Help me spend some money

[x101airborne]

SWMBO gave me a grand to spend on a new weapon. I started looking at the kimber 45's, then another AR, then another garand, now my gunshop has a used M1-A socom for 1100.00. Since I already own the others, I was thinking of the M1-A for my next mortgage. All I have ever shot are the M-14's. Those were too well worn to make a decision on the weapon overall. Anyone shoot M1-A's here? What kind of accuracy do you get? Any issues? Any failures? Please share all feedback even on rifles not mentioned. Thanks.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I have an M1A that I shoot the RCBS 180 FNGC out of at about 2300 fps. I can hit bowling pins with it real regular at 100 yards sitting. On paper off a bench it will do right at 2.5".
I also have 2 FAL´s that will do the same. For about half the price of an M1A I would say get you an FAL and then you can still buy another tool to associate yourself with. But if you have to have an M1A pay close attention to the sales as sometimes one sneeks through for that $1000 price area.

[45r]

I got to wanting a big-bore AR and the 450 BM got to be the choice.I have 240XTP and 300XTPmag and 250FXT J-words with some boolits ready to go.I haven't been able to get some 225FTX for it yet.I hope to get it before my birthday from Delta Arms Company.Aaron said I would like it a lot.I hear it really puts the smack down on deer and hogs.It might be a little overkill on deer but that is OK with me,I don't like to go looking for them and that is why I like 45's.They put em down fast.The Hornady brass and dies look real good and I think this big-bore AR is becoming more popular.Aaron can build you a real nice upper for less than a grand and you could get brass,dies,etc with the rest.That is what I saved my money for and have on the list.My next choice is a upper in 6x45,6MOA,or 6mmAR.If the Sig 516 comes out in any of these 6mm's I'd be all over it even if I had to sell a couple guns.

[Larry Gibson]

I've been shooting M1As since '75. I've had 3 of them (all SAs) and still have 2 of them. I've shot numerous barrels out shooting the NMC and IPSC competition. I've also shot a lot of M14s as I learned on them in '64 and carried one for a while in SEA. My Fulton built match rifle shoots 1 moa or less with appropriate match loads. My rack grade shoots 2 moa with those same match loads or with my varmint load with the Speer 130 HP. Ball ammo is what it is and runs 3 -5 moa depending on who made it and when it was made. Accuracy is based on 20 shot prone slow fire strings at 200 yards.

Years ago before the 175 gr MK a 10 or 11" twist was useful if the 180 MKs were to be used for 1000 yard matches. These days the 175 MK is the bullet of choice and the 12" twist does best with them. It also works better for cast bullets:)

Larry Gibson

[x101airborne]

Larry, I was hoping you would weigh in. As someone who has probably fired more shots in his lifetime than was used in most small wars, I value your opinion. I have always loved the M1 garand, but never had a M1-A. Prior to your post, I went back to my gunstore and they had a NEW M1-A RIFLE for the same as the used SOCOM. Even the guy beind the counter said the SOCOM was a bit noisy and only around 6 inches shorter. I held both and went for the new M1-A.

Amazingly, they wanted 1200 for a garand Winchester not all matching and in no more than FAIR shape.

[Jack Stanley]

I really enjoy the M1A platform , so much so that when I was shooting high power I kept one around as a backup in case my Garand ever broke . The Garand never broke but the NM apeture fell out one day during slow prone .

The M1A was accurate enough to use surplus ball out to three hundred yards and the heavier bullets at six hundred .

Jack

[BruceB]

[QUOTE=x101airborne". Anyone shoot M1-A's here? What kind of accuracy do you get? Any issues? Any failures? Please share all feedback even on rifles not mentioned. Thanks."

Yep, some of us shoot the M1A.

Go to the "CB Loads/Military Rifles" forum, and find the 'sticky' thread titled "7.62x51 NATO in the Springfield M1A" It runs about seven pages and should answer a lot of your questions.

[Larry Gibson]

x101airborne

Congrats on a fine rifle, you learn to love it without any difficulty. Did I ever mention I was also late of the 101st? Served in the recon section of 1/506th (Currahee) and instructed at the recondo school. That was back in '66 - '67 though.....worked with them a few times in SF too over the years. Saved the day for them at a Fort Chaffee NTC rotation because we (the SF doing STRATRECON for them) saw fit to bring M14s. The OPFOR did not think highly of that and accused us of "cheating". That's easy to do when your sitting down with the casualty card out and a major sad face on:Fire:. We had taken the M60 MILES transmitter and fixed it to the M14s barrels and zeroed them at 300 meters which gave us a max range of 600 meters. With the much louder 7.62 blanks they caught OPFOR by surprise, much to their demise. Anyways, if you any questions on the M1A don't hesitate to ask. Also take Bruce's advice and check out his thead on cast bullets in the m1A, excellent info there.

Larry Gibson

[x101airborne]

Bruce, I remember your post well and remember reading it around 10 times when you helped me work on my LR-308 (AR-10 variant). I used it so much, I printed it out and put it on a clipboard on my load bench. See? Your published and didn't know it!!

Larry, Like I said, Im really excited about this weapon. I have around 700 rounds of lake city ball that I plan on using to get familiar with the weapon and go through the break in and clean process. I will eventually switch to cast, but for now, she's a j-shooter. Need to see if anyone has a scope mount I can play with!

BTW: caught OPFOR by surprise (best way to find em), much to their demise (best way to leave em)!!!