What are the pros and cons of todays SA M1A?

[Sgt Raven]

I have a LRB built by Ted Brown, if I have any problems he'll stand behind his rifles.

[M24]

I have owned both USGI Springfield M1As [sn 031xxx] and the all newer (non-USGI) manufactured ones [sn 132xxx, and 141xxx], and have not had problems with either kind. I have not owned any of the Socom models, but a friend owns one, and it shoots fine. They are all reliable, and fun to shoot. The only complaint I had was learning the disassembly. I was used to the ease of the AR platform. But, it's not that hard to learn once you get the hang of it.

Springfield M1As are pretty nice rifles, IMHO, and in my experience.

[.50DE]

thats one nice set up you have there!

[mblat]

Somebody on this board made best observation I ever heard/read about Springfield M1A vs. original USGI rifles:

It isn't that USGI rifles are overrated, it just current Springfields are underrated....

[Joe Register]

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[somekevinguy]

I have a SA National Match that I bought about a year ago. I am a total amateur but I have about 1000 rounds through it and so far it has never given me a single problem. What is the deal with the USGI stuff? Can aftermarket companies not make parts as good? I don't get it.

[Omega13device]

Are you going to be using this rifle in combat? If not then I would go for the Springfield and its lifetime warranty and fast repair service. Buy with confidence.

[Mugwump]

Whenever I hear this topic, I'm always sure to chime in.

With a price tag of $1200 to start with, Springfield should be able to do a better job of quality control. I had problems from the get-go with a bad extractor, and it was firing too high and to the left. I sent it back to the factory, they replaced the extractor and put a really tall sight on the front. (kind of like a band-aid for a broken arm in my opinion).

I still continued to have problems with getting any kind of consistent groups, so I had a gunsmith take a look at it. His first response was to get rid of both sights, and replace them with USGI parts. Sure enough this was the case, the reason being the components of the rear sight weren't to spec and didn't fit together properly.

Everything was fine for a while, until the bolt roller came off (yeah, that's not supposed to happen). I thought about trying to find the bolt roller pliers to do the job myself, but came up empty handed as it appears this particular tool is non-existent or is highly coveted.

Eventually I was able to get Frank Tabor in San Rafael to place a new one on it, and it has been running flawlessly ever since.

I keep this rifle in the front of my safe since this is the one I would grab first, but to have to jump through the hoops to get a brand new rifle to run correctly, especially a design that has been around for 50+ years, is expecting a lot of one's customers. I guess my expectations may run high, but it seems like a fairly consistent tactic in business these days, to release something, knowing its crap, but the public wants it bad enough that they'll put up with being the quality control dept.

[EBWhite]

I'm sure the USGI quality is better than the SA stuff. Most of the SA stuff is cast overseas. Anyways, for the price the SA is not terrible. With a good warranty you are doing just fine. I'm sure the USGI had 5 out of 100 guns made have early problems (normal manuf. issues). The SA is prob more like 15 out of 100...

[dw1784]

Somebody on this board made best observation I ever heard/read about Springfield M1A vs. original USGI rifles:

It isn't that USGI rifles are overrated, it just current Springfields are underrated....

Pro- tradition; American designed; reputation(of sorts).

Con- Springfield; made in Brazil.

[RobT2K]

Pro-Shoots the .308, great round.

Con-Shoots the .308, not much around.

Hopefully you've been stockpiling ammo to feed it.

Lately my FAL has been on a diet.

[Crazed_SS]

My M1A is current en route to Geneseo, IL for some warranty work. It shoots sickeningly tight groups but unfortunatley, on the 3rd and 4th trip to the range, I start having extraction problems.. it would fire the round, but fail to extract the spent casing..

SA was really cool and told me to send it in and they'll fix it.. so now I'm gonna be without my baby for a few weeks at least

[Sailormilan2]

There seems to be two issues lately with the Springfield M1A, extraction problems and out of spec receivers.
I have a Springfield(#169XXX, manufactured 12-04) and a Poly(with GI bolt). I had extraction problems with the M1A from day one. FTEs about 1 in 4 or so. I replaced the extractor, and that helped but didn't cure the problem. Most of my shooting has been with South African surplus. I am begining to wonder if the chamber isn't too tight for the SA surplus. As I have read other reports of the same problem. Springfield uses a cast extractor which has a tendancy to break, and the general feeling is to replace it with GI as soon as you get it. If it is going to break, it will usually break in about the first 300 rds.
The second issue of out of spec receivers, seems to be that Springfields specs aren't GI specs. Comparing my M1A to my Poly in the same USGI stock, and the Poly locks up very tightly. The M1A almost bounches around, No pressure. If one looks at the heal of the recevier, one can see that it is floating above the wood. It is supposed to have tight contact. There have been many reports of this problem.
The out of spec receivers also cause scope mounting problems with the scope bases.
Personally, I would look for a Polytech fitted with a GI bolt, or get one planning to put on a GI bolt. Either way it would still be better than a Springfield, and money ahead. Forged Mil Spec receiver, and chrome lined barrel. A buddy of mine just got one for about $850.

[anotherted]

My M1A is current en route to Geneseo, IL for some warranty work. It shoots sickeningly tight groups but unfortunatley, on the 3rd and 4th trip to the range, I start having extraction problems.. it would fire the round, but fail to extract the spent casing..

SA was really cool and told me to send it in and they'll fix it.. so now I'm gonna be without my baby for a few weeks at least

Should have swapped it yourself. Takes 10 minutes. All you need is the M14 combo tool and a spent .30-06 case.

If it wasnt the extractor, it could have been that the gas cylinder screw had shot itself loose. this will cause short strokes and a failure to extract.
This is easily tightened with M14 combo tool.
I bet it was one of the two.

Get the "M14 Owners guide" from Fulton Armory. It will help yo learn about your weapon and troubleshoot common problems such as the one you had.

[somekevinguy]

Man I hope I don't end up having any of these problems you guys are talking about. I didn't know about any of this stuff. I thought Springfield was a good brand and assumed it was made in America. Hopefully they hand select the better parts for the National Match that I got. I have shot about 1000 round of surplus ammo thorugh it so far without a single problem. I think it is from Argentena or something like that. I forget.