Best Price on M1A?

[joel1316]

I'm just checking to see how far off I am from owning a SA Loaded M1A? Who's got the best deal in the Bay Area?

[HEUER]

City Arms in Pacifica Ca has a couple for around 1700.00. I purchased my loaded M1A from Frank Tabor's in San Bruno for about the same, but I got the rifle I wanted and had checked several shops in the Bay Area. I have already gone through the route of hunting down the "best deal" in SF Bay Area which usually means I am going to spend 50 dollars on gas to buy the rifle, and another 50 dollars to pick it up. Not to mention time and frustration. I would rather spend the time at the range. Loaded models are tough to find, all I seem to see these days are the SOCOM models.

Tabor's had a couple of second hand models available, and I think one was a walnut stainless barrel loaded model 1200.00(not sure).

The loaded model is pricey compared to a comparable Fulton Armory unit with GI parts, but I have owned my standard for about five years and have had no problems with SA parts.

I have seen CA loaded models at impact guns for as low as 1400.00.

M1A's are the only real detachable magazine battle rifles available in CA, and like with a lot of things in the Bay Area prices are sometimes inflated.

The advantage of the SP pretty much boils down to a lifetime warranty and general availability of the rifle itself.

SP, Enterprise, Fulton, Armscorp (making for Fulton with Fulton blue prints I think don't quote me), Smith (used to produce, suppossed to produce in the future forged recievers), and LRB (forged recievers will be introducing m25 with integrated scope mounts) all produce m14 type rifles. LRB forged recievers are generally considered to be the pick of the litter.

[bwiese]

If you find old inventory item of a 'standard model' M1A you might luck out with a chrome-lined barrel. Seems that beginning around 2002 standard models stopped coming w/chrome-lined bbls.

Bill Wiese
San Jose

[joel1316]

I'm just coming back out of my gun hibernation. Thanks for saving me a couple trips and a couple phone calls. $1700 for a Loaded one eh..... I think I may set my sites a little lower to a standard. I was on Guns America and saw a Socom for $1445, hmmmmm.

[xsquid]

And to think I sold my pre-ban, all USGI parts, SuperMatch for a mere $1600 a few months ago...

[HEUER]

Moving from a Standard length barrel (20 inch on a standard and or "loaded model") to a 16 inch barrel means that your going to be losing some velocity. What is it for? Before making an investment on a 1500 dollar piece of equipment, ask yourself a couple of questions. Battle rifles (even the sixteen inch SOCOM) are not the best choice for home defense for many reasons (a shotgun or revolver in a magnum cal would be better). If this is going to be used at the range on a bench for target shooting the longer the barrel the better. If the rifle is going to be used on a farm or ranch I would recommend a scout squad model with a CA legal SEI break. Standard SA rifles are great (even with SA parts), but as bwiese stated they no longer come with chrome barrels.

[esskay]

Just to clarify, a standard length barrel is 22"

Best option--get one of each!!

[HEUER]

M1A/M14 type rifles are going through the roof in Nor Cal. I have recieved a lot of excellent advise from some of the more seasoned calguns members on building one with all USGI parts, but I want to stay in the 1200.00 range for a rack grade. The availabilty of USGI parts is probably increasing overall cost. My advice is to buy now, they are only going up in price even the SP models.

[HEUER]

Originally posted by esskay:
Just to clarify, a standard length barrel is 22"

Best option--get one of each!!

Thanks Esskay 22 inch standard / approx 25 1/6" with ca mb.

[joel1316]

The M1A/M14 is going to be more of a "I've got mines" type of purchase. So, I'm really not stuck into getting any specific model as they are all great in my book. I'd really like a loaded, but finances state otherwise...

[HEUER]

Call Irvington Arms (in Fremont S Grimmer across from Tri City if I remember) get a quote.

[Blue]

I paid $1224 out the door for my M1a around three months ago. NM barrel, front sight and some special trigger group. 2 10rd mags, sling. All brand new. The right one is out there, just keep looking.

[RRangel]

$1700 for a loaded model M1A? That's pretty high. I bought my M1A National Match new for $1400 back in 2000. I say look around and do some shopping. The less you're in a rush the better.

[TonyNorCal]

All good suggestions.

I would say your best deal will be to buy one from an internet forum...

As mentioned above, current issue Springfield M1As do not have USGI parts (although I recently heard of a new one that did...but I think it's rare now). I called Sprinfield a while back and was informed they ran out of USGI chrome-lined barrel around the end of 2002 (although as mentioned above I heard of a new one that did...but if true it's uncommon).

If you're patient and check the boards listed below regularly you will likely find an older M1A that has USGI parts (or at least barrel) for significantly less than new retail. You can also go Chinese (forged receiver - better than Springfield's cast, although some other parts (bolt) may need replacing). Bottom line is, I would not buy a new M1 with no GI parts when I can get one with for less. My new Chinese arrived at the FFL yesterday...forged receiver, chrome lined barrel...$650.

Places to look...

AR15.com (yes, they seem to have a fair amount of M1As)

http://www.m-14forum.com/index.php

http://battlerifles.ambackforum.com/

warrifles.com

and also check gun broker

[HEUER]

I purchased my standard (chrome lined barrel, many GI parts no GI bolt) in 1999 for 1100 out the door w / tax. But what can you do. The loaded model I bought was expensive, but I have never had a single problem with my standard, so I figure I would purchase from a shop that had one in stock near the city (we only have one gun store in the the city and county where I live and I still went to the next county).

As far as shopping is concerened in the San Francisco Bay Area, I remember SF gun Exchage was not the least expensive dealer when they were open.

As far as Poly M14 type rifles are concerned hopefully by the end of this month I will have mine in hand for 500 ( by the way between 1989 when there were no longer allowed in and 1994 when Fed AWB came into effect many dist rebuilt with GI parts) through a friend of mine with a GI bolt already headspaced.

The "M14 type rifle" by Joe Poyer is an excellent resource and I suggest that if you own a M14 type rifle you might want to get a copy. If you are planning on having only one M14 type rifle and it is going to be a POLY M14, pages 27 through 29 may interest you.

From the book:

True or not, both the Norinco and Polytech 14 type rifles are wholly made in mainland China. There have been conflicting reports regarding their suitability for shooting. One report in which the hardness of the Springfield Inc. hammer and bolt were compared to the Polytech hammer and bolt show quite a difference-the Springfield parts both measured 58 on the Rockwell C scale while the Polytech parts measured 46 and 44 respectively. Springfield receivers measured 50 and the Polytech 44. Springfield barrels measured 33 while the Polytech barrel was just 29. By way of comparison, the enterprise M14a2 receiver tested 55 to 57 on the Rockwell C scale.

The bottom line is that while Chinese receivers are forged, no one can say with any type of certainty without a metallurgical analysis what the original composition of steel was used to manufacture the receivers. Generally, Chinese receivers are considered to be very good. You never know. With my SA there is a life time warranty that POLY's and Norinco do not come with, but for 5 bills I will take a chance.