M1A vs Ar-10, am I too infatuated with the M1A?

Mitch Rapp

Mitch Rapp

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Jan 16, 2011
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Tulsa area
I traded for an M1A a while back, and I love it. Shoots great, reliable, accurate etc etc. Love the irons on it, just like my Garand. Here's my dilemma, I want/need a scoped gun for long range shooting. As much as I like the M1A I am wondering if i wouldn't be better served by going to an AR-10 style gun, or even just a bolt gun, but I really want a semi-auto. The plan right now is with my Tax return after the first of the year to get the scope, and mount and things that I need to use the M1A in that role. My M1A is about a 1 MOA gun so far with my loads, so I am happy with it's performance. Just knocking around the idea of a gun like an R-25 or something similar and wanted some feedback. Looking at more what I want the gun to do, as opposed to what I 'like" if you get my drift. Anyone have an R-25 or similar AR-10? or know what they get accuracy wise? or just general suggestions.
 
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Man, I want an M1A so bad. The Garand and the Carbine have always been on my top 5 want list.

I can't speak from person experience because I'm in the same boat as you right now. What I can tell you is my brother has an AR-10 and loves it compared to his AR-15 styles. With all the rails that come on those guns you can put what ever toy you want and the 7.62/.308 has serious knock down if you decide something needs shot. My partner carries a Colt M4 5.56, which is the same rifle he carried in the army and swears by it. You really can't go wrong with either... Personally I'm looking at getting a Rock River, but haven't decided on getting the Wylde round or the straight 5.56 yet.
 
Well, the other option would be a Savage Bolt action. That would free up a lot more $ for scope and ammo....
 
Yeah, depends on what you want to do... If you're going to be hunting, I'd probably go with a bolt action. I'll be using mine as a duty weapon eventually and target shooting, so I don't want to jack with a bolt action. Plus AR's are just cooler. ;)
 
Well I am no PRO, I am not even a Semi-Pro, but I am a guy who has about more time behind an M-14 than most of the new 3-gunners here have been alive. You can't do any better than an M-14/M1A for all around use, hunting, 3-gunning, general shooting, Hi-Power....the list is endless....HOWEVER, they just aren't friendly to putting an optic on, Period!!! ALL M14 mounts will let you down eventually, I don't care who makes it, Brookfield, Smith, Schmuckatelli's super new guarantied mount...ALL WILL FAIL!! The reason is the receiver flexes like the Tacoma Narrows bridge in a wind storm each time the rifle is fired. It will just chew up mounts. We used to have Crane Naval Warfare Center WELD on the Brookfield mounts...and even then it would crack after a while.

For a scoped firearm that is semi auto it is hard to beat a well built AR-10 type rifle. The one I have, and it is no means real special, is a D.P.M.S. with a J.P. barrel screwed on and an adjustable gas block. After I got it done I took it out and shot it quite a bit and after reflecting on the whole deal sold my Bolt action high end precision rifle, because the AR-10 would shoot just as well. I opted for a nice 2.5-8X scope because 308 really runs out of gas around 800 yards or so and that gave me pleanty of resolution to shoot sub-M.O.A. even out there.

Nothing wrong with a Savage and they are on the cheap, but if you like a good semi....AR-10 is the way to fly, and that is from a died in the wool M-14 guy!
 
Thanks all. Taking what Kurt said, my Garand can do almost all of that as well as the M1A, so again my "problem" is two tools for the same jobs, and none for long range precision. Well, the Garand isn't going anywhere. So looks like I have an M1A for sale.
 
See my read on it would be keep the M1a cause it hold 20 in the best designed mag ever (designed by John Garand himself) and in loads both can shoot the ballistics are the same, and vendors the M1.... but remember I am an M-14 FAN!!!!
 
KurtM said:
See my read on it would be keep the M1a cause it hold 20 in the best designed mag ever (designed by John Garand himself) and in loads both can shoot the ballistics are the same, and vendors the M1.... but remember I am an M-14 FAN!!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, but The M1 Garand just has a spot in my heart. Thanks though Kurt!
 
Oh man we are talking about Jimmy Holdsworth's rifle! That is a good one! I should know I did most the work to it and was there when it was first purchased in Colorado. If you sell it you are breaking the chain a horrible sorrow will befall you!.... oh just kidding, I sure understand your feelings for the M1 and don't blame you. If you ever need any work on it let me know. And no joke Jimmy's rifle is a good one.
 
KurtM said:
Oh man we are talking about Jimmy Holdsworth's rifle! That is a good one! I should know I did most the work to it and was there when it was first purchased in Colorado. If you sell it you are breaking the chain a horrible sorrow will befall you!.... oh just kidding, I sure understand your feelings for the M1 and don't blame you. If you ever need any work on it let me know. And no joke Jimmy's rifle is a good one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can't imagine a much nicer M1A, but I am too broke to have spare rifles sadly.. LOL
 
I shot 1000 yard competition with the M1a for several years. Improvement you can make are
Douglas air gauged bbl., NM sights, tuned gas op rod and use ammunition that is best for the gun. My reloads equalled Federal
168 gr BTHP match round, and proved very accurate from 600 to 1000 yard ranges.
What a lot of folks lost in the high tech race was the use of the original leather sling. Used properly, this is a great aid to accuracy, prone sitting or standing. In the right hands, this is one deadly weapon with open sights.
 
Open sights are like on a 10-22, aperture sights are what is found on an M1/M-14, AR-15etc. Some call them peep sights, but they are really aperture sights. Do you mean a centered op rod, or a tuned gas piston and gas cylinder? There is quite a bit more to accurizing an M-14/M1A than just putting on a barrel and tuning the gas system, but once done they can easily haul the mail way out there.
 
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