M1A takedown and optics

[Mumbles_45]

So I had no plans to buy any new guns, but I was in a gun shop yesterday, and there was one lonely M1A scout on the wall, and I felt bad for it not getting picked up in all the EBR purchasing madness that's been going on. I've always liked M-14s, I was issued one in the Army for about 2 1/2 years, so anyway I thought about it and decided if it was still there today I would buy it. It was so I did. And now I can't figure out how to get the op rod off the receiver. The Springfield manual it came with is useless, it's just a collection of bright red warnings on all the various things your not supposed to do with your rifle (pretