Since we can't purchase a .308 AR...

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Since we can't purchase a .308 AR...

Posted: 10/11/2002 10:59:06 PM EDT

in Kalifornia, what's the take on a Springfield M1A? I've been eyeing this thing at my local gun shop for the last couple of days.

At first I was thinking of slapping together an SPR type upper in the near future, but why build a precision tactical rifle in .223?

So, since I cant purchase an AR10 or a Kight's rifle in .308, I was looking at the Springfield.

How accurate are these rifles? How reliable? What are the pros and cons?

Fill me in on any pertinent details. Thanks!

Posted: 10/11/2002 11:29:10 PM EDT

[#1]

I shot a scout version at Burro Canyon today. First time shooting an M1A1. Shooting free hand at 75 yards, it held minute of bowling pin for me after the second shot using SA surplus ammo (and I am a terrible shot).
Sights felt like an AR but it seemed easier to get behind the rear one... No holding the gun with just the bottom 1/4 of the buttstock in my shoulder.
Plenty of muzzle noise but no kick worth mentioning. This after 80 rounds through my lever action 308 and a mauser, so I was pretty tender (I know, I am a wuss).
Guy also had a 700 LTR. Nice looking rifle.
Pick up some surplus 308 and trade it for some range time. I've never been turned down with an offer of ammo in exchange for shooting some stranger's gun while at the range. In exchange, anytime anyone asks about my guns, I insist they shoot them.

If you search on the pro/cons of the M1A1/AR10/FAL, I think the biggest con for this gun is the magazine costs. Biggest pro is the sights. Also, the AR10 is more accurate. Doesn't really mean much to us in California, though.

Posted: 10/12/2002 12:16:50 AM EDT

[#2]

Buy one! I own a bunch! They are great Rifles!

Posted: 10/12/2002 3:20:03 AM EDT

[#3]

You will not go wrong with a M1A.They are fine weapons.

Posted: 10/12/2002 8:31:55 AM EDT

[#4]

M1A v. AR10

when was the last time you saw a post from an M1A owner with:

a) a bolt recall
b) a magazine release recall
c) the need for an extractor insert
d) a chamber that wont feed mil-surp
e) "still waiting for it to show at my dealer"

Buy an M1A, find some of those nice $30-50 GI mags and never look back.

They are reliable, and as accurate as any 7.62cal Battle Rifle. Im looking at my OD green stocked preban right now. Its definetly on the "never sell" list.

Posted: 10/12/2002 11:22:28 AM EDT

[#5]

Buy it now! You won't be disappointed. Reliability you ask? My opinion is that the M14/M1A series of rifles are probably one of the most reliable weapons ever made....much less fussy than an AR.

Posted: 10/12/2002 1:48:19 PM EDT

[#6]

The trigger pull on even an M1-A Standard is great, a slow easy pull with a distinct stopping point, and then the smallest additional pressure with almost no more trigger movement and the hammer strikes. You always know exactly the spot when the hammer will hit during trigger pull.

They are super reliable, the design has the next round sitting in the mag pointing pretty much right into the chamber, as close as possible without the tip of the bullet already being in there, not much to go wrong, unlike other guns which rely on perfect timing and precise ammo pressure to load in the next round.

The sights are great too, the Standard model comes with a National Match front blade, which makes shooting at 100 yards plus alot less obscured than a fat A2 style AR sight.

The muzzle brake does louden it up quite a bit, that's the only downside.

And it loads with cheap stripper clips, which is fun, or get a few 10 round mags (most are chopped down 20 round GI mags, but pretty common).

Get one, you won't be dissapointed.

Posted: 10/12/2002 2:58:39 PM EDT

[#7]

Thanks for all the information, fellas.

I was thinking about either buying a this or a Kimber CDP II. I don't have a pistol yet so this was kind of a hard decision (I want to get one for CC purposes), but the way things are going, I think the M1A has more of a chance of being banned in Kalifornia because of the lunatic running around shooting people on the east coast.(i.e. Maryland shooter).

And, like I said, I want a rifle with a more punch and for longer distances, and since we I can't get crap here in Kalistan I guess this rifle will fill the role quite well. I just wanted to make sure that it was going to be a good purchase.

I have $600 bucks saved so far. The cheapest model (Standared M1A) is going for about $1200, but I think I can get it down a hundred bucks.

Where can I get a better deal? Any suggestions for a reputable dealer?

BTW, what the hell is the Kalifornia legal M1A? What's different on it?

Posted: 10/12/2002 3:12:15 PM EDT

[#8]

If I am correct, CA legal M1A has muzzle brake instead of flash suppressor. Also try "Gallery of Guns" at www.galleryofguns.com/GunLocator/locatorstart.asp for lowest price on the gun you want. Just sign up and select the M1A model you want. Gun shops in your area will send you quotes by email without any obligation from you to buy. Since it is linked off of Springfield Armory's website (click on Order Online button), I assume they are a reputable company. You also get Lifetime Replacement Limited Warranty if you purchase the gun through this service.

