Where to buy what to buy?

[6bg6ga]

At the range last weekend I shot a M1A in 308 caliber. I fell in love with it and would have felt the wife of 44 years in an instant if I could have secured that 308 on the spot. I like the Garrands but fear the finger nail elliminating mechanism it has. The nice 20 round clip caught my heart and my fingers felt at ease. So, what is the better manufacturer to look for? I assume I want surplus over new production? Any help would be appreciated.

[TenTea]

Get thee to Gunbroker and do some market and product research.

There is much to soak up in the realm of the M14 / M1A.

Sorry about your wife. :kidding:

[6bg6ga]

Get thee to Gunbroker and do some market and product research.There is much to soak up in the realm of the M14 / M1A.Sorry about your wife. :kidding:I'll keep the wife after all. She is a good shooting partner and supports my need for additional calibers and different firearms. I seem to be trying to keep up with her lately in the gun buying department. I'll go to gunbroker and take a look. Not looking for any cheep sales just a good relaible good shooting M1A/M14

[BUCKEYE BANDIT]

6bg6ga,
My wife bought my latest Garand,maybe you need to have a serious heart to heart talk with yours:violin:.

I would not exclude the Garand over that OLD M1 thumb thingy,you might if you release the bolt on an empty chamber get bite, but you almost have to do it deliberately.CMP has the Garand Special (new barrel and furniture)for a fuzzz over $1000.00 not collectable , but nice shooters.
As for the M1A,I have the Springfield Scout and love it.Not a forged receiver but thousands of rounds without a hiccup.

[TenTea]

I'll keep the wife after all. She is a good shooting partner and supports my need for additional calibers and different firearms. I seem to be trying to keep up with her lately in the gun buying department. I'll go to gunbroker and take a look. Not looking for any cheep sales just a good relaible good shooting M1A/M14

Good decision!

There has seldom been, nor is there now, anything cheap (inexpensive) with regard to M14's.

Enjoy your search.

[marlin39a]

Springfield-armory.com. Then go to Galleryofguns.com to find your model/price. 20 rd magazines are cheap these days. 44mag.com has best deal. You know if Hillary gets in, she'll ban it all.

[TenTea]

Springfield-armory.com. Then go to Galleryofguns.com to find your model/price. 20 rd magazines are cheap these days. 44mag.com has best deal. You know if Hillary gets in, she'll ban it all.

I think you mean Congress will write and pass a ban bill (already in the desk drawer) and Madame President will sign it. ;-)

https://www.jamesriverarmory.com/products/category/36-rockola-m14.html

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Come on guys, don't give my M1 a bad rap! That thumb thing is just operator error. I've shot them for years and never got trapped. It's a matter of technique. When loading the old girl, or releasing the bolt one uses the knife edge of their hand, anywhere from the outside edge of the little finger to above the joint and exerts some backward pressure on the operating rod handle while pushing down on the loaded clip or follower/bullet guide with the thumb. When you feel the clip seat (can usually hear a distinct "click") or if empty the guide release, you can just let go if loading a live round, but if empty you can actually control the forward movement of the bolt and ease it forward. Don't be wussy about it!

M1As--as stated above there is an abundance of education to be had. The best, of course, is the one you can't have which is the G.I. issue. Of those, they say that TRW is the best, but when I served with Gen. Custer I had a H&R and loved it dearly. Then along came the Federal Ordnance Corp. (gone) which assembled G.I. surplus parts onto investment cast receivers. I bought 3, still have 2. Mine are the very early 4 digit serial number rifles and I never had a bit of trouble with them. Highly accurate and reliable. But in general they seem to be scorned by the M14 world as being out of spec., etc. Seems they got careless as production proceeded. Then there was Smith Enterprises, and they made a good one with a forged receiver, and made some match receivers with extra recoil lugs. Springfield Armory (the civilian one) has made them for years with cast receivers in grades from standard to super match versions, stainless barrels if desired, etc., and they have a good reputation. Others have come along like James River and Fulton Armory, also good. The one to avoid is the Chinese-made versions such as Norinco and Poly Tech.
The truth be told, I sold several back in my gun dealing days and had no complaint-feedback, and one guy praised his highly. But there has been so much "bad press" on them concerning spec. variations and heat treatment problems that I'd just avoid them. Unless you've got really deep pockets I think I'd take a look at the Springfield line, and I'd buy a new one. When buying used you've always got to ask yourself, "Why is he selling it?" Here's mine:
168055

Good advice from Marlin39--get the extra mags while you can. G.I. are the best, those that say Mil-Spec are worth looking at, stay away from the cheapies.

I'd keep the wife. Nice as M1A rifles are, they don't do the laundry.:wink:

[gnoahhh]

Me too in favor of the Garand. Dollar for dollar you'll likely get a better (accuracy-wise) Garand than you will with an M1A. Those above-mentioned CMP Specials are shooters since they use Criterion barrels. Or buy an old warhorse for $800 and spring for a quick Criterion re-barrel. An M1A for a $1000 will likely be a worn out retiree into which some semi-serious money will be put to bring it up to snuff.

That said, I do like the feel of the M1A. But I never warmed up to that big old 20 shot magazine sticking out the bottom. The bit about the "M1 thumb" is nothing to sweat. I (or anybody with more than 10 minutes of experience with an M1) could show you how to release the bolt without getting snagged in just a few seconds.

[JWT]

I have a Springfield Armory and an Armscorp supermatch. Both nice.

I still love my M1 rifles though.

[Mk42gunner]

Trust me you can smash your thumb just as easily with an M14 as you can with an M1. But it is a once in a lifetime experience, in a once bitten twice shy kind of way.

I have zero experience with any of the shorter tacticool versions of the M1A, my experience is with issued M14's.

Robert

[country gent]

I have national match rifles built up on springfield actions Riehart Fajen heavy walnut stocks and heavy ss kriefer barrels. One is on it 4 th barrel now. They took me to High master accross the coarse and long range. I started with a garand and they are great rifles also. ( If you go the garand route buy a sled clip single loading enhancement device and it makes loading the garand single shot as easy as the M1A. clip round into clip and close bolt.) there are 2 round 5 round and the original 8 round clips available. The garand does everything for you but load itself. A good M1A is exceptionaly accurate and very dependable reliable. Watch the 5 round mags as the short ones dont always get below the stock to get a hold of