[Cliff C]

First off, I haven't fired it yet - I don't get to do that until the end of the month. However, I've read in other forums that Springfield Armory quality with regard to the M1A can be inconsistent. I thought I'd share my observations about the condition of my new rifle.

Mine is the "loaded" version with NM sights and NM trigger. I went with a carbon barrel and walnut furniture. Here she is.....

http://www.saranap.com/images/m1aone.jpg

Fit and finish overall appears to be pretty good. The exception is some of the parkerizing has been worn off part of the elevation knob. I attribute that to shipping as there is a nice dent in the box corresponding to the knob. All the mechanicals appear to work as they should, nothing loose and the finish is quite nice. Those three items are all things I've heard folks complain about on occasion.

Head space on mine is 1.632 which is darn near perfect. I'd also heard of folks getting bolts that were headspaced at the outer range of acceptability.

I haven't field stripped the rifle and see no need to prior to shooting it for the first time. I'll swab the bore and leave it at that. The rifle arrived properly lubricated and I can hear the gas piston sliding freely. She seems ready to run right out of the box.

As some of you know, I have the same fondness for M1 Garands that Stu has for Mini-14's. Comparing certain areas of *this* rifle to my M1 are unavoidable. :)

The trigger on mine is the SA national match. It's a two stage, and I was surprised at the relatively short take up of the first stage. The break is nice and crisp and breaks more lightly than that on my M1. The M1 also has a longer take up.

I can't comment on the smoothness of the action cycling until I have a chance to break in the M1A. Right now, it's pretty rough and needs some serious quantities of ammo shot through it to smooth things up. It's a dirty job, but... :D ... Unfortunately, the M1A uses an investment cast receiver. The receiver on the M1 is forged and the action on mine is butter smooth. When the bolt slams home, it sounds like a bank vault door being closed. I just have this feeling that even when the M1A smooths up, it will still sound more like a car door being slammed shut.

The gas system on the M1A is a HUGE improvement over the M1 - no long delicate op rod with the devil's own twists and contours. It has a straight op rod with a separate gas piston. OTOH, the gas piston can be a PITA to clean, requiring weird drill bit sizes or a special tool.

The aperature size on the NM rear sight is smaller than I'm used to. It's also has a tapered counter sink on the front that gives me an oblong appearing sight picture. Strange. Other than that, it's the same old M1 iron sight arrangement that I know and love.

The receiver is drilled to accept a scope mount. I'm going to take advantage of SA's $99.00 scope and mount offer and mount a scope on this sucker.

For me, my Garand is perfect the way it is.

This M1A, I'm going to tinker with. :cool:

Cliff

[Bear One]

I haven't had the honor of owning an M1A, yet. My best friend let me shoot the first shot and the first mag full in his stock Bush rifle. This firearm was bought before the loaded firearms became available. I fell in love with it right out of the box. I hope you enjoy yours. If you just can't get along with it, I have a pre ban Mini 14 Ranch SS with scope and several magazines???????????????? ;) :cool:

[Carston]

Congrates there on the M1A Cliff.
Oh and you got the walnut stock...go to the store and get some Miniwax Tung oil and wipe it on and rub it in, but don't let it dry.

Do that a few times and you will have a low lust look like you Garand.
Next, clean that ugly grease out and replace with Tetra Gun Grease and work the bolt until the end of the month....let it slam forward, but you knew that :rolleyes:

And you get the $650 scope, mount deal for $99.00 Awesome.....Your B Day present was a one of a kind.

You tell your better half she is one fine lady :D
I am talking about your gal and not the new toy.....hell put it down and give her a big hug and well...waht you do later, this is a family channel.....I forgot.

Happy Birthday

Karsten

[stu]

Cliff- Nice to see that you got the mini14s big brother. :) Drop me an email with a mailing address, I have a few "accessories" for that M1A that you might find useful. No nothing like USGI 20 round mags, that would be bad since you live in the PRC. :D

[dinosaur]

I`ve heard the scope can be inconsistent. Also, some people complain it`s overly complicated. I swapped mine for an Aimpoint which is what I wanted anyway.

AFA shooting it goes, I have about 70 rounds through it so far. I had it zeroed in at 100 yds. which is what I wanted. The last few rounds though were going left and I think the scope loosened up a bit. I retightened it but I haven`t had a chance to rezero yet.

The trigger seems a bit tight but there aren`t enough rounds through it yet.

I haven`t been able to find proper lube for it yet. None of the gunshows I`ve been to carry it. :(
I`m going to one today so maybe.

