Springfield m1a. Help me choose?

View · by **onebohemian** on Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:49 pm

Maybe because it is the 4th Ive got an itch, but regardless of the reasoning, I tnink I am going to buy a new M1A. Store I stopped by today had a sales guy showing a customer a new one and a classic oldie, so I evesdropped a bit. I stillwill know very little about them though, and see many model choices. Goal is to shoot it a bit, keep it in the safe a lot, and pass it down to boys hopefully a long time from now. Want wood stock. No idea on other options. Not adverse to paying around 2K (give or take a few hundred) if needed. I see there a higher priced ones than this but dont know if the extra money is worth it. Recommendations and thoughts please? Thanks.

View · by **AFTERMATH** on Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:57 pm

onebohemian wrote:Maybe because it is the 4th Ive got an itch, but regardless of the reasoning, I tnink I am going to buy a new M1A. Store I stopped by today had a sales guy showing a customer a new one and a classic oldie, so I evesdropped a bit. I stillwill know very little about them though, and see many model choices. Goal is to shoot it a bit, keep it in the safe a lot, and pass it down to boys hopefully a long time from now. Want wood stock. No idea on other options. Not adverse to paying around 2K (give or take a few hundred) if needed. I see there a higher priced ones than this but dont know if the extra money is worth it. Recommendations and thoughts please? Thanks.

My rec? Buy a standard model and shoot the H#$$ out of it!
The M1a is a true rifleman's rifle and was never meant to sit in a safe.
It, like the rifleman himself, longs to roam free!

Some day, you will pass it on to your kids and they can shoot the H#$$ out of it! Then pass it on to their kids.
Trust me, the stories of range trips, distance shot, field ventures will be much sweeter and more entertaining than the smell of mothballs.

View · by **rukwikenuf** on Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:00 pm

well, i'm a geek for the Socom 16, but if that's not your cup of tea, i'd say go for the plain jane M1A and rock that bad boy until your heirs need to replace the bbl.... twice..... before inheriting it

View · by **illbits** on Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:27 pm

Get yourself the real deal. Buy an M1A from LRB in NY.

View · by **LumberZach** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 1:24 am

I would be inclined to recommend against M1A's. I may not know so much as others, but I have heard of them having serious catastrophic failures after high round counts. Receivers and op rods flying apart in matches and hurting the shooter. They are really cool rifles, and I really want one but after hearing about these issues I would not buy one.

View · by **yuppiejr** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:40 am

LumberZach wrote:I would be inclined to recommend against M1A's. I may not know so much as others, but I have heard of them having serious catastrophic failures after high round counts. Receivers and op rods flying apart in matches and hurting the shooter. They are really cool rifles, and I really want one but after hearing about these issues I would not buy one.

If you look hard enough or listen to enough BS at a gun shop you will find a problem with just about any rifle platform out there.

Using Google to try and substantiate your otherwise fact-free post I came across a couple examples.

This one seems to get linked all over the place and is likely the source of what you heard...

M1a failure: http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb/762d2.html - http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb.html - professional analysis of the failure: http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb/762r.html

Conclusion - manufacturing problem with the barrel which was NOT original to the rifle...

M1a failure: http://www.thegunzone.com/m1akb2.html

Conclusion: bad reload

M1a failure: http://forum.snipershide.com/snipers-hi ... ilure.html

Conclusion: bad reload...

M1a failure: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread. ... ange-Today

Conclusion: Bad operating rod (which gave numerous "warning signs" to the shooter before failing) possibly paired with hot reloads/commercial ammo.

M1a failure: http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f= ... eaddbb5b8f

Conclusion: Bad reload/ammo (bullet setback in the case is suspected)

Do yourself a favor and do an "AR15 kaboom" search in Google..... you will likely see the same pattern emerge. Nothing kills more civilian owned semi automatic military style rifles than reloads or bad ammo in general. It's not specific to the M1a platform...

View · by **farmerj** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:58 am

LumberZach wrote:I would be inclined to recommend against M1A's. I may not know so much as others, but I have heard of them having serious catastrophic failures after high round counts. Receivers and op rods flying apart in matches and hurting the shooter. They are really cool rifles, and I really want one but after hearing about these issues I would not buy one.

Never really been around or fired one of the M1A's have you? Suppose you'd have the same advice for someone wanting to buy an M1 Garand too. Or the Mini 14/30 platforms.

