[John Henry]

I have an M1A that I don't shoot a lot, 'prolly 150-200 rounds per year.
It's a good shooter .... not match-grade, but, a good shooter. I've had it about 8 years.

A while back it occured to me to try and learn when it was built. Shouldn't be a problem, right ? Just locate the mfgr. web-site, give 'em the serial #, and ask the question. Except it doesn't quite work out that way.

To make a long story shorter .... I think I've read about every web-site my search engines could find containing any reference to the M1A, or the M14. I've learned alot about the rifle.
What I've learned leads me to believe that my rifle was converted from an M14.
I base that on the fact that the "M1A" ident. on the rear of the reciever isn't there .... there are no grind marks, it just isn't there.
Second, the right-hand side of the stock has been filled with "plastic wood" in the areas that could have been relieved for the select-fire control.
O.K. .... so it's a re-worked M14, so what ?

I can't locate, in any of my searching, any reference to the mfg'r. The rear of the reciever is marked, very clearly;

Fed. Ord. Inc.
So. El Monte, CA

Five-digit s/n

I've searched every combination and variation I can think of and haven't been able to find any reference to this company. Several of the searches I've done show the various companies that built the M14/M1A, but, Fed. Ord. Inc. doesn't show up any where.

So, I'm open for suggestions .... I'd still like to know when the rifle was built. Except that now I've got a couple of additional questions.

What do you think I should try next ?

[cheekser]

i dug around for you and found some very brief info on the Smith Enterprise (http://www.smithenterprise.com) website. they do custom M14 and M1A rifles. here is what their site says, regarding the Fed. Ord. receiver:

FEDERAL ORDNANCE: We have performed some miracles with these receivers. these receivers were sold three ways 1) as receivers only, 2) rifles built with USGI parts and 3) rifles built with Chinese parts. Fitting a USGI bolt takes about 2 to 4 hours extra labor. The hardness has always been hard, we have seen them where they are so hard they are brittle and have shattered. We can not fix all the dimensional problems.

so, looks like you have a parts gun, of either US or Chinese make-up. since you think it once had a select fire control, it is probably a US parts gun.

sorry, have no info on the make date, since Fed. Ord. only made receivers.

[John Henry]

Thanks Cheeks !

That's more progress than I've made in a bunch of hours of searching.

[cheekser]

your welcome! i also found that the American Historical Society released a limited Commemorative Fed. Ord. M14 honoring those who fought in the Vietnam War. it had gold plated accents, and the like. i'll see if i can find a link to a picture of it.....