Hi everybody,

I'm just getting back to shooting after a long hiatus (long story).  I've had a SA M1A for a couple years now, and love it.  Before I went on hobby vacation, I had been doing some emailing around to vendors looking for some sort of way to mount sensible and fun goodies on one.

So, it's a new year and I come back, and lo and behold, I start seeing nifty things about some sort of sop-mod competition and a sage stock and 18 inch barrels and gas lock sights.  So, I've got a lot of questions.  I'm not an M1A noobie, but neither am I enlightened.  And I'm certainly way behind the latest news.

So, if I can pester everybody with a ton of questions... please bear with me.

(1) The collabsible two-legged stock in the back...  It looks a little unsturdy and awkward.  Especially with the large gap between the cheek rest and the reciever heel.  How does that fit in actual use?  Can I shift my cheek if need be?  Does it get the eye to a good height to use a dot sight and the irons?

(2) Does a dot-sight get too hot up top there?  Does it work well with a Trijicon tri-power?

(3) The AR-style tube stock... does that get the eye to a good height?  I have one of those on an AR, and am quite fond of it.

(4) Is it possible to move the handgrip forward a bit?  I'd like to mount a ching sling (3-point) on it, and that will need a mounting point right in front of the magazine well.  

(5) I hear reference to some sort of modification to the gas system.  Does it still expel gas out the bottom of the rifle?  I was kind of hoping to mount a light underneath in that spot, but not if it'll get blasted with every shot.  (I'd like to avoid mounting on the side, since it makes things very wide to transport around in a standard case)

(6) There's now some sort of quick-attach sound suppressor mount that goes along with a vortex flash suppressor, right?  Is anybody making a civie-compatible suppressors that go with them?  The only one I've seen on the web is listed LEO only.  (This will be a project for later, but good to know, of course)



Thanks for your wisdom!

Hey Horseman,

Visit my web site to get up to speed on the SAGE thingy.

1. The two-legged but stock is solid and fully adjustable.
2. Optics mounted on the top rail stay cool. I don't think the Trijicon has enough eye releif.
3. I'm not a fan of the AR type stock so I built a second one with a fixed stock.
4. You can remove the handgrip, but you can't relocate it.
5. The gas system is not modified, it does use a special shim.
6. Use the DC Vortex with a GLFS and you cam run a Dave Fisher can.

What part of GA are you in?

HTH ~

Quoted: Hi everybody, I'm just getting back to shooting after a long hiatus (long story).  I've had a SA M1A for a couple years now, and love it.  Before I went on hobby vacation, I had been doing some emailing around to vendors looking for some sort of way to mount sensible and fun goodies on one. So, it's a new year and I come back, and lo and behold, I start seeing nifty things about some sort of sop-mod competition and a sage stock and 18 inch barrels and gas lock sights.  So, I've got a lot of questions.  I'm not an M1A noobie, but neither am I enlightened.  And I'm certainly way behind the latest news. So, if I can pester everybody with a ton of questions... please bear with me. (1) The collabsible two-legged stock in the back...  It looks a little unsturdy and awkward.  Especially with the large gap between the cheek rest and the reciever heel.  How does that fit in actual use?  Can I shift my cheek if need be?  Does it get the eye to a good height to use a dot sight and the irons? (2) Does a dot-sight get too hot up top there?  Does it work well with a Trijicon tri-power? (3) The AR-style tube stock... does that get the eye to a good height?  I have one of those on an AR, and am quite fond of it. (4) Is it possible to move the handgrip forward a bit?  I'd like to mount a ching sling (3-point) on it, and that will need a mounting point right in front of the magazine well.   (5) I hear reference to some sort of modification to the gas system.  Does it still expel gas out the bottom of the rifle?  I was kind of hoping to mount a light underneath in that spot, but not if it'll get blasted with every shot.  (I'd like to avoid mounting on the side, since it makes things very wide to transport around in a standard case) (6) There's now some sort of quick-attach sound suppressor mount that goes along with a vortex flash suppressor, right?  Is anybody making a civie-compatible suppressors that go with them?  The only one I've seen on the web is listed LEO only.  (This will be a project for later, but good to know, of course) Thanks for your wisdom!

