Springfield M1A

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blasterbolt

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Kelowna, BC
As I'm very new to the shooting scene do bare with me...

So I'm really interested in M1A by Springfield as I can get my hands on for $2300 ish at a local gun smith/store. Albeit I don't know, and also forgot to ask, which of the M1A it was.

Are Standards and Loaded models worth getting? Or should I be getting a National Match and call it a day?
Regardless of which model purchased, are there any improvements a guy needs to do? (IE, like a Norinco M305?)

Eventually I would looooove to drop it in a Sage or Blackfeather chassis.
 
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I’m not terribly knowledgeable on the current SAI “standard”/“loaded” monikers....

That said, I have seen quite a few SAI rifles across on my bench. I can say that their exterior finish is, quite noticeably, better than Chinese rifles. Bolt fitment, stock fitment and barrel alignment not so much.... about 80% of SAI rifles I’ve seen over the last 5 years have had bolt roller clearance issues, stock fitment issues and/or barrel indexing that was slightly out of spec. Granted these issues have been much more prevalent in the GI profile barreled rifles, but I’ve seen bolt roller clearance and barrel indexing out 1-2* on the medium weight barreled rifles. I have not seen any of these issues/problems in the Full HB “supermarch” rifles.

This isn’t to say that SAI rifles are “poo”, but for $2000+ I feel there should be better value.

I will say this as positives for SAI, the barrel key ways are milled true to the bore, the gas cylinder keys and FH keys are pretty close to true. So the parts are parts you can work with. Barrel indexing has never (from the ones I’ve seen) been out more than 2.5*. Generally speaking SAI makes a functional, safe firearm.

Compared with a Chinese rifle, quite often the FH’s are milled 3 to 11* out of square, gas cylinders are milled 3-5* out of square, barrel key ways are sometimes 2-3* out. In models manucactured after 2011 there are obvious cosmetic flaws (other than milling marks) on the receivers and bolts are sometimes out of spec. The current models do seem to have better headspace than older ones, but that is the one thing that’s being done better now than before 2011.

Here is where my $.02 comes in.....

Let’s assume rack grade (Florida oranges to Mandarin oranges). GI profile barrels. No aftermarket “go fast” parts.

SAI rifle + standard tune up = $2750
Chinese rifle + standard tune up + “worst case” replacement parts = $1550
Chinese rifle + IDF Parts kit + assembly = $2500

Resale on all 3 if you decide that the platform isn’t for you;

SAI $1900
Chi-com $1000
Chi-com/GI Hybrid=$1750

The above is my opinion only, YMMV.

John
 
John, hit the nail right on the head! While the one Springfield I owned, was a very nice specimen that passed all the tests and the only thing that I could have used to be perfect is a gas system shim(i never shimmer it cause it had a unitized gas system and shot really nice as is). I have seen a couple lemons, they were very nice looking like Springfields are, one wouldn't shoot worth a SH$T, and the other the reciever was all out of spec.

If I was you I would buy one of M14 medics worked over Chinese that he has and see if you like the platform. If you do, you have an amazing rifle to work with. He did the work on my heavy barrel LRB / IDF build and will maybe doing some more for me here this spring.

Cheers
W99
 
As someone with an M305...I’d recommend you do your homework before dumping $1000 additional money into the rifle.

Shim up the gas system? Sure.
Extra mags? Yep
ARMS scope mount? If you want it scoped, yeah.
Maybe a USGI fibreglass stock, brake or compensator and some other small tweaks (nm op rod or proper sights if you don’t want to run a scope), but that’s about it, imho.
The principle draw to the M-305 is the price point.
 
Great advice!
beltfed said:
As someone with an M305...I’d recommend you do your homework before dumping $1000 additional money into the rifle.

Shim up the gas system? Sure.
Extra mags? Yep
ARMS scope mount? If you want it scoped, yeah.
Maybe a USGI fibreglass stock, brake or compensator and some other small tweaks (nm op rod or proper sights if you don’t want to run a scope), but that’s about it, imho.
The principle draw to the M-305 is the price point.
Click to expand...
 
Another quick question.
Is there a way to tell a quick difference between a standard model and a Loaded model in a way that the Loaded model has different stamps than the Standard model?

I do understand the front and rear sights on Loaded is National Match, along with National barrel and 2 stage trigger.
Maybe a glance on the rear site and see if it's hooded or not is the quickest way?
 
The loaded does have a national match sight, however it is not hooded. Look for the NM marking on the barrel of the rifle. Or if you can have a look at the box, ut will state it is a loaded model.
 
blasterbolt said:
Another quick question.
Is there a way to tell a quick difference between a standard model and a Loaded model in a way that the Loaded model has different stamps than the Standard model?

I do understand the front and rear sights on Loaded is National Match, along with National barrel and 2 stage trigger.
Maybe a glance on the rear site and see if it's hooded or not is the quickest way?
Click to expand...


Springfield's always been really helpful when I've called them- would think a s/n would enable them to tell what they shipped....
 
beltfed said:
As someone with an M305...I’d recommend you do your homework before dumping $1000 additional money into the rifle.

Shim up the gas system? Sure.
Extra mags? Yep
ARMS scope mount? If you want it scoped, yeah.
Maybe a USGI fibreglass stock, brake or compensator and some other small tweaks (nm op rod or proper sights if you don’t want to run a scope), but that’s about it, imho.
The principle draw to the M-305 is the price point.
Click to expand...


Doesn't the US prohibit bringing Norinco products into their country, even temporarily?

Might be a consideration if you wanted to bring an M14-ish rifle to a shoot there....
 
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