M1A Intervention Needed

[Tucker 1371]

In 2010 I bought an M1A scout, and for two years the worst thing I did to it was put an EOTech on the scout rail. She looked like this


But being the dumb human that I am I became unsatisfied and started looking at all the nifty EBR stocks. The Sage and Troy were too heavy and expensive and the Vltor was on a 6 month backorder, so I went with a Blackfeather and a Burris Mtac/Fastfire combo, and it was satisfying... For a while.


And then my crazy friend planted the idea in my head to make my M1A a bullpup And I topped it with an ACOG.


This was a terrible idea, had to grind off the handle to my Op rod and rig up a kydex shell deflector because the charging handle and spent brass would whack me in the face as I shot (I'm a lefty). The shell deflector took a lot of tweaking to get it to where it usually wouldn't kick the brass back in the action, still did occasionally. I must have messed up mounting the top rail because I constantly had zero problems, it would shift as much as 2 feet in between firings. So even though I quite enjoyed having a .308 that would fit easily into a medium sized backpack I decided I needed a change.

 

[Tucker 1371]

Continued

After some careful research I decided on an AG Composites carbon fiber CBR stock. I was quite pleased with the weight and rigidity of the stock but it didn't quite jive with my ACOG as you can see here.


So after much wailing, gnashing of teeth, and searching for mounts and risers, I gave up on the ACOG. Now my rifle sports a Basset Machine standard low mount, Warne high rings, and a SWFA 3-9x42 SS FFP scope and a Tucker 1371 special Rustoleum paint job .


In short, I think...hope this is it guys. Please make me stop abusing my M1A

Feel free to post pics of your M1As as well.

 

[SR420]

The addiction is real.

Like you, I started out with a Scout Squad... that lead to EBRs.

I owned many different SAGE EBR chassis stocks... still have one stashed away.
I also tried TROY, Marstar, and the Rogue bull pup... I sold my last Rogue to you.

Today I have two light weight Blackfeather "RS". One is set up with a monolithic
top rail and a high butt stock adapter. Optics & sights line up just like they would
on an AR, and I don't require a cheek riser.

The second one will be assembled as soon as the new Mossberg butt stock
adapter is available, but it won't be completed until the new scout hand guard
for the medium heavy barrel becomes a reality. I'll shoot it with iron sights first,
then an RDS that co-witnesses the iron sights and a Leupold Scout scope with FireDot.

<< click to enlarge.

Not everything is modernized... I do have a standard with a bayonet lug in a Tiger stripe birch E2.

 

[eastbank]

as a grunt from the vn war, my poor m14 has been pimped. eastbank.

 

[Eazyeach]

That poor M1 has been through more changes than Caitlyn Jenner. Leave that poor thing alone!!!

 

[SR420]

Retro VN era is an option for some, but another generation of grunts only know the M14 in EBR form.


<< click to enlarge.

 

[kraigwy]

Those "enhanced" thingies would suck big time in the jungle. They would be a "wait-a-minute" vines wet dream.

I thought my (1977 version) M1A was bubba-ed when I let the Guard Armor (Gene Barnett of Barnett Barrels) take it and convert it to a Super Match.

A bit heavy for grunt work, but she shinned in HP matches.

I think, being old fashion I'll leave it as is.

 

[mavracer]

I just recently gave up on trying to improve my Scout and took the Archangel stock, the Sadlak mount and scope off it, took the scout mount off and put a GI slotted handguard on it now the only mod is a threaded sight adapter and a linear comp.

I figured it's fast and handy in this configuration.

 

[eastbank]

my 1983 springfield m1a with all GI parts, except the reciever and the full auto parts, is as close to what i carried early in vn as i,ll get. but damn it worked every time i pulled the trigger, and those on the recieving end hardly ever need a second shot. eastbank.

 

[SR420]

Injuries to my wrist, and surgery to my elbow make the old fashioned traditional
stocks painful for me to shoot. A pistol grip keeps me shooting my favorite rifle...
I am hoping the Mossberg stock has enough down grip angle to be comfortable.

I tried the AR10, and I don't mean to offend those with emotional ties to the .308 AR, but I could never warm up to it.

.

 

[feets]

When the black rifle craze broke out and everyone went all tacticool my rifle went the opposite way just to irritate the posers.

