308 semi auto AR10 or M1a

308 semi auto AR10 or M1a

  • AR10 flavor

    Votes: 51 64.6%

  • M1a flavor

    Votes: 28 35.4%
  • Total voters
    79
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I love the aesthetic of M1a’s, and I own or have owned multiple of both and enjoy them both, but if I’m marrying one and disregarding the other, I’d buy an AR-10/LR-308 over an M1a. I have not found any task which the M1a does better than an LFAR, other than “look better.”
 
IMG_5927.JPG I carried and qualified with an M-14 in OCS many years ago. A few years ago I built an AR-10 clone. I confess that as a Marine I was poisoned on the AR-10/AR-15 class of weapons based on performance in Viet Nam. While there have been problems in the past, they seem to have been corrected many years ago; my AR-10 and AR-15 are totally reliable. The only thing the AR-10 needed was an adjustable gas block. It is super accurate.

The best part, for me, about the AR-10/AR-15’s is that I can build them/work on them in my shop and create whatever I feel like. I can’t do that with the M-14/M-1A. I still have an M-1 Garand, but it hardly gets used; I am playing with the AR-15.
 
I would lover to have a M1A. But would not buy one unless I already had a AR10. The AR10 to me is a much more utilitarian firearm. However as mentioned before if you are looking for the cool factor go with the M1A.
 
M1A ... Classic lines,
Currently one company makes 100% reliable mags ( Checkmate Inds. )
Not super easy to DIY ( it can be done, but the AR is MUCH more DIY friendly )
USGI Mil-Spec Guidelines
Truely a great 308 platform... with all sorts of refinement put in them

Large Frame AR...
NO USGI Mil-spec Guidelines... so not all parts interchange. And that can be a PITA if your specific lower / upper parts kit is OOS.
Upper and lowers do not typical inter mix between manufacturers... in subtle ways takedown pin locations can be "off" by just enough, that a flush fit isn't gonna happen.. ( if the upper and lower even could fit together
VERY DIY friendly for most parts... barrel changes, trigger upgrades, some other things can be a little tricky ( carbine stock patterns, Bolt catches, FF tube rail heights, handgrips... not so much that it is impossible, just no Mil-Spec Guidelines standards. )
More after market "Upgrades" then you could readily count.
Numerous manufacturers mag options
Easily Adj. GB's
Readily able to change an upper to alter barrel length , or common .308 based calibers.

If anyone likes upgrading as you go ... the Large Frame AR is hard to beat.

I own some of both... and love my M1A's... they are truly awesome.

But, the Large Frame AR platform is so danged easy to alter... I have to vote for it.
 
TonyAngel said:
An AR10 is just like an AR15. Can be just as reliable or not and for the same reasons. Personally, I don't own an AR10. I've worked on a lot of them, again for the same reasons you would an AR15. I really don't care for them. They are big and heavy for what they are. They can be accurate, but never as accurate as a bolt gun, assuming that you spent the same amount of money on each. My .308 is a bolt gun. I do think that an AR10 does have it's place for those that just plain need to lay down a whole lot of .308 or they just really want to be able to lay down a whole bunch of .308.

When I said above that I'd take the AR10, it was more from the perspective of having a part of an arsenal that would be easy to maintain and relatively easy to buy parts for. It was a completely practical statement. Nightlord40K said it right. For soul: M1A. It's a damn fine rifle and it has that action. I think the M1A is everything that kept the Garand from being perfect for it's time. A more practical caliber, detachable box magazine and, again, that action.

I'd suggest that you get out and try to shoot both. I've shot both plenty and if we're doing open sights, I much prefer to shoot the M1A. ARs feel like tools. The M1A feels like a rifle.
Click to expand...

For an AR-10, where on the civilian market do you get good parts? What countries have AR-10 parts/accessories in the supply chain? Last I heard, the U.S. wasn't one of them. :thumbdown:

I have some experience with a Garand... on the square range... after growing up with WW2/Korea vets. While I've not dealt with an M1A, one of my cousins... USMC/Vietnam vet... was issued an M-14 and compared it to a Cadillac. :thumbup:
 
badkarmamib said:
While most say that an AR-10 is just a big AR-15, remember that there is a mil-spec standard for AR-15s, the same is not true for AR-10s. Which means that there are different shapes and sizes of incompatible lower and upper receivers, handguard rail heights, and magazine types. I have neither, though have handled both. I agree that a complete AR-10 is easier to work on and upgrade, but an M1A has a style all its own. It will come down to intended use and personal preference.
Click to expand...

