I really like the look and feel of the M1A but I have some questions about them.
First, I have heard that dry-firing them can cause damage to the rifle. Is this true?
Second, how does the rifle stand up to field conditions - rain, snow, dirt, etc? Is it easier to maintain in the field than an AR (not that the AR is difficult, I'm just using it as a gauge)?
Third, is bending the op-rod a common problem if heavier bullets are used or an out-of-spec (slightly over-pressured) round is fired? Are there any parts that have a tendancy to wear out after a few thousand rounds?
Fourth, If I get a standard model with a fiberglass stock, will taking the action apart to clean it degrade accuracy more every time I disassemble it? I know that it will for a bedded action, but what about for a standard, field-grade rifle? (I am not expecting to shoot sub-MOA groups; I am looking for 1 to 1.75 inch groups at 100 yards with good ammo though.)
Sorry for all of the newbie questions, but it seems like info on the M1A isn't as abundant as info for other rifles. Most of the info I find is related to match shooting, not field usage. Thanks.