How makes the best M1A for the $$$?

[M1Atdk]

If i was going to spend the money on a LRB then i would have Smith Enterprise build the rifle. Might as well then you know you have a rifle thats Bad to the bone. I personally believe $2,400 baseline for a LRB is too much for what you get.

The thing about Springfield is they make a really good product that they back 100%.

Oh by the way im going to get flamed for this but the process of precision investment casting is better than a forging. Ask Ron Smith of Smith Enterprise, i was going to have him build me a rifle and when i talked to him he told me he likes LRB cause they are more in spec. He said his cast reciever was better than either his forged piece or LRB's. If you dont believe me call him.

[X-NewYawker]

Is there a long wait for LRB M14's?

They Emailed me today eight weeks to deliver.

[5hundo]

http://www.lrbarms.com/rifles1.html

http://www.lrbarms.com/m14receivers.html

WOW!

That's fairly pricey, considering that you can get a Springfield M1A "loaded" for less than $2k...

[CrazyJeep]

Oh by the way im going to get flamed for this but the process of precision investment casting is better than a forging. Ask Ron Smith of Smith Enterprise, i was going to have him build me a rifle and when i talked to him he told me he likes LRB cause they are more in spec. He said his cast reciever was better than either his forged piece or LRB's. If you dont believe me call him.

His statement about "his" receiver being stronger is rather irrelevant as he doesn't produce any receivers anymore. This is straight from SEI's web page:

"This is the finest commercial receiver currently available. After an extensive period of collaborative work over the past few years between Smith Enterprise, Inc. and LRB, the superlative LRB M14SA receiver is now better than ever. Forged and machined from 8620 steel."

I've heard and read that investment casting can almost be as strong as a forged and properly heat treated piece of metal, and that a normal person will most likely never wear out a cast receiver, I however wanted the strongest most in-spec receiver that is currently readily available without the markup of a name (i.e. SEI).

[CrazyJeep]

WOW!

That's fairly pricey, considering that you can get a Springfield M1A "loaded" for less than $2k...

You get what you pay for.

SAI, you're paying for the warranty.
LRB, you're paying for the best parts.

[vf111]

WOW!

That's fairly pricey, considering that you can get a Springfield M1A "loaded" for less than $2k...

You can sometimes find a used LRB M14SA on the M14 Firing Line

http://m14tfl.com/upload/

for around $2K. However, with the upcoming election and the possibility of BHO moving into the White House don't expect those type of prices to hold for much longer.

An SAI M1A Loaded can be had for around $1500 but it will have little to no USGI parts which will impact it's future value, at least amongst the M14 cognescenti.

[CrazyJeep]

You can sometimes find a used LRB M14SA on the M14 Firing Line

http://m14tfl.com/upload/

An SAI M1A Loaded can be had for around $1500 but it will have little to no USGI parts which will impact it's future value, at least amongst the M14 cognescenti.

You hit it right on the spot.

[MILLITIAof1]

cant help myself....

[mltrading]

Another +1 for LRB. The LRB M14 rifles are made by gun nuts for real gun nuts.

Also you can try Smith Enterprise (SEI). Their crazy horse M14 rifles are so famous and well built.

The current SA ones are considered as just fair.

--- IMHO ---

[M1Atdk]

I've heard and read that investment casting can almost be as strong as a forged and properly heat treated piece of metal, and that a normal person will most likely never wear out a cast receiver, I however wanted the strongest most in-spec receiver that is currently readily available without the markup of a name (i.e. SEI).
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Here is what bill ruger says about cast vs forged.
WBR: Right. Well, I think I have done some of that. I’ve come into the gun business so late in terms of evolution of firearms. There aren’t a whole hell of a lot of ideas left that keep popping out at you.

It’s really a matter of perfecting designs. I think my strong suit as a contributor to technology of firearms is getting the logic sorted out, the shapes of components, their adaptability to production, to shooters, to collectors.

I’m a tooling expert. I’ve proven that. I make guns that are both sound designs and are commercially feasible or they won’t exist...otherwise it becomes a museum piece and nothing more.

I’ve taken advantage of new manufacturing technology. Take forged steel versus investment casting. The decision to go to investment casting was easy.

With casting you very nearly have a finished part. Forging, to my mind, is still a very crude process. Forging is a complicated thing. Plus there are metallurgical differences. The metallurgical structure (of precision investment castings) are stronger. Plus it’s more economical.

http://hunting.about.com/library/weekly/aastbillrugerb.htm

But hey to each their own.

I had always thought a forged piece would be better till my uncle who worked for US Steel in LA told me he said no way. He told me when you forge steel even though your using pressure to align the grain structure its never 100% proportionate as compared to a investment casting where you can control the crystaline structure. But yes for the most part LRB's are closer to a real M14 reciever. Thats what Ron Smith told me "In Spec" meant.