Any M1A/M14 experts?

[Phylodog]

I'm wondering if those more experienced than I might be able to help me come up with a reasonable expectation from my rifle. I have a Glen Nelson built NM M1A built in August of 1990 (same month I left for basic training). I've purchased a Sadlak Airborne mount and a NF 3.5-15x50 F1 to go with it. I'm strongly considering purchasing a JAE 100 chassis for the rifle but having gone down this road years ago with a non NM rifle I'm wondering what a reasonable expectation of accuracy might be? Assuming the rifle is broken in but not shot out, is sub MOA reasonable? I've got 168gr & 175gr FGMM to shoot through it as well as access to the equipment to develop a load for it.

Anyone with experience they'd like to share?

 

[scharfschutze762]

Congrats on owning a real treasure.

The real accuracy gain will come from the scope mount and unitizing it with the receiver. As in welding it onto the receiver like the Marines and Crane did. Tig welding comes out prettier but the mig welding is very strong.
I know it sounds extreme but I recently showed Bill Sadlak pictures of his mounts welded onto recievers and he was very impressed. Of course having a milspec mount of good quality helps. SADLAK and SEI.
These rifles have shot sub MOA and some close to 1/2 moa with a well bedded or SAGE stock.
This mount set up is quite ubiquitous in the Marines and Navy but I dont know if this is what your looking for.

 

[lennyo3034]

It'll shoot decently with a scope. Mine from the same era was consistently sub-moa. That being said, I find it far more enjoyable shooting it with irons.

The stock yours comes with should be bedded and your gas cylinder should already be unitized. Probably the screw and glue method.

 

[SharpsNitro]

As already mentioned, it should shoot well if the scope mount is done right. I’ve got a Ted Brown built M25 in a JAE Chassis. Only drawback is the weight. If at all possible, make sure you get the barrel tensioner if you go the JAE route, Ted recommended it to me. it really works, you could see the groups shrink as the tension was dialed in.

 

[JMGlasgow]

Your receiver is cast and everything should be USGI parts except the barrel and receiver. It's also rear lugged so if you get a different stock custom inletting for the lug is required because they weren't all the same. If you get a different stock it will need bedded.

I also have a Glen Nelson Supermatch built in 1996, it will shoot better than I can iron sighted. His testing and claim to fame was 15 shots inside a nickel at 200 yards with his rifles from a machine rest.

Any good scope mount will be fine whether it's a Sadlak, SEI, ARMS, Bassett Machine, etc.

Don't ruin a that rifle by welding the mount to the receiver. If you want an integral mount receiver buy one from LRB and go from there.

 

[Mike_in_FL]

As long as the bedding is still good in the stock, I would be more inclined to say 3/4 to MOA is expected. I wouldn't be looking for 1/2 moa from an M1A. Even one from a great builder. But there are unicorns here and there.

 

[Phylodog]

Thanks for the info gentlemen. I won’t be welding anything to the receiver on this one, it was issued to the sniper team of the department I retired from and the wood stock is very nice. Unfortunately the rifle has been used but not abused other than the action being taken out of the stock a few too many times. I haven’t shot the rifle but I wouldn’t expect much with it being as easy to remove as it is.

Hopefully the JAE will help squeeze decent accuracy from it. I won an auction for the JAE on Gunbroker today so hopefully I won’t have to wait too long to find out.

 

[bfoosh006]

IMHO... make sure the gas system is thoroughly cleaned. For what ever reason, my SAI M21 "needs" to have the gas system cleaned in order to produce the best accuracy.

In addition to all the SME here...

TonyBen over at the M14Forum.com is an amazing M1A SME.

He has a ton of videos on YouTube as well.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Perhaps you should go over to the M14Forum.com and post that question. A good chance you might just get some different suggestions....

Hobo

 

[Crang]

SEI built mine with the various NM mods (unitized gas cylinder, reamed flash hider, op rod guide, etc.) using their Crazy Horse barrel. Ron insisted it didnt need to be bedded using a GI fiberglass stock. I didnt bed mine. My good handloads shoot 5/8" on a good day and .8" on a bad one. Using good commercial ammo 1 MOA is reasonable. After dialing it in for him my dad's first ever shot at 1000y was with that rifle and he knocked down a LaRue popper.

 

[Phylodog]

I got the Sadlak mount, HS Precision rings and NF 3.5-15x50 F1 installed today. I won an auction for a Gen2 JAE 100 on Gunbroker, hopefully it'll be here and I can get it installed some time next week.