Springfield M1A NM Questions

[cmdc]

I am getting one and want to know what out-of-the-box accuracy I can expect. I have a Nikon M 308 4-16 power scope I was thinking about putting on it but am open to suggestions, and would like advice about mounts as well.

Thanks

 

[TurtlePhish]

With good ammo, probably 1.5-2MOA. M1As aren't really the pinnacle of accuracy, but they aren't bad either.

 

[nathan]

Prepare to bear the weight with a fully loaded mag . I remember the time when i had my scoped STG 58 and loaded with a 20rd mag. That was a heavy rig but lots of pure firepower. I sold it after owning for 10 yrs. I rather have the Garand .

 

[fragout]

If your plan is to add optics, then I would recomend the following mounts...

1. ARMS #18 : This mount will produce the lowest profile to that of the rifle, but with the type of scope you mentioned, you will still need to raise your cheekweld in some way. A lace on cheek piece or a bolt on adjustable riser.

The adjustable riser is the most solid type that I have used, but it will require a permenant modification thru the stock. Lace on risers, or velcro types will not require any holes thru the stock.

2. Sadlak : Very good quality, and can be custom ordered to precisely fit your rifle's receiver if she measures out "different". For proper cheekweld, refer above.

3. Smith Enterprise Inc. : We use this mount on M14 rifles at work. Another rock solid mount from my dealings with them. Again......refer above concerning cheekweld.

4. Bassett : The most simple to use mount of any, and so simple it does not appear that it would even closely resemble a solid way to mount optics over the receiver. Once you zero the optic, you can remove the mount with optic in place, and reinstall later. Your origional zero should be around 1MOA or better, if you follow the directions the same way every time.
Refer to above concerning cheekweld.

Recomendations with a NIB M1A......

1. It's been awhile for me now, but SAI used to ship um out with some sort of "preservative" grease like substance smeared all over them. If this is still the case, carefully dissassemble the rifle... clean that stuff off of it....then apply your favorite rifle grease in all the right spots for lubricant.

2. Stick with quality mags. ( SAI/CMI/USGI). Others will land between "hit and miss" to " pullin your hair out".

3. I have not had any good fortune when it comes to any SAI mounts. 4gen mounts might be the exception, as I have not tried one out before.

4. Match ammunition will produce the best results, unless you reload for this specific rifle. ( Federal, Hornaday, Black hills, and Winchester make some decent commercial fodder for these types of rifles IMO. Try a few match loads and see which load your rifle likes.

5. Out of box accuracy. ( Has more to do with the nut behind the butt than the rifle. Just my 02 here.
FWIW...... most of mine are not bedded action -med weight tubes like the NM you have, but if I can see it, I can put a 7.62 hole thru it.
Basic fundementals of marsksmanship apply.

6. Good quality rings are another portion of optics on this type of rifle. They do not have to be super wallet bustin rings.........but quality rings. Keep them low enough to allow the bell to clear the rear sight assembly, as the higher you go, the more cheekweld adjustment you will need to get up there behind the scope.

Note: I keep a "shooter's log" on mine. ( Simply put....a record of a specific rifle with me doing the trigger pullin.....

In short..... you have a fine rifle there that sports a "user freindly" lifetime warranty with excellent customer service to back it up, should you have any issues. ( Reloaded ammo voids this however) Go have some fun with it, and post some results after ya get aquainted with her.



11B

 

[Geno]

You can look into the Vltor upper rails. They are extremely solid. The only other mount that I have found to my liking is the A.R.M.S. 18. Pay attention to ring height. Others already have mentioned cheek position.

I have a new, unused A.R.M.S. mount if you are interested. I decided to go with the Vltor upper, and so I do not use the A.R.M.S. 18.

Geno

 

[cacoltguy]

Springfield guarantees 1.5 moa for a National Match I believe. With my handloads I can get 1 moa on a good day but its not repeatable day in, day out. I would consider it a solid 2 moa rifle. I recently scoped mine and went with the basset mount. Best mount for the money and one of the few that won't shoot loose on an M1A. The sadlaks get good reviews as well. As far as any other mounts out there for an M1A beware. Most of them are junk and won't stay put. Scope mounting is a weak point for M1A's and only a few companies have been able to get it right. Springfield suprisingly isn't one of them. Depending on the generaltion, their mounts are junk too.

 

[Welding Rod]

I would seriously consider something other than a SAI M14 clone.

