SKS-FILES FORUM

General Milsurp Weapons => Milsurp Rifles & Carbines => American Curios & Relics => Topic started by: Phosphorus32 on August 24, 2020, 09:13:56 PM

Title: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 24, 2020, 09:13:56 PM
Not truly a milsurp, but the closest you can get to an M14 without entering NFA territory.

This is a fairly early Springfield ArmoryTM M1A that was made with predominantly milsurp parts other than the receiver. The barrel and bolt are TRW (Thompson Ramo Wooldridge), the fire control group is HR (Harrington and Richardson), operating rod is Winchester, rear sight is WCE (Wico Electric), stock is Sykes Mfr. (sub-contractor to Springfield Armory, the federal entity) and it has an early style ventilated handguard. It was also made before the AWB of 1994 went into effect, so it retains two of the scary features specifically called out in that legislation, a flash hider and a bayonet lug.

(https://i.ibb.co/2t7pQ8m/01-left-full.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qsM2f0X)

(https://i.ibb.co/0XTLDyY/02-left.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TT6GvMP)

(https://i.ibb.co/XsVxrYn/03-left.jpg) (https://ibb.co/swt9dWT)

(https://i.ibb.co/WV29xfZ/04-left.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nPL2gj9)

(https://i.ibb.co/zhcFwrn/05-left.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cc5wd1g)

(https://i.ibb.co/5L92D8c/06-right-full.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zZ5NcRf)

(https://i.ibb.co/XV3MCDx/07-right.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mSXgc05)

(https://i.ibb.co/NjRkNbP/08-right.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HzZMP3s)

(https://i.ibb.co/jbB5zMn/09-right.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5Gt9k8b)

(https://i.ibb.co/rtSs8j5/10-right.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7z54Mfr)

(https://i.ibb.co/pLcLGd3/11-top-receiver.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rwYwTHZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/FgsyS57/12-top-handguard.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zG8ByXf)

(https://i.ibb.co/YdRJT2L/13-barrel.jpg) (https://ibb.co/fN1ZGMx)

(https://i.ibb.co/j8t9Hzk/14-stock-marking-under-buttplate.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CwLpW6K)

(https://i.ibb.co/ykmDZrH/15-BRW-mag.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HPL0bj5)

(https://i.ibb.co/7Vb08Rz/16-operating-rod.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CvWSNMt)

(https://i.ibb.co/wRNpLJS/17-TRW-bolt-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MsDPh8c)

(https://i.ibb.co/d6j6mBJ/18-rear-sight-WCE.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ctktYJX)

(https://i.ibb.co/fSZ0KPR/19-HR-trigger-group-left.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dcXK3z9)

(https://i.ibb.co/YB4rJmf/20-receiver-SN.jpg) (https://ibb.co/s9pBcns)
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Bacarnal on August 24, 2020, 09:23:02 PM
Nice one, Jon.  I think that's one of the "Golden Era"  M1A's.  Early enough to have the military goodies before the AWB as you'd mentioned,  but late enough that Springfield had worked all the bugs out.  Very nice stock!! thumb1

Used to have one in that serial range, always like the looks, but for some reason I'm more comfortable shooting the Garand.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 24, 2020, 09:31:26 PM
Quote from: Bacarnal on August 24, 2020, 09:23:02 PM
Nice one, Jon.  I think that's one of the "Golden Era"  M1A's.  Early enough to have the military goodies before the AWB as you'd mentioned,  but late enough that Springfield had worked all the bugs out.  Very nice stock!! thumb1

Used to have one in that serial range, always like the looks, but for some reason I'm more comfortable shooting the Garand.

Thanks Bruce! Good to know it's in the Golden Era.

I've been looking off and on for over a year. This one came along at a recent auction and I got if for a bit less than I was willing to spend, and only $100 more than a new production example at my LGS. Very happy with it so far and looking forward to trying it out vs. the M1 Garand.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Bob_The_Student on August 24, 2020, 10:41:10 PM
Very nice rifle P32. I had a low number Fed Ord. that I sold earlier in the year. I'm looking to pick another M1A back up in the future. Although I may go Socom on my next one but I love the look of the original M1A, so who knows.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 24, 2020, 10:46:39 PM
Quote from: Bob_The_Student on August 24, 2020, 10:41:10 PM
Very nice rifle P32. I had a low number Fed Ord. that I sold earlier in the year. I'm looking to pick another M1A back up in the future. Although I may go Socom on my next one but I love the look of the original M1A, so who knows.

Thanks Bob! Yeah, lots of variants on these. For my first and perhaps only M1A, I figured I'd go with as close to the original look of the M14 as possible. I may get one of the Fulton Armory fake selector switches to fill that gap in the back of the stock.

https://www.fulton-armory.com/selectorswitchnon-functioningreplicasteelparkerized.aspx
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Bob_The_Student on August 24, 2020, 10:52:37 PM
Love all the GI parts on it. Do you have mags for it other than the Winchester I think that is if I remember correctly.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Greasemonkey on August 24, 2020, 11:18:58 PM
drool2  oh that's nice  thumb1 nothing says lovin like a M1A/M14 flashhider.

I still just have one of them... cheapie preban Chinese knockoff M1As...  rofl2
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Larry D. on August 24, 2020, 11:42:06 PM
I've played around with a few, including an M14E2.
Owned a Norkie M14S with the cool mods for about a year and a half. I just couldn't bring myself to love it the way I thought I should.

Yours is a great rifle, and should give you a lifetime of service.