--

A Dot-type scope works fine on the handguards and won't get hot.  H2OMan is quite correct.  However, when you get your hypothetical rifle build, make sure you get the stock and handguards modded ala USAF MK14 Mod O, to accept a side mount...just in case.

As the the suppressor in question, the principal difference between the Fisher and SEI unit is in how they are marked and marketed, otherwise they are the same.  SEI cans are marked as such and are sold only to the USG and through DoD for Foreign Military Sales (FMS).  Fisher Enterprise cans are only sold to US civilians and to US LE entities.  The suppressor design work is charecterized by intense collaboration between Dave Fisher, Ron Smith and the US government.  

As for the suppressors:  Good to know.  That'll give me something to work on for 2007.  (Uh... hypothetically... that's the ticket)

H20 Man:  I'll go check it out, thanks!  This one isn't going to wear a bipod by default, but I imagine I'll scare one up that will fit on the standard mounts.  If I like the first one in "quick, sorta scouty" configuration, then maybe something to wear a fixed scope and bipod might be in order.  (cough cough still hypothetically cough)

Now, about the grip:  I saw a picture somewhere that looked like the bottom rail went all the way back to the magazine well.  Would it be possible/practical to just relieve an inch of the forward grip to allow a third-point attachment from a sling?  I basically never put a hand there when I shoot, so as long as it doesn't sabotage the structure and can be done neatly, I'm game to give it a try.

Gas system:  OK, what does the shim do?  I can't think of any place that a shim would really fit, or do much useful work.  If the surplus gas still blasts out the bottom, I'll have to come up with something for the light.

Tri-power:  How much eye relief are we talking?  I'm thinking (hypothetically right?) that the forward mounted system would be very nice, but I like the concept of being able to pick it right up and look through it without messing with a switch.  And I also like the concept of self-adjusting for light levels.  But if it's not the best-fit, then it's off the (hypothetical) drawing board.  :)


Oh, and I'm in Smyrna.  Just put a shout out on the GA hometown board!

Quoted: about the grip:  I saw a picture somewhere that looked like the bottom rail went all the way back to the magazine well.  Would it be possible/practical to just relieve an inch of the forward grip to allow a third-point attachment from a sling?

All current production Chop Mod stocks are made to accept the 1913 picitanny rail section adaptor picture in this pdf file
This may do the trick if you use an AR15 type rail mount sling swivel.
I have a KAC QR swivel on my MK14 - it's mounted on the side rail. Huge picture

Gas system:  OK, what does the shim do?  I can't think of any place that a shim would really fit, or do much useful work.

It replaces the front band and untizes the gas system.
You can see it in the huge picture. I can email you the installation instructions...

If the surplus gas still blasts out the bottom, I'll have to come up with something for the light.

Consider a mini light on a side rail.

Tri-power:  How much eye relief are we talking?

Check out this rig LINK
Clyde Armory in Bogart has the ACOG TA24-2 pictured in stock.

Oh, and I'm in Smyrna.  Just put a shout out on the GA hometown board!

Roger that

H2O Man:  Do you do work on these things?  I believe I might like to pick your brain some more, as things go along.  If you'll be going to a GA ARF shoot, could I con you into bringing one out, if I bring the ammo?

I'm planning this out to be a reward to myself for losing some pounds this year, so I've got time to learn and plan.

Quoted: H2O Man:  Do you do work on these things?  I believe I might like to pick your brain some more, as things go along.  If you'll be going to a GA ARF shoot, could I con you into bringing one out, if I bring the ammo? I'm planning this out to be a reward to myself for losing some pounds this year, so I've got time to learn and plan.

IM sent