M1A Gone Black ... but I can go back

[Dave DeLaurant]

I bought my M1A Tanker because I wanted a shorter Garand and this rifle was discounted, but I'll admit the purchase was also influenced by its nice walnut stock.



I'm mainly a wood and steel guy, but when a spotted barely-used Springfield synthetic stock at a reasonable price, I jumped. If I'm going to get dents on something, I'd rather it be on plastic, and the two stocks are easy enough to swap. I bought a matching black handguard from Fulton Armory that's going to stay with the action regardless of which stock its in -- black looks better with either stock IMO.



A long as I was taking photos, I decided to stage a quick fleet review of my kind-sorta black rifles. The M1A is shown beside my Fightlite AR-ish 5.56.

On the manually-operated side, here's my .223 Troy PAR under a comprehensively cosplayed CZ527 in .300 AAC/Blackout.



Both of these are folders that fit nicely into a mandolin case for discrete travel.

For rimfires, I just have a S&W M&P 15-22 -- it's truly black, being comprised of as much plastic as a Nylon 66.



These are all fun guns for me, although if things got weird enough around here (I am in California, after all), the Fightlite would probably be the rifle I'd reach for.

Now, off to the LGS to look at more wood and steel.

 

[adcoch1]

I like wood and blued steel, and I like black rifles too. They are tools, and make you appreciate fine firearms all the more. I like that m1a both ways!

 

[Gun-Reck]

Have a coupla CMP birch stocked M1 rifles that need finishing.

Though it would be easier to decide on something other than Chestnut Ridge red.

 

[Charlie98]

My Socom came in USGI fiberglass... certainly durable, but without soul or character. I bought a dinged USGI walnut stock from Fred, but although the lockup was pretty tight, it did not shoot well. I thought there was something wrong with the rifle, so in a fit of desperation, I swapped it back into the 'glass stock... and the accuracy returned.

So... it goes shooting in fiberglass, and retires at the end of the day in Walnut, to smoke it's evening cigar and sip bourbon.

Dave, is that a Springfield, or something else?

 

[Show Me]

Thats quite a batch of rifles

 

[Plano11]

They look awesome.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Dave, is that a Springfield, or something else?

According to Simpson's it's a commercial Springfield stock. Hickcock45's vid on the Socom shows the same impressed checkering on his, and he said it was supplied to him by Springfield.



Funny, for me the black stock is the opposite of a lady's "little black dress" -- black is for slumming and walnut is formalwear.

I've also got a laminated wooden buttstock stock for the Fightlite, but I've been keeping it in storage until I can put together another upper with a matching laminate handguard.

 

[Charlie98]

No, I meant the rifle. Yes, the stock you have is a commercial SAI stock, they started putting those on after they ran out of USGI stocks (which don't have the checkering.)

Edit: I see that it is. I'd never heard it called the Tanker. If that was around when I bought my Socom16, I would have bought that one.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

No, I meant the rifle. Edit: I see that it is. I'd never heard it called the Tanker. If that was around when I bought my Socom16, I would have bought that one.

Gotcha. The Tanker is just the Springfield's latest (I think) Socom 16 package, in walnut and minus the forward scope rail. A buddy of mine has two of the earlier Socom 16s; my dreams ran more along the lines of a Shuff's Mini-G, but when I found this rifle at my LGS, apparently unfired in its padded case for $1.6K, I figured I could get used to a detachable box magazine.

BTW, I weighed both stocks and along with being uglier, the synthetic is a full 10 oz. lighter. Besides the stock, I've also changed the front sight -- the original front didn't fit into its dovetail firmly, so I went with a replacement offering elevation adjustment.

https://www.thecountryshed.com/Tech-Sights-M14-M1A-Adjustable-front-sight-tower_p_513.html

My M1 Garand is from the original Springfield. The SN dates the receiver to August 1944 production, so I call her Overlord. She's been rebarrelled in 7.62x51 at the CMP Custom Shop

 

[Frulk]

Love that wood stock on the Tanker. I still need to put a wooden one on my M1A Scout. Not a fan of the OEM synthetic stock it was shod with from Springfield.

 

[Kingcreek]

Springfield used to refinish old GI fiberglass stocks, fill the selector notch and epoxy paint. Some had GI butt plates, some had a rubber pad that fit the hinge recess.
Later they sourced their own plastic/ resin stocks.

 

[Charlie98]

Besides the stock, I've also changed the front sight -- the original front didn't fit into its dovetail firmly, so I went with a replacement offering elevation adjustment.

https://www.thecountryshed.com/Tech-Sights-M14-M1A-Adjustable-front-sight-tower_p_513.html

My M1 Garand is from the original Springfield. The SN dates the receiver to August 1944 production, so I call her Overlord. She's been rebarrelled in 7.62x51 at the CMP Custom Shop

The Socom gas lock has a proprietary dovetail for the XS sight... that Tech Sight FS fit and tightened down OK?

My only Garand is a 6 digit Springfield from May 1942...

Springfield used to refinish old GI fiberglass stocks, fill the selector notch and epoxy paint. Some had GI butt plates, some had a rubber pad that fit the hinge recess.
Later they sourced their own plastic/ resin stocks.

My Socom16 was one of the last of the USGI... they changed to the SAI-sourced stock shortly afterwards. The USGI is a very rigid stock, and one of the reasons I think it made a difference on accuracy. I've only handled the SAI stock, I didn't think it was as good as the USGI.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

The Socom gas lock has a proprietary dovetail for the XS sight... that Tech Sight FS fit and tightened down OK?

Yup, it went on there good and tight -- while I was at it I also put in a pointed post with a tritium insert.

https://www.blitzkriegcomponents.com/ar-15-spike-front-sight-post-black-tritium-dot-no-tool.html