I have been playing around with the idea of picking up a M14 / M1A but don't know where to start. Are Springfields any good? or should i be looking in another direction, like Fulton Armory or others? Also, is there a big gain in accuracy between medium weight and heavy barrels? And is a chrome-molly barrel worth the extra $. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Which M14
- Thread starter jeffrice6
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Lone_Gunman
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I have a M1A and it is a good rifle. No mechanical problems, and it is more accurate than I am with iron sights.
I don't have a SA M1A so I can't comment on their quality shortcomings.
Everything I read says a medium barrel will do just fine and that's what I've got on my Fed Ord being built into a M21 type.
Everything I read says a medium barrel will do just fine and that's what I've got on my Fed Ord being built into a M21 type.
Uncle Meat
Member
Buy a Fulton if you want a current manuf.
Or, find a old Polytech or Norinco. Thyey are cheap, great rifles with forged receivers. Be sure and check headspacing.
I had Smith do their Chinese upgrade, added a TRW bolt and proper heat treating to my Norinco. It's the gun that Springfield should be building. I shoot it more than my Supermatch.
Or, find a old Polytech or Norinco. Thyey are cheap, great rifles with forged receivers. Be sure and check headspacing.
I had Smith do their Chinese upgrade, added a TRW bolt and proper heat treating to my Norinco. It's the gun that Springfield should be building. I shoot it more than my Supermatch.
Chuck Dye
Member
Are the rear lug receivers worth the premium?
I have a SA M1A. No problems at all and shoots extremely accurately. I shot this group off the bench at 100yards with iron sights using Aussie surplus. It's the best group I've shot to date with the M1A. Still trying to replicate it.
Paradiddle
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Go here - www.m1-aforums.com
Essentially like most hobbies it comes down to money.
$1500ish - SA Loaded is your best bet - some nice NM parts and a fair price
$2500ish+ - LRB/Ted Brown/Smith Ent. or other "custom" rifle. LRB is the only manufacture making a forged receiver. Most if not all the custom makers use only USGI parts. SA has run out and makes most if not all their parts.
Many people diss SA but their rifles carry a lifetime warrantee. I would find a used in good shape SA or just buy a new Loaded if you want a great rifle and are not looking to compete.
If competition is something you are wanting to get into I'd get an LRB NM built by Ted Brown.
Jeff
Essentially like most hobbies it comes down to money.
$1500ish - SA Loaded is your best bet - some nice NM parts and a fair price
$2500ish+ - LRB/Ted Brown/Smith Ent. or other "custom" rifle. LRB is the only manufacture making a forged receiver. Most if not all the custom makers use only USGI parts. SA has run out and makes most if not all their parts.
Many people diss SA but their rifles carry a lifetime warrantee. I would find a used in good shape SA or just buy a new Loaded if you want a great rifle and are not looking to compete.
If competition is something you are wanting to get into I'd get an LRB NM built by Ted Brown.
Jeff
odysseus
Member
As others say here, it's all about price. M14/m1a GI gear is getting harder (it seems) to find and big $$$ for parts now. The last couple of years has seen this market go up like tech stock.
SA makes good stuff. However check each rifle personally. I have seen some actions that looked a little rough to me, and some that looked very nice. The loaded standard or national matches have been decent platforms. I have shot loaded standards with NM barrels and parts which certainly shoot say 1.5 MOA. Fulton makes good stuff, but be prepared to spend a good margin more as do all of the specialty civilian m14/m1a manufacturers do.
One thing about SA is lifetime warranty. I have seen it work; I had a bad extractor on one of these and instead of working this over myself searching for parts, I sent it in and they flipped it back having changed it out and test fire in one week.
I think SA is a great introduction rifle to this platform for someone new to them. Once you get into it more and you want to seek at a special build, you can turn to some of these other makers for a sweet build. Just be prepared to "lighten" your wallet a couple grand.
SA makes good stuff. However check each rifle personally. I have seen some actions that looked a little rough to me, and some that looked very nice. The loaded standard or national matches have been decent platforms. I have shot loaded standards with NM barrels and parts which certainly shoot say 1.5 MOA. Fulton makes good stuff, but be prepared to spend a good margin more as do all of the specialty civilian m14/m1a manufacturers do.
One thing about SA is lifetime warranty. I have seen it work; I had a bad extractor on one of these and instead of working this over myself searching for parts, I sent it in and they flipped it back having changed it out and test fire in one week.
I think SA is a great introduction rifle to this platform for someone new to them. Once you get into it more and you want to seek at a special build, you can turn to some of these other makers for a sweet build. Just be prepared to "lighten" your wallet a couple grand.
Old Dog
Member
Another plug for Springfield Armory. Plus a plug for SA's customer service.
GoRon
Member
Here is a forum dedicated to the platform. M-14Forums
I go back and forth between whether I am going to go all GI with a forged receiver or save some money and get a Springfield.
I go back and forth between whether I am going to go all GI with a forged receiver or save some money and get a Springfield.
Jeffrice, that's a darned good question.
People tend to verbally pee on cast M14/M1A receivers, but I'm really darned curious to know how many of those cast Springfield/Armscorp/Fulton/Enterprise Arms/Smith receivers have let go and failed over the years due to their being cast instead of forged. Forged is obviously nicer, but not the final word in receiver strength and durability, at least, not as long as Ruger's been making their cast Model 77 receivers, etc.