Posted: 10/12/2002 4:24:29 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Thanks for all the information, fellas.

I was thinking about either buying a this or a Kimber CDP II. I don't have a pistol yet so this was kind of a hard decision (I want to get one for CC purposes

Getting a CCW in California is near inposible....unless of course your life is in danger due to all the stupid guns laws you may have passed.

Sgtar15

Posted: 10/12/2002 6:27:42 PM EDT

[#10]

After shooting a friend of mines M1A, I was sold. I just bought one, and I can't get over how impressed I am with this rifle.

It is incredibly well balanced, and the sites are great.

I have no doubt about it's reliability.

I went to the range today to site it in. I decided it in at the 25 yard line, as I want a battle site zero for it. I literally put all three bullets through the same hole, with the third one just slightly breaking the hole of the other two (it looked like I shot only two rounds).

I know it's only at 25 yards, but I was still impressed. And it was with Portugese Mil-Surplus ammo.

It started raining pretty hard, so I didn't have a chance to get it out to 100 yards, but am confident that it will do just fine.

I am convinced that this is a better rifle over all than an AR10. There are just too many AR10's that have function issues IMO.

Hope this helps.

Posted: 10/12/2002 7:24:25 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Thanks for all the information, fellas.

I was thinking about either buying a this or a Kimber CDP II. I don't have a pistol yet so this was kind of a hard decision (I want to get one for CC purposes

Getting a CCW in California is near inposible....unless of course your life is in danger due to all the stupid guns laws you may have passed.

Sgtar15

I guess for civvies it is, but since I work for the county as a Juvenile Correctional Officer I can easily get a CCW through the Sheriff's department.

I'm going to to try to get one ASAP, because as soon as I finish my master's in counseling I'm getting the heck out of that job! I'm freaking tired of working shift work and having to work on the holidays.

Posted: 10/12/2002 7:28:48 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
After shooting a friend of mines M1A, I was sold. I just bought one, and I can't get over how impressed I am with this rifle.

Which model did you get? And what's some good plinking ammo for this caliber? Is that South African .308 any good?

Posted: 10/12/2002 8:37:45 PM EDT

[#13]

I got the standard model. I don't do alot of match shooting, and I am sold on chrome lined barrels (the national match isn't chrome lined). I think most shooters wouldn't notice the difference anyway.

I've shot the SA ammo, but all of it was through a FAL. It seemed like pretty good stuff, and have never really heard anything bad about it. If you can get ahold of some for a good price, I'd say go for it.

That being said, the portugese stuff is pretty cheap as well. Prices range between $140-$160 shipped for 1000 rounds.

Posted: 10/13/2002 6:42:21 AM EDT

[#14]

I have both an M1A (3 of them) and a AR10 from Armalite. I have the M1A's for years, and cn not recall afailure to feed or a failure to eject. Unfortunatey, that is not the case with my relatively new AR10 (6 Mos.-- approx.300rds.)
Granted, all my shooting is informal and with military surplus ammo, I am a little disappointed with the Armalite. To me, the AR10 is well built, the fit and finnish are very good, it has less felt recoil to it than the M1A, and I am convinced that the recoil check works great! Don't think that you will be short changed in ANY way with an M1A, go for it!

RL556 out.

"we need the ammo"

Posted: 10/13/2002 2:47:45 PM EDT

[#15]

The reviews for the M1A just keep getting better and better. This makes the price tag a lot more bearable than when I first found out how much they cost.

But now I gotta think about additional maintainence equip, scopes, mounts, ammo and...

Owning firearms can sure be an expensive hobby!

Posted: 10/13/2002 3:07:02 PM EDT

[#16]

I was just browsing through the AR10 section; wow, I guess that rifle does seem to have a bit of, ahem, problems.

Hmm...maybe NOT being able to get an AR10 isn't so bad, afterall.

I don't mean to bash that rifle, but if I'm going to spend THAT much cash, I expect it to function 99% of the time (nothing is perfect, but c'mon).

Posted: 10/13/2002 9:26:12 PM EDT

[#17]

I got 3 M1-A's.....From bottom end, to top end models.

Hey, dont knock the Armalite AR-10's too much. I own the AR-10(T) which is the "flat top" model. I love it. Never ever had a problem, but yes, I never shoot mil surplus ammo through it. It's the same as my Armalite AR-15. I have the older HBAR where the chamber is rated for .223, not 5.56nato.

Anyway,,,,Get the M1-A. Even the standard model shoots great. I too live in CA. I just took off my flash suppressors and replaced them with the Springfield muzzle breaks. That way I didn't have to register them.

Remember, Vote against OSAMA-BIN-DAVIS on November 5th.

Posted: 10/13/2002 10:23:29 PM EDT

[#18]

Hk--

Know of any places I should look up for a decent price? Seems like if I want a NIB Standard M1A, it's going to be pretty much in the $1300 range (I want the synthetic or fiberglass stock. The wood looks cool, but isn' the syntheic more durable?)

By any chance are you going to the Lytle Creek shoot? It's in SoCal...Just wondering cuz it'd be cool to meet you guys and check out your gear.

