So, I’ve had a Springfield Armory “SportMaster” Edition M1A sitting in the closet for a while. I got it as a gift so I never knew too much about it or what kind of value it has. It looks like it’s basically a National Match (based on the NM sights and NM trigger group but I don’t really know enough about M1A’s to really compare) with a high comb laminated stock and a factory clip guide scope mount. It’s bone stock and in excellent condition. Apparently, the SportMasters were only made in ’91 and ‘92, with serial numbers up to the 160’s. I’ve heard that only 144 of them are circulating and that most of those were exported to Europe. This is all internet chatter so I don’t really know whether it’s true or not, I just know I’ve never seen another one and there isn’t much more info out there than that.
The thing is, I’ve always liked the idea and looks of the Mk 14 EBR.
This is how my EBR build would go:
I’ll buy the Fulton Armory chassis in FDE along with a matching Magpul CTR stock and grip.
I’ll fit the rifle to the stock and get everything functional with some nice expensive flip-up sights.
I’ll mount some high priced optics and get a comb attachment for the stock and a bipod.
I’ll decide this “rough and tumble” rifle doesn’t shoot well enough for me and drop another chunk of change on a SS match barrel and fitting, along with any other components I can convince myself to replace.
I’ll decide that I don’t think it’s camo enough and give the thing a $10 paint job.
I’ll shoot the hell out of it for a year or so until I decide to build a 7.62 AR or something.
I know that this is how it will go, because I’ve done this with too many rifles in the past. So, I guess the question is: does this rifle hold any value because of its rarity? As it sits, it hasn’t been shot but a handful of times and it’s been very well taken care of. Would I be destroying some sort of collector’s item? I would really not like dropping another couple thousand $$$ on a National Match or a Super Match only to scrap the stock and sights, just because this rifle is worth something, but would do it if I had too I suppose.
The thing is, I’ve always liked the idea and looks of the Mk 14 EBR.
This is how my EBR build would go:
I’ll buy the Fulton Armory chassis in FDE along with a matching Magpul CTR stock and grip.
I’ll fit the rifle to the stock and get everything functional with some nice expensive flip-up sights.
I’ll mount some high priced optics and get a comb attachment for the stock and a bipod.
I’ll decide this “rough and tumble” rifle doesn’t shoot well enough for me and drop another chunk of change on a SS match barrel and fitting, along with any other components I can convince myself to replace.
I’ll decide that I don’t think it’s camo enough and give the thing a $10 paint job.
I’ll shoot the hell out of it for a year or so until I decide to build a 7.62 AR or something.
I know that this is how it will go, because I’ve done this with too many rifles in the past. So, I guess the question is: does this rifle hold any value because of its rarity? As it sits, it hasn’t been shot but a handful of times and it’s been very well taken care of. Would I be destroying some sort of collector’s item? I would really not like dropping another couple thousand $$$ on a National Match or a Super Match only to scrap the stock and sights, just because this rifle is worth something, but would do it if I had too I suppose.
