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Yay though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I shall fear no evil….because I have a Springfield Armory M1A. Looked down upon by some because of its foreign manufacture and investment cast receiver, I discuss the realities of the S.A. M1A as I discovered them. This journey took me through 16 years of shooting these guns with heavy involvement here in TNP during the last three years. In meeting mil-spec, the S.A. M1A is far from the military M14 and differences abound. However in practical use they are the same gun and have the same capabilities. As such the SA M1A in some ways inherits the storied track record of the M14 as it continues to soldier on across the world killing bad guys at both close and long ranges. But it’s also made its own track record, especially with me. I find the SA M1A to rank up there with the best old style heavy caliber semi-auto battle rifles made (FAL would be another).
Reliability tops the list. During shooting tests three failed shots occurred (one FTE) but it was unclear if it was the 1980s machine gun ammo’s fault or not. In Operation Red Skies (this was a multi-day backpack trip into desert with heavy weapons) my preferred type, the M1A Scout Squad, ran with impressive reliability. I would carry that gun into battle. Accuracy is also generally good from the type. I show both iron sight and optics assisted results but its reasonable to expect 1.5 to 2 MOA results with ammo it likes. Some SA M1As don’t shoot quite that good and I show that too! Ergos carry over from the 1950s which is to say this is a full size, walnut and steel (or composite) battle rifle. It is not light nor is it easy to carry. In your POU you will have to make thoughtful choices of Firepower vs Mobility. Expect about a 10 lb naked carry weight depending on model chosen. But I love the feel of the M1A, its purposeful combat lines, and ideal balance. The two stage Garand trigger carries over and it shows excellent reliability and predictability. I rec’ a NM modification on this trigger to achieve a 4.5 to 5 lb pull.
The SA plastic stock is excellent if they get the mag well sizing correct. It has high traction, comes in colors, and its light. And you won’t care if you beat it up in your shooting operations. Many configs are discussed and I show my faves, shot extensively for this review. Topping the list will again be the Scout Squad and all “Loaded” versions of Springfield’s M1A. These loaded rifles come equipped with med wt NM barrel, NM trigger mod, and NM sight mods. It’s the most rifle for the least money. The Squad functions well in ALL realistic POUs and excelled even in 600 yard night engagements with its 18″ barrel. It’s muzzle brake looks cool and works well. It is lighter and faster than the 22″ barreled versions. The SOCOM 16 makes a hard hitting carbine that’s compact and squared away but the SOCOM II with its goofy cluster rail is not endearing. It adds stupid weight and tears the hands. It may look cool in video games but I stripped it off for testing I hated it so bad. Nevertheless even that gun rocked my Sledgehammer Drill like no other .308 rifle has before or since ( It’s GI fiberglass stock comes in some cool camo colorations as well.
Durability of the SA M1A showed no weaknesses over the years of shooting: no parts flew off, no receivers cracked, no barrels failed. That’s not to say Springfield Armory does a perfect job with these guns; several quality misses are noted in the type and you too may have to seek warranty service. But consider the price. Though much elevated since the 1990s, the SA M1A is coming in around half of what a US produced forged receiver M1A will cost. Outstanding examples of these can be found at LRM and perhaps Fulton Armory but be prepared for HIGH expense. For the money the SA M1A delivers. From the many rounds sent through six of these guns I feel they for places where the shadow of death may fall upon you.
Nutnfancy Likability Scales: 8 out of 10 SA Scout Squad, 8 out of 10 for Loaded versions, 6 out of 10 for SOCOM II version, 7 out of 10 for SOCOM 16 version, 8 out of 10 for Standard version (getting Loaded for more value), 4 out of 10 for M21 versions (too expensive, get LRB forged rifle for that price)
