I am selling off some of my collection to buy a Springfield M1A. Is it worth it to get the Loaded or the National match over the standard model?
M1A National match?
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rhino673
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I had a standard M1A several years ago...traded it away for a Colt AR and S&W 686. Not too bad a deal. But soon afterwards I got the itching for another M1A and went with a new "loaded" model. At least for me, I don't think it made any differance. Better sights and trigger, but the way I shoot I should have stayed with the plain-jane version, so I could have some excuse for shot-gun like patterns!:supergrin:
Actually, they're nice units, and after years of shooting just scoped rifles, I amazed myself that even with my bad and aging eyes, that I can hit pretty good with the M1A.
Go for the National Match and then you'll never have to worry about upgrading!
Actually, they're nice units, and after years of shooting just scoped rifles, I amazed myself that even with my bad and aging eyes, that I can hit pretty good with the M1A.
Go for the National Match and then you'll never have to worry about upgrading!
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1,924 Posts
Don't sell out. Just save up. 
Lol! I wish I didn't have to sell any of 'em but 2000 bucks is a lot to save up! I'm just gonna move a couple of my" dust collectors".Don't sell out. Just save up.
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I had a NM for a long time. The question is do you care about the unitized gas system or the bedding? If you are mostly informal shooting the trigger and sights are the biggest thing you will get out of the NM
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With the National Match and the like, you'll get a "better" trigger, heavier barrel, glass bedded stock,etc. You can't go wrong with any M1A. I've got a scout model, and it's excellent. It just depends on what you want.
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Agreed. The M1A is not a light rifle.
I saved for many years to get the M1A that is without a doubt a REAL tackdriver!
It is HEAVY, though.
The previous owner has about $4800 invested in it. (I got it for less than 1/2 that!)
IF I had to do it all over. . . I'd probably go with a Scout/Squad or "Bush" rifle, as they were once called.
Although, I do like the sub-MOA groups at 200 yards with that Kreiger barreled M1A!
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Even with the shorter barrel of the scout model, (though not nearly as short as the socom), the scout is still very impressive and is also a tack-driver. You're right though, any M1A is heavy as hell. And once you throw on an optic, sling, it gets even heavier.
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i started with the standard springfield m1a. it held 18 inches at 600 yards
from a prone position with the standard battle sights. after a couple years
of shooting i added a kreiger barrel and heavy stock with glass bedding. this
made the rifle more stable and cut my groups down to a foot at 600.
from a prone position with the standard battle sights. after a couple years
of shooting i added a kreiger barrel and heavy stock with glass bedding. this
made the rifle more stable and cut my groups down to a foot at 600.
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4,227 Posts
I have the Springfield Armory Loaded model. A couple of years ago I shot my first rifle match with the M1A and shot against seven other guys, several of who were using CMP special grade garands and others using a SOCOM M1A and standard grade rifles. With no scope and a completely stock standard rifle from 100 yards benched, I won the match by a pretty good margin.
Other variables of course are at play here, the biggest including the shooter himself but in my opinion, you can do a LOT with the standard Loaded model and premium ammunition. It would be nice to have a National Match gun but I'm not at all upset that I chose the standard at the time. It's a great gun and if I do my part it definitely does its part.
Other variables of course are at play here, the biggest including the shooter himself but in my opinion, you can do a LOT with the standard Loaded model and premium ammunition. It would be nice to have a National Match gun but I'm not at all upset that I chose the standard at the time. It's a great gun and if I do my part it definitely does its part.
The stock M-1A is at the best a 2" rifle with the right ammo. My M-1A is a 3" gun with Port, but a 5" rifle with SA ammo. With 7.62 USGI match ammo I can get just under 2" at 100 yards. A match tuned M-1A will group under 1" with match grade ammo, and more importantly will maintain that level of accuracy out to 600 yards.
Unless you are going to do formal Service Rifle competition, forget the National Match or the Super Match.
It is overly expensive for what you get - an accurate M1A can be made for far less; the rifle bedding is not designed to hold up under field stripping; the rear sight aperture is tight and not good for fast acquisition; it is a target rifle - not a combat rifle. The Super Match is even bulkier and heavier than the NM.
Buy a standard model M1A and take it to a gunsmith who knows how to bed the rifle, weld up the gas system, and clean up the trigger pull. This will cost less than the difference between the standard and the NM models. I did this to my standard M1A and shot Service Rifle competition with it for years. These three things will make any M1A shoot very well without the need to buy expensive target grade barrels for nearly any shooter, except for the best marksmen who can eke out extra points out of the elite equipment.
If you can find a used NM cheap, compared to a new Standard/Loaded model, then I would go for it. Most owners want big bucks for NM rifles and frankly they aren't worth it to the average shooter. It is like carrying a .45 Colt Gold Cup as a self defense pistol.
