Springfield M1A

[smoothy8500]

Interesting connection between Les Tam/Ron Brown that makes their products similar....

l have been using Ron Brown slings and find them to be superior to Turner’s. The frogs and riveting is identical, but the leather is much better and less prone to stretching out after a few years of matches. The keepers are extra thick and don’t ever wear out.

 

[pmclaine]

l have been using Ron Brown slings and find them to be superior to Turner’s. The frogs and riveting is identical, but the leather is much better and less prone to stretching out after a few years of matches. The keepers are extra thick and don’t ever wear out.

The lower ring on a Brown is much beefier than GI/Turner.

Turners are great. Much better than the fleshy issue MRT slings. Turner actually has an NSN and does supply is special rifles.

I agree though Ron Brown is my go to.

I had called Les Tam to order one of his. He was honest about his lead times and recommended Ron Brown.

LT told me RB "apprenticed" under him.

They met in HI became friends and LT advised RB on getting in business.

LT must have talked with me for close to an hour and I ended up buying nothing off him but felt like the best serviced customer.

RB is the same type of guy. When his wife found out I have kids in the process of taking an order she sent them personalized sling leather key chains.

Great people! Feel fortunate to be associated with them even if only as a customer.

 

[Phil McGrath]

Thank you for the reply....Great history!

Interesting connection between Les Tam/Ron Brown that makes their products similar.....both are great humans.

Old school USMC 1907 slings used an odd pattern for the strap holes.....did you replicate that? That leather would never be mistaken for "issue". Gunny Turner thinks the origin might have been a saddle maker in Southern CA and a "small" USMC specific order.

Yes the short side has the odd Marine pattern, however instead of the short strap being stitched I had Les rivet it. The keepers are sown without staples, your correct the leather is as thick as is NRA/CMP legal. I liked your description of the Caterpillar track and its fitting.

I spoke with Richard a few times over the phone, we both had the same opinion that way way back in the stone age the Corps still had Horse/Mule teams and it was easier too repair, restrap, recycle frogs and "D" rings as was needed from leather bridals instead of buying new. Remember this was in the days when the pre-war Marine Corp was still smaller than the NYC Police Dept and they had almost nothing for a budget.

My Grand Father was what many called a old hand he enlisted in 37 after a two year wait, retired in 67. China, So Pacific, China, Okinawa, Korea and while he was Active Duty for VN the powers that be said he had done enough for the Corps your sitting this one out, thus came his retirement. I do have a set of his dog tags and his ser number is a whole whopping 6 digits.

 

[pmclaine]

Yes the short side has the odd Marine pattern, however instead of the short strap being stitched I had Les rivet it. The keepers are sown without staples, your correct the leather is as thick as is NRA/CMP legal. I liked your description of the Caterpillar track and its fitting.

I spoke with Richard a few times over the phone, we both had the same opinion that way way back in the stone age the Corps still had Horse/Mule teams and it was easier too repair, restrap, recycle frogs and "D" rings as was needed from leather bridals instead of buying new. Remember this was in the days when the pre-war Marine Corp was still smaller than the NYC Police Dept and they had almost nothing for a budget.

My Grand Father was what many called a old hand he enlisted in 37 after a two year wait, retired in 67. China, So Pacific, China, Okinawa, Korea and while he was Active Duty for VN the powers that be said he had done enough for the Corps your sitting this one out, thus came his retirement. I do have a set of his dog tags and his ser number is a whole whopping 6 digits.

Read some great books this summer regarding that late 30s early 1940 Corps period when the embryo of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions were being formed.....giants in their infancy were being lead by Gods.

These books may interest you, perhaps even see Gramps name mentioned.

Amazon.com: EARNED IN BLOOD (9781250048639): MILLER, THURMAN: Books

Amazon.com: EARNED IN BLOOD (9781250048639): MILLER, THURMAN: Books

www.amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Leatherneck-Boys-Pfc-Battle-Guadalcanal/dp/0897451805

https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Odyssey-Connections-Arthur-Farrington/dp/089745264X

Old Breed.

