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What's your favorite M1A?

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  • TexasRedneck

    1911 Nut
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    I couldn't stand it anymore. I bought someone's Scout Squad off Texas Gun Trader. Maybe sometime in the next six months I can find some .308 ammo so I can actually shoot it.

    I THINK I saw that either PSA or Natchez had some 308 in stock....
     

    quantum13

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    Jan 17, 2021
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    Forgive the ignorance on this but is getting one via the CMP still realistic? I've always wanted one, not necessarily a collector grade/mint example but something nice to shoot that isn't recent manufacture. Something with a bit of history. There are so many variants that I've not been clear on where to start.
     

    ScottDLS

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    Forgive the ignorance on this but is getting one via the CMP still realistic? I've always wanted one, not necessarily a collector grade/mint example but something nice to shoot that isn't recent manufacture. Something with a bit of history. There are so many variants that I've not been clear on where to start.
    I don't think CMP sells M1A's because the military equivalent is the M14, which is capable of full auto fire. Not to be confused with the M1 Garand, which is chambered in 30.06 and only fires on semi.
     

    quantum13

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    I don't think CMP sells M1A's because the military equivalent is the M14, which is capable of full auto fire. Not to be confused with the M1 Garand, which is chambered in 30.06 and only fires on semi.

    You hit the nail on the head with the 'not to be confused' clarification. I was conflating the two, although the M1A is of greater interest to me due to chambering. Not sure how many older examples are out there within reach financially; seemed interesting to own an example with some history behind it but to your point anything with history behind it is going to be be a miltary, full auto example....seems somewhat recent commercial manufacture is the way I'd be going if I want something semi-auto in .308
     

    ScottDLS

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    You hit the nail on the head with the 'not to be confused' clarification. I was conflating the two, although the M1A is of greater interest to me due to chambering. Not sure how many older examples are out there within reach financially; seemed interesting to own an example with some history behind it but to your point anything with history behind it is going to be be a miltary, full auto example....seems somewhat recent commercial manufacture is the way I'd be going if I want something semi-auto in .308

    From what I have seen, the commercial ones appear to be very well made, particularly the "classic" ones like Springfield, which if I recall was the original manufacturer of the civilian version (the M1A). When I was in the Navy in the late 1980's we had M14's for our ship's long arms. We had 1911 .45 autos for sidearms even though the Army and Marine Corps had switched to 9mm Berettas. Based on their condition, I had some suspicion that these .45's had seen service against Kaiser Wilhelm's forces in the "Great War". Anyway, I wasn't impressed with the M14's. I seem to recall plastic furniture, which may have been retrofitted, but seemed really cheap. The full-auto selectors were "soldered" to semi. I'm led to believe from some early Vietnam War vets who carried them that they were all but uncontrollable on full auto, at least without a bipod. Anyway, I HAVE been impressed with the commercial M1A's I've seen with wood stocks/furniture, but I know the are very expensive. I like the action/mechanism of M1A/M14 which will be quite familiar to anyone with a Ruger Mini-14. Once when I was the Officer of the Deck in port, I "borrowed" the M14 from the Petty Officer standing watch with me and field stripped it (we still had our .45's). The ship's XO walked by when I had it apart and said if I didn't put it back together in the next 2 min I was going to be in trouble. Luckily since I had owned a Mini-14 since I was 18, I had it back together in less than that. ;-)
     
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    seaninftw

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    Socom 16. First Gen without all the tacticool rails. It's an awesome rifle, but LOUD AS F**K. I want to suppress it, but the damn gas block adapter is $200. Then I have to spend another $70 on the muzzle device.
     

    gll

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    I only have one, so I guess that's my favorite... SA M1a .308 standard walnut BO 4/83 25XXX

    Thankfully, Vietnam just missed me, but my JROTC issue weapon was a Springfield M14, fiberglass stock, though our drill team was issued Garands (mostly Mexican guys who were far better coordinated than I was, but I still saw a few of those bite dirt with broken stocks). I wanted an M14 from that time on, but it took me 10 years to get the M1a that I still have.
     

    Iuprof

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    Mine was a standard with synthetic stock. Then added a walnut, then set it in a chassis. Absolutely loved to ring steel with that rifle. I would giggle every ping!

    I decided to get out of .308 and sold it to a TGT member.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    TreyG-20

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    Bumping this.

    So as a newer owner of an M1A standard, what is everyone's thoughts on ammo. Are you using factory 308 or stick with standard 7.62 Nato spec ammo? The manual says 308 can be used, but also advises against it due soft primers causing slamfires. I'd like to use some factory 308 hunting ammo and try to get a pig with it. At the same time I like my face as currently configured and prefer to keep all my fingers.
     

    Texasgordo

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    My M1A would have problems with polymer tipped rounds once the feed ramp would get hot. Polymer would deform and not go up the feed ramp causing a jam. No issues with other types of ammo.



    I used a mix of 308 and 7.62x51 with no issues.
     
    Last edited:

    Eli

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    Dec 28, 2008
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    Ghettohood - SW Houston
    12262830543_c70510d782_b.jpg
    I really need to quit opening these threads, that's gorgeous!
    Socom 16. First Gen without all the tacticool rails. It's an awesome rifle, but LOUD AS F**K. I want to suppress it, but the damn gas block adapter is $200. Then I have to spend another $70 on the muzzle device.
    Many years ago, when my father was still alive, I started lusting for a 16" FN FAL. My father talked me out of it, he'd been an FFL/SOT when semis were coming in from FN, and had ordered a number of 16" FALs for 'entry guns' - they were a great idea on paper, but the noise was beyond deafening for guys that served in the military before hearing protection!
    If I really felt the need for a M1 rifle I’d want a Tim LaFrance M14K or it’s semi auto version.
    I think the SOCOM 16 is about as close as you can get without spending stupid money.

    Eli
     

    baboon

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    Out here by the lake!
    I really need to quit opening these threads, that's gorgeous!

    Many years ago, when my father was still alive, I started lusting for a 16" FN FAL. My father talked me out of it, he'd been an FFL/SOT when semis were coming in from FN, and had ordered a number of 16" FALs for 'entry guns' - they were a great idea on paper, but the noise was beyond deafening for guys that served in the military before hearing protection!

    I think the SOCOM 16 is about as close as you can get without spending stupid money.

    Eli
    La Frances has a M60 gas system on it.
     
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