Springfield M1A
- Thread starter Mr.Blue
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loadedround
Member
My NM M1A is just marked Geneseo, Il. No other country of origin is shown on the receiver, so I would assume they're made in here the USA. A quick call to Springfield would confirm this.
boricua9mm
Member
Springfield M1As are assembled stateside from a combination of American-made and foreign parts. Like it or not, these days this qualifies as "Made in the USA." For example, Burris is marking scopes as "Made in the USA" even though they are using glass lenses made in Japan.
Now, as for "where" those foreign M1A parts are made, we know that for many years they were coming from Wayne Machine in Taiwan. I can't say for sure where the foreign parts on new manufacture guns are coming from, but I would assume that little has changed.
Now, as for "where" those foreign M1A parts are made, we know that for many years they were coming from Wayne Machine in Taiwan. I can't say for sure where the foreign parts on new manufacture guns are coming from, but I would assume that little has changed.
My M1a standard shoots near 1" groups and I put an American walnut stock on it. At this point I don't care if some small parts came from Taiwan. Brave souls over there... hope they don't fall to China. Might be the last bastion of Americanism in that whole area. Supporting the Taiwanese might be my next reason for buying another M1a. Think that would convince the Mrs.?
This may be useful for you concerning the Springfield Armory Inc (SAI) M1A....as well as the M14.
http://imageseek.com/m1a/
A treasure trove of information regarding this type of rifle.
11B
http://imageseek.com/m1a/
A treasure trove of information regarding this type of rifle.
11B
soloban
Member
Thought I read somewhere that the receivers are made in Brazil by Imbel and assembled in the US.
boricua9mm
Member
I could be wrong, but I don't know of anything made by IMBEL that isn't forged. Since the SAI receiver is definitely cast, I have my doubts that it is made by IMBEL. I think someone along the way assumed that since IMBEL does the forging, machining, and even assembly of a lot of SAI's pistols, that they must be doing the M1A receivers as well. Again, I could be wrong, but I remain skeptical of that claim.
madcratebuilder
Member
No they are not. The cast receivers SAI uses are cast just north of Geneseo in Canada. The Wayne Machine in Taiwan parts are built on relatively new equipment and are good quality. Not everything made overseas is junk.
The rifles have a life time guarantee, to any owner down the line. How many items do you see that have a warranty that goes to new owner(s) forever.
madcratebuilder is correct.
As of 2004, SAI receivers are cast by Alpha Casting INC. in St. Laurent, Quebec Canada.
The final machining of said receivers is done stateside, as well as the assembly to turn it into a complete rifle.
Barrels were made by Wilson for them, but not sure if they still make them for SAI or not. some models can be had with Krieger tubes...or at least it used to be this way.
Wayne Machine out of Taiwan does make some of the parts for SAI, but I am not sure as to how many.
Checkmate industries produces the magazines for SAI.
All covered by SAI's lifetime warranty...which travels with the rifle...new or used.
11B
As of 2004, SAI receivers are cast by Alpha Casting INC. in St. Laurent, Quebec Canada.
The final machining of said receivers is done stateside, as well as the assembly to turn it into a complete rifle.
Barrels were made by Wilson for them, but not sure if they still make them for SAI or not. some models can be had with Krieger tubes...or at least it used to be this way.
Wayne Machine out of Taiwan does make some of the parts for SAI, but I am not sure as to how many.
Checkmate industries produces the magazines for SAI.
All covered by SAI's lifetime warranty...which travels with the rifle...new or used.
11B
I agree that they certainly are not junk! That said, I cannot buy an M1/M14 type rifle that isn't built in the USA, or at minimum Canada (Garand was born a Canuck afterall). My grandfathers used these weapons in WWII and my father in the beginning of Vietnam. Patton called the M1 the greatest implement of war that man ever made (or something to that effect). The M1/M14 are as American as apple pie. I feel the same way about the 1911 too.
I guess I'll have to buy an AR in .308 instead.
It's your money, and you can certainly buy whatever you want, but there are other choices regarding the semiautomatic M14 out there that are all built in the USA.
Here are 2 of them
www.lrbarms.com
www.762mmfirearms.com
To my knowledge, their complete rifles are built in the states. ( LRB is out of NY, and 762MM is out of Ohio)
It is worth checking out imo.
