Well, I finally took my new standard M1A to the range today.  I'm not much for cold weather, so I had to settle for an indoor range.  25 yards isn't exactly a good way to benchmark a rifle's potential, but I've had this thing for about 3 weeks now, and it was time to break it in.

My serial number is 158xxx.  Not "100 percent USGI" by any means. I fed it 1970's Spanish suplus 7.62 and it performed flawlessly.  About the only problem I experienced was with a cheapo 5 round magazine not seating well.  But, that's not a flaw of the gun or the ammo, and the 20 round magazines from Armalite had no problems at all.

The only REAL problem I experienced was that the elevation wouldn't stay zeroed.  That was probably my fault, as (like an idiot), I decided to remove the screw on the elevation knob this morning just to see what it was for, and put it back on.  I probably didn't put on tight enough, and after talking to the very friendly, and very helpful people at SA, I figure that's probably the source of the problem.  I'll find out for sure when I head back next week.

All in all, I'm happy.  I was almost scared off by reports (rumors) of SA's quality problems.  It seems like I needed a higher number of clicks than I thought just to zero it in at 25 yards  Anyway, I just thought I'd add a big +1 in SA's favor.  I know some consider the extra 500 bucks Fulton Armory and LRB charges to be worth it.  I don't have any experience with those guys, but I can say that for 1200 bucks, I got a heck of a gun from Springfield.

Let us know how that screw thing goes and if it fixes your zeroing problem. I have the same gun in black on lay away and want to hear some GOOD stories about the most expensive gun I [will soon] own.

ETA: I'm envious of you. I am SO sick of looking at catalog pictures of my gun after a month. And I still have another month+ to go until I have it. I was at a gun show last weekend and a LUCKY guy walked-out with my same gun as well. I was major jealous...

Congratulations on your standard-grade M1A. I have one (SA with USGI parts, circa 1995) and while 1.5MOA seems to be where it wants to shoot most of the time, I love shooting this rifle.

I hope you have good fortune with your M1A as I have.

Quoted: Let us know how that screw thing goes and if it fixes your zeroing problem. I have the same gun in black on lay away and want to hear some GOOD stories about the most expensive gun I [will soon] own. ETA: I'm envious of you. I am SO sick of looking at catalog pictures of my gun after a month. And I still have another month+ to go until I have it. I was at a gun show last weekend and a LUCKY guy walked-out with my same gun as well. I was major jealous...

Well, make sure you bring a sling or a bipod the first time you take it out.  I'm really not sure what I was thinking on this one.  When you shoot an M1A for about an hour and a half, an AR feels like a toothpick!

Quoted: Well, make sure you bring a sling or a bipod the first time you take it out.  I'm really not sure what I was thinking on this one.  When you shoot an M1A for about an hour and a half, an AR feels like a toothpick!

I wondered about that. My AR doesn't exactly feel slender though, so I always thought it'd seem like the M1A was similar, just longer. My AR is a Bushy 20" A2 with HBAR and Smith muzzle brake. So it's definitely more "portly" than an M4.

The vision that I have of my rifle is keeping the standard black stock on it (I like it!) and adding a bipod, Smith 3-point mount, and probably a matte Tasco SuperSniper 10X42 scope with side parallax adjustment. That's the beautiful image I see in my head at this time. I'll have to work a little to afford to make that image reality in the next year, but I have a few guitars I may sell to make it happen.

Here you go!!!!!!!.

Looks yummy Lugerman! I'd love to have two of them as well someday. One in black and one in wood.

Nice camo job Lugerman. How did you do it or did you send it off (the stock) to have it done?

agillig,

Before you screw the sights up. lets take it from the top.

Inner elevation screw gets tightened without letting the knob turn.

From there, you tighten the inner windage knob until the windage knob will no longer turn, then back the slotted screw out one turn.

Center the front sight, then center the rear sight.  Turn the elevation knob all the way clockwize until the aperture bottoms out, then click the aperture up 12 clicks by using the elevation knob (don't even bother with the numbers on the wheel yet).

Now zero out the sights at 100 meters via moving the aperture up/down, and aligning the front sight via the allen screw (rear block stays centered).  Once zeroed, then it's time to set the elevation numbers. Counting the clicks needed to rebottom out the aperture, take the peep all the way down.  Now loosen the inner elevation screw, and starting with the index line at the 100 meter line, click the knob down the amount of clicks it took to bottom out the peep.  Once clicked to the needed postion, re-tighten the inner elevation screw to tighten the knob back on the shaft, set the knob back to 100 meters and you're done (read it helps to count the clicks back up to 100 meters to make sure that that the numbers are set correctly for the needed amount the peep needs to be raised off the bottom.

Ok, the problem was that the windage knob was not tightened.  I've tightened it up, and it looks like we're good to go now.  Thanks to all who responded!

