this seems like a good deal on gunbroker but i'm not sure cuz i'm just starting to get familiar w/ m1's and m14's.....hopefully one day i'll have one....b/c i need something to cure the BRD i currently have and something new to have fun w/!

SA M1A

Semms very fair to me.

looks to be in good condition... if it was local to me and i had a chance to hold it i would easily give him the $1500.  

Desirability of the rifle depends on USGI parts content. The serial number range indicates manufacture around 1993, so there is a good chance for USGI parts. Ask the seller to identify the manufacturers of the barrel, oprod, bolt, and trigger group.

Quoted: Desirability of the rifle depends on USGI parts content. The serial number range indicates manufacture around 1993, so there is a good chance for USGI parts. Ask the seller to identify the manufacturers of the barrel, oprod, bolt, and trigger group.

would it not be more accurate to just ask springfield?

Quoted: Quoted: Desirability of the rifle depends on USGI parts content. The serial number range indicates manufacture around 1993, so there is a good chance for USGI parts. Ask the seller to identify the manufacturers of the barrel, oprod, bolt, and trigger group. would it not be more accurate to just ask springfield?

Maybe, maybe not. SA will only tell you how it left the factory when new. Whether any parts swaps/upgrades/replacements have occured, who knows. You need to find out what's on it now.

either way i guess u just have to trust the guy if he says it was oem from springer that way.  as for me i would not be able to tell usgi parts from iraqi republican guard issue parts.

i like to buy my used guns locally at only 2 gunshops.  both have smiths and know what to look for, and i can return for full refund if i have any problems.  but i doubt the smiths will know what usgi parts are suppose to look like.  now you got me thinking about the used springer i got, is there anything i can read up on to see if my springer parts are usgi or not?

Quoted: , is there anything i can read up on to see if my springer parts are usgi or not?

Yes, there is! Where though, I lost all my bookmarks during last months virus episode. Ugh. It might be on differents page or link from jouster.com but yes you can use the part code to determine if its USGI. Most USGI stuff will be marked if its not Springfield USGI, for instance my op rod says HR barrel is Win, and bolt is TRW.
Like earlier stated somewhere on this board though, is USGI really that much better? Well, I haven't noticed a difference and a lot of it is nostalgic collectability, are you going to wear out Springfield parts? probably not in your lifetime. So its all good. I once traded a USGI op rod for 2 Springers and it works fine... and now I've got a spare. I'm happy. But bragging rights are also fun and I've got an entire TRW spare parts kit just hanging around for later.

Quoted: either way i guess u just have to trust the guy if he says it was oem from springer that way.  as for me i would not be able to tell usgi parts from iraqi republican guard issue parts.

I have no doubt that it's OEM from Springfield, but OEM parts may be cast commercial. Cast commercial parts are not bad at all and they certainly can give you long service life and plenty of shooting.

However, USGI parts are desired by those who really get into the M14/M1A and the desirability is more than just nostalgic. In valuing this deal you are considering, USGI parts would make it more appealing. Springfield's 'OEM' rifle may in fact have USGI parts in it. There was a time many many moons ago, young grasshopper, that USGI parts were plentiful.

Visit www.imageseek.com/m1a/ and download "M14 Rifle History and Development".  It is 220 pages in a Word document - certainly more than you can digest right now. Do a string search on 'USGI Parts Stamped With Drawing Numbers' and begin reading there.

Identifying USGI parts is really not complicated, and if this rifle does not have any I would not say you are getting a bad deal either. I have already asked the seller for identification of the parts and I'll forward the information to you if he answers.