destroy the bedding. Again I was told this and figure that as long as it shoots I will listen to this advice as ther is not reason for that level of dissambely. The stock is not a normal stock. It is more like what you see on their New M25 "white feather" M1a's. The check rest elevated for the scope, and is a very heavy black ..Fiberglass & resin (?).
The certificate says "Springfield Armory cartifires that the IDF M14 rifle serial # ****** is an original military sniper rifle used by IDF soldiers." It is certified by Tom Reese Co-Chairman Sprinffield Inc.
It does not give a manfancture date, and the signature is in pen ink.
Damn 600cdn for your rifle!! Hey I'd give you 800$ for it if you where'nt in Canada! Kidding, Man I could never stay up there with all of their gun laws! At least you got a good rifle before All of them where gone. They are trying the same here and they are "evil" here now too. (Always where? )

 

[Riss]

I do recall seeing an IDF rifle years ago, with a Nimrod scope in a black fiberglassed stock. Do a search online and you should easily be able to verify how the IDF had their rifles outfitted.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

http://www.geocities.com/mazanga9/IDF/IDFSnipingSharpshootingPhoto1.htm

Look anything like this?

Some add'l info.

http://www.alpharubicon.com/leo/m14typeriflesd.htm

 

[jimsmith80]

Dryhumor. Yes this website shows it http://www.geocities.com/mazanga9/IDF/IDFSnipingSharpshootingPhoto1.htm It is EXACTLY that same stock, scope, bipod, etc. It's a great rifle I just have not seen another one in the US or in civilan hands. I want imformation on the ones that are in te states, but so far no luck.

 

[Sunray]

"...Damn 600cdn for your rifle!!..." It wasn't recently. 30 years ago. Paid $175Cdn for my 1903A4 without a scope(Issue scopes were about $200US at the time. That was nearly a week's pay.) Same money for my M1 Rifle. The M1 I bought in the 70's. Early 80's for the '03A4.
"...trying the same here..." Your ATF has already done it. Our idiots got the 'Once and MG always an MG' nonsense from them.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

jimsmith80, I seem to think I saw one very similar about 2 or 3 years ago.

I've slept too many times since then, I do recall that the guy selling it was asking slightly over $2000.00 for it.

I wasn't in the market for one so I didn't key in on it hard enough to stay in the memory.

 

[homey308]

M1A IDF Info

Here is direct info from Springfield:

Hi Phillip,

The IDF (Israeli Defense Force) rifles originally had full auto receivers which were removed and destroyed in Israel. Newly produced receivers were then used to assemble these parts into rifles. The new receivers had special markings and serial numbers. A Star of David is engraved below the special serial number (IDFxxx). Various other parts had Hebrew markings too.
We also installed national match medium weight barrels on them.
There were less than 600 of these rifles made.


Thanks,

Lisa McCallister
Springfield Armory
1-800-617-6729 or
1-309-944-8973
fax: 309-944-8490
[email protected]

Mine is for sale here:
www.m1a308idf.info

Phillip


________________________________________

 

[Brenjen]

I know it's a thread bump but just in case anyone is still following it; I own one of these myself & mine appears to have all genuine (mixed) USGI parts aside from the commercial SAI receiver & NM barrel.

If anyone has any questions that I can help with I'd be glad to help. In the meantime can anyone help me?

My rifle has a piece of leather in the bottom of the op-rod tube, where the spring rests at the gas cylinder end. I thought for quite a while it was old cosmoline but after digging a piece of it out I found it was leather. Does anyone on the planet earth know why in the heck that's in there?

 

[Bob R]

Here is a 5 year old thread that I put info into on another board.

http://www.m14tfl.com/upload/showthread.php?t=5910



bob

 

[Brenjen]

Yeah I've read that before as I'm also a member on TFL; any idea why, how etc. a piece of leather got into the bottom of my rifle's op-rod tube?

Might check in the bottom of yours (if you still own the IDF rifle) & see if it's a common application of "in the field" grunt work. I believe that this was a dangerous attempt at a shim/buffer. As a matter of fact I'd appreciate it if anyone who owns one of these rifles after reading this, that they use a flashlight & look down into the bottom of their op-rod (spring removed - out of rifle of course) & see if they too have an obstruction in there like this & post up!

And for anyone wondering - I bought the rifle from Springfield Armory Inc. directly (through a local FFL ordered by phone & I was there when it was delivered) not a second party. It is exactly the way they sold it to me.

 

[glocktoys]

sounds great, hope you can get more info on it