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So I purchased this rifle advertised as " Springfield M1A national match 308 rifle" and "all original".  I emailed Springfield and they said it was sold as a receiver in February 1980. Meaning it was built into a rifle by someone else. Upon closer inspection I've noticed things wrong with it. The front sight post is damaged, the flash hider is reamed off center, someone just about stripped the castle nut on it. The gas cylinder lock ring doesn't get snug until it's in the 9 o'clock position, as soon as I took out the gas plug it was loose. The rear sight looks like its possibly bent, a crack is forming where the sling swivel is riveted to the stock, the stock was not refinished after the front ferrule was modified, and the front of the stock is very loose in the barrel band. And the fact that the screws in the gas cylinder were installed in the wrong spot. Does anyone think I'm nitpicking too much or would this upset you if you bought it?

I wouldn't do it like that, but it's a functional unitization job.
 

Not the way I would like to have it done on my rifle (or the way my rifle is unitized) but I guess it is funtional.

There are folks that like one method better than the other.  Screw and glue is repairable should the need arise.  Not as durable as a welded NM setup but if a weld breaks you're done until it gets in the shop.  

I've simply shimmed and carried on.  A bit of a nuisance when you do a tear down and you have to reset it up when reassembling.  Also probably not as accurate as either the screw and glue or a weld.   I just saw where too many guys got the SAINc. welded NM set up and they were not straight and would touch somewhere.  If so, what's the point.


ETA- my shimming wasn't implied to be a repair to a loosened screw and glue, simply just a basic method of accurizing in a different way.   One method without commitment.

I was more referring to the fact the screws were installed so close the barrel had to be notched for the gas cylinder to install.

Are all the parts other than receiver USGI SA? How does it shoot?

The op rod is, the bolt is Winchester, the trigger group is h&r, hammer is SA, SAK nm lightweight barrel made in 76. Rear and front sights are NM.
I havnt had a chance to shoot it yet. I signed out a crate of 89 m852 to test here in a few days.

I thought the screws pretty much always transected the gas shut off.  That said I have not seen them so inboard to required the barrel to be clearanced.

Well I suppose shoot it and see if it's a dog.   I would be annoyed at someone selling a SA factory NM rifle when it isn't.  That said, there were plenty of good match rifle builders that could make them shoot circles around a factory rifle.  

It would be easy enough to replace the gas cylinder with a welded one and be done with it.  Same with the flash hider.  One might save that one if it was put an a cut off barrel stub and put in a lathe and cut right with the taper reamer.  I wonder what the story on that one is, hand reamed or the casting was lopsided and the taper cut is true to the bore line?  Either way I'd say it could have fouled up harmonics.    One might not be able to fix it with a reamer either if one has to go too deep.   That said, the SAInc ones have a lot less meat at the exit.  They're cast though.

ETA- I think I see now what the builder did.  They didn't want to cut into the gas cut off and moved the screw hole to avoid it.   I have not seen that done before but I am not in the m14 boards like I used to be.

I hope you didn't pay $2k for a after factory assembled gun like that.  


I would say that's a $1300 rifle if my wallet was involved.

You could take the metal ferrule of that stock and the butt plate and install them on a McM M14 stock and bed it.  They feel different than a wood gun in recoil.  I like the feel of the wood.  I think it's the bolt hitting the back of the receiver and that gets transmitted much more loudly on a glass stock.

I had that same thought too. This is my first m1a, not sure exactly how much force it takes to push and turn the gas cut off, but I couldn't get it to budge.

Don't monkey with the gas cut off, leave it as is.

It may be the angle of the photo but it looks like the flash hider is bulged a little too. The splines look bent in the photo.

NM (National Match) is a generic term and you appear to have gotten a generic NM rifle. Lots of people claim to be gunsmiths, their finished products vary widely. Anyone can read the Technical Manuals and try to replicate what the US Army Marksmanship Unit builds, how close they come to perfection is based on their skill level and the amount of time they are willing to put into it.

What does the glass bedding look like in the receiver area? Is the trigger a crisp 4.5 lbs. with very little over travel? Does it have a National Match hooded rear sight? Is the operating rod marked NM on the top by the chamber? What markings are on the barrel? Does the trigger group lock up tight? Does it have a standard weight barrel? Medium weight barrel? Heavy barrel?