The end of my search for a 308 I could love ended with the FAL type rifles.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 03:55:59 AM
Quote from: Bob_The_Student on August 24, 2020, 10:52:37 PM
Love all the GI parts on it. Do you have mags for it other than the Winchester I think that is if I remember correctly.

It came with just the one Borg Warner magazine but I purchased an OM (Olin Mathieson; Winchester) magazine off of GunBroker. The USGI magazines aren’t cheap  :o
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 03:58:31 AM
Quote from: Greasemonkey on August 24, 2020, 11:18:58 PM
drool2  oh that's nice  thumb1 nothing says lovin like a M1A/M14 flashhider.

I still just have one of them... cheapie preban Chinese knockoff M1As...  rofl2

Thanks! That was definitely one of the selling features for me  :)
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 04:07:17 AM
Quote from: Larry D. on August 24, 2020, 11:42:06 PM
I've played around with a few, including an M14E2.
Owned a Norkie M14S with the cool mods for about a year and a half. I just couldn't bring myself to love it the way I thought I should.

Yours is a great rifle, and should give you a lifetime of service.

The end of my search for a 308 I could love ended with the FAL type rifles.

M14E2  8)

Thanks Larry. I have a FAL too, which is a great shooter. We’ll see which I like better but the FAL will definitely be hard to beat.

Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 11:31:38 AM
nice one. thanks for sharing. makes me start thinking about m14's.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:23 AM
Phos - The thing with the M14 types for me is my height.

I'm short, so the ergo's on the FAL just suit me better. I have no doubt that if I was 6 feet tall, I'd still have the Norkie.

I'll keep my eyes open for some mags at a good price. Every now and then one will pop up in a junk pile of milsurp stuff.

Of course, you're gonna need GI mag pouches, bolt tool, cleaning kit and grease pot for the stock, and so on and so forth. That's the way I'm wired. I get a milsurp firearm, I just GOTTA get every accessory I can..


And yeah, that E2 was something else. Even with the forward grip, it was a handful to control.
I used to hang out with some very interesting guys, and was able to go hands on with some really cool stuff.
I missed out on a civil war cannon, a WWII Navy deck gun, and some 40mm goodness because the ex had me on a massive honeydew list which mainly consisted of waiting on a roofing contractor that didn't show up until 2:00 in the afternoon for his 8AM appointment.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:59 AM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 11:31:38 AM
nice one. thanks for sharing. makes me start thinking about m14's.


Do it......

DO IT!!
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 01:41:12 PM
Quote from: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:23 AM
Phos - The thing with the M14 types for me is my height.

I'm short, so the ergo's on the FAL just suit me better. I have no doubt that if I was 6 feet tall, I'd still have the Norkie.

I'll keep my eyes open for some mags at a good price. Every now and then one will pop up in a junk pile of milsurp stuff.

Of course, you're gonna need GI mag pouches, bolt tool, cleaning kit and grease pot for the stock, and so on and so forth. That's the way I'm wired. I get a milsurp firearm, I just GOTTA get every accessory I can..


And yeah, that E2 was something else. Even with the forward grip, it was a handful to control.
I used to hang out with some very interesting guys, and was able to go hands on with some really cool stuff.
I missed out on a civil war cannon, a WWII Navy deck gun, and some 40mm goodness because the ex had me on a massive honeydew list which mainly consisted of waiting on a roofing contractor that didn't show up until 2:00 in the afternoon for his 8AM appointment.

At 5' 11" a long LOP is never a problem for me. What to do with my grip position for my long fingers generally is more problematic rofl

I do have an M14 cleaning kit or two somewhere in one of my bins, purchased years ago. I have a sling and spare mag coming. I'm watching a couple of M6 bayonets on ebay, and was looking at Vietnam era mag pouches...so, yeah, I guess I have the same issue  chuckles1

Sheesh, I'd hate to miss out on those big boys you had a shot at, especially the deck gun and 40mm  :o I've never fired a full auto anything, so the E2 would be cool to try. Watching Ian McCollum shoot an M14 full auto suggests that it would take some well applied strength and a lot of practice to minimize climbing.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 01:44:14 PM
Quote from: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:59 AM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 11:31:38 AM
nice one. thanks for sharing. makes me start thinking about m14's.


Do it......

DO IT!!

Did you ever shoot one in the military Carl?
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 04:40:00 PM
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 01:44:14 PM
Quote from: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:59 AM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 11:31:38 AM
nice one. thanks for sharing. makes me start thinking about m14's.


Do it......

DO IT!!

Did you ever shoot one in the military Carl?

yes  (expert badge. proud oh that too)and in nam.
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 05:28:29 PM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 04:40:00 PM
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 01:44:14 PM
Quote from: Larry D. on August 25, 2020, 11:36:59 AM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 11:31:38 AM
nice one. thanks for sharing. makes me start thinking about m14's.


Do it......

DO IT!!

Did you ever shoot one in the military Carl?

yes  (expert badge. proud oh that too)and in nam.

Dang!  :o  Nothing but admiration and appreciation over here Carl. Thank-you!  thumb1
Title: Re: Springfield Armory M1A
Post by: running-man on August 26, 2020, 10:50:42 AM
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 05:28:29 PM
Quote from: carls sks on August 25, 2020, 04:40:00 PM
Quote from: Phosphorus32 on August 25, 2020, 01:44:14 PM
Did you ever shoot one in the military Carl?

yes  (expert badge. proud oh that too)and in nam.

Dang!  :o  Nothing but admiration and appreciation over here Carl. Thank-you!  thumb1
+1000  thumb1  Heartfelt thank you from here as well!