The wife has given me the okay buy another new rifle and I have always wanted an SA/M1A. I will scope it with the A.R.M.S. mount and most likely never shot in a match of any kind, ranges from 100m-600m(at the most I would imagine) and for the most part shooting military surplus ammo with occasional quality ammo. So do I save some money and get the standard (spend the difference on ammo & mags) or go with the loaded M1A? Am I going to see a big difference in accuracy or quality, when I improve with the rifle and start using quality ammo?

I shopped around (AuctionArms.com and Gunbroker.com) and got a Loaded for about the same price as a Std at my local gunshop.

I've got a Springfield pre ban standard.A standard will do just fine for you unless you're shooting match.On the other hand with the deals being offered now by Springfield you might as well spend the extra $200 or so and get a loaded.

Standard is fine but for the price diff I'd get the Loaded.

I have a walnut loaded, but if I wanted something to lug around in inclement weather, I'd consider a fiberglass standard.

Have you considered the Smith mount instead of the ARMS #18? Only reason I ask is because I was in the same boat as you earlier. After alot of research I went with the Smith mount.

Sick with the standard. You can pick up the "extras" cheaper elsewhere.

Quoted: Sick with the standard. You can pick up the "extras" cheaper elsewhere.

My experience is that you CAN pick up the extras later, but most people won't 'cause it's a pain in the ass to change all those parts out.  Get the NM now.

What EXTRAS for the M1 are you guys talking about?

The extras are the NM bbl, sites, flash suppressor, etc.  They really do add up to a lot and add up to a pain in the ass tinkering with the rifle, unless you like that sort of thing, then by all mean have at it.

I have seen some feeding and extracting problems with the "Loaded" guns. Of course, that was with cheap military ball dirty surplus stuff that some guys like. For what it's worth if I were going to buy another M1A I'd go for the standard model...again.

The feeding and extraction problems with the Loaded models was caused by the ones w/ stainless barrels having rough chambers. I've heard that SA Inc has since corrected the problem.

I got my Loaded M1A a couple of years ago and the only extraction problems I've had were caused by soft brass leaving fragments in the chamber. I was also lucky in that most of the parts on mine are USGI. The ones I've seen lately have pretty much all cast parts. The cast sight knobs appear pretty crude in comparison with USGI, and I don't know about the strength an durability of cast bolts.

I know that the cast vs forged debate for many parts and the receiver has been beaten to death, but the bolt is one of the parts that takes the most abuse and is subject to the most wear and tear.