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Practically Shooting

Want a Springfield M1A


Pablo

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I'm having lots of should'ves right now. Starting with that order of PMags that were in my shopping cart on the morning of Friday the 14th, when I changed my mind. I did order some SCAR mags instead (though a lot fewer), so it wasn't a complete miss.

I also just had the 25th anniversary of buying my M1A- thanks for the reminder. December 1987. $660, and I thought it was too much. I had seen them for less, but not when I had the money in my hand.

This will be sacrilege to some, but...

Most of my M1A experience comes from Highpower and based on that, I wouldn't want to stake my life on one. I saw more malfunctions and breakages with M1As than with Garands or ARs (once the ARs started showing up more). I think everyone kept an M14 gas cylinder plug wrench in their shooting stool to snug it back down, and most kept a firing pin handy. I don't want to make it sound like they needed constant attention or were coughing up broken parts all day, but they sure seemed more problematic than the much older Garands and the ARs so many people cut down as unreliable at the time.

If they had trouble in Highpower, I wouldn't want one as my go-to rifle.

This was when SA Inc used mostly GI parts. They have used fewer and fewer over the years as they have dried up. I don't know what percentage of them is USGI now, but I wouldn't think it would be very high. I wouldn't think the non-GI parts would be as good.

I'm glad I got mine. If I didn't have one I'd want one, even feeling like I do, just to fill the spot. Even though I love Garands, I don't hold the M1A in quite the same high regard. It's neat and all for it's place in history, and I can't see letting mine go, but the attachment comes from nostalgia and starting Highpower with it and not from anything it's better at.

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I know the three people I know firsthand who got SOCOM 16s didn't keep them long and ended up with 18" Scout Squads. One traded back for the Squad he traded off. Based on what they were saying, I don't think I'd go any shorter than 18" models. Perhaps most are just fine, but those three were not happy, and are all big M1A fans.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I would spend more money and get one of the M1As made with forged parts and U.S. G.I. quality parts instead of Sprinfields made in taiwan parts. But then that is just me as a one time owner of 3 Springfield M1As before they went low made in Taiwan quality. Kinda like Daniel Defense Quality vs one of the bottom feeder ARs.

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I would spend more money and get one of the M1As made with forged parts and U.S. G.I. quality parts instead of Sprinfields made in taiwan parts. But then that is just me as a one time owner of 3 Springfield M1As before they went low made in Taiwan quality. Kinda like Daniel Defense Quality vs one of the bottom feeder ARs.

Which manufacturers?

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