macgrumpy said:
Can an M1A shoot well out to 800 yards, yes they can and do quite regularly, I've got a Loaded model that I've shot out to 1100 yards very successfully.
Springfield may or may not have a quality control issue but I doubt it, I suspect that most of the people having problems don't really understand how to properly set one up for long range work. With a little research you will find that only about three brands of scope mounts work reliably; Sadlak, ARMS, and Bassett. I use a Sadlak because once mounted it wont move (if you mount it correctly and the receiver has the proper dimensions). But the Sadlak takes the most work to mount and it takes the most time to remove, once it's in place it's pretty much a permanent attachment. The ARMS is also a little difficult to mount and it's permanent but it's the lowest mount available. The Bassett is the easiest to mount, comes off quickly, and is very dependable.
Out of the box any AR style rifle will be as accurate or better than the M1A rifles and it's cheaper and easier to tune an AR plus you can adjust the fit and feel of an AR much better. The straight line stock, modular design, and barrel attachment process makes the AR far easier to work with and more comfortable to use with a scope. The M1A is much tougher to make work but like any rifle it can be adjusted and tuned to work well at long range as long as you don't mind spending the money and time on it. While the Super Match is a better rifle mechanically than the other M1A models it's actually more economical to buy a Loaded model and tune it as necessary. You can also go to a manufacturer such as LRB and have them make an accurized rifle for you that is probably going to be a precise machine without comparison to a mass production rifle from Springfield.
Oi... I don't know that I'd ever recommend a loaded to someone not intending to do much tweaking. In fact, the last conversation I had with someone about M1As from SAI pushed them heavily to the M-21 (if they can find one) or the National Matches. Only way I'd recommend a Loaded is if they intend on putting it in a chassis and don't want to build the rifle from parts.
That's how I did with my Troy MCS M1A Loaded and it is finally starting to shoot worth a dang. Right now, 175gr SMK's come out in the 1" to 1.25" range for 10 shot groups. I've had maybe a handful of sub MOA 5 shot groups but don't like counting those as the rifle seems to be consistently in the 1-1.25 MOA range when run hard.
Truthfully, an M1A can be a very accurate rifle if properly built and tuned. The Douglas and Kreiger heavy barreled monstrosities shoot some absolutely amazing groups for a semi auto rifle with an 80 year old action but you trade maneuverability and handiness with that setup. If you have any mechanical aptitude, they really are not that difficult to assemble from parts. Short of that, if you want a standard configuration stock, the NM is pretty tough to beat. Most are in the 1" to 1.5" range out of the box for accuracy. You wont start seeing sub MOA M1A's until you hit the Douglas or Kreiger heavy barreled rifles and at that point it'd be cheaper to build one of those custom then to buy one.
As for the AR10, well, if you've shot an AR15, then you understand how an AR10 functions and the benefits that befit the action (when viewed from the standpoint of semi-auto's). It is difficult to find an M1A that will shoot as well, for the same money, as an AR10. You will trade A LOT of joy in buying "another AR" though. Personally, I've shot some 40 odd AR15's and while each one has it's own quirks and is reliable, I can't help but hate how "cheap" they feel in hand and how unfun they are to shoot precision with. The M1 Garand Action rifles just have a sense of purpose to their operation and a level of refinement and character that no other firearm I've shot really has. I wont trade my M1A for anything. I may go through about 90 different setups to find the one I want, and I know I've spent too much money on mine, but hot dang, it is a fun and sweet shooting gun and the 1-1.25 MOA accuracy with handloads is more accurate than the .308 round is really capable of being used for. That 175gr pill will barely make it to 1000 yards and I'm looking at minute of man at that range if I do my part.
That said, an M1A is a love affair that you have to experience, and if you haven't shot one, you wont know if you'll love her or hate her. I look as the AR10 as a bigger and heavier AR15. Mechanically accurate, but really a snooze to shoot.
I love mine:
