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Post by TBT on Jun 24, 2007 22:10:48 GMT -5
Anyone own one of these? I think I'm ready to get into the whole rifle thing (kind of ashamed it has taken me so long) and for some reason can't warm to the AR.
Something about these M1A's that really grab me in kind of the same way that the 1911 did. I love the looks and feel. Are they reliable? Worth the money?
Nobody else seems to make them so I'm assuming that SA is my only option.
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Post by dogman on Jun 24, 2007 22:56:43 GMT -5
great rifle very reliable and accurate. Civilian version of M-14. check out Camp Perry for new match this year for M1A rifles. Big Prizes. SA only choice, Norinco made some for a while but were metric threads and lots of problems.
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Post by TBT on Jun 25, 2007 14:18:01 GMT -5
Well I found some people called Fulton Armory that seem to make a nice (and very expensive) custom shop M1A. Still seems like Springfield would be the way to go though. I'm wondering if I'm being blinded by personal preference though and the AR-10 is actually the better value/gun.
Am I spending 2K on an M1A when I could be spending 1K on an AR10 that is of equal/greater quality?
Ugh. But I love me that M1A ...
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Post by dogman on Jun 26, 2007 18:43:39 GMT -5
I like the M1A. I have a AR-15 and do not like it. I haven't liked them since Vietnam. I went into the marines and was trained on the M-14. Then along came the M-16. Even with all the supposed benefits of the M-16 we did not like it. The only plus I could see was you could carry more ammo.
It did not penetrate as well and was not as accurate. The M1A in my opinion is easier to clean with it's short stroke piston, much like the M-1 Carbine, instead of the long gas tube of the AR family. It is more resistant to dirt that the AR's.
I like the wood stock instead of the plastic.
The AR family has come a long way in chambering and accuracy and reliability, but I don't like it in any form.
You can change calibers and uses for the AR family by changing the upper as long as you have the lower but I just don't like it.
You are not saving any weight with one over the other.
I guess it's more personnel preference
I have 4 M1A's in my collection and 1 AR-15 I am trying to find a new home for. I have had it for four years and have only fired it 70 times. The M1A's are used every month. IMHO I would rather have steel and walnut than plastic and aluminum.
FA guns that I have seen look to be well constructed but I don't know who makes the receivers for them.You can really tie up some money in either type. boils down to your choice.
DID I MENTION I DON'T LIKE AR's.
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Post by 5ontarget on Jun 26, 2007 21:37:06 GMT -5
My preference is toward the M1a as well. I know there are many people that favor the black rifle. They are fine guns, I have seen and shot them, and they are fun and can be excellent shooters. If you are looking to build a gun the AR is definitely the way to go. So many options and accessories. I think you can build a more accurate AR for a lot less money than a basic M1a. If that is your thing, go for the AR. (that is not to say you can't build/order/customize a M1a to shoot as good, it will just cost more.)
Another consideration is ammo. Currently, neither is very cheap, but the .308 is bordering on ridiculous.
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Post by 5ontarget on Jun 26, 2007 21:46:21 GMT -5
My preference is toward the M1a as well. I know there are many people that favor the black rifle. They are fine guns, I have seen and shot them, and they are fun and can be excellent shooters. If you are looking to build a gun, the AR is definitely the way to go. So many options and accessories. I think you can build a more accurate AR for a lot less money than a basic M1a. If that is your thing, go for the AR. (That is not to say you can't build/order/customize a M1a to shoot as good, it will just cost more.)
Another consideration is ammo. Currently, neither is very cheap, but the .308 is bordering on ridiculous. Surplus ammo is $.50/rd, which is about the same price as some new commercial stuff. .223 is about half that for steel cased ammo.
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Post by dogman on Jun 26, 2007 22:01:33 GMT -5
Sontarget,
He was talking about AR-10 which is 7.62 (308). You can get a lot for your money with SA in the loaded rifle series, lot's of extras for a little money. Stainless barrels etc.
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Post by 5ontarget on Jun 27, 2007 6:18:27 GMT -5
I missed the "10" in TBT's previous post, I have a hard time keeping all the number and letter designations straight for all the AR models  |
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Post by TBT on Jun 27, 2007 18:19:16 GMT -5
dogman ... I think we feel the same way about the AR.
The .308 is an expensive round but I'm not overly concerned with that. My main concern with ammunition is its availability. I hate not being able to drive down the road and pick up a box which was the case with the 38Super I had for what ... 3 weeks? Couldn't get ammo for it around here.
I also might look into reloading too. I've been thinking more and more about doing that which is one reason that I've tried to keep my calibers in line a few (9mm and 45ACP and maybe the .308).
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Post by dogman on Jun 27, 2007 18:57:20 GMT -5
Now your talking. Been reloading for 40 plus years for handgun, rifle and shotgun. Shoot more pay less. Let me know what you think. It's so easy I can do it.
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Post by "DoubleAction" on Jun 27, 2007 21:51:08 GMT -5
A Friend of mine purchased the Armalite AR-10 in .308 and uses the same box magazines found with the Springfield M-1. Another lock catch on the magazine has to be cutout, for the Armalite, otherwise it fits.
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Post by dogman on Jun 28, 2007 2:45:13 GMT -5
You don't have to do much to make it shoot good cause the worst one from the factory (cheapest) was fantastic. My M-21 variation shoots better than I can hold and my plain Jane shoots great.
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Post by NeilCasper on Aug 22, 2010 4:09:31 GMT -5
Well I see this is the M-1A forum here. Count me in as a satistied M-1A customer. I have two ARs and have owned two others. They are OK, but when the rubber hits the road I'll opt for my M-1A everytime.
While I was in Viet Nam the Marines were just switching from the M-14 to the M-16. Lots of discussion about them that generally favored the M-14. Smart troops those Marines.
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Post by "DoubleAction" on Aug 23, 2010 18:55:11 GMT -5
The M-14 is being used in Afghanistan |
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Post by TMan on Sept 21, 2010 11:28:35 GMT -5
Well, I shot it today for the first time. I shot the first 6 rounds and my shoulder complained loudly - like "are you crazy? do you want more surgery?"
I then handed it over to Ed, who shot the next 14 rounds. I was using Winchester 7.62MM ammo because the manual said not to use .308.
This particular version is Springfield's SOCOM 16 according to their web-site:
I took it apart last night and thought I'd never get it back together. It took a lot of force to get the trigger group back into the receiver.
It also takes a significant amount of force to insert the magazine. One of the range members mentioned that he carried one in Vietnam. He said that they had 20 round magazines and they would load two tracer rounds and the rest would be hard ball. So when they saw a tracer fly, then they knew that they had only 1 round left. He suggested that I get striper clips and load it using them vs removing and reinserting the magazine each time.
I never thought I would call a 5+lb trigger and excellent trigger, but it is. The first stage is quite long, but then it is a very sharp break after that. No signs of creep. While I had it out of the gun, I examined it and figured where I could lighten it, but I don't think I'll bother with it. I like it well enough the way it is.
Since I got to watch it being shot more than actually shoot it, it was readily apparent that the muzzle break is clearly the best functioning one I've ever seen. The muzzle did not rise at all when Ed was firing it.
For next week: the M1 Carbine.
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