 

[BarkBeetle]

I had Derrick Martin bed my 5 digit M1A into a GI fiberglass stock last winter when we were
down to the Valley, got tired of having to screw with the wood and the McMillan is just too
big.

 

[Scottso]

Well, they don’t suck lol
Been a fan for years, never an issue, owned 4 at one time, have these two left in collection. And legal still in commie NYS, so there is that lol.

 

[hellishot]

I had a Crazy Horse M14SE by SEI and it shot 1-1.5 moa groups at 100 yards. My SR25 can get less than 1 moa the same distance.

I love the rifle for nostalgia factor but if I had to be honest the AR/SR platform is so much better by a wide margin.

 

[143lrsd]

Well, they don’t suck lol
Been a fan for years, never an issue, owned 4 at one time, have these two left in collection. And legal still in commie NYS, so there is that lol.

Been looking for a Sage stock for mine but, none to be found. Great looking rifles sir.

 

[BarkBeetle]

No they don't suck, on my 3rd barrel, it too shoots very well and I am very well versed in it's operation
and sight system, got my first M14 in 1968, Win 1137574, when I left Mother Green I just had to have
a semi auto version, had one ever since, still have good eyes.

 

[pmclaine]

My yesterday afternoon break from work.....

I was wrong....My M1A needed something to shoot better.

I needed to replace the sight spring cover because the drum was free wheeling losing zero. Took it to the range to get it back in service.... Used FGMM 168s I bought off a coworker abandoning the 7.62 flavor for something in the 6.5 category....sad. Ammo struck me as weird - no primer...

www.snipershide.com

 

[BarkBeetle]

Good on you, many bailing on the .30 cal, not me, too old, too invested in the cartridge.
I love 03's also !

 

[Scottso]

Been looking for a Sage stock for mine but, none to be found. Great looking rifles sir.

Thank you, bought that Sage in ‘04, from the first run they’re a tad heavy but great chassis

 

[Maggot]

Hello everyone brand new to the site and the sport. Thanks to a good friend from my Navy days i have a good set up in 6.5. However I was wondering if any one out there shots an M1A?

If you have any interest I have one in 6.5 CM for sale in the For Sale section

 

[strike33]

Ive always had a soft spot for the M21. Couldn't pass when this Fulton Came Up.
Will never get rid of it

 

[JMGlasgow]

@strike33

What mount and height rings are you running on that rifle? I have a gen1 Viper I've thought about putting on my Supermatch.

 

[Moose]

Ive always had a soft spot for the M21. Couldn't pass when this Fulton Came Up.
Will never get rid of itView attachment 7516473

Great looking rifle the Mcmillan M3A is my favorite stock for the M1A.

 

[strike33]

@strike33

What mount and height rings are you running on that rifle? I have a gen1 Viper I've thought about putting on my Supermatch.

Its the Fulton armory mount. and Leupold Mark 4 rings, I want to say they are high. If i was home i would take a measure for you

 

[LRRPF52]

First 2 pics are from DMZ in Korea, 1996. If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s a NM M-14. We had them new in the sealed plastic bags in the arms room at Camp Greaves, 1-506th Infantry Scouts. Our Scout PL convinced our new Battalion Commander, LTC Milley, to institute a Battalion-level Designated Marksman Program for the line companies, so those of us who had done SOTIC MTT or were in Sniper Section ran the course for select riflemen in the line.

Last 2 are my buddy in Ramadi. He had his gunsmith back in PA bed a BM-59 Para US-made lookalike stock into a NM rifle he had in the shop. His issue M-14 dropped into that snugly. He got an EBR later. Moon-roofed a lot of insurgents with them.

 

[mewillis]

super nice, I'm glad they are using them still. didn't dickhead Klinton have a bunch of them destroyed?? such a travesty.......

 

[LRRPF52]

super nice, I'm glad they are using them still. didn't dickhead Klinton have a bunch of them destroyed?? such a travesty.......

Tens of thousands were given to foreign armies in Europe, like Estonia and some others if I recall.

These pics are a long time ago. I doubt there are many M-14s in US service anymore.

 

[ODCMP]

The M14's have stayed around for a remarkably long time. Here are a couple of my favorite pics.

