Springfield M1A which model and wood or plastic and why?

I would get the "Loaded" package if I bought the full size rifle, though the "Scout" or "Bush" rifle is very nice. Wooden stocks are nice, but I like the synthetic stocks as they are able to be painted. If I could only have one M1A, it would be my Bush rife. It has been on hog hunting trips and never let me down. I do have both and actually prefer the Bush model (Scout without forward rail) over all for my needs, great rifle. I would get on the internet and see if anyone has rifles in stock and go from there.

I'm looking for an M1 as well. My preference is the standard with wood stocks. SA # MA9102. I called my local gun shop and asked how long the lead time would be from order to delivery. "months" is all they said. So I called SA, and after being on hold for over 20 minutes, they told me 60 to 90 days from order date. I'm going to place the order after my next check and wait, as Gunbrokers auctions are all $300.00 to $500.00 more than retail.

I bought a loaded SS/walnut back in october. It's great. I'm a sucker for Stainless, and wood.

Initially i was going to get a Scout, but there weren't many around, and the ones that were around were going for way too much. I bought the loaded for $1800, since the Scouts were around 1700+

Had i bought the Scout, i would have put an ultimak rail on it. They only work with the regular contour barrel, not the heavier Loaded's barrel. Since i already had a scope lying around, i didn't buy a new holo-sight, either. So overall i came out a couple hundred bucks under my original intent....which i then spent on mags and ammo.

I was going to get a cheap surplus stock, perhaps synthetic, for bumping around, but i haven't found one yet. I'm also partial to the JAE stocks, but i need to recharge my wampum collection before that move. Then, the next step is an M14 bipod.

Good luck, tire-kicking for guns is a lot of fun.

buy it with wood and shop for a surplus synthetic. then send it to Gene Berry for a nice grippy finish and have both.
google UltraGrip or berrycustomfinishing.com

If I had to buy one now, I'd go with a Supermatch nestled in a McMillan stock (I shoot a lot of NRA/CMP competition). I choose synthetic since it's impervious to weather.

However, I actually bought a wood-stocked loaded model many years ago when I started shooting competitively. Over the course of it's life my rifle has been upgraded twice: most recently to a supermatch.

Get a Scout. Decent mid-level rifle and with shorter barrel and scout mount in front of the receiver. This will make a great battle rifle for anywhere from CQB out to 300 yards. You can use the iron sights or add red dot, scout scope, or standard rifle scope if you really need it.

Realistically speaking, you don't really need a 1000 yard rifle, most shooting with modern rifles will be under 200 yards.

Unless you compete and really know exactly what configuration you want (but then you'd be having one custom-built), a Scout model will fit the needs of most city/suburban dwellers as well as most country use as well.

i personally would buy and do want a scout model. it meets my needs the best, something that is good "indoors/ urban" as well as has an 18" barrel which will get me enough accuracy and velocity to do damage at extended ranges. i would go with synthetic black as it looks meaner!

the SOCOM 16. NOT the SOCOM II. although a Loaded National Match would be cool, and I would LOVE a White Feather if I had that kind of money.

...and I would LOVE a White Feather if I had that kind of money

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Some shooters on other forums have not been happy with their White Feather rifles, reporting that multiple warranty trips to SA, Inc. were required to get them to shoot right.

For $4,500+ dollars, you can have an quality sub-MOA M1A built by a reputable gunsmith and have money left over.

I like the wood stock for the range and when I want her to look purty. I love the GI synthetic I got at fredsm14stocks.com for hog/coyote hunting and general bashing around.





Mine's just a standard model (with Cali brake, as I got it in that state). Came with H&R barrel, trigger group, and oprod, SAInc everything else. I had to return the bolt to SAInc once for repair, and it's run fine since.

I prefer the Scout in a SAGE EBR stock (MK14).
They are good past 700 yards...

I ordered a Springfield M1A loaded with a stainless steel barrel. The loaded model isn't much more money but you get a lot nicer features.

As for stock I know the synthetic is better for accuracy since it can't swell up due to changes in humidity and such. But I got a wood stock because I have always preferred the look of wood stocks on the M14s.