I have owned 4 and 3 had problems, 2 requiring warranty work. My Super Match was a POS. It was also no more accurate than my Standard or Loaded which are pretty darn good shooters. Both are Sub 2 MOA guns (5 shot) with occasional 5 shot groups down close to 1 MOA.

Plus the SM is DAMN heavy. The barrel is massive.

I would consider a gun from Fulton or some other alternative.

I would also consider selecting a lighter profile barrel unless you are sure you can use the extra heft to some advantage.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

On a really good day, using bags on the bench I, could get 3 shot groups under an inch. This was with hand loads, and a lot of luck. I, know it was my lack of skill, not the rifle.

 

[BobbleShot]

My NM with irons, averaged better than 2MOA. With the Federal GM 168 it would shoot 1MOA. Hand loads didnt really do any better than the Feds. The NM shot way better than my ex Armalite AR-10. I could expect 4Minutes out of it. The M21 shot very well with the Fed 175 GM. It could shoot 1/2s but consistently it was better than 1MOA.
I do agree with weldingrod that the Fultons are great. I bought a couple of their uppers for some friends. I haven't seen either of these to shoot over an inch group yet. The only issue is the chambers are very tight and you are forced to only shoot /233 not the 556.

 

[dvdcrr]

It will be sub MOA from a bench

 

[dvdcrr]

Mine would do 5 shot MOA groups at 200 m no problem. My standard rifle with Fulton walnut stock will do better than 1.5 MOA.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

My Springfield M1As remain with iron sights. I carried an M14 40 years ago, just hate to put on a special mount, cheek piece etc. I can still deal feral hogs misery up to 200 plus yards. guess I am just an old grunt.

 

[cmdc]

Thanks for all of the input, guys. I have a Scout in addition to the NM, and I'm going to shoot them with irons for a while and see how it goes.

 

[dogrunner]

Lemme just make an observation........Firstly, I do not and have not ever owned an M1A...........that said I shot real M/14 Ntl. Match rifles competitively while in the Army. I never had the opportunity to bench one, but I can assure you that from sitting, standing or prone, those rifles handled and shot so well that I have remained impressed over lo these nearly fifty years since.

Truly, it was utterly no problem to nail that moving white spotting disc offhand from a hundred meters. X's were the rule rather than the exception with my issued piece, and while I consider myself no thief, I doggone sure would've walked with that rifle had I the opportunity.

I truly believe that the Springfield commercial stuff, if mfgd with the same care should easily do as well, and that is likely the level that the mfgr advertises.

And, dammit, I keep saying that at my age I really don't need another rifle but posts like this just make it inevitable.


I still wish I'd figured out some way to walk with mine!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

National Match, 50 shots, 100 yrds off the bench, open sights.



Supermatch, 50 shots, 100 yrds off the bench, scoped.

We can talk all day but this is what my guns can do in my hands. I figure for 50 shots in a row, it shows more what the guns can do with mag changes and barrel heating up etc.

I will comment that benching the M1A is an art form. It took me a good solid 5 years to work out how to do it well. These rifles are not really meant for the bench and are easier to make perform from say prone or slung up. Off the bench it is very hard to keep the recoil the same.

 

[dvdcrr]

If those are 100 m targets then my NM shot more like your supermatch. Maybe I got lucky. It never shot a group over 1 MOA to my knowledge, I usually shot five at a time. Bassett mount leupold 10x scope. Federal 168 gr.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I, love it when a rifle people look down their nose at shoot's as well as, if not better then the bolt guns they have.

 

[cmdc]

Very impressive groups, gentlemen. I can't wait to shoot mine. Does anyone use a NM for anything other than a range gun? I was thinking the Scout would be good for a pig gun.

 

[itsa pain]

my standard M1A shot an inch but it was mostly TRW parts, the best. the super matches weigh a ton without a scope and with one almost useless. with a national match inch groups are the norm and should learn to shoot the open sites. one guy said benching the gun is an art form which I do not understand at all

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

I, would use my S.M. as a groundhog/crow gun. But it would be too heavy for an allday stalk, but was fine for ambush type of setup's.

A 150-165 grain V-Max type of bullet would make short work of most any pig.

 

[stubbicatt]

I, would use my S.M. as a groundhog/crow gun. But it would be too heavy for an allday stalk, but was fine for ambush type of setup's.

A 150-165 grain V-Max type of bullet would make short work of most any pig.

I dunno. I can say that I have humped a heavy PTR91 over several miles prairie dog shooting once. Was accurate enough to plug the little vermin at 400 meters using Amax 155 grain reloads. If there is a will there is a way...