Lest we forget, metallurgy has come a long way since a bunch of 1903 Springfields got the carbon burned out of them by a bunch of guys in the heat treat line with calibrated eyeballs instead of pyrometers. Nor are those cast M1A receivers made of sintered metal (aka MIM), it's an honest-to-Gawd poured steel, solid grain structure and all, more than capable of handling the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. Believe me, we've got people on this forum who'd love to test one to destruction, and if Clark Magnuson hasn't done it yet, I'll wager that's one tough M14/M1A receiver.
Myself, I'm perfectly happy with my Armscorp of Baltimore M14NM. Fulton Armory sells the same receiver under their name.
People tend to verbally pee on cast M14/M1A receivers, but I'm really darned curious to know how many of those cast Springfield/Armscorp/Fulton/Enterprise Arms/Smith receivers have let go and failed over the years due to their being cast instead of forged. Forged is obviously nicer, but not the final word in receiver strength and durability, at least, not as long as Ruger's been making their cast Model 77 receivers, etc.
Lest we forget, metallurgy has come a long way since a bunch of 1903 Springfields got the carbon burned out of them by a bunch of guys in the heat treat line with calibrated eyeballs instead of pyrometers. Nor are those cast M1A receivers made of sintered metal (aka MIM), it's an honest-to-Gawd poured steel, solid grain structure and all, more than capable of handling the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. Believe me, we've got people on this forum who'd love to test one to destruction, and if Clark Magnuson hasn't done it yet, I'll wager that's one tough M14/M1A receiver.
Myself, I'm perfectly happy with my Armscorp of Baltimore M14NM. Fulton Armory sells the same receiver under their name.
jeffrice6 said:is there that much difference between a forged and cast receiver? is it more accurate, last longer, do cast receivers break? Im not being a smart ass, i just don't know.
Iv'e NEVER heard of anyone wearing out a cast receiver.A forged receiver is not more accurate, it will likely last longer but both cast and forged will outlive you and your kids.Forged M14 receivers are currently available only from LRB arms.The Polytech and Norinco M14's have some slight issues to be aware of but they have forged receivers and excellent chrome lined barrels and can still be found at good prices.
Cast receivers are currently made by Springfield Armory,Armscorp,Fulton Armory(the Fulton receiver is made by Armscorp).Enterprise Arms makes a receiver but from what iv'e heard there are issues both with the receivers and with their customer service though this is entirely second hand.
Having used the M14 for a few years, I would prefer that my M1A had a forged reciever--but in all honesty there doesn't seem to be any practical difference until you look inside. Bought mine in 96 and finally started using it around 2002 or so. In the 2K rounds I have through it to date it has behaved just fine. It started out as a standard wood medium weight (allegedly) NM barrel. Had the action bedded and the NM mods done later which helped and it shoots better than I do.
The only reason I don't shoot it more is because I like the M1 a lot too.
It's been a good rifle so far. Just bought 4-8 pound kegs of powder so I plan to get a lot more miles out of it before rebarrelling.
I would buy another.
The only reason I don't shoot it more is because I like the M1 a lot too.
It's been a good rifle so far. Just bought 4-8 pound kegs of powder so I plan to get a lot more miles out of it before rebarrelling.
I would buy another.
Not that i have the money, but is the SA Super Match really worth the extra $ over say the National Match. Are we talking the difference between moa and sub moa or what? If one had an extra 3K laying around would SA be the way to go, or at that point would you look custom or another manufacturer? I guess im asking how good/great is a Super Match strait out the box?
Mad Chemist
Member
jeffrice6 said:
You could also get an FAL for a fraction of the price. Unless you are a superior marksman you won't notice any difference in accuracy.
1911_Mitch
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Look at:
LRBarms.com
GREAT reciever, USGI major parts.
Get a chrome lined barrel unless you plan on shooting high power matches.
You can add NM mods (trigger, spring guide, unitize, etc) later.
I would not spend 3k on a SA, I would build up a custom.
Look at: Chestnutridge.com for a diagram of m14 parts and hang out at the m14forum.com to learn about this weapons system.
I did, and I built up a custom LRB/TRW/SEI/Sadlak/Karsten
See:
LRBarms.com
GREAT reciever, USGI major parts.
Get a chrome lined barrel unless you plan on shooting high power matches.
You can add NM mods (trigger, spring guide, unitize, etc) later.
I would not spend 3k on a SA, I would build up a custom.
Look at: Chestnutridge.com for a diagram of m14 parts and hang out at the m14forum.com to learn about this weapons system.
I did, and I built up a custom LRB/TRW/SEI/Sadlak/Karsten
See:
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Oops!
Dude, somebody stole several inches off the barrel of your M14 clone! I'd send it back to the rotten bastards that stole the extra barrel length, .308 Winchester has a hard enough time staying supersonic out to 800-1000 yards with the stock 22" barrel...
My Krieger-barreled Armscorp M14NM:
Dude, somebody stole several inches off the barrel of your M14 clone! I'd send it back to the rotten bastards that stole the extra barrel length, .308 Winchester has a hard enough time staying supersonic out to 800-1000 yards with the stock 22" barrel...
My Krieger-barreled Armscorp M14NM:
odysseus
Member
Gewehr98 nice rig, what mount and scope are you using there? One of mine has a SS NM barrel I want to gear up a little.
BTW - technically scout setups don't care for anything that far out anyway. 800-1000 is pretty far out there for m14 actions as far as I know. Are DM's out in Iraq using them like this?
BTW - technically scout setups don't care for anything that far out anyway. 800-1000 is pretty far out there for m14 actions as far as I know. Are DM's out in Iraq using them like this?
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