This is consistent with what I've heard, hence my general questioning.
 
I went out and bought an AR10 PSA kit the same day a friend bought an M1A scout. I hot his, he shot mine. Accuracy at the 60 yard range was about the same. Weight was almost exactly the same, and his had noticeably less recoil, I assume due to the muzzle break. Both run fine. The 10's sights are better. Ergonomics are better. On paper the two are about equal, but the 10 cost almost 1/3 OTD. Appx $650 for the PA10 Gen 3, VS $1700. The 10 didn't requires WA's dumbasstastic wait period or training seminar.
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
FAL?

That said, I really appreciate the aesthetics of the M1A. I enjoy shooting them. They are just awesome...

but the accuracy potential and ease of mounting optics, free float barrel, easily changed trigger group, etc make the AR10 just... more capable.
Click to expand...
I tried to buy a FAL for 15 years now. Always out of stock. Finally found one in stock, had the money ready, and the state said I couldn't buy it.
 
Corpral_Agarn said:
this is the one I'm keeping an eye out for:
https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/dsa-fal-sa58-18-range-ready-traditional-carbine-rifle

That company will make it CA compliant, too. IDK what state you are in, but thought I'd try to be the enabler THR members have come to appreciate LOL
Click to expand...
I'm in WA. I would buy it, at that price If they ever become available. https://www.atlanticfirearms.com/products/dsa-arms-sa58-fal-rifle-classic-21-package This is what I'm looking for. I'll keep watch, if it ever becomes available.
 
The correct answer is obviously both. But I concur with Nightlord40k the AR10 is better for any purpose necessary but a M1a will hit 90%+.
 
Like most have said in this post the M1A is a must have.

I am not a huge fan of the AR-10. I found it reliable and accurate. But more comfortable with the ar-15.

One of my favorite is the FNAR. Its similar to the Browning BAR. Worth a look see.
 
I bypassed the FAL as I understand it they are tough on brass
Since I reload I do reuse the brass,
I have been surfing the web looking at some ar10s and m1a types
I am leaning towards the ar10 mostly due to having experience with that platform
I am eyeballing Windham and armalite so far
 
Looking at that M1A target reminded me of when I had my NM M1A. What a great rifle. Very cleanly and solidly glass bed to the stock. I put a Bassett low rail mount and a Leupold VX-3 10X onit. Less than 2.1" 4 shot groups at 200 yds. What a blast!
I toted it hog hunting, felt like a beefy Garand. You know I consigned that one to a dealer then it was stolen off his table at a gun show! So I was told.
 
For a run around bush rifle thing, FAL, SCAR if I had the money. SG751 if I really had spare money.

For marksman's rifle, LMT MRP, LT OBR, SIG 716, and others probably as well. JP apparently good.

For putting on the wall over the fireplace, M14.


So to the question, I voted "AR10," because not an M14, but there are nuances.


(You also can't buy a "FAL" or a "G3" but we all know what that is.)

(G3s are too punishing in .308. Love the HK33, MP5, not the G3. Which is too bad as some armies are upgrading theirs so there are now legit good float rails, the Spuhr buttstock)
 
Well, I carried both in the "land of bad things" when the job called for a "gasser". The M14 (actually a M25 variant) was what I used because that was all we had at the time. Later on, when the AR10 (KAC SR25) became available, it was my choice because it was the better choice. Especially in the dark.
 
JO JO said:
I bypassed the FAL as I understand it they are tough on brass
Since I reload I do reuse the brass,
I have been surfing the web looking at some ar10s and m1a types
I am leaning towards the ar10 mostly due to having experience with that platform
I am eyeballing Windham and armalite so far
Click to expand...
I reload all my FAL brass. If your gas system is set right it put just a slight dent in the case mouth that irons right out on sizing.
 
Last edited:
TonyAngel said:
The M1A is ten times the rifle the AR10 is, BUT all said above is true. An M1A is going to cost your two or three times as much as an AR10 will and once you have the rifle, doing anything to it will be a PITA. When you buy an M1A, what you can do to it is very limited. Even mounting a scope is a bit of a challenge. The M1A is the kind of rifle that you buy because you like it and will shoot it the way it is. It's a battle rifle with limited use for anything else. Well, that last one is arguable, but it's an arguable point.

With the AR10, just think AR15, only bigger. Barrels, trigger, magazine, accuracy, optics...it's a playground. If I had to choose one, it would be the AR10.
Click to expand...
Get the right M1A and you won't NEED to do a bunch of mods like you would for an AR. Those national match gun are sweet just as they are.
 
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