 

[ODCMP]

Those aren't today of course, but at least within the last decade.

 

[ODCMP]

Here is another with some good details.

 

[Phil McGrath]

Last trip out too range.

I cranked off this nice little group from a rapid prone at 200yds duffing around. I used some plain old LC M852 ammo that I had hidden away and rediscovered. Lots of little tricks went into this build that the Ar fan boi's cant see and or don't know about, all in all not too bad for using a skinny GI profile 1/12 Wilson barrel. I think I need too come left 2 clicks and I can call it good too go.

 

[Moose]

Very nice @ 200 yds I miss my M1a rifles so much.

 

[LRRPF52]

My buddy who slayed a lot of insurgents with his in Ramadi says he always plans to build a clone of the main rifle he had before the EBR.

He still hasn’t come around to getting one, but has multiple AR-15s and an AR-10.

I always figured I would own one, but scores of AR-15s and AR-10s later, I still haven’t ever even entertained the idea of getting one. That’s with multiple good friends I know over the years who have sold theirs.

I kinda like the Scout Squad length gun.

I’ve actually thought more about getting a Garand than an M-14 for some reason.

An M-21 would be cool I guess, from a collection standpoint for US historical sniper systems. There’s a member here that has everything from 1903A1 to M110.

Every time I get tempted to go down a collector’s route, I ask myself what rifles/optics/ammo that are of practical value for my family should I be spending on. My retro AR-15s are an exception to that, but still practical for SD/HD.

I would rather have a Colt 656 Sniper System than an M-14, and I doubt I’ll ever own one of those as well.

 

[Phil McGrath]

I'm not a collector, I'm a shooter like many others. These don't need too be expensive in fact if you get with the right people they don't really cost anymore too build than a NM AR type. Feeding them is another matter altogether, but when your shooting 88rds across the course whats a couple of bucks.... For me its worth it.

 

[LRRPF52]

I like the M-14. I like how it feels in my hands, how it shoulders, how the low sight height presents naturally, how the stock feels, and how it shoots.

But I don’t own any and never have for some reason.

 

[Phil McGrath]

I like the M-14. I like how it feels in my hands, how it shoulders, how the low sight height presents naturally, how the stock feels, and how it shoots.

But I don’t own any and never have for some reason.

Well get with it and snag one up. IF and IF you don't like it in the end you can always peddle it and say you have given it a go.

 

[ODCMP]

There is something about the way they recoil and then naturally roll back into position for the next shot that I only experience with the M14/M1A and the M1 Garand. I love my SR-25's but there is something about these I keep coming back to.

 

[Phil McGrath]

There is something about the way they recoil and then naturally roll back into position for the next shot that I only experience with the M14/M1A and the M1 Garand. I love my SR-25's but there is something about these I keep coming back to.

I agree, it has been said that the "Men's" rifles have the fastest cycling action of gas operated rifles and thus there recoil is a rather abrupt snap or maybe feels a little stiffish because of it, PHAT bloated cases are common because the action is still tugging out a hot fired case from the chamber that still hasn't fully blown down yet shows this being partially true.

Personally I have always set my rifles up with grooved pistons and trimmed the tail too build in as much dwell time as possible. Does this help fired case condition, sure does. Does it make the rifle more accurate, I think so because the rifle doesn't unlock early. Recoil being subjective what I feel and what you feel are very different but in the recoil reduction dept I can tell you there is a feelable difference vrs. stock. This rifle definity has more of a gentle rolling recoil feeling instead of a jabbing effect or stabbing feel than your normal run of the mill M14/M1a does. This even with its lite-weight barrel.

Respectfully, IMHO.

 

[LRRPF52]

The M-14 design is one of the only semi-auto rifles I’m aware of that has the reciprocating mass underneath the barrel.

That helps with muzzle control and follow-through, along with the sight height above bore being so tight.

It also makes it the most complicated barrel profile to machine, and impossible to rod from the breech since the receiver is closed in the rear.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Fail, you didn't cut the star out.

Nice shooting!

But you get 100 rounds to cut the star out.

 

[samnev]

I shot a Devine TX M1A NM for 25 years. But moved on When I got a LaRue OBR.