 

[Quentin2]

My Scout Squad came with the FDE polymer stock and I promptly got a surplus M14 wood stock to make it more like my M14s in the Army (1966-69). I dabbled with red dots on the scout rail but normally go with the familiar iron sights.

So I'm thinking of pulling off the scout rail that weighs 8 ounces and is out front where you really notice it.

Without the rail and going back to the FDE stock the M1A Scout would be a full pound lighter than it is now! I may be back to the way it came out of the box, minus the scout rail! Of course the wood stock can be slapped on when I want to be nostalgic.

 

[HiBC]

The Harley Davidson of battle rifles!! With all due respect for the heritage of the M-14/M1A,and how anyone might feel toward them,
My DPMS LR 308 L was 7.9lbs new.It has a great trigger,rail top.
Its accurate,and reliable.I put a collapsible stock and an Enidine Hydraulic buffer in it.

It did not cost a lot and I'm happy.

But,I understand,I just talked up my Suzuki in an HD Biker bar!!

 

[Tucker 1371]

SR420, you have quite possibly the most awesome collection of M14/M1A rifles on the planet. Is that a Magpul SGA stock on your M1A?

If I had it to do over again I probably would have stuck with the Blackfeather RS and painted it, the only thing I didn't really care for was the color. It was a tad heavy too but not too bad.

Easyeach That poor M1 has been through more changes than Caitlyn Jenner. Leave that poor thing alone!!!

That made me laugh,

The only future plans I have for this rifle are a suppressor and a few internal improvements (shim the gas cylinder, NM piston and spring guide). After that I'm committed to leaving this rifle alone, poor gal has had enough

eastbank as a grunt from the vn war, my poor m14 has been pimped. eastbank.

Have pictures?

Quentin2 So I'm thinking of pulling off the scout rail that weighs 8 ounces and is out front where you really notice it.

I'm glad I took mine off, I got to thinking and those two pieces of metal clamped to the barrel can't be good for accuracy. I prefer scopes to red dots anyway, an illuminate 1-4x or 1-6x on the lowest power will function nearly as well as a dot sight and gives you flexibility. If you get to hankering for a scope again I highly recommend Bassett Machine mounts, VERY simple to install and they have a good reputation over on M14forum.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

This thread made me feel much better about some of the money I have sunk into my various projects.

 

[SR420]

Tucker 1371 SR420, you have quite possibly the most awesome collection of M14/M1A rifles on the planet.

Is that a Magpul SGA stock on your M1A?

It was pretty good for several years, but that has changed...

Yes sir, Magpul SGA.

https://www.magpul.com/products/sga-stock-mossberg-500-590-590a1



.

 

[agtman]

Dude, I want to say "I feel your pain," but you f--ked up a valid M1A, ... so maybe you deserve the sundry painful itinerations you went through.

That said, it's your M1A, so do with it as you see fit.

Me, personally, I think it's stupid trying to make an M1A into a modern 7.62/.308 optic-mounted AR. That's why 7.62/.308 ARs were invented. Get one. I got mine.

At day's end, all you have is an "M1A" that you made much heavier than it was in its original form - which was in a plain-jane wood or synthetic stock and running iron sights.

 

[Quentin2]

Tucker_1371 I'm glad I took (my Scout rail) off, I got to thinking and those two pieces of metal clamped to the barrel can't be good for accuracy. I prefer scopes to red dots anyway, an illuminate 1-4x or 1-6x on the lowest power will function nearly as well as a dot sight and gives you flexibility. If you get to hankering for a scope again I highly recommend Bassett Machine mounts, VERY simple to install and they have a good reputation over on M14forum.

Thanks for that information, Tucker_1371!

 

[Tucker 1371]

Me, personally, I think it's stupid trying to make an M1A into a modern 7.62/.308 optic-mounted AR. That's why 7.62/.308 ARs were invented. Get one. I got mine.

They (The AR10 and M14) were actually invented at about the same time and the AR10 in its original form had a FAMAS type charging handle running along the top, so I don't think it was invented with optics in mind. I just don't like the AR10, not for me. Even in all the goofy stocks I've had it in I still feel like my M1A has more soul than a .308 AR.

At day's end, all you have is an "M1A" that you made much heavier than it was in its original form - which was in a plain-jane wood or synthetic stock and running iron sights.

My unscoped unloaded M1A weighs almost a half pound lighter than an unscoped unloaded AR10

 

[peggysue]

It is your money do what you want. If you can afford it do it. Keep the original parts as you can always switch it back.