From information gained here, I have compiled (and often straight ripped someone off) the following information on the proper M14 Battlesight Zero.

The standard US Army battle sight zero for the M14 is 250 meters can be achieved with the zeroing target at 25 meters. Aiming point is the little white square. The bullets group at the upper X which is 4.6cm above the base of the zeroing target. See FM23-8.

Once the rifle is zeroed, reposition the rear sight elevation knob without moving the sights so the 250 meter line (the line between the numbers 2 and 4 on the elevation knob) is opposite the index line on the receiver.

Shooting point of aim at 25 yards will give you a 200 yard zero assuming GI ammo. This may be a more useful zero especially if you have M1 sights (marked 12) rather than M14 (marked 11).


The sights unscrew so as to make them repositionable without moving the aperture.

1. Rotate the elevation knob forward until the sight is all the way down. Count the clicks as you do so. Write this number down for future reference.

2. Loosen the screw on the elevation knob until you can rotate the knob forward again. Stop rotating forward when the 250 line (the long line between 2 and 3) is aligned with the index on the receiver. Now continue to rotate forward the same number of clicks you counted in step 1.

3. Hold the elevation knob in position and tighten the center screw. Don't let the sight move. Now turn the elevation knob to the rear and elevate the sight all the way. Tighten the center screw again.

4. Rotate the elevation knob all the way forward until it stops, then back the number of clicks in step 1. The 250 meter index should be aligned with the index line on the receiver. Leave it there.


Assuming USGI M80 Ball or other NATO loaded military cartridge:
(147 grain .30-caliber bullet at 2800 FPS)

For a 200 yard downrange zero the bullet is 1.1" high at 50 yards and 2.4" high at 100 yards.

For a 200 meter downrange zero the bullet is 1.4" high at 50 yards and 3 high at 100 yards.

Note the very small differences in trajectory in the two above. Always zero at the longest range you can.

Even if you zero at a yard measured range use whichever zero is appropriate to your rear sight markings. Many M1A rifles use M1 sights calibrated in yards. The M1 sight has the number 12 on it. M14 sight has the number 11 on it and is calibrated in meters.

This is the 25 meter target Valkyre is talking about.

Quoted: From information gained here, I have compiled (and often straight ripped someone off) the following information on the proper M14 Battlesight Zero. The standard US Army battle sight zero for the M14 is 250 meters can be achieved with the zeroing target at 25 meters. Aiming point is the little white square. The bullets group at the upper X which is 4.6cm above the base of the zeroing target. See FM23-8. Once the rifle is zeroed, reposition the rear sight elevation knob without moving the sights so the 250 meter line (the line between the numbers 2 and 4 on the elevation knob) is opposite the index line on the receiver. Shooting point of aim at 25 yards will give you a 200 yard zero assuming GI ammo. This may be a more useful zero especially if you have M1 sights (marked 12) rather than M14 (marked 11). The sights unscrew so as to make them repositionable without moving the aperture. 1. Rotate the elevation knob forward until the sight is all the way down. Count the clicks as you do so. Write this number down for future reference. 2. Loosen the screw on the elevation knob until you can rotate the knob forward again. Stop rotating forward when the 250 line (the long line between 2 and 3) is aligned with the index on the receiver. Now continue to rotate forward the same number of clicks you counted in step 1. 3. Hold the elevation knob in position and tighten the center screw. Don't let the sight move. Now turn the elevation knob to the rear and elevate the sight all the way. Tighten the center screw again. 4. Rotate the elevation knob all the way forward until it stops, then back the number of clicks in step 1. The 250 meter index should be aligned with the index line on the receiver. Leave it there. Assuming USGI M80 Ball or other NATO loaded military cartridge: (147 grain .30-caliber bullet at 2800 FPS) For a 200 yard downrange zero the bullet is 1.1" high at 50 yards and 2.4" high at 100 yards. For a 200 meter downrange zero the bullet is 1.4" high at 50 yards and 3 high at 100 yards. Note the very small differences in trajectory in the two above. Always zero at the longest range you can. Even if you zero at a yard measured range use whichever zero is appropriate to your rear sight markings. Many M1A rifles use M1 sights calibrated in yards. The M1 sight has the number 12 on it. M14 sight has the number 11 on it and is calibrated in meters.

i dig m1a's. i gotta couple.

anyone here ever shoot m14's?

Quoted: ...anyone here ever shoot m14's?

Back in the '60s (USMC).

Quoted: i dig m1a's. i gotta couple. anyone here ever shoot m14's?

My current issue rifle is an H&R M-14... but the "happy switch" is missing.

awwww  H & R.  no happy switch. that aint right.....

do you like it???

Quoted: anyone here ever shoot m14's?

In the '70s in the US Army.