It is overly expensive for what you get - an accurate M1A can be made for far less; the rifle bedding is not designed to hold up under field stripping; the rear sight aperture is tight and not good for fast acquisition; it is a target rifle - not a combat rifle. The Super Match is even bulkier and heavier than the NM.
Buy a standard model M1A and take it to a gunsmith who knows how to bed the rifle, weld up the gas system, and clean up the trigger pull. This will cost less than the difference between the standard and the NM models. I did this to my standard M1A and shot Service Rifle competition with it for years. These three things will make any M1A shoot very well without the need to buy expensive target grade barrels for nearly any shooter, except for the best marksmen who can eke out extra points out of the elite equipment.
If you can find a used NM cheap, compared to a new Standard/Loaded model, then I would go for it. Most owners want big bucks for NM rifles and frankly they aren't worth it to the average shooter. It is like carrying a .45 Colt Gold Cup as a self defense pistol.
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Nice post, blueiron!
To the OP, here's what an M1A will do, when you've poured $4800 into it.
This rifle is an early, early SAI M1A 'Standard' that has been massaged by Mr. Charles Maloney.
The only thing that has been done to this rifle after these groups were fired, are that I replaced the scope mount with a Sadlak Industries steel mount, and the Leupold VXII was put on another rifle, so, I've got a Nikon Buckmaster to go on it.
These groups were fired at 200 yards. The bottom target is a 1" circle inside a 1" square.
![Image]()
This rifle is worth the money!!!!
Oh, and btw, blueiron, I have been known to carry my Gold Cup for self-defense, on occasion!
To the OP, here's what an M1A will do, when you've poured $4800 into it.
This rifle is an early, early SAI M1A 'Standard' that has been massaged by Mr. Charles Maloney.
The only thing that has been done to this rifle after these groups were fired, are that I replaced the scope mount with a Sadlak Industries steel mount, and the Leupold VXII was put on another rifle, so, I've got a Nikon Buckmaster to go on it.
These groups were fired at 200 yards. The bottom target is a 1" circle inside a 1" square.
This rifle is worth the money!!!!
Oh, and btw, blueiron, I have been known to carry my Gold Cup for self-defense, on occasion!
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Loaded.
After reviewing the current specs from the Srpingfield Armory website, there is no reason to get the NM based on your criteria.
Both weapons come with the air-gauged NM barrel. [the heavy barrel - Super Match only.]
Both weapons come with the NM flash suppressor.
Both weapons come with the NM front sight.
Both weapons come with the tuned trigger group.
The only things the NM model gives you is a bedded stock, a welded gas system, a NM 1/2 click elevation and windage hooded rear sight with the smaller aperture, and a NM round recoil spring guide instead of a stamped GI one.
I do not know if they are using epoxy impregnated walnut stocks as the USARMU specified or just the plain wood stocks.
All in all, you can get someone to weld it up, use Liquid Steel to bed it, buy the NM rear sight and the recoil spring guide and do all the handguard relief work and op rod knurling from a decent riflesmith to have a NM rifle for less money.
Both weapons come with the air-gauged NM barrel. [the heavy barrel - Super Match only.]
Both weapons come with the NM flash suppressor.
Both weapons come with the NM front sight.
Both weapons come with the tuned trigger group.
The only things the NM model gives you is a bedded stock, a welded gas system, a NM 1/2 click elevation and windage hooded rear sight with the smaller aperture, and a NM round recoil spring guide instead of a stamped GI one.
I do not know if they are using epoxy impregnated walnut stocks as the USARMU specified or just the plain wood stocks.
All in all, you can get someone to weld it up, use Liquid Steel to bed it, buy the NM rear sight and the recoil spring guide and do all the handguard relief work and op rod knurling from a decent riflesmith to have a NM rifle for less money.
I think you should get a Standard and do a few basic things to it.
Here is my M1A:
I bought a new Standard at Sportsman's Warehouse in 2008 for $1249. It has the following:
-USGI synthetic stock
-USGI handguard
-Shims in between the barrel shoulder and front band (these keep the gas cylinder and front band from shifting position along the barrel)
-Badger Ordnance NM spring guide (this smooths up the action considerably)
-Smith Enterprise Vortex flash suppressor (shorter than stock, probably a better fit too, since it only goes on the threads and not the splines of the barrel)
-Smith Enterprise gas lock front sight (you lose some sight radius but the front sight is much better protected)
-USGI extractor (SAI extractors are widely-regarded as crap)
-Picatinny rail on the left side of the stock (I got this from Brownell's for $19, drilled two holes in the stock, and put my TLR-1 on it)
With this set up, off the bench at 100 yards, with iron sights and commercial .308 150, I get 2" 3 shot groups.
When I take this to the range I shoot at the 325 yard steel target (which is probably 18"x18" or so). My brother and I just put the rifle away laughing after six shots the last time I brought it out. It's easy to hit the target every time.
Magazines are about $20 and you can get them from 44mag.com.
This is my home defense rifle. :couch:
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