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Posted: 11/21/2004 6:26:46 PM EDT
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How difficult is it to build a M1A? I've been eyeing on of the "Fulton Armory M14 Receiver Barreled with Headspaced USGI Bolt" built with a 18" chrome barrel. I would have to go in and add a stock and all the other parts. For a M1A novice, is this adviseable? I figure this way would be easier on me than shelling out $1300 all at once. Plus, I can get the "recommended" parts. Tell me what I need to know! 
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I consider myself a fairly competent AR "plumber", but I don't think I'd want to undertake a M1A-type project without the supervision or advice of someones who's done it a couple of times... Check out Ekie's thread about his "project" for a look at some of the stuff you'd have to. The barreled receiver with the headspaced bolt would take care of a lot of the harder work, though... ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=6&t=171826 |
Better choice would be the LBR forged receiver and a USGI bolt. Once in hand, lap the bolt into the receiver (locking area), then send the bolt and receiver off to CC to be barreled using a Douglas Med weight barrel. The FA receiver with chromed lined barrel would be a better rifle as long as you plan on swiming in the ocean with the rifle (salt water). The latter option will shoot better, just that you really don't want to use the rifle as a boat oar much. |
| Once the bolt and barrel are headspaced and installed the rest is easy, basically just assembling a stripped rifle. That is as long as the receiver is close enough to specs that the parts will fit on it. Can't comment on the Fulton receiver, in that I have not tried one. |
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Different essentially built mine. Once the action is barreled and bolt headspaced, you'd be in pretty good shape. It was pretty cool assisting him with the build. USGI parts kits are pretty scarce, so scoop up your op rod and trigger groups. there was some talk about LRB forging their own op rods, you might check m14forum.com for info. |
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brouhaha, you and I look at the rifle is two differenent ways. If you going for just a SHTF rifle, then you don't even need to lap the bolt into the rifle. On this type of rifle, You could just start with a stock SA built by the factory, and change out a few parts. This keeps the price down (Only problem will be find one with a chrome lined USGI barrel). My veiw is that only thing different between the service rifle, and a full blown Match rifle is a few hundred dollars in parts, and serveral thousand in labor glassing and fitting all the parts. The parts run around $1200, then you spend the time fitting all the parts, and glassing in the action to save on the out of house costs. Since your looking at buying the parts, and sending them off to a smith to turn key the rifle, then look at a completed basic SA rifle (with swapping/selling/buying replacement parts). In the end, you will have saved money by just starting with the $1000 built rifle, verses the smiths cost of working on the rifle and the added cost of buying parts one at a time. |
An SA rifle, new, costs about $1350. Then I may add parts to it such as a flash hider (instead of the brake on the Scout). The Fulton rifle starts at $950 for a barrel, receiver and bolt. Then I can built it how I want without switching out parts. Will the required parts cost $400? Will the experience in building a rifle so I know exactly how it works be worth it? |
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I think you could complete the rifle for under $600, as long as you don't pay outrageous e-bay prices for parts. M14s go together in a very simple way. I don't think you really gain much by putting it together yourself. I would advise that you pay to have a good gunsmith put the rifle together. That way you can be 100% sure the rifle was assembled right When you have a round as powerful as the 7.62 going off so close to your face, I think its best to exercise some caution. |
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SPMA9103 SPRGFLD M1A 308 BL BIRCH 10RD $1016.99, www.ak-47man.com/SpringfieldRifles.html Don't know were you have been shopping, but this one is NIB and 25 min from the house. As for building a NM rifle up, the real smiting is lapping in the bolt to the receiver, then installing the barrel and chambered to the new bolt face depth of the lapped in bolt (the real money in tools needed). My guess is that the FA barrel upper is just a USGI barrel installed/indexed on the receiver, then bolt's only headspaced until one comes up correct and used. These barreled receivers with bolts are service grades, and when you start adding up the price to complete the service rifle, you over the top of just buying a completed rifle. Since your game plan is to use the rifle for SHTF/shooter grade, don't worrying if the bolt is lapped to the receiver. Instead, start with a stock rifle, and just change out the parts to what every you dream up. The parts that you pull off can be sold, and will help save you money. Hell, both the SA and the FA are casted receivers, so it just boils down to the same side of the coin. Again, the difference between a service and NM grade build/starting point is that the bolt is lapped into the receiver to make sure that both lugs fully lock up, and they and the bolt face are square with the bore line. From there, a barrel is added and reamed/head spaced to the new setback of the bolt face. If you planning on lapping in a bolt to an installed and head spaced barrel, then you need to find a bolt that is just long enough (short head space), then lap it back to the correct headspace without destroying the heat-treating of the bolt/receiver lugs (not going to happen, you end up replacing the barrel to get the correct headspace). Bottom line is if you plan on going full tilt and building up a tack driver, then parting/sourcing the parts/rifle together and fitting the parts is worth the time (saves thousands of dollars). But if you’re just going for a shooter, then the completed rifle is the cheaper way to go, even with the parts swap that you may add. |
That doesn't have the 18" barrel that I was talking about. His price for what I want is $1288, which is about $50 cheaper than I had previously seen. |
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Kurt cuts and rethreads barrels for $35 (last time I checked). That puts you around the $1050 mark. Add a can of Rino bed liner to paint the stock black, and you still under the $1100 mark. Hell, you want to learn to smith on the rifle, you can start by opening up the gas port to the needed size to cycle the rifle (beat having to buy adjustable plug just to do the same thing as undersize gas porting, which by the way, is the same price as Kurt charges). |
IF you can find an SA receiver, these ALONE are close to $500. A USGI chromed lined barrel will run $2-300. The 18" chrome that brouhahaha is looking for is only offered by one or two outfits, at a price closer to $250. USGI op rods, trigger groups and bolts are all commanding a hefty premium these days, in the $1225-175 each range. |
The barrel I'm looking at COMES with the receiver. |
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i've forwarded this link to Different. I'm sure he'll chime in shortly. If you haven't already seen his page, check it out here: www.imageseek.com/m1a/ |
My $0.02, send your receiver and parts to warbird since you are in Texas. He's in the Houston area. His web page is users3.ev1.net/~hd80/Warbird.HTM I've known Tim since 1993. You'll be very happy with the result. 
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+1 Fulton rocks for M1 and M1a builds! |
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