Georgia M1A builder help?

TurdFerguson

TurdFerguson

thinking sucks
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Jul 18, 2014
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#1
I inherited my dad’s M1A several years ago. He used to shoot service rifle with it in the late 80's-early 90's. His log books, and rifle info disappeared. A while before he had died, he said he shipped it off to be redone by a smith in Georgia. I know its an early SAI (30K range) with a lot of GI parts/NM parts. Its bedded to a heavy commercial stock. If I can get it apart I can look for info on the barrel. I am also assuming there are not a lot of smiths in Georgia that specialize in M1A's right? Any got any ideas or suggestions on where to look on the rifle?

880D19E6-ABB8-4DB6-B654-7927C3103B11.jpeg
 
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#3
Hook B. back then
Read Post # 6
www.snipershide.com

Gunsmithing - Who is a good M1A/M14 gunsmith?? Help please..

Just as the title states, I would like to know a few good M1A gunsmiths who would work on my rifle. I picked up a "loaded" M1A that was gently used for $1300. I would like to have everything refinished, torqued to spec, etc. as well as a McMillan stock installed and bedded. Anyone have any...
www.snipershide.com www.snipershide.com
 
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#4
Anyone know if they would leave a mark or a signature? I read some on the m14 forum about Glen Close, said he used TRW bolts. This one has a GI Springfield bolt. Just curious, was wanting to get it rebarreled, and maybe drop it into an old style Mcmillan.
 
#5
Gerald J. "Hook" Boutin (12 May 2026 - 24 May 2015) never "marked" his builds. I threatened over the years to get him a "punch" of a "hook" but he declined my offer...

He had a unique way of bedding the action and trigger group. If you post pictures of the bedding material on both sides of the stock, I might be able to provide my thoughts of if it looks like his work. He used Devcon Plastic Steel Putty (dried gray) for bedding.

Hook also drilled a small hole in the gas cylinder at the 6 o'clock position as a pressure relief (allowing the gas piston to move freely when the bolt is locked back.

longebow
 
#7
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#9
My mistake earlier, I meant to say in the GAS CYLINDER PLUG itself (on the front face--facing toward the muzzle).

From what I can see of the bedding, it looks like Hook's work--but pics without the barreled action and trigger group in place would be helpful.
 
#13
longebow said:
From what I can see of the bedding, it looks like Hook's work....Hook also drilled a small hole in the gas plug.
Click to expand...


Looks a lot like the work of some other smiths that used Devcon too. The drilled gas plug was a pretty common modificaction in the 80's/90's when using heavy projectiles or stiff loads for NRA Long Range.

Regardless, it's a nice rifle that looks like it had some honest use back in the day. As for changing it, if it gets used instead of sitting in the safe, why not.
 
#14
longebow said:
My mistake earlier, I meant to say in the GAS CYLINDER PLUG itself (on the front face--facing toward the muzzle).

From what I can see of the bedding, it looks like Hook's work--but pics without the barreled action and trigger group in place would be helpful.
Click to expand...
No such luck, nothing on the plug unless its been changed at somepoint…. Sometime after I get some rebarreling quotes, ill disassemble it.
 
#15
Got a few pics, of the bedding and gas cylinder
Click to expand...
The bedding looks like the Bisonite that SAI used on their NM rifles back in the day. Glen Nelson and a small team of former AMU guys built all SAI NM rifles from the mid-197Xs until 2004. Nelson retired that year and passed away in 2007 (cancer). Just call SAI with serial number and they will tell in 10 seconds if it was a factory NM rifle. I don’t know of any M14 gunsmiths in GA, the closest one is Tony Ben in Florida.
 
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