My friend needs money for his divorce and offered to sell me his M1A Socom 16 for $1500. I gladly accepted and began thinking of turning it into more of a precision rifle. I can imagine a 22'' barrel, trigger, and whatever else. The problem is, I do not know much about these rifles other than they are difficult to work with. What is needed for a competition ready gun? Can I chamber and barrel it in .260 Remington? Do people bed these things?
Springfield M1A into a precision rifle...possible?
- Thread starter Ryguy
- Start date
For what you want to do, your money is better spent on either a factory .308 AR, or your own AR build. The SOCOM models have a different gas system than a standard M1A, so you would basically be buying a receiver and bolt, and throwing literally everything else into a box. You can buy a Fulton Armory receiver and bolt for $850.
While your plan is not impossible, you're going to spend a LOT of money on it. I spent $3500 on a M1A Loaded just to get it to 1-1.5moa.
While your plan is not impossible, you're going to spend a LOT of money on it. I spent $3500 on a M1A Loaded just to get it to 1-1.5moa.
If you like M1a ergonomics and want a blasting run and gun rifle, then it's a good fit. A precision rifle it is not, been down this road with a scout squad and own an AR 308 now, never missed the M1A for a minute.
Ehh, what people say is definitely true, but on the other hand, my girlfriend shoots a Scout/Squad and I can tell you it's amazingly accurate. Will it be as accurate as my AR's or Rem700? I don't know. But she has no problem exploding bowling pins at 300 yards with iron sights. I'm sure with the correct parts and the longer barrel/proper gas system you'd have no problem improving it even more.
I built a M1a after watching 28 Weeks Later (embarrassing/ true story) After the first couple range trips I came to grips with what the M1a is, a beautiful awesome battle rifle. That means the tiny groups are a treat, not the norm. I love mine and couldn't bare to part with it. But spending the money again I would choose a different path.
Ditto on most things previously said. Keep the SOCOM for what it is (CQC), and enjoy it. There are a few things that can be done to make what you have shoot a little tighter, but not worth the investment to totally convert into what you mentioned. Better to start from scratch.
What all did you get for $1500?
What all did you get for $1500?
An ACOG and the rifle with 5 magazines. I think I am going to trade the rifle plus a .50 Desert Eagle and another AR in for an AR-10 from JP or GAP. I have been waiting for a few months to place the order so now may be the time.
A quality barrel, trigger work, bedded stock, and a good scope mount will surprise you. Seen a couple j. Wolfe built and they would drive tacks all day! Not sure but I believe you would need a diffrent gas system also, I believe the piston and gas plug are diffrent due to the barrel length. Easier to build an ar platform? Yes but it's just not as cool!
Great looking rifle by the way!Nothing wrong with an M1A for a little DMR work.
Precision rifle though...not quite.
I must say the M1A has a lot of potential. IMO you need a JAE-100 Gen 3 stock (bedded with aluminum) and Super Match barrel by Hart or Kreiger or other custom barrel, op. rod, etc.
I have an older Super Match when the factory optioned it with Hart, Krieger barrels and it is a dream to shoot. Sub-moa are very possible with JAE-100 stock and heavy Super Match barrels. Maybe I have a very good example but I get very good accuracy for a semi.
I have an older Super Match when the factory optioned it with Hart, Krieger barrels and it is a dream to shoot. Sub-moa are very possible with JAE-100 stock and heavy Super Match barrels. Maybe I have a very good example but I get very good accuracy for a semi.
I owned an M1A 'Loaded' rifle, and I liked it a lot. It shot as well or better than my AR15 Colt Match Target rifle, but I later learned that the Colt wasn't the rifle I was expecting it to be (and neither was I the shooter I had expected myself to be).
Both were divested, and I got to try the AR project again. But the second time, I started out with a Stag Model 6 Super Varminter with a 24", 1:8" heavy barrel. Big, big difference.