See ya.

Posted: 10/14/2002 2:09:42 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
I was just browsing through the AR10 section; wow, I guess that rifle does seem to have a bit of, ahem, problems.

Hmm...maybe NOT being able to get an AR10 isn't so bad, afterall.

Frankly, a lot of the AR-10 problems come from three sources:

- Out-of-spec replacement mag bodies from one of Armalite's subcontractors
- Dubious surplus ammo
- Folks with lack of knowledge about the AR system

You might want to read my review here:

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=62&t=138621

-Troy

Posted: 10/14/2002 4:45:08 AM EDT

[#20]

You could do a lot worse than the AR10. I have an AR10A4 flattop with the 20" barrel. Its been a completely reliable rifle. I'd say typical accuracy is maybe 2" at 100 yds. My best groups so far are 0.75" at 100 yds with my own handloaded ammo.

Posted: 10/14/2002 8:05:18 AM EDT

[#21]

Troy--

Thanks for the informative link to your AR10 range report. Seems like you have a pretty good rifle on your hands.

I guess, sometimes, stories get circulated so much about something not working right on a such and such gun that it starts to take on a life of its own, like the AR10 reliability problems and the Glock (i.e. mag catch, mil-surp problems).

But, I haven't seen anything like this regarding the M1A

I sure would like to have a .308 rifle with similar ergonomics as my Bushy's, but, alas, I live in Kalifornia where such rifles are now a "no-no."

One last thing, why is it that the M1A recoils more than the AR10? Isn't the M1A pretty heavy?

Posted: 10/14/2002 8:22:22 AM EDT

[#22]

So why the hell can you buy a M1A but not an AR-10 in CA? They do the same thing! What did they do, outlaw rifles strictly because of their "fear" factor? Even to the evil polikos of the PRK that has to seem obsurd, doesn't it?

Posted: 10/14/2002 8:43:52 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
So why the hell can you buy a M1A but not an AR-10 in CA? They do the same thing! What did they do, outlaw rifles strictly because of their "fear" factor? Even to the evil polikos of the PRK that has to seem obsurd, doesn't it?

Well, their reasoning is because the outlawed rifles hold 30 rnd mags. I think they are trying to outlaw all firearms.....one rifle at a time.

Sgtar15

Posted: 10/14/2002 8:45:12 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
So why the hell can you buy a M1A but not an AR-10 in CA? They do the same thing! What did they do, outlaw rifles strictly because of their "fear" factor? Even to the evil polikos of the PRK that has to seem obsurd, doesn't it?

You're telling me! I know it's ridiculous, but that's just the way it is here in Kali. This is where a common sense approach to firearms simply does not exist. Instead, we have politicians that capitalize on certain unfortunate events in order to help them in their re-election bids and disarm those very citizens who are most eligible to have them for personal defense.

Buy before they are all gone...but do your part to try to prevent that from happening my fellow PRK comrades!!!

Posted: 10/14/2002 2:16:07 PM EDT

[#25]

I've heard that guns with more of an inline barrel to shoulder design allow a recoil that is more controllable.

I have a Ca. legal M1-A, with the muzzlebrake instead of flashhider, and there's a decent amount of recoil but it's not out of control.

The noise produced by it's brake (or even alot of AR-15 brakes) is another story. I've thought of either replacing it with a flash hider, or if I lived in Ca, I'd be tempted to hacksaw it off into a simple slanted brake with no side holes.

I chose the synthetic stock, but either one is fine. In the 60's people were concerned humid environments would cause the wood stocks to warp- probably not a concern for most of us, also I heard a synthetic stock possibly (all internet) might protect a shooter a bit more in case of an out of battery firing.

Posted: 10/14/2002 2:19:03 PM EDT

[#26]

Also, the Birch or Synthetic stock ones run about $100 less than the Walnut. Mine cost around $1050 with a Mossy Oak synthetic stock about 2 years ago.

10 round mags are available from the Fulton armory or Springfield Armory website. Get some stripper clips too, they're a fun, oldstyle way to load the gun from the top.

Posted: 10/14/2002 5:48:55 PM EDT

[#27]

Another vote for the M1A. Mine has worked flawlessly, although I probably have less than 300 rounds through it. I found some cheap GI mags prior to buying the rifle, then had to get the rifle.

I dunno how much of the AR10 problems are myth, but I have one and it is ammo sensitive and sometimes doesn't extract. It went back to ArmaLite, who improved it but didn't cure it. The M1A is from my experience far more reliable.

Posted: 10/15/2002 10:52:38 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Also, the Birch or Synthetic stock ones run about $100 less than the Walnut. Mine cost around $1050 with a Mossy Oak synthetic stock about 2 years ago.

10 round mags are available from the Fulton armory or Springfield Armory website. Get some stripper clips too, they're a fun, oldstyle way to load the gun from the top.

I noticed that there is sythetic stock and a fiberglass one. Is this right? I saw two pics and the fiberglass one seemed thinner...the synthetic looked fuller.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Since we can't purchase a .308 AR...

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