Quoted: Dont worrie about using Springfeild parts they are good parts dispite being casted I have a friwnd who has a casted M-1A from the 1970s and it still shoots as good as my forged M-14. |
Likely the only thing cast about a 1970's Springfield M1A is the receiver - most of the rest of the parts are undoubtedly forged USGI.
Today's brand new Springfield M1A is likely all cast parts.
That's not neccessarily a bad thing, but the general consensus is that forged parts are far superior.
The only major issue with any of the cast parts on the new Springfields (that I've read) seems to be the op rod. Prior to buying my M1A, I did a lot of reading, and that came up more than anything.
After discussing things with Springfield themselves, I went ahead and bought the rifle for two reasons:
1> Lifetime warranty - if my rifle changes hands 20 times, and one of the cast parts break, Springfield will honor the warranty.
2> USGI parts swapping - Springfield continues to warranty the rifle even if I swap out the factory parts for USGI parts. Obviously, they're not going to warranty your USGI parts if they break, but if you were to put a USGI op rod, bolt and barrel onto your rifle, and the receiver or the trigger group futzes up, SA will fix/replace it.
I was seriously considering the Polytech/Norinco, but issues with the bolt and other things I read convinced me that even if I was able to pick up a Polytech/Norinco for $600 (which I might have been able to do about a year ago - now, they're all around $900 or more), I'd be spending at least as much (total) as a new Springfield M1A (and probably more), by replacing parts and having the work done before I felt the rifle was safe/usable.
If your looking for a relighable M-14 M-1A get a Polyech since they are cheaper than Springfeilds and they take USGI parts. |
Nothing majorly wrong with Polytech/Norinco, though there is a LOT of debate about the bolts in those things. The Springfield rifles will also accept USGI parts.
Truthfully, the only way I'd reccomend a Polytech/Norinco was if you just absolutely had to have a forged receiver - and at the price of the Polytech/Norinco M14 today, with the upgrades that you "should" do to it, you might as well just buy an LRB for $2000+
Google for:
Polytech M14
Norinco M14
www.lrbarms.com/m14sa.htmlwww.fulton-armory.com/M14S_Eval.htmwww.fulton-armory.com/M14SReview.html