Here is a pic of my LRB ARMS M14SA Tanker, and I know for a fact that the complete rifle was built in the states.
11B
Here are 2 of them
www.lrbarms.com
www.762mmfirearms.com
To my knowledge, their complete rifles are built in the states. ( LRB is out of NY, and 762MM is out of Ohio)
It is worth checking out imo.
Here is a pic of my LRB ARMS M14SA Tanker, and I know for a fact that the complete rifle was built in the states.
11B
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madcratebuilder
Member
I understand your feelings on buying USA only. You could look for a early SAI M1A as these well have some if not all USGI parts. I don't know the exact date that the commercial parts are used but I'm guessing in the late 90's. These early rifles well be 100% USA. Everyone needs to have at least one M1A and AR10.
henschman
Member
Yeah, there are 4 other domestic producers of M1As that make them to GI spec, unlike Springfield. Those would be 7.62mm Firearms, LRB, Smith Enterprise, and Fulton Armory. They cost a little more than Springfield, but they use better parts, receivers, and they use Criterion barrels, which are a lot better than Springfield's barrels. If it is important to you, all their parts are made in the U.S.
Grunt Medic TXARNG
Member
Another option is to pick up a USGI parts kit and have it assembled on a US made receiver. This is the route I went with. Jon Wolfe built it up with his Wolfe Medium Modified Barrel and op rod guide and a Fulton Armory receiver. To say I am happy with this rifle would be a vast understatement.
Yeah, the GI brown heat shield has got to go, and I am still on a quest for optics for her. She's still a work in progress.
mortablunt
Member
It seems to vary by the rifle. Granted, at least some of it is from the USA.
Grunt medic :
You could always paint the handguard the same color as your stock so it will match. Nice looking rifle.
The Fulton Armory receiver castings are produced by Lamothermic Corporation out of Brewster NY, and the machining is done by SSI Manufacturing Technologies out of Bristol, CT.
Fulton uses some of their own parts as well as USGI parts, but I am unsure as to who produces said parts for them. According to them, it is all produced in the United States as well.
The older FA M14 receivers were made by Armscorp, so either way, you would end up with an all U.S. produced rifle to my knowledge by going with a Fulton Armory build. Same as LRB Arms, and 762MM Firearms.
I am not certain if Smith Enterprise Inc. builds complete rifles as of now, but they are producing their own barstock receiver now. As was already mentioned, you could always get a USGI parts set and have SEI build a rifle for you off one of their receivers, thus giving you an all American build.
A bit of M14 trivia for all:
M14A1 birch stocks( A USGI component) were not produced in the states, as the actual government run Springfield Armory ( Not the same as today's Springfield Armory INC. ) was closing down at the time of the adoption of the M14A1.....so a contract was awarded to Canadian Arsenals to produce said stocks.
Everyone should have at least one, but be warned....... it aint so easy to stop at just one.
11B
You could always paint the handguard the same color as your stock so it will match. Nice looking rifle.
The Fulton Armory receiver castings are produced by Lamothermic Corporation out of Brewster NY, and the machining is done by SSI Manufacturing Technologies out of Bristol, CT.
Fulton uses some of their own parts as well as USGI parts, but I am unsure as to who produces said parts for them. According to them, it is all produced in the United States as well.
The older FA M14 receivers were made by Armscorp, so either way, you would end up with an all U.S. produced rifle to my knowledge by going with a Fulton Armory build. Same as LRB Arms, and 762MM Firearms.
I am not certain if Smith Enterprise Inc. builds complete rifles as of now, but they are producing their own barstock receiver now. As was already mentioned, you could always get a USGI parts set and have SEI build a rifle for you off one of their receivers, thus giving you an all American build.
A bit of M14 trivia for all:
M14A1 birch stocks( A USGI component) were not produced in the states, as the actual government run Springfield Armory ( Not the same as today's Springfield Armory INC. ) was closing down at the time of the adoption of the M14A1.....so a contract was awarded to Canadian Arsenals to produce said stocks.
Everyone should have at least one, but be warned....... it aint so easy to stop at just one.
11B
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