I hold a NM SA M1a in my lap right now that is in super shape. The guy wants 1,000 for it and I have a SOCOM16 allready but this is a  gem of a rifle. How good should it shoot?

Slug-O

Siomething under an inch with good ammo. In other words not run of the mill surplus.1000 bucks Id jump on it

That is almost too good to be true. Why such a low price for that rifle?


BTW, less than an inch @ 100 yrds. (proper ammo etc...)

Clean with a low round count, they sell for around $1200 used.

The real tell tale sign is going to be removing the action from the stock.  If the glass bedding is still in goodshape, it will take great force to remove the action from the stock.  If the receiver just drops out of the stock, then the glass is worn and you may have to have it rebedded (read will open up the groups and you will have flyers).
Note: you only want to remove the action from the stock maybe once a year or less,or you will ruin the glass bedding due to pull wear.  

Since you thinking of buying it, a good sign will be that the piston, the guide rod, recoill spring and the opt rod are on the filthy side when you pull the action.  This means that the owner was not pulling the action out of the stock to clean the inner parts at the same time as the rest of the rifle.  Also, chances are the the owner never pulled the piston (looks for marks on the gas plug), if so and you have the tools, you can get a real good idea of what ammo and how many rounds was fired threw the weapon (signs of miltary primer sealant, and overall fouling in the piston/cylinder).  As for using a throat gauge, don't even try.  The throats are reamed less than zero on USGI gauge for a NM or Douglas Super match barrel. You can mic the muzzle, but then again, you will need to pull the FS to do so (may not be a bad idea just encase he distroyed the muzzle crown by jaming bushed down the wrond end).

To add: To tell a nm from a loaded model, the stock will be glass bedded, and the front cyclinder/hand guard will be unitized (look at the back of the hand guard band for two screws just above the pistol channel/behind the hand guard). The rear sight will be hooded, but this could have been added to a loaded model sometime down the road.

The rifle has the NM  sights and it says NM 308 on the barrell, BUT I do not see any glass bedding in the stock but I will say that the walnut stock fits very tight and the trigger is a 2 stage 4.5 lb break. The guy is moving and is getting rid of a bunch of guns. I got a Norinco 45 in super shape for 300 and he wants 1000 for the M1A.

Slug-O

That sounds more like a M1A Standard "loaded".

The loaded comes with a medium contour NM barrel, NM sights and an oversized stock.  It is also has a tuned trigger group.

It has NM features but it is not truly a NM M1A.

If you really want to know what it is, call SA and give them the serial number.  They'll tell you what it is/was.

Ding, ding, ding....... we have a winner!!!!!! Just got off the phone with SA and its an Loaded Standard. Barrell, trigger, sights, break, but no glass bedding. 1000.00 bucks... not bad though....

Thanks, Slug-O

Quoted: Ding, ding, ding....... we have a winner!!!!!! Just got off the phone with SA and its an Loaded Standard. Barrell, trigger, sights, break, but no glass bedding. 1000.00 bucks... not bad though.... Thanks, Slug-O

w00T!  What do I win!

$1K is not bad at all.  Retail is near $1300 for a new one.

Soooo... are you buying it?

I will go shoot it this wekend and make my decision. Its is bueatful shape and is a true rifle for my collection. It was made in April of 96.

Slug-O

For a grand, I'd buy it too.