Buying my first M1A

[ScottsBad]

More on the M14

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/m14-surely-worst-rifle-us-military-history-62692

EDIT:

Good and Bad

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/02/10/the-m14-rifle-what-you-didnt-know-about-its-history/

Negative

http://looserounds.com/2015/01/30/the-m14-not-much-for-fighting-a-case-against-the-m14-legend/

Another

https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/heres-why-its-a-good-thing-the-us-military-is-getting-rid-of-the-m14

More

https://www.everydaymarksman.co/equipment/case-against-the-m14/

This is enough for now

https://www.military.com/off-duty/2020/02/13/heres-why-its-good-thing-us-military-getting-rid-m14.html

[jyo]

Congrats on your new rifle, BUT, short barrel 308s are LOUD and very unpleasant to shoot!

[GW]

Congrats on your new rifle, BUT, short barrel 308s are LOUD and very unpleasant to shoot!

Loud? Yes
Unpleasant to shoot? Never!
I have a SOCOM and a Bush Rifle and they are very easy to deal with.

[Spartan301]

Do it!

I've always liked wood and steel rifles.

SA M1A "LOADED" is one of my favorites.

Do it OP! You won't regret it.

[1919_4_ME]

That's good advice. Some of the stocks are blah (brown slab) and some have some pretty nice figuring/contrast in them.

I picked up a nice walnut stock from (antiquemilitary) on Gunbroker. 1-7 pages of stocks to choose from.

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=M14&IncludeSellers=87002&PageSize=24&Sort=13&View=1&PageIndex=1

[Tere_Hanges]

Congrats on your new rifle, BUT, short barrel 308s are LOUD and very unpleasant to shoot!

Not at all. I dont notice any extra loudness in my 16" and 18" .308s at all. They probably are louder, but it doesnt make any difference since its loud enough to begin with.

[Spartan301]

Recoil?

I suggest you watch this video first. Then get an AR in 7.62 NATO instead.

This guy seem to dislike the U.S Army more than the M-14.

He doesn't like the felt recoil of 7.62x51 in a M-14 but is okay with it in a lighter FAL or AR-10.

Knowledgable, Yes. Expert, No!

[FeuerFrei]

Had the FAL continued on in life as a rifle firing 792x33 as intended I think we wouldn't even be discussing M14/M1A vs FAL at all. Hands down the FAL would have been THE combat rifle to beat.

Imagine the FAL in a 7x43 Britt loading and watch the accuracy jump up and full auto would be absolutely better.

20/20 hind sight.

[-hanko]

This guy seem to dislike the U.S Army more than the M-14.

He doesn't like the felt recoil of 7.62x51 in a M-14 but is okay with it in a lighter FAL or AR-10.

Knowledgable, Yes. Expert, No!

I can ease your confusion...the FAL is known for lighter felt recoil. Gas volume can be adjusted when needed, and you can use the bottle opener from a Swiss army knife if you don't have the FAL tool.

I don't find the recoil of either weapon as particularly heavy. Ymmv.

[elSquid]

Had the FAL continued on in life as a rifle firing 792x33 as intended I think we wouldn't even be discussing M14/M1A vs FAL at all. Hands down the FAL would have been THE combat rifle to beat.

Imagine the FAL in a 7x43 Britt loading and watch the accuracy jump up and full auto would be absolutely better.

20/20 hind sight.

...if the Garand would have been issued in 7mm, instead of being forced to use 30-06...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Garand#Development

...if the Brits had gone with their post WW2, 7mm bullpup...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EM-2_rifle

-- Michael

[Tere_Hanges]

This thread inspired me to go out and get that M&P10 on sale at Turner's $899. I just hope I dont get sick and they are still open in 10 days. LOL.

[amishfarmer]

I appreciate all the input but I picked up the rifle on Thursday. It's always been a dream rifle I love the history behind it and just the look and to be honest it's only a matter of time until the wood stock semi-autos are outlawed in CA or made difficult to shoot due to workarounds.
I went with the 18 cause I might need it to do a little bit of everything but really it will be a range gun and currently is the most expensive firearm I own so it will be my baby. So much so that I could've went out and shot it on Sunday, but decided that a new gun should not be exposed to high humidity/ rain on its first day out. Even though I know how to take care of it so there is no damage to the gun. Anyways I just got put on Admin leave so I'll prob take it out on Weds went the rain dies down. See attached for pic
Also, I don't believe mine came with the tool. Is that normal or did springfield forget to put it in the box?

[therealnickb]

Nice!

What tool?

[timbo399]

SA M1A Scout was the first rifle I ever bought.

Since then I have owned all sorts of AR10 and AR15 type rifles but my M1A Scout is always in my range bag. Never had one issue and great iron sites.

Enjoy it OP!!

[Sailormilan2]

Nice, Now put a couple of coats of either Boiled Linseed Oil, or Raw Linseed Oil. Flax seed Oil is food grade Raw Linseed Oil. Those will slowly age, and turn that dark reddish color of older military stocks. RLO will turn quicker than BLO.