Springfield Armory S/N's

[10-Ring]

A buddy picked up a M1A on gunbroker. The serial number has the letters 'NM' in it. Buddy says the NM means it's a 'National Match' -- I say that it's like their handguns and the NM signifies it's 'Not Made' in the US. Is the truth anywhere close?
TIA

 

[wayne in boca]

National Match.I believe it signifies a rear-lugged receiver as well,but not sure of that.

 

[Detritus]

I say that it's like their handguns and the NM signifies it's 'Not Made' in the US. Is the truth anywhere close

actually you have that part backwards... NM usually signifies that it qualifies as "US made" in the case of their 1911s.

can't answer for the M1A as every example i've looked at close enough to read the Ser# has been a National Match, Super match, or built from an SM type lugged receiver.

National Match.I believe it signifies a rear-lugged receiver as well,but not sure of that.

Lugged receivers start at the Super Match model

 

[Slamfire]

The serial number has the letters 'NM' in it. Buddy says the NM means it's a 'National Match' -- I say that it's like their handguns and the NM signifies it's 'Not Made' in the US. Is the truth anywhere close?

Dinosaurs were still roaming the firing line when I purchased my NM and Super Match M1a's. So it has been a while.

But I have never seen a Springfield Armory receiver stamped with the serial number and "NM".

True factory NM rifles, and those were the primo rifles up till the early 90's, there is nothing on the receivers to distinguish them from a standard M1a. The Super Match rifles, and I have one of the first which I bought in the early 90's, those were rear lugged. Nothing unusual about the serial number.

Some of the NM rifles had military sights, and some had military NM barrels. The NM and Super Match rifles had all GI parts except for the stock and barrel.

I don't know what an Armscorp or a Federal Ordnance says on the receiver. Lots of people built match rifles around Armscorp receivers. And I have seen a few decent match rifles built around Federal Ordnance receivers.