I have the standard model with wood stock.

It is perfect in every way.

I have a loaded walnut.

When I bought mine last fall I had the choice between any of the M1A's from the National Match on down. I initially had a SOCOM 16 on layaway but decided that for my first M1A I should get a full sized barrel. I now have a walnut Loaded. I put it in a synthetic stock but now have it back in wood. I would suggest if this is your first M1A go with a full sized wood model just because that is what the original configuration is.

I would and did buy a M1A Loaded with Black Synthetic stock and Carbon barrel. Carbon barrel didipates heat better than the Stainless although the stainess is very nice looking. The Synthetic stock will not warp over time as the wood can and does. Also the wood is slightly heavier than the synthetic. I added a Bushnell 4200 6-24x40 Mil-Dot scope, 3rd generation SA scope mount, I can still use Iron sights, and a harris swivel bipod. 1" moa with standard Winchester Q3130 147 grain FMJ at 100 yards.

Longest shot to date 600 yards.

Great rifle. Great 100% lifetime factory Warranty.

finally, Have your QD stud installed at the factory if you intend on adding a bipod, drilling the stock voids the warranty.

I'll be adding a scout rifle before any AWB.

Fiberglass because it is less prone to expansion/contraction from changing weather conditions. This causes the stock to stay seated more firmly, yeilding a more accurate weapon. I realize most modern wooden stocks are treated to minimize this effect, but fiberglass is still less prone to it.

Also, fiberglass stocks seem to be about a half pound lighter.

Been waiting 5 weeks or my scout in fiberglass....hopefully it gets here soon.

You can't bed the synthetic stocks as is because they are not rigid enough.

The new SAI stock leaves a little to be desired also since they started making their own (up until very recently SAI just used to paint USGI stocks black now they make their own).

Who told you that?

My M14NM is Devcon bedded in the USGI stock, and has been since about 1993. I've seen many others at Camp Perry done the same way. Let's not spread disinformation on THR, please.

I have the best solution, one of each.

My M14NM is Devcon bedded in the USGI stock, and has been since about 1993. I've seen many others at Camp Perry done the same way. Let's not spread disinformation on THR, please.

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You are correct you definitely can bed a synthetic stock. I guess I should have said the if you bed a USGI or SAI synthetic stock it is best to reinforce the forend (the part where the barrel goes over) with some carbon, graphite or aluminum rods because there is a much greater flex to that area than say a wood stock or an aftermarket stock like McMillan. You can bed it as is but if you squeeze the forend of a USGI and especially the new SAI synthetic there is a fair bit of elasticity. I don't even think springfield will bed their own synthetic stock if you send it in they will sell you a wood stock to bed.

Feel free to correct this if you have other experiences but this is just what I have read and also Springfield does not offer and did not offer a bedded rifle in their own synthetic stock. Only wood and the nicer aftermarket synthetics are offered with bedding. I don't feel the need to bed my M1A for my accuracy goals (deer hunting).

Socom ii

I would go with the SOCOM II and Vltor M14 Modstock in black. Throw the new EOTech XPS on top, a Harris bi-pod and vertical grip on the bottom, a Fenix TK10 w/pressure switch on the side, and (since money doesn't seem to be a factor here) a green laser on the other side.

The reason why I would choose this setup is because it could fill the role of a CQB rifle with better range and a lot more punch then my current CQB rifle, a PS90. I love the muzzle brake on the SOCOM II, zero muzzle rise on a .308 CQB rifle sounds really nice.

I've had this setup in mind now for about 3 years but just can't bring myself to spend around $3000 on a setup that only provides some improvement over my current selection. Plus, knowing how much ammo I would be pushing through this guy, the price of .308 has been a deterrent as well.

Good luck. I hope you enjoy which ever model you choose.

I'd have to choose wood, unless you're going to treat it rough. A rifle like that needs a wood stock or it doesn't look right. You just take the soul out of it when you put it in synthetic furniture.

for me its, wood for 22" barrels and synthetic for 18' and under .