It`s a great gun and I think you`ll be very pleased with it.

[KMDO]

Cliff glad you got one ive not had any problems with my first one and the second one i havent shot yet and its been about a year and half! :D I got a national and a super match and scope mount form sprinfield with the two screws and will upgrade to a brookfield since they make the best mount for the gun but you got to shellout 250 without rings or scope. I also want to glass bed the super with an adj cheek piece on a McMillan stock and add my leuopold 3.5-10 mildot bdc. I jsut got to pay for the stock and new mount and I will be good to go. By the time i get the SM pre ban done it will have cost as much or more than an HS precison take down tactical in 300 mag! Sometimes I wonder about my logic or lack there of!LOL Maybe i will sell this walnut beast and keep my "light" fiberglass one.

BTW Mine is 1.632 on the national and I think 1.630 on the super. I plan on using Fed Gold medal in the super or carefully sized LC brass if i load for it. The NM has been using federal american eagle ammo and has loved it and not had a single problem. You should stock up on some USGI mags as there getting more expensive all the time and harder to get than they used to be.

One other thing that is great is a Titanium nitrided gas piston since the grime comes right off and wont get all pitted and messed up. Brookfield used to make them but they are very cost prohibitive so if you can find one you should add that. I foget where I got mine but fulton might know or have them mine is in a bag somewhere?LOL :D

Keep us posted how it shoots.

[Cliff C]

Bear One - Thanks for your kind offer, but I have a feeling that the rifle and I will get along JUST fine. :D

Carston - Yeah, I'll do the tung oil routine for the stock. I want it to have that nice luster. As for the grease... I have plenty of Plastilube. It's a dark brown gooey stuff that has proven itself in these rifles well before there was ever a Tetra product line. :)
Thanks for the kind words about my wife - we've been together for 25 years. She *is* one fine lady! She's put up with me or all of these years! :D

Stu - Check your email. ;)

Dinosaur - What kind of lube are you looking for? Brownells (http://www.brownells.com) sells Lubriplate 130A (the original M1 grease) and Tetra grease (new fangled expensive teflon based grease that bonds at a molecular level... blah, blah, blah). I ordered my Plastilube through Scott Duff. As for the scope, I've heard more bad than good about it. But... for $99.00 for it and the mount... I'll take a chance. If it weren't for the offer, I doubt I'd scope this rifle. My fondness for iron sights is well documented. ;)

Ober - You have an M1A you haven't even shot yet!!??! :eek: Isn't that illegal? Or unholy? Or.... something?? That gas piston sounds interesting. Initially, if I do any parts messing around, it'll be to swap some stuff out for USGI parts. They're getting scarce... and more and more expensive. :(

Cliff

[loknload]

Hey Cliff, Congrats on the new addition, Hope it serves you well ;)
I've always liked those and that is just one rifle I've never gotten around to buying :rolleyes: Let alone getting my "Wife" to get me one :confused: Someday though I'll have one in the collection ;)

Good luck with it,and Happy Shooting :)

[dinosaur]

Cliff, I checked Brownells and they want more for shipping than for the lube! I thought I might find it local but so far, no luck. I found some CLP at the show yesterday but someone (you?) said don`t use it. Even the military dealers don`t stock it.

[loknload]

Hey guys, I don't know if this is what your looking for, But Tapco has advertised, Original Government Rifle Grease in 2.5cc in original grease pots. $9.99 for 144 pots
Check this at www.tapco.com (http://www.tapco.com) It may be listed on their web site.
I just recieved their new paper and it's listed there

Hope this helps ;)

[Cliff C]

Dinosaur - CLP is great stuff. It's all that I use on my AR's and most of my handguns. However, to properly lube an M1 or M1A, you need to use grease in the receiver grooves and on the bolt camming surfaces. I agree that the shipping for one item can be prohibitive.

Scott Duff (http://www.scottduff.com/Accessories.htm#GarandParts) sells Plastilube for $5.00 for a 2 oz. jar (scroll to near the bottom of the page on his link). A couple of jars of it will last you a long, long time. Of course, there's shipping, but he is the ONLY source I found for the stuff.

I believe that the grease pots that LnL mentioned also contain either Lubriplate or Plastilube. One pot gives you just enough grease for one lubrication. They were originally issued for use as part of the buttstock cleaning kit.

HTH and good luck!

Cliff

[dinosaur]

I can get on to the Tapco site but I can`t get the links to work. I thought the CLP wasn`t good for the gun. That I can find. A gunstore I was at yesterday has it and is looking into the milspec grease.