I emailed Springfield and verified what I thought, it was "just" a basic M1A Standard built in 2021 (so no USGI parts). However, for the price, it was VERY tantalizing. I thought it over a bit, headed back to the store, and handed over the magic plastic! I was able to rescue it from waiting period jail today, so meet my new M1A!
- M1A Close.jpg (2.57 MiB) Viewed 870 times
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- Sadlak Scope Mount.jpg (2.57 MiB) Viewed 870 times
While I would have preferred a Loaded or National Match model, money talks, and this rifle is priced almost 4 digits lower than what putting it together new would be, so home it came. This is a pretty standard late model M1A Standard Synthetic, but its in great condition and comes already equipped with a steel Sadlak Scope Mount that retails north of $300 on its own. Came with two neutered magazines (working on fixing that), factory case, and paperwork! As best as I can tell, the original owner strived to recreate to some degree the "Black Hawk Down" M14 (https://www.thearmorylife.com/forum/thr ... m14.10731/), which might explain the camo stripes painted on.
I personally have different plans than recreating a movie gun (I'll save that for my "Jurassic World" gun project). This rifle fills the M14 hole in my "US service rifles" collection. As such, I am initially going to mount an optic and shoot it as is to see what kind of performance I get, but I ultimately intend to put it in a USGI wood stock and install a front sight block with a bayonet lug. Plan subject to change.