To the OP, get which ever one fits your needs. I'd recommend towards an LRB also instead of a SA INC.
http://www.lrbarms.com/

View · by **yuppiejr** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:26 am

onebohemian wrote:Maybe because it is the 4th Ive got an itch, but regardless of the reasoning, I tnink I am going to buy a new M1A. Store I stopped by today had a sales guy showing a customer a new one and a classic oldie, so I evesdropped a bit. I stillwill know very little about them though, and see many model choices. Goal is to shoot it a bit, keep it in the safe a lot, and pass it down to boys hopefully a long time from now. Want wood stock. No idea on other options. Not adverse to paying around 2K (give or take a few hundred) if needed. I see there a higher priced ones than this but dont know if the extra money is worth it. Recommendations and thoughts please? Thanks.

Springfield seems to get knocked around but honestly even the current production m1a's are not bad rifles. After playing with pretty much every stock configuration out there I'd probably opt for a walnut factory stock <which is your preference anyway> and strongly consider a "loaded" model (better trigger/barrel/sights than a standard). Pre panic they were around $1500-$1600... I want to say Capras had one in stock at this price last time I was there.

If you want an interesting variation I thought the Scout was a good looking rifle, 18" is a pretty good balance of performance and handling in a .308 and avoids the extra short barrel and proprietary muzzle device of the SOCOM series.

LRB and Fulton also make fine rifles but your entry point is $2500 or more which is beyond the top end of your budget... honestly if you have more than one boy you could buy 2 Springfield standard M1a's for the price of a an LRB or Fulton. The boutique versions are fine rifles with some important improvements on the commercial Springfields but I don't think they are worth twice the price for an occasional shooter.

View · by **JoeH** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:40 am

I have a SOCOM 16 which I like a lot. I have thought about getting a Loaded model too. I'd look at the Loaded if you want something that is truer to the original. The Scout is a great option as previously noted.

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View · by **illbits** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 12:44 pm

If the LRB is too rich for your blood my money is on the Springfield Armory Scout Squad. Damn nice piece.

View · by **farmerj** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 1:08 pm

yuppiejr wrote:.............snip................... The boutique versions are fine rifles with some important improvements on the commercial Springfields but I don't think they are worth twice the price for an occasional shooter.

The "boutique" rifles as you put it, also work right out of the box more reliably over a SA Inc. LRB is as close to USGI as you can get. SA Inc started using aftermarket components that don't have the tolerances that Fulton and LRB is putting into their work making those rifles that much more reliable.

And on a main battle rifle, I'll take reliable any day of the week.

View · by **yuppiejr** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:42 pm

farmerj wrote:
yuppiejr wrote:.............snip................... The boutique versions are fine rifles with some important improvements on the commercial Springfields but I don't think they are worth twice the price for an occasional shooter.

The "boutique" rifles as you put it, also work right out of the box more reliably over a SA Inc. LRB is as close to USGI as you can get. SA Inc started using aftermarket components that don't have the tolerances that Fulton and LRB is putting into their work making those rifles that much more reliable.

And on a main battle rifle, I'll take reliable any day of the week.

Reliability is good, but is the base model LRB/Fulton rifle twice as reliable as the base model Springfield, because it's double the price? No, it isn't... If there's something wrong with the Springfield out of the box it's covered under warranty and will be repaired... they may not be true "GI spec" any more but Springfield is not Hesse/Vulcan or Century arms, for all the consternation it causes purists the Springfield M1a is still more rifle than a majority of shooters will ever need/want.

If I were putting $2500 into a "battle rifle" I'd probably look at something in a more modern AR10 platform rifle, but that's just me. If I were looking to scratch the M1a itch and buy a rifle that will likely spend a lot of time in the safe the Springfield M1a is a fine rifle, hell buy a pair of the standard model so one doesn't get lonely in the safe until they trade hands to the boys in question.

View · by **farmerj** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 2:46 pm

tell that to these guys then too....

http://rifle-company.com/

http://m14forum.com/

View · by **yuppiejr** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 3:21 pm

A lot of guys (most probably) on both sites seem to refer to their own Springfield rifles in many of their posts... just saying.

View · by **farmerj** on Sat Jul 06, 2013 3:28 pm

I bought a polytech and had it worked over. The only thing original on it is the receiver. Everything is NM USGI on it now. It was worked over by a gunsmith that did nothing for 18 years but make the M14 service rifle for the MN Nat'l Guard for the marksmanship team.

Personally, I'd never buy a SA Inc rifle. They have issues it seems with functionality and reliability using parts that are questionable to the specs for them. The two I did sell when I worked at Sportsman's Warehouse in W. Fargo a decade ago both spent more time getting reworked than they did shot. One a standard, one a Loaded. The purchasers were NOT happy with either rifle.

Others that I have spoken with have had to send their rifles in to have them reworked as well or find a M14/M1A smith to make it right.

NOT something I feel is justifiable for a $1500 rifle out of the box.

If someone can prove to me that SA Inc has gotten their poop in a group and they are again selling a good rifle, I might reconsider recommending them. In the mean time, it's LRB or Fulton