Stumbled On a Bucket List Gun, New M1A Who Dis?
Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2024 11:35 pm
I was killing time the other day before work and decided to check out a local shop I hadn't been able to pop into yet. Overall nothing really earth shattering, until I looked on the consignment wall and saw a fairly basic looking M1A, a lone standout in a sea of pistol gripped ARs and older bolt guns. I didn't think too much of it until I saw the hang tag, and then I got really interested. A quick glance over and I went from mildly curious to very interested. I wrote down the serial number to do some research and tried to play it cool as I headed out the store.
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!
(forgive the inferior lighting on the photos, the weather today prevented me from getting good photos outside)
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.
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 886 times
- M1A Total.jpg (2.18 MiB) Viewed 886 times
- Sadlak Scope Mount.jpg (2.57 MiB) Viewed 886 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.
