Can anyone help me figure out how to get the action apart on my M1A?  I got it out of the stock (glass bedded) and got the spring and spring guide out.  I just can't get the operating rod out of the receiver.  I talked to a friend of mine and he told me to pull it almost all the way back to where the cutout is in the top of the groove for the op rod.  Then pull and wiggle/rotate it out.  This is not working and I want to completely disasse,ble it and clean it before I shoot it.  It also is supposed to be a super match (pre-ban) but only has one set of lugs that hang down from the middle of the receiver.  I thought it was supposed to have rear lugs as well.  I'm pretty sure that it is actually a super match though because the stock is thicker than my friends national match.  Did they not rear lug early receivers or something?  Anyway, please help me disassemble this thing before I go nuts!!

BR

    I had the same problem when I got my M1A... You do indeed have to pull the op rod back until you hit that cutout portion of the reciever, but the tricky part is that the op-rod will come out effortlessly once you pull on it at *exactly* the right angle.  Not a half degree off or it won't budge.  The angle in question isabout 45 degrees up and away from the reciever.  You still have a great treat waiting for you when you get the bolt out, too.  Watch that thing really closely when you take it out, because you'll have no point of reference that you can rest the bolt againt to line it up correctly to get it back in, it simply has to be at one exact angle to fit into the reciever.  Otherwise, it won't give at all.  

Well rule #1 has already been broke...NM and SM M1A's should almost never be removed from the glass bedding.

I have read reports that some after year have still never taken them part.

I just have a Standard model and it also leaves the stock as little as possible just due to compression of the wood.

Good Luck.

Karsten

You can go to Springfields web page, they have descriptions of the different match models. www.springfieldarmory.com
The main differences are barrel options and stocks..

Author:
You really should try to disassemble this rifle as little as possible.  I know that you want to give it a good cleaning but------.  Each time you take it apart you run the risk of screwing something up, i.e. chipping the glass, rounding off an edge on a critical surface etc. etc.
Cleaning should be done with the rifle gas tube side up, this will keep solvent from getting into the gas system as well as running down into the glass bedding.  Bronwells has a bore guide made of brass that will keep the muzzle protected the part # 022-100-014, cost is #13.95 and worth every penny.  If you are a police officer or have a gun repair shop your cost would be $10.95.  To know that cost just look just to the right hand side you will see another number in this case 2B10Z95.  This is the code #.  
Bill
Simper Fi

I'm gonna second that! I have a NM9102 and have never taken it apart....really no need to right now and when I do, it'll be under the guidance of someone who knows what the heck they're doing. That bedding is very fragile! Hope everything turns out ok.

Still trying.  Thanks for the advise guys, I'll get it sooner or later.  BTW, this will be the only time it comes apart for a long time.  I always strip and clean every new gun before I shoot it.  Even this one.  Keep any other trickes coming!

Thanks

If you hand load you can always double charge a round and then fire it thru the gun...this will gauranty the whole rifle will come apart![;)]

sgtar15

Early SuperMatch guns have the single lug,match barrel and the bedding along with NM parts.
cpermd

If your not shooting serious High Power competition I wouldn't get too worried about taking in out of the stock from time to time. A good glass bed job won't last forever anyway. When I shot my Super match in H-P I would only take it out of the stock when the rifle got wet and at the end of the season for a good cleaning , also unlatch the trigger guard when stored to take tension of the stock to prevent compression...

Got it back together without totally destroying it.  Never did get that damn op rod out.  I have never had a problem totally disassembling other guns in the past.  Now I remember why I waited over a year before even pulling this thing outta the safe after buying it.  Damn puzzle or something.  Oh well, as planned, it won't be coming back apart for a loooong time anyway.  I'll just shoot the sh*t out of it until the glass bedding is loosened up and then have it re-done.  That should take a boatload  of bullets.  Who would anyone recommend for that job down the road? Springfield?  Custom M14 guy?

And no - I'm not just acting like I didn't screw it up.  It's really OK!  Tapped it right out with a block of wood and patience.  Worked on that darn op rod for about 4 hours to no avail, cleaned as thouroughly as possible and put it all back together (carefully).  Ready to rock!!
AR's are so easy.......[:p]

[url]www.fulton-armory.com[/url]  ???

This is something I can relate to. Is that a major PITA or what? When I got my Loaded M1A, I think disassembly took 1 hour (stinking op rod), cleaning and regreasing 30 minutes, and assembly about 2 stinkin' hours. I didn't have glass bedding to worry about, but I will never, ever disassemble that thing for routine cleaning. Luckily, you don't have to field strip it more than once a year. For routine cleaning, I clean the bore, chamber, lugs, the face of the bolt, maybe the inside walls of the receiver and regrease lightly as needed.

Unfortunately, you really have to field strip a new rifle because the packing grease they use is more of a preservative than a lubricant. After I field stripped, cleaned everything with MPro7, and regreased with Tetra grease, the action was much smoother than before. And I mean way smoother. So, there must be benefit there. And when I took it to the range, it functioned flawlessly. Great rifle and quite purdy too!

BTW, if you have the California model, be aware that the Dewey delrin rode guide will not fit! You have to use the brass guide that slips inside the brake. That's the one shadowjack1 mentioned.

My M1A was sold to me as Supermatch and it fits the description of your rifle exaclty.  No rear lug, but the stock is oversized even compared to a NM rifle.

I think this was what Springfield sold as Super Matches some years back.

As far as the glass bedding, I think the rule of thumb is about 3000 rounds before you're looking at a skim bedding job.

Thanks for all the info guys.  Didn't get to shoot it today due to the rain, but I did shoot pistols and brought a friend with me.  (Slowly converting the don't-cares to the pro-gunners [:D]

...

Bought a new NM M1A over five years ago. Still haven't found a reason to break the bedding loose.