As much as I like the M1A platform, It was a chore to get well under 2MOA of accuracy out of it, and to keep that accuracy. This is said despite my undying love affair with the M14 I carried for over a year In 'Nam. I think it's an outstanding MBR, but I can also fill that need with my DCM Garand. Having the Garand, I got the M1A out of my system surprisingly easily.
With the Stag 6, moderately good optics and effective load development is about all it takes to get surprisingly good accuracy, and it's also a lot less likely to go away. It also makes mediocre ammo perform to a higher degree of accuracy.
I have added a CMMG 16 Bull WASP upper, to determine if a minimum legal length bull barrel on an AR will perform well, and may, with luck, find out later this week.
Greg
Both were divested, and I got to try the AR project again. But the second time, I started out with a Stag Model 6 Super Varminter with a 24", 1:8" heavy barrel. Big, big difference.
As much as I like the M1A platform, It was a chore to get well under 2MOA of accuracy out of it, and to keep that accuracy. This is said despite my undying love affair with the M14 I carried for over a year In 'Nam. I think it's an outstanding MBR, but I can also fill that need with my DCM Garand. Having the Garand, I got the M1A out of my system surprisingly easily.
With the Stag 6, moderately good optics and effective load development is about all it takes to get surprisingly good accuracy, and it's also a lot less likely to go away. It also makes mediocre ammo perform to a higher degree of accuracy.
I have added a CMMG 16 Bull WASP upper, to determine if a minimum legal length bull barrel on an AR will perform well, and may, with luck, find out later this week.
Greg
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I think you made a good deal. I shot my first M14 38 years ago and then they took it away from me and gave me an M16 and it took me 30 more years to warm up to the AR15 platform. I have had several M1A rifles and now own a Scout which I have for old times sake. You can upgrade an M1A and make it more accurate but basically the rifle was designed to be minute of man at 300 yards. It is a wonderful battle rifle - rugged and accurate enough. If you want to get an accurate M1a it will wind up heavy and expensive. I would not try to do it with a 16" SoCom but would rather sell it and start from scratch to get a more accurate M1A.
If it were me I would have purchased the rifle and sold it again and started on a AR10 pattern platform to build an accurate semi auto 308. In the long run it would be much less frustrating. M1As have frustrated me but I still love them.
If it were me I would have purchased the rifle and sold it again and started on a AR10 pattern platform to build an accurate semi auto 308. In the long run it would be much less frustrating. M1As have frustrated me but I still love them.
That's a great deal! I say get it and enjoy it without spending $1000s to turn it into something else. I have one and put a ACOG TA11E on a Smith Enterpise ACOG/ MIL mount, added a set of Midwest rails up front, and an enlarged mag release paddle. Great CQB piece. I had no interest into turning it into something to take on my M1A Super Match.
Another consideration is that the M1A is extremely hard on brass. Harder on it than a machinegun.
You won't get many firings out of a case. Maybe four at best. And it is extremely finicky when we are talking about trying to keep it at or near 1MOA.
I have owned both and the AR platform .308 was the better choice by a mile. My considerations were: cost, parts availability, smiths who can rebarrel it, amount of work needed to reach the same accuracy standard, etc.
It was state of the art some thirty five years ago. That's the curve you are trying to beat.
That said, the M1A is just crazy fun to shoot and extremely reliable. I had it for years and I still sometimes regret selling that rifle. I agree with thrusty that it's got a role, but not as a long range precision rifle.
--Fargo007
You won't get many firings out of a case. Maybe four at best. And it is extremely finicky when we are talking about trying to keep it at or near 1MOA.
I have owned both and the AR platform .308 was the better choice by a mile. My considerations were: cost, parts availability, smiths who can rebarrel it, amount of work needed to reach the same accuracy standard, etc.
It was state of the art some thirty five years ago. That's the curve you are trying to beat.
That said, the M1A is just crazy fun to shoot and extremely reliable. I had it for years and I still sometimes regret selling that rifle. I agree with thrusty that it's got a role, but not as a long range precision rifle.
--Fargo007