Did the seller state who built it? There is nothing wrong with the glued and screwed method of unitizing the gas system, the off center flash hider hole and the buggered front sight nut shows that whoever worked on it was all thumbs and had the wrong tools for the job.

I would return it to the seller if that's an option unless you're willing to send it off and have it rebuilt into a decent rifle. Arrington Accuracy is one of the few people I would recommend. Champions Choice can have it rebuilt as well.

To answer your questions, the" bedding " looks like crap, the trigger is OK, it's got the NM hooded sight but it looks slightly bent, op rod is not marked NM, the barrel is a 76 SAK standard profile NM barrel, with an NM stamped on the top of the barrel behind the front sight. The trigger group isn't super tight, it's tight enough to almost require a tool stuck in the hole for extra leverage. It was advertised as a Springfield m1a national match 308 rifle.

It would upset me if described that way. What pictures were posted in the auction? What did you pay? What did the seller specify for return policy? GunBroker has a pretty good buyer protection program. You may be covered for a refund due to it not being as described. Kit built is not the same as "all original". Do not fire it if you're interesting in sending it back.

 

Check out what I found on GunBroker.com!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=563474937

$1500 almost

Link fixed: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=563474937




I would want my money back if I were you. If that's what you want, first contact the seller and let them know you want a refund because you believe they misrepresented this rifle as "Springfield M1A National Match 308 semi auto rifle....Nice wood stock and all original....." when it is in fact assembled from parts by someone other than Springfield Armory, and is certainly not all original. They can't say they were simply describing the stock, because it's not all original either. See how the seller responds to that before proceeding. Do not be inflammatory with them; simply state your position.

Read this: http://www.gunbroker.com/User/BuyerProtection.aspx




this: http://www.gunbroker.com/User/FraudClaimProcess.aspx




and this: http://www.gunbroker.com/Support/SupportFAQView.aspx?faqid=1079




Note the date windows.

IF GunBroker has to step in, and IF they honor your claim, there will be a $100 deductible. They will try to work things out with both parties first.




 
 
 

If this is the seller, they have good feedback. https://www.facebook.com/Triggerhappygunsbendoregon/


 

Is the sling rivet rubbing on the barrel ?

In the not how I'd do it camp but it looks functional and doesn't appear to have been too thrashed.

$1550... not bad as long as the barrel is good ( not shot out ) , set of  NM/2A rear sights BIG +, Preban ? SA inc recvr, GI parts.

No way that rifle can be mistaken for a actual SA INC built NM rifle, But I don't think it was mis-represented as it is what it is a NM modified SA INC M1A.

I disagree. This would be like if I offered my FMP G3 kit I built onto a JLD receiver as a "PTR-91". That's not really what it is, even though it says so on the receiver. Not everyone is an expert at identification. Omitting key information (when known) is not due diligence.


OP, any updates?


 

I would say that their description is not exactly correct.  They may have intended the "all original" to indicate that all the parts, less receiver, were all USGI parts.  Looking at it would have ruled out it being a Springfield, Inc NM rifle by noting the stock was a USGI birch with the selector filled in.  Is the op rod spring guide a USGI or is it a match style?  I would balk at the shoddy workmanship on the gas cylinder.  Tell them they need to refund your money.

After reading the Gunbroker add I think the description is misleading. Should have read M14 built on SA receiver with NM modifications. USGI parts to include: etc... Seems to me that it is a $1200 rifle if it shoots well. All in all it may prove to be a good rifle.

The seller is no longer replying to my emails. I've contacted GB and they said the first thing to do is send them proof of payment. I faxed my receipts to them so I guess I just wait for now. It's a NM spring guide, not sure who made it, it's gold/ yellow in color and the front part actually looks like a good clean weld. Unlike some others I've seen with just a slight spot weld.

By chance it's not marked Devine TX on it? It think under the barrel?

I agree with Blfuller.  Are the barrel threads under the castle nut stripped?  Someone got a hold of that rifle, somewhere down the line, who didn't know what he was doing.  You're obviously uncomfortable with the entire matter.  Have seller make it right.

I would have to say ad was somewhat disingenuous.

Really?  Is that what they are bringing now? My brothers bought a M1A Loaded model on Gunbroker 2 years ago advertised as like new fired 20 times for $1300 and when we received it we had to take his word for it as to being even fired because it looked NIB !!!! Not even a single handling mark on it.

I'm sorry but that's no $1200 rifle no matter how it shoots and definitely not as described.

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