What is required to get a 300 yard m1a?

[silverlance]

Looking over the collection the other day, I realized that I have five FALs, one FN49, one SVT, and a host of bolt guns. Clearly, my intermediate range guns are sufficient. (The ARs, AKs, and such I classify as medium range guns).

However, in the long range department I have only bolt guns - a Tikka and a pair of scoped K31s. So, I figure I could use an accuarte semi auto for long distance shooting. You know, the whole toolbox idea. Money is tight, so I'm going to be selling off two of my FALs for this project. I figure I can raise about $1400 at least.

Unfortunately, there are just too many things to think about when it comes to M1As. Springfield USA? USGI parts? Unitized gas system? Loaded/Standard/National Match? Polytech forged receivers? Wood stock? Bedding? Etc.

Bear in mind that the mount and rings are already taken care of: Sadlak Titanium, Super Sniper 20x, sako rings. The optic setup is off of my tikka which will one day get a nightforce or USO, and the sadlak is off of a deal last month.

So... what is required? Some recommend Springfield's "loaded" model. Others, claim that polytechs are the best and they are capable of much better accuarcy than anything else out of the box.

Teach me.

 

[Trebor]

300 yards is nothing. Really. Any decent M-1A will shoot fine at that range assuming you know proper technique.

Now, if you want to compete in NRA Highpower matches, you'll need to get the M-1A or AR accurized a bit. That's more for the 600 yard line then the 200/300 yard lines though.

Heck, I shot a M-1 Carbine at 200 yards and get acceptable groups. A M-1A at 300 is nothing.

To a true "rifleman" long range doesn't even start until 500 or 600 yards.

 

[Bwana John]

The only thing needed for a 300 yd M1A is ammo.

 

[Deer Hunter]

At least one of your FALs could be fitted with a scope. What kind of accuracy are you looking for out of the M1A?

 

[silverlance]

AT least one of my FALs IS fitted for a scope. But the M1A offers me options not currently available for me in my state. Incidentally, want no more 3.5" groups at 300 yards. Can any given M1A/M14 do that, or must it be one of the accurized models? What benefits do specialty barrels, or unitized gas systems, etc, provide?

 

[30Cal]

AT least one of my FALs IS fitted for a scope. But the M1A offers me options not currently available for me in my state. Incidentally, want no more 3.5" groups at 300 yards. Can any given M1A/M14 do that, or must it be one of the accurized models? What benefits do specialty barrels, or unitized gas systems, etc, provide?

You'll need a full blown match model with match ammo. All of the custom work (gas system & bedding) is what takes the rifle from an assembled one-size-fits-all rack grade battle rifle to a custom match grade rifle.

If you don't need to use the elevation adjustment to hit the target, it's not long range.

 

[Sunray]

"...only thing needed for a 300 yd M1A is ammo..." Good ammo.
"...no more 3.5" groups at 300 yards..." You'll be wanting a full blown accurizing job(or a match grade M1A) and good match grade ammo. Forget milsurp ammo altogether.
"...one-size-fits-all rack grade battle rifle..." The M1A is not a battle rifle. It's a commercial copy of one.

 

[CWL]

no more 3.5" groups at 300 yards

So you want a M1A with 1.16MOA accuracy? Buy an off-the shelf National Match, choose good ammo and learn to use a leather sling.

 

[H2O MAN]

What is required to get a 300 yard m1a?

Buy a rack grade M14 type rifle, put it in a SAGE CQB stock, tune the
trigger and shoot quality ammo until you find the ammo your rifle likes.
Don't get a chrome lined barrel.

That's it

 

[iamkris]

My M1A Loaded is a 1 MOA (on occasion) to a 1.5 MOA (more often) gun with my handloads (41.5 gr IMR4895 and 168 gr SMK).

Don't know if this is common for M1A Loaded or an anomaly but I like it.

And I agree...300 yards is nothin'. The Appleseed program will teach you to hit man-sized targets at 500 yards with iron sights...rack grade rifles, surplus ammo

 

[W.E.G.]

In order to achieve that degree of accuracy, you need to be an EXTRAORDINARY shooter, and equipped with extraordinary equipment.

When the Marine Corps Rifle Team was shooting accurized M14's, very few of their rifles could achieve the level of accuracy you have prescribed - even when locked down in a testing cradle.

I think you've set the bar too high - especially for a semi-auto.
You don't want a "battle rifle." You want a target rifle.

To achieve MOA groups at 300 yards, I recommend a heavy bolt gun, and the lightest trigger you can manage.

 

[Markbo]

Shoot my AR's all shoot sub MOA. I guess they aren't good enough. I will have to go home and severely chastise my AR10(T) for only shooting 1" groups at 200 yards.

If you want to really shoot long range, you need to be looking at bolt guns in .300 Winmag minimum. Something like the .338 Lapua mag or the new .416 from Barrett.

 

[Justin]

You should be able to hit a 300 yard target with pretty much anything you've already got.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I want an M1A that will do that degree of accuracy also but once I started adding things up it got spendy so now I'm leaning towards a DPMS LR308. Most of the reviews I have read are sub-MOA (some half moa).
When Norinco gets into production here with their M14's I'm sure I'll have to get one. Any canadians here shot the norinco? If so how does it do from the box?

 

[Myself]

What is required to get a 300 yard m1a?

You will need one with a 299 yard barrel.

 

[KBintheSLC]

Just pull the trigger. 300 yards is just the warm up for an M1A.

I'm leaning towards a DPMS LR308

Great gun, but it is not a battle rifle.

 

[silverlance]

lot of conflicting opinions here, but perhaps I should revise my expectations.

3.5" is too much to expect from an M14 without spending a silly amount. I'd be happy with 8". I came up with 3.5" because I can do that with my Tikka T3 Tac using hand loads (although that is a bolt gun), and because I can do 12" plates at 200 with my Enfield No4Mk2 using iron sights. So I figured that the M14 with its vaunted accuracy would be able to do somewhere between the two. Upon closer examination of my Tikka T3 targets though I was more like almost 6" ... more likely my own fault than the gun's since I can do sub moa at 100 pretty easy using the same T3 setup.

I will not get an AR10 for various reasons (yes there is a way, but Id prefer not to); it has to be an m14 variant. I don't want to spend more than 1600 on the entire gun (not including scope and mount). I'd prefer to spend in the range of 1200.

I'd like to get 9" at 300 yards using the m14. i'd like to get no more than 2.5" at 100. i'm not a great shot by any means, so that would be just fine for me.

i also dont want a LR only gun. I want it to still be a battle rifle in that it cannot be delicate and prone to malfunction if not meticulously cared for.

should I build one off of a polytech using certain barrels and gas systems, or should i just get the loaded? or are there other choices?

 

[possum]

in my experience even the little socom does just fine t 300yds. i would probally go with the scout model for the size, or the loaded model and call it good. i would also take the syntheic stock, even tough the wood looks better.

you should have no problem hitting 300 yds with factory ammo or even surplus ammo and match ammo is just gonna make it that much better.

 

[Wes Janson]

In my limited experience, even a basic M1A should be able to do close to MOA at 100 yards. Ammo choice is critical though...you need good loads, and that can get pricey if you're not reloading. Of course, even if you do reload, it still winds up being pricey because you're going to want to shoot it all the more often