M1A precision rifle

TJW

TJW

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Instead of building a 308 bolt gun can I buy or build a M1A/M-14 that will do the same thing? None of my guns shoot over a 1/4 MOA @ 100, and with good hand loads would an M1A do close to the same? Just wondering if its possible or I guess cost effective?
 
I would not call it cost effective. You will have one heck of a time getting target bolt action rifle accuracy from an M1A / M14S. The accurized Springfield M1A's cost several thousand and are not 1/4 moa. I think you buy an M1A for what it is, a decently accurate semi-auto with a nice touch of nostalgia. Does anyone's M1A consistently shoot 1/4 MoA, regardless of build cost?
 
I have never heard of a 1/4 MOA M14. Some high dollar match rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA groups at times but not consistently. A more realistic goal is 3/4 MOA for your high $ M1A.

Take a look at the high speed footage of this M1A match rifle. Note how the parts of the rifle move, how parts shift, how the action moves in the stock, the barrel movement. In a perfectly tuned match rifle, consistent accuracy comes from the parts consistently returning to their previous position after each shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFmVrfhBzHg

3/4 MOA is more than enough for head shots up to 400m and center mass up to 600m for a competent marksman with the M21 and M25 sniper rifles.
 
J996 said:
I have never heard of a 1/4 MOA M14. Some high dolar match rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA groups at times but not consistently. A more realistic goal is 3/4 MOA for your high $ M1A.

Take a look at the high speed footage of this M1A match rifle. Note how the parts of the rifle move, how parts shift, how the action moves in the stock. In a perfectly tuned match rifle, consistent accuracy comes from the parts consistently returning to their previous position after each shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFmVrfhBzHg

3/4 MOA is more than enough for head shots up to 400m and center mass up to 600m for a competent marksman with the M21 and M25 sniper rifles.
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yup...... i agree
I've built 2 m14 type rifles now that would be considered as being "hyper accurate" being that they shoot, with irons, into dime size holes , 5 shots, starting with a cold barrel and about 30 seconds between shots. Both builds started with norinco receivers, krieger DMR and HART heavy barrels, usgi bolts fitted and chambered to .308 match and full NM procedures applied where applicable.
BOTH rifles sold in under 10 minutes , one for 2700.00 and the other for 3200.00, with no accessories ie scope mounts bipods ect
Both rifles took me over 2 years of accumulating premium parts

But at the end of the day, trying to make an m14 type rifle have bolt gun , precision accuracy, can and will be a road to frustration for the average guy.
VERy capable of 3/4 to 1 moa accuracy but for less than that, stick to your bolt guns :cool:
 
I have a Spring field M1a Loaded. I've been working on making it more accurate over the last year. Here is what I've done to it.

1. put in in a Jae Allen G2 stock
2. put in a sadlak MN spring guide
3. put in a sadlak coated gas piston
4. i'm using a sadlak mount
5. i've got a leupold v3 scope on it

With all of this and shooting only factory match ammo (I don't hand load) here are the results. I primarily shoot 3 shot groups and can get anywhere from ".5 to just over ".75. I have occasionally done 5 shot groups. Once it was a sub moa group, but they primarily are slightly over 1 moa up to "1.5.
 
Thanks guys I apreciate the info. I just was curious to see what accuracy these guns are capable of doing. I guess I'll stick to bolt guns
 
I love my Norc and I love shooting it well but when it comes to putting allot money to achieve a quarter MOA accuracy just did not make sense to me. I bought a bolt Rem for that purpose. I rather have 2 MOA M14 that can take abuse than a 1/4 MOA M14 that needs special princess pampering. It's was designed as a battle rifle for christ sake.
 
ton45-II said:
I love my Norc and I love shooting it well but when it comes to putting allot money to achieve a quarter MOA accuracy just did not make sense to me. I bought a bolt Rem for that purpose. I rather have 2 MOA M14 that can take abuse than a 1/4 MOA M14 that needs special princess pampering. It's was designed as a battle rifle for christ sake.
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Well said, Unless you're planning to center punch golfballs at 200m a 1 or 2 moa rifle will hit what you aim at if you do your part.

I will be heading into the mountains with my new doctor built M14 this weekend to blow up 4 liter milk jugs at 300m. WITH IRONS. Once I'm warmed up we'll move it on back to 400m (now THAT wont be easy but it will be FUN!!:D)
 
I need your honest opinion now. I was shooting my buddies Polytech and I loved it, I want one. Is it worth spending the money and buying a Springfield Armory or just buy a Polytech?
 
I'm a cheap bastard and frankly for the horsing around you might do... the Poly will not let you down... better yet, buy TWO Polys and keep one for parts! :D You are still around $ 1K and half the price of an M1A :D

One for bear/moose/deer/zombie invasion(s) and One for long range fun/tweaking! :p
 
J996 said:
I have never heard of a 1/4 MOA M14. Some high dollar match rifles will shoot 1/2 MOA groups at times but not consistently. A more realistic goal is 3/4 MOA for your high $ M1A.
Click to expand...

Even if you get a 3/4 MOA rifle after you spent, tuned, and played with every part of the m14, you still have maintenance against you. The rifle is nasty on brass, and bedding. Neither help in the pursuit of precision, or accuracy.

Like many have said before though, do you really need that level of accuracy? 2MOA is hard enough to shoot reliably from field positions when considering accuracy, and precision. If you want a bench gun, the m14 is not it.
 
I've built a few match /target M14 rifles,
and my guarantee for accuracy was 2" [10 shot ] group @ 100 yds,
WITH THE RIGHT AMMO.

This may not seem very impressive, but the fabled US GI M14 MATCH/SNIPER rifles were considered acceptable if they could do 5 " @ 100 yds.

To put this in perspective,
the very best 10 shot 100 yd group I've ever PERSONALLY seen with an M14 type rifle was 3/4".

5 shot groups ....
I've seen and personally shot several sub-MOA 5 shot groups,
but doing this day in, day out?
NOPE!!!!

Making an M14 into a CONSISTENT sub-moa rifle for EVERY shot is not easy or cheap.

And,
most any decent bolt guin will be more consistently accurate.

For example,
my cheap, beat up old wood stocked Rem 788 [ Dennis did the trigger and the glass bedding for me ] would shoot 5/8" groups any time I did my part ...
and that would be 5/8" at 200 yds.
[;{)
LAZ 1
 
While I understand the "only accurate guns are interesting" argument I do believe it is a relative thing and that part of the fun in shooting comes from being as good as you can be with the equipment you have. I have some M14's (and just bought one of M14Doc's NM ones with lots of USGI in it LOL ! ) and they are great to to shoot. Of course they are not as accurate as my bolt guns but the point is that I don't expect them to be. Likewise, I have a CZ858 that can never be sub-MOA but it is sure challenging to see how many times I can ring the gong at 200m with it from the offhand position.

Shooting small groups is great and I enjoy it as much as anyone but, in my view, there is more to shooting than that. By way of example, I took a new shooter to the range this past weekend and, under instruction with the rifle firmly resting on bags, she shot two 3 shot groups back to back at 100 m that measure 0.255" and 0.347" (easily coverable with a Dime) - fantastic shooting but.........with my TRG 22 it really is not so very special. Shooting sub 2" with an M14 may actually be more impressive than sub half MOA with a premier level bolt gun and may tell you more about the shooter.

BTW, my friend is justifiably proud of her targets and I have turned a semi-anti into a budding Gun Nut :)
 
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