M14/M1A built or buy??

[black5.3]

Always wanted a M1A pattern rifle just for nostalgia/conversation piece but definitely plan on shooting it, hunting with it occasionally too. The easy button is just buy a Springfield Armory M1a national match and hope for the best but I want a little more than that.

Plan is to run it suppressed(velos lbp 762), smaller scope(thinking a Leupold mk5 2-10), I will reload for this gun and would shoot steel to 800ish and hunt as well.

With that being said, my gut tells me to have one built that is a little more refined than just a rack grade M1A but I don’t want to spend $4k on one either. What is the consensus here from yall that have done it both ways?

 

[RIGREG]

@black5.3
Are you a member on M14 Forum? There’s a few builders there and the entire focus is the M14/1A platform. There is member crossover to SH, but I seem to find more info there.

These builds are a bit more involved with fewer options for experienced builders and barrel selection availability. I know nothing about suppressing them, but folks over there will. Patience and money will come in to play. But if you start with an older, lightly used M1A with a high USGI parts count, you can start shooting. Then decide on upgrades. Usually barrel, unitized gas cylinder, and bedding job by a competent smith.

Best of luck,
Greg

 

[black5.3]

@black5.3
Are you a member on M14 Forum? There’s a few builders there and the entire focus is the M14/1A platform. There is member crossover to SH, but I seem to find more info there.

These builds are a bit more involved with fewer options for experienced builders and barrel selection availability. I know nothing about suppressing them, but folks over there will. Patience and money will come in to play. But if you start with an older, lightly used M1A with a high USGI parts count, you can start shooting. Then decide on upgrades. Usually barrel, unitized gas cylinder, and bedding job by a competent smith.

Best of luck,
Greg

No im not on any M14/M1A specific forums but have researched on a few that google turns up. Figured I would start here since im somewhat active on the Hide. Thanks for the info though, im definitely looking around at used options to start with but haven’t had much luck as of yet.