Thread: What can you guys tell me about the Springfield M1A?

In the National Match version, they are extremely accurate.
In the Loaded version, they are very accurate.
In the Standard version, they are pretty accurate.

They are also all a .30 caliber rifle, so shooting one while wearing only a T-shirt should be discouraged.

Extra 20-round magazines are pricey.

Good surplus .308 is about (or is) gone.

Originally Posted by rfawcs

They are also all a .30 caliber rifle, so shooting one while wearing only a T-shirt should be discouraged.

I've heard good things in general and it's certainly a time tested and battle proven design. It's been 50 years since the U.S. military chose to adopt the M14 which is the military parent version of the M1A. Springflield delivered the first shipment to the army in 1959 when Springflied was the government armoror. Springflield is said to make the best M1A of the handful of companies that make them. You can google M1A and M14 for the wikipedia articles if you want the rest of the nerdy trivia. I'm sure there are some high end custom shop variants that are outstanding, but cost more on top of an already pricey gun.

I was doing some reading on them and found some articles that impressed me. Some writters claim to have witnesses to attest to them hitting targets with relative success from 800-1000 yards with iron sights using the national match model.

I was this close to picking up a SOCOM model for myself tonight, but I ended up going for the other long gun on my wish list which was a Henry lever action 44 Magnum. It was less than half the price and I think I'll get more use out of it. If I happen on enough extra cash to feel like rewarding myself it will be my next purchase. That said I live in CA so it's one of the more kick ass military type guns my state allows.

The M1A has a combination of range, power and accuracy and rugged design that is tough to beat in a semi-auto rifle. The national match or better will out do a lot of good quality bolt actions in the accuracy department. For hunting they can be heavy things to lug around and though I've never hunted with one I'd believe the stories of those that say a .308 will destroy a lot of good meat.

The writters say for tactical purposes the military units like them for shooting targets behind cover because they will blow right through a lot of barriers from a good distance.

Originally Posted by rfawcs

In the National Match version, they are extremely accurate.
In the Loaded version, they are very accurate.
In the Standard version, they are pretty accurate.

They are also all a .30 caliber rifle, so shooting one while wearing only a T-shirt should be discouraged.

Extra 20-round magazines are pricey.

Good surplus .308 is about (or is) gone.

WOW I wish I knew this earlier, I've been shooting my brothers for close to 30 years with just tees on? I coulda injured myself
Actually my winchester 94 in 3030 has a worse kick than my brothers M1. I realize some people are more sensitive to recoil but the M1 isnt much worse than my AR15(at least not to me?)