CMP Parts Kit for an M1A

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GCBurner

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I was looking in the CMP store at the parts kits they have for building a semi-auto M1A. The kit is supposed to come with all of the GI semi-auto parts for the M-14, except for the bolt, barrel and receiver, for $600 plus shipping.
Has anybody here ever put one of these together with something like a Fulton Armory barreled receiver? The Fulton barreled and headspaced receiver, with GI bolt and a new GI contour barrel would run about $1100. Are there less expensive options?
 
man I'll tell ya I have looked at that option a couple times but not including the bolt is a deal breaker to me especially for the money.
 
Well, including a complete bolt instead of a stripped one is only $85 additional, installed and headspaced, so I didn't think it sounded too bad. I've looked at the prices of the individual parts separately.
 
I'm not so sure that $600 for the CMP set up is such a good deal.

Good point on the head space issue. I have a complete M1A parts kit I bought years ago for $300 with all new parts. The only thing used is the windage knob on the rear sight. I just need to get a receiver for the goodies to go on and a competent smith to do the work.

Greg
 
The Fulton Armory barreled receiver includes a brand new GI contour barrel with the stripped bolt already installed and headspaced. It's $999.95, plus shipping and FFL handling charges, which are about $30 from my local gun dealer. http://fulton-armory.com/fultonarmoryusriflecal762mmm14-1-1-1-4.aspx
The CMP kit includes all of the other semi-auto parts stripped from an M-14 before the receiver was sent through the cruncher to be destroyed. I checked with the CMP, and it includes the bolt parts to complete the Fulton stripped bolt, which may be GI as well. The CMP stock may be walnut or fiberglass, I think you can request one or the other. Since the M-14 was only official issue for a few years, I've heard that most of the metal parts in the kit look pretty much brand new. So, the result would be a brand new semi-auto M-14 for about $1600 plus shipping, with all GI parts except the receiver and barrel. A completed rack grade rifle from Fulton using GI parts is about $2200, so I'd be saving about $600 by assembling it myself.
http://fulton-armory.com/fultonarmoryusriflecal762mmm14-1-1-1-2.aspx
 
So, the result would be a brand new semi-auto M-14 for about $1600 plus shipping, with all GI parts except the receiver and barrel.
Click to expand...

Right, but for the same money you can get a Springfield Armory Loaded M1A, already assembled with a warrenty. Get the standard and knock off $300. I understand the desire to roll your own, but I don't see the value.

What am I missing?
 
Geneseo1911 said:
Right, but for the same money you can get a Springfield Armory Loaded M1A, already assembled with a warrenty. Get the standard and knock off $300. I understand the desire to roll your own, but I don't see the value.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...
I like having all USGI parts, as much as possible. As far as I can tell, Springfield Armory doesn't sell their receivers separately, the only sources of new GI spec barreled receivers I know of are LRB, Enterprise Arms, and Fulton Armory. LRB has a great rep for quality, but Fulton is less expensive.
If anybody knows of another source of M-14/M1A receivers that's cost comparable, I'd be happy to hear about it.
 
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Just trying to learn here, as an M-14 is high on my want list (although an AR-10 might edge it out), but why does everyone assume USGI parts are so much better? Has there been problems with the SA commercial parts? I thought at one time SA was using USGI parts kits in their M1As. Are they casting parts instead of forging/machining?

It seems that the most critical parts; bolt, barrel, and receiver; are the ones that cannot be USGI. The only other majorly stressed part should be the op rod, right? I understand that improperly heat treated ChiCom M14's had a lot of problems, but I would think a reputable US maker would be a bit more trustworthy.
 
