As promised, my parts have arrived so it’s time to post the results. This was a unique project in that you can’t associate the simplicity of a M1A build with price…you’d be wayyyyythehell off if you did. Meaning that this was an amazingly simple project that was very pricey. Considering the $1700 price tag for the weapon when new, I knew going in that this wouldn’t be cheap. Having paid for the platform 17 years ago, the price for it wasn’t factored into my budget. In my mind the weapon was already money in the bank.
The victim is an early 90’s era Springfield Armory National Match with less than 1000 rounds through her so its accuracy was a known quantity at 1 MOA. I had several goals I wanted to achieve…
1. Convert it to a precision scoped rig for long range work
2. Retain its ability to perform using irons
3. Give it a modern appearance and increase functionality through better accessory mounting, yet keep the classic look of the original weapon. I did NOT want to try to make this look like an AR clone. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that
4. Eliminate the need for bedding, yet retain the benefits of it, including the ability to tension the barrel
5. Sub MOA performance (.75 or better)
6. Suppressed fire without gas mods
7. And lastly…to get it right the 1st time
Surely some lofty (and maybe conflicting) goals but the M1A has a proud lineage and I wanted to do it justice. As such, saving a buck here or there wasn’t an option I’d consider given goal #7. Goal #5 will be mostly out of my hands and rests with barrel condition and optic platform stability. I’m fairly confident I’ll at least retain its original performance and get 1 MOA out of her. .5 to .75 would be sublime but may require a new barrel so I think I’ll wear this one out first. Arguably this is the only corner I’ve cut.
The parts list…
A. Sadlak scope mount—I went with the Sadlak purely due to their mount including a kit to properly fit the receiver. There are some out-of-spec receivers out there and just slapping any mount to a M1A without knowing if the receiver was built to spec. would not help achieve goal #5. Sadlak will custom build your mount if your receiver is off (mine was “spot-on” in spec). The ability to shoot irons with the scope mount in place is another plus.
B. GG&G Extreme Duty Swivel Bipod—I’ve owned several bipods and the GG&G looks like something off of a fighter jet. A very solid, precision-built piece of equipment.
C. Leupold Mk-4 30mm rings-- There are a lot of good rings out there and I saw no advantage of one over the other. The Leupolds are solid units and Sadlak carried them so I killed 2 birds.
D. US Optics SN-3 TPAL 3.2 X 17-- The optic decision consumed more energy than any other and my options list for this scope will likely change some before it goes into production. I likely won’t take delivery until July-Aug and I’ll mount a friend’s Leupy for range testing.
E. JAE-100 G2 Stock (Coyote brown w/swat black accessories)—The stock was a no-brainer once I saw the JAE. I knew it was “the one” the second I laid eyes on it.
What never fails to amaze me is the simplicity of the M1A. Removing the stock from the receiver takes 10 seconds. Simply cock the trigger guard, remove the group, and the receiver/barrel are free. The only mod necessary was to replace the NM op-rod pin with a USGI unit…the NM pin is shorter and may walk itself out due to the lack of bedding in the JAE stock.
Price tag for those interested was $4K and change (not including the gun) and I haven’t factored suppression into the mix yet.
Yes…OUCHHHHHHHHH.
We can argue the logic behind the cost of this project all day but in the end…it was there. I haven’t weighed it but suffice it to say its the artilliary piece I expected.
From purely an appearance standpoint, this thing is freakin’ sweet and the photos just don’t quite do it justice. It’s one of those things you just can’t stop staring at. The JAE stock feels as if it were custom molded to fit the shooter with everything exactly where you want it. It’s as ergonomically perfect as it looks. If there were one shortcoming with the JAE it would be the lack of a thumbwheel adjustment to the butt stock…spacers are needed.
Range testing will begin this weekend out to 200 at Gateway, then I’ll head out west a bit to Bradford to try her at 800 yards within the next few weeks.
The victim is an early 90’s era Springfield Armory National Match with less than 1000 rounds through her so its accuracy was a known quantity at 1 MOA. I had several goals I wanted to achieve…
1. Convert it to a precision scoped rig for long range work
2. Retain its ability to perform using irons
3. Give it a modern appearance and increase functionality through better accessory mounting, yet keep the classic look of the original weapon. I did NOT want to try to make this look like an AR clone. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that
4. Eliminate the need for bedding, yet retain the benefits of it, including the ability to tension the barrel
5. Sub MOA performance (.75 or better)
6. Suppressed fire without gas mods
7. And lastly…to get it right the 1st time
Surely some lofty (and maybe conflicting) goals but the M1A has a proud lineage and I wanted to do it justice. As such, saving a buck here or there wasn’t an option I’d consider given goal #7. Goal #5 will be mostly out of my hands and rests with barrel condition and optic platform stability. I’m fairly confident I’ll at least retain its original performance and get 1 MOA out of her. .5 to .75 would be sublime but may require a new barrel so I think I’ll wear this one out first. Arguably this is the only corner I’ve cut.
The parts list…
A. Sadlak scope mount—I went with the Sadlak purely due to their mount including a kit to properly fit the receiver. There are some out-of-spec receivers out there and just slapping any mount to a M1A without knowing if the receiver was built to spec. would not help achieve goal #5. Sadlak will custom build your mount if your receiver is off (mine was “spot-on” in spec). The ability to shoot irons with the scope mount in place is another plus.
B. GG&G Extreme Duty Swivel Bipod—I’ve owned several bipods and the GG&G looks like something off of a fighter jet. A very solid, precision-built piece of equipment.
C. Leupold Mk-4 30mm rings-- There are a lot of good rings out there and I saw no advantage of one over the other. The Leupolds are solid units and Sadlak carried them so I killed 2 birds.
D. US Optics SN-3 TPAL 3.2 X 17-- The optic decision consumed more energy than any other and my options list for this scope will likely change some before it goes into production. I likely won’t take delivery until July-Aug and I’ll mount a friend’s Leupy for range testing.
E. JAE-100 G2 Stock (Coyote brown w/swat black accessories)—The stock was a no-brainer once I saw the JAE. I knew it was “the one” the second I laid eyes on it.
What never fails to amaze me is the simplicity of the M1A. Removing the stock from the receiver takes 10 seconds. Simply cock the trigger guard, remove the group, and the receiver/barrel are free. The only mod necessary was to replace the NM op-rod pin with a USGI unit…the NM pin is shorter and may walk itself out due to the lack of bedding in the JAE stock.
Price tag for those interested was $4K and change (not including the gun) and I haven’t factored suppression into the mix yet.
Yes…OUCHHHHHHHHH.
We can argue the logic behind the cost of this project all day but in the end…it was there. I haven’t weighed it but suffice it to say its the artilliary piece I expected.
From purely an appearance standpoint, this thing is freakin’ sweet and the photos just don’t quite do it justice. It’s one of those things you just can’t stop staring at. The JAE stock feels as if it were custom molded to fit the shooter with everything exactly where you want it. It’s as ergonomically perfect as it looks. If there were one shortcoming with the JAE it would be the lack of a thumbwheel adjustment to the butt stock…spacers are needed.
Range testing will begin this weekend out to 200 at Gateway, then I’ll head out west a bit to Bradford to try her at 800 yards within the next few weeks.
