Mounts for the M1A

Posted: 11/6/2003 11:15:10 AM EDT

Greetings my fellow weapon lovers. I have recently purchased a SA M1A standard rifle. Along with my purchase came a Gen 3 scope mount. Now I love my Trijicon Reflex 12MOA and have it mounted on a ARMS #15. Which is the better the Gen 3 or the Scout/Squad outfit? Sooner or later a Aimpoint optic will be in my hot hands and my be placed on the M1A as well.

Posted: 11/6/2003 1:38:26 PM EDT

[#1]

The consensus(by far) is that the 3rd gen is junk.Your 2 best options are either the ARMS 18 or the Smith mount.The best M14/M1A site is www.battlerifles.com.Over there the Smith is preferred 60/40.On this site the ARMS 18 is preferred 60/40.Either one is a fine,rock solid mount.

Posted: 11/11/2003 8:35:26 AM EDT

[#2]

Probably an either/or as noted above. I owned the Smith which I really liked. Great workmanship.

Posted: 11/14/2003 6:22:58 AM EDT

[#3]

I went with ARMS #18 mount & #22m QD rings, Holds solid & returns to zero when remounted.

Posted: 11/14/2003 8:18:53 AM EDT

[#4]

If you are doing some serious shooting, ditch the SA mount. It will likely not hold zero. A good mount is made of steel to match the thermal expansion of your reciever. The SA mount is aluminium. Smith Enterprise makes a excellent mount and so does ARMS. With the ARMS mount you lose your ability to shoot with irons though and not so with the Smith since it has a peep channel.If you have the money you can spring for a Brookfield mount. It is considered the best and what the Smith mount is patterned after.

Posted: 11/14/2003 9:35:01 AM EDT

[#5]

Thanks guys. Any good or bad feelings about the Scout Squad?

Posted: 11/14/2003 3:50:02 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Thanks guys. Any good or bad feelings about the Scout Squad?

I was about to buy one Until I looked down the bore & saw it was not chrome lined. I hate cleaning guns, So chrome lining is a must.
I decided to Have a Standard M1A cut down instead.

Posted: 11/15/2003 7:15:19 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
If you are doing some serious shooting, ditch the SA mount. It will likely not hold zero. A good mount is made of steel to match the thermal expansion of your reciever. The SA mount is aluminium. Smith Enterprise makes a excellent mount and so does ARMS. With the ARMS mount you lose your ability to shoot with irons though and not so with the Smith since it has a peep channel.If you have the money you can spring for a Brookfield mount. It is considered the best and what the Smith mount is patterned after.

The ARMS mount is compatible with iron sights after the scope and its (hopefully) quick-release mounts are removed. Although a bit of a hassle, this arrangement does allow a significantly lower positioning of the scope, a decided asset. I've seen M1As with scopes mounted so high as to be laughably unuseable.
However, there is no dispute that the Smith mount is well-made.

Posted: 11/16/2003 3:39:15 AM EDT

[#8]

See this thread on The M14/M1A Firing Line about a modification to the SA 3rd Gen scope mount.

Third Gen. Springfield Scope Mount Fix
server.w3geek.com/~Hawk7173/viewtopic.php?t=1588
This might change your minds about using this mount or, at the very least, get you by until you can afford better.

Posted: 11/16/2003 12:51:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Speaking of M1A mounts, I understand that you have to replace the stripper clip guide when attaching a scope mount. Is there a scope mount that also incorporates a stripper clip guide?

Posted: 11/16/2003 2:34:07 PM EDT

[#10]

There's no way to clip load the M14 with a scope mounted, so the clip guide is unnecessary and commonly used as part of the scope mount. Some don't use it, but you still can get the clips under the scope.

-- Chuck

Posted: 11/16/2003 2:47:12 PM EDT

[#11]

I should clarify. I was looking for a way to have a removable scope (so I could shoot irons when I wanted), but not have to replace the stripper-clip guide every time. I saw this pic:

(courtesy Fulton-Armory.com)

and it looks like that ARMS #18 can either have a full rail on top, or attachment points for something like an ARMS QD scope rail or some such. So I checked out the ARMS website:

So, I had the hope that with ONLY the #18 installed, you could do stripper clips too (just because, dammit)

-Gloftoe

Posted: 11/16/2003 7:39:19 PM EDT

[#12]

McCann (sp?) Industries makes a steel mount that they can custom install with an attachment point tapped into the stripper clip guide. their web site doesn't show this version but I believe they will still do it. they changed to the version shown on their web site to facilitate do-it-yourself install. BTW: Rick McCann, the owner,is a great gunsmith.

Posted: 11/17/2003 5:20:57 PM EDT

[#13]

I've had both the A.R.M.S. #18 and the Smith Enterprise Mount on my M1A.

I prefer the Smith Mount. It's still on my rifle. I sold the A.R.M.S. base. I like the Smith Mount's "channel" so you can use the irons without removing your optical sight.

The A.R.M.S. #18 only has two attachment points. The Smith Enterprise Mount is more of a "rail", giving you the flexibility of moounting your optical sight farther forward or back. To do that with the A.R.M.S. #18, you have to buy their QD mount.

Just my $0.02...YMMV

Posted: 11/17/2003 7:37:58 PM EDT

[#14]

I have a Trijicon Reflex 12 MOA mounted to a A.R.M.S. #15 and mounted to the Gen II. It's a little too tall for likeing. How much taller is the Smith or ARMS mounts compared to the SA Gen II Mount? I want to get my optic as far down a possiable so that my head placement never changes.

Posted: 11/18/2003 8:47:01 PM EDT

[#15]

Anyone have any pics of the Smith mount? Also where could I go to look at and/or buy one? I'm looking to upgrade from my 3rd gen. SA mount. On a side note, has anyone seen the new Leatherwood mount? I saw it at impact guns site, looks to be a nice piece also...

Posted: 11/19/2003 10:26:29 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Anyone have any pics of the Smith mount? Also where could I go to look at and/or buy one? I'm looking to upgrade from my 3rd gen. SA mount. On a side note, has anyone seen the new Leatherwood mount? I saw it at impact guns site, looks to be a nice piece also...

Here's Smith Enterprise's website with their mount - but the pictures are a little small:

www.smithenterprise.com/buy/scopemounts.asp

Speaking of mounts, has anybody had a chance to try the Sadlak mounts yet?

www.sadlak.com/prod-rifle.htm

Posted: 11/19/2003 12:52:35 PM EDT

[#17]

Wait til you get to play with the Knight's RAS system for the M1A.

Trust me, its SWEEEEEET

Posted: 11/19/2003 8:58:19 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Wait til you get to play with the Knight's RAS system for the M1A.

Trust me, its SWEEEEEET

DETAILS!

Posted: 11/19/2003 10:33:59 PM EDT

[#19]

Little bit of a preview over here

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Mounts for the M1A

Armory » M1 / M14 / M1 Carbine

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