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Posted: 11/11/2010 5:17:28 AM EDT
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Hey, can one of you M1A experts help me out with a history question? I've run across a bush rifle built on an Armscorp receiver, with birch M14 stock. (Decent stock, actually- M14 surplus, a little dinged, but nice tiger-striping.) Anyway, in my research on the receiver, so far it sounds like the Armscorp units are US made. cast receivers with a reasonably good reputation. Maybe not as good as SA, and not as good as forged, but serviceable except for a bad run or two. What I'm having trouble finding on-line is the details of what SN's should be good, and which to stay away from. The one I'm looking at is SN 115xx. Thoughts? Thanks!! |
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Armscorp USA serial number 115XX was manufactured in 1994. Armscorp of America / Armscorp USA / James River Manufacturing receivers were investment cast receivers. They were machined by Armscorp in Maryland. The first Armscorp receiver castings, circa 1987, were supplied by Smith Manufacturing (NOT Smith Enterprise) of Holland, Ohio. From about 1988 until at least the early 1990s, Armscorp of America made its own castings. In recent years until its demise in March 2008, the castings were made by Lamothermic Corporation (Brewster, NY).
I would stay away from any Armscorp receiver with a letter "S" serial number prefix. That indicates that the receiver is made of stainless steel. Otherwise, the material is AISI 8620 for Armscorp logo receivers. The Armscorp recievers will have the operating rod dismount "step" like SA, Inc. M1A receivers. Armscorp receivers sometimes have bolt lock windows that are too wide or the scope mount bolt hole is not located exactly where it should be. My Armscorp USA receiver serial number 16XXX has a mislocated scope mount bolt hole. So, I'm happy to use it with iron sights. Does the bolt lock open when an empty magazine is inserted into the receiver and bolt is pulled back? Does the bolt release work properly with a loaded magazine? Can you fit a fully loaded magazine into the receiver with the bolt closed? Do the rear sight knobs operate with crisp and distinct clicks? Are there any match grade parts on the rifle? Does it have any mainland Chinese parts? Or are they USGI, receiver and barrel excepted? If this Armscorp M14 was put together by Armscorp or another experienced M14 builder, it will be good to go. Look for match conditioning modifications in the rifle. Clint McKee and Chuck Maloney at Fulton Armory, Ted Brown (Shooters Den), Geoff Corn (Indiana), John Miller (Ohio), and Bruce Dow (Dow Arms Room) built quite a few match grade rifles with Armscorp receivers back in the day when the M14 was big at Camp Perry. |
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Here it is.........
http://www.imageseek.com/m1a/ Aloha, Mark |
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Thanks all! Yeah, I saw Different was my first reply, and having seen his tag a number of times in online references, my first thought was, "Holy crap, this guy knows so much more about these things than I do I can barely figure out how to answer his questions!" 
So I went on back and took a closer look. First off, it's actually standard length. Had to sit it next to the other standards to confirm, because it was over to the "dustbin" part of the rack with older, longer barrelled rifles... Big ole 30 inch long beasts next to it made the M14 look downright handy! 
Upon further review, the receiver is marked "NM", the front sight is marked as national match, TRW bolt. The rear sight didn't have a hooded aperature, so I'm thinking standard rear sight? It had sharp, refined clicks in elevation, but was mushy with "thunks" in windage. Resolution much coarser in windage. Maybe 4:1 vs. elevation? Trigger group didn't look to have any special markings, but was light and crisp following a bit of take-up. I didn't have means to measure it, but I'd say it's set up to be a competition trigger. Stock is bedded. Looked to be a USGI op rod assembly. I didn't think to look at the piston end enough to see if I could tell if it was welded. Bore looked good. I don't have gages to check headspace or erosion. Whaddya think? Unfortunately the salesman didn't realize what it was until I was playing with it- He had earlier dismissed it as "It's just one of the Chinese imports" but sure did by the time I was done looking at it, with him looking at it as well... He's gone to, "Oh, that's not a Polytech... Shit, that's a good bolt... Shit, that's all GI hardware... That's a match rifle... That's a *real* nice rifle for the money!" with the tone that makes me think he actually means it.  Be interesting to see what the tag says next time I'm in, but the boss says he'll sell it to me for $1050 out the door... Seems like it might be a nice deal?
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Quoted:
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That's called a steal, not a deal. What he said... Wait, you are in CT as well, maybe I could go snag it before you lol I kid, I kid. I would really jump on that from what I have read here. CT? You are also in Central Turkey?? How you like it? Is lovely this time of year, no? And the *women*! Well, the women are hairy, but aside from that, you know... You must come visit me in Istanbul! We roast goat together, drink, and sing songs of hairy women!!
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So is that the consensus- Too good a value to pass up? My hesitation is that my play-money is limited, like most of us. I'd also like a new Scout configuration, and another CMP Garand or two before they dry up again. (So that's potentially time-limited.) I've only got one of those so far, and it's a nicer grade so I don't really think of it as a shooter. A longer-range M1A has always been in the "long term plan" but it would definitely push out the other items I's like. On the other hand, I saw somewhere that some of the USGI parts alone have decent value, even used? What's a full set of USGI parts go for? I'm just thinking that if the receiver is worth a few hundred, and the parts are worth $700, it really is a no brainer and I should be looking through the couch cushions as we speak. But I don't know the values on this stuff yet... (Obviously, or I wouldn't be asking!  )
Thanks! |
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