I've been studying it for a while. The new Springfield Armory that makes the M1A, which is their own designation for a semi-auto M-14, started out using all USGI parts except the receivers. They did this because there were TONS of GI parts around after the government decided to scrap all the M-14s in inventory by chopping up the receivers so nobody could use them to make evil "assault weapons". Eventually, the GI parts started to run out, and SA started contracting for aftermarket parts and using imported parts, some of which didn't meet USGI specs, and caused quality control issues for a lot of rifles. This seriously damaged Springfield Armory's reputation, and was a major motivation for them adding on a Lifetime Warranty on their guns, promising to fix anything that didn't perform as it was supposed to. Their quality control is back up to where it's supposed to be now, and I haven't heard of any issues with their current production rifles. Their receivers are cast steel, instead of forged and machined like the high-end makers like LRB, but they're properly heat treated, and will probably last as long as an original M-14.
The Chinese receivers were always forged and properly heat treated. They were actually made on US machines that the US Government supplied to Thailand to support their arms industry, and which the Thai government sold to China when they switched from the M-14 to the M-16. Almost all of the parts on the Norinco and Polytech M-14S (for "sporter) are GI spec and interchangeable with USGI parts. About the only things that aren't a drop-in fit or interchangeable are the bolt and the threaded parts of the rear sight.
I've got a Norinco version now, and I've added several GI surplus parts, including a nice walnut stock and heatshielded fiberglass handguard. With the GI trigger parts and magazines, it's got enough compliant parts to add on the GI flash hider with the bayonet lug, without giving the BATFE a fit about turning it into an "evil" rifle. Some of the Chinese bolts were reported to be "soft", or not properly heat treated when these first started to be imported, but I haven't had any problems with mine, so far, and they're still being imported into Canada, apparently without problems with current production.
It's enough fun to shoot, that I just decided I wanted an original, too. :)
 
Thanks for the education, GC!

You're right, it was the bolts I was hearing about. I was thinking of buying one a couple years ago, and was warned to watch for it. I also heard many say to shoot it & watch the headspace. If it gets worse, new bolt, if not, not worries.
 
Geneseo1911 said:
Thanks for the education, GC!

You're right, it was the bolts I was hearing about. I was thinking of buying one a couple years ago, and was warned to watch for it. I also heard many say to shoot it & watch the headspace. If it gets worse, new bolt, if not, not worries.
Click to expand...
After reading and participating in a couple of M14/M1A threads this week, I had to dig out the Norinco and shoot up some German surplus DAG ammo I got from Cheaper Than Dirt, just to see how it performs. I also compared the bolt lug engagement on the Chinese M14S to my new CMP M1 Garand, and it seems to be just as tight, with no slop, or signs of excess headspace on the fired brass. I will be watching it, though. And I'm buying more of this ammo while it's available, it shoots good in my gun.
M14SBolt.jpg
DAGGroup.jpg
 
lrbarms.com outa ny makes forged receivers while smithenterprise.com in az makes billet receivers .lrb also has a scope mount made into the receiver.barrel combos to look for.bbl/bolt both winchester or sak bbl/trw bolt
 
The barreled receiver and fitted bolt I ordered from Fulton Armory Feb. 22 came today, March 15. That's quicker turnaround than I expected, it will probably be at least another week or so until the CMP parts kit gets here, and I can start assembling this thing. :)
 
Quicker than I expected, the CMP Grade "A" parts kit shipped FedEx this afternoon, one month and one day after ordering. It should get here Monday. I'll see what it looks like, and maybe post some pictures as the project goes along. :)
 
All the parts in the parts kit fit with the Fulton barreled receiver, with no parts missing or left over. :)
The walnut stock needs refinishing, but I'm going to function test it to make sure it shoots before I work on cosmetic issues.
 
Geneseo1911 said:
GCB....................where's the pictures?!
Click to expand...
FAWin1.jpg
FAWin2.jpg
The stock is walnut, with a TRW marking under the buttplate. Needs some serious refinishing and TLC, so I went by Home Depot today to get some stuff to strip off the old finish so I can redo it with BLO. I want to redo the stainless gas cylinder with high-temp black enamel to kill the shine, and match up better with the new parkerized barrel, bolt and receiver. When I'm done, it should look "experienced, but not worn out." I like the feel of this stock, the dimensions feel slimmer than any of my Garands, or my Springfield M14 stock on my Norinco.
 
cyclopsshooter said:
I was thinking of that too until last week when a polytech passed my way for 500 bucks... you can guess what happened next :)
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For $500, I'd take all of them I could find. My other M14 is a Norinco, and I like it just fine. This build was around $1600, all inclusive, but it's a fun project, and I get to say, "I built it myself!" :)
 
Geneseo1911 said:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

color me jealous
Click to expand...
Once it got settled into the stock, and I got everything tightened down and the sights centered and adjusted, it shoots pretty good, too.
FA-M14.jpg
Six rounds of Russian Tula FMJ at 50 yards. POI is POA +4". Now I get to play with finding which loads it likes best. :)
 
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