One of my ARs is a 20" HBAR and it's a great shooter. I might suggest a 20" rifle version, maybe even an HBAR if you are looking at plinking from a bench. 5.56x45mm/.223 ammo is usually much less expensive than the. You can probably find something for about $750.
Relatively inexpensive in normal times (I think the last one I put together was about $400). If you are close enough to the North or South Store - pick out your own in person.Īnother Option - If you don't have one already, get an AR-15. Garands are awesome rifles, fun, accurate and a piece of history.30-06 Garand ammo is about the same in cost and performance to 7.62x51/.308 used in the M1A. I use to travel to Ohio, so I purchased a couple in person at the North Store. It's not that hard to qualify for a CMP purchase and you can get a rack grade M1 Garand for about $700 delivered. I'd like to suggest some alternatives to you, which may be acceptable options if you are looking for a more affordable alternative.įirst - a CMP M1 Garand.
I prefer the full size for shooting - it's got a heavier wood stock vs the polymer stock on the Scout rifle and is quieter at the range. I do know he knowledgeable guys prefer the older ones with GI parts. I've got 2 Springfield Armory M1As, an older full size one that is mostly GI TRW parts, and an 18" Scout that is about 8-10 years old. I just would like to be sure I’m not inheriting someone else’s mistake or poor maintenance. I’m definitely open to going the used route since I know the.
I’m also open to purchasing a used rifle, or a turn-key barreled action that’s ready to go and install it into a finished stock of my choice. That's why I was also considering working with a builder directly on a rifle that will be a reliable, great shooter but again nothing fancy. I have heard that new Springfield M1A's can be decent, but also a crap shoot quality-wise and they use parts that are not the best quality. I’ve examined various manufacturers online (e.g., Springfield, LRB, Fulton, Bula, etc.). For the criteria I listed, what are my realistic options? I know you'll likely want to ask me a budget. I think that's about everything I can think of, but I'm sure you all know of several other things to consider so I wanted to get your feedback and recommendations.
A rifle that is built right with care and respect. Perhaps a few spare parts I'll need over the years. Solid and reliable scope mounting solution, as I do plan to mount a scope down the road (e.g. Standard iron sights, as I plan to shoot the irons as well as use a scope Some common-sense reliability and accuracy upgrades A lightweight, traditional/military-looking stock, open to wood or perhaps USGI fiberglass with full-auto cutout filled in, and finished in subdued camo (think in honor of Randy Shughart) 2-stage trigger, the SAI Loaded-style trigger is perfectly fine to me, 4.5-5 lbs. I want to be able to take the stock off for maintenance and not worry about damaging the bedding. Solid, tight-fitting stock, but no need to bed it. Cast receiver is fine, forged is fine, whichever The emphasis is on quality and reliability. Reliable and made with quality parts that will last a lifetime, yet does not have to be period-correct or all USGI parts. I hope that makes sense and characterizes my goal with this rifle. I should emphasize that the majority of the shooting this rifle will see will be 100 yards or less, but the ability to reach further out to 200-500 yards would be nice. So translating this into the M14 world, perhaps something in the 1.5-2 MOA range would be perfect. Because of that, I typically plan out my purchase and make it happen, rather than building things up one part at a time.
I am also more of a shooter than a tinkerer. I'm basically looking for a rifle that I'm passionate about that has nostalgia and soul that I can enjoy shooting at my range regularly. I'm not a precision shooter, and I likely wouldn't use this rifle for self-defense. I won’t be shooting thousands of rounds through this rifle every year. I am a hobbyist shooter, and an armed citizen. I am looking to purchase my first M14-style rifle and was hoping to get some guidance. I have read many posts on M14's/M1A's on this forum for several years and watched several of instructional videos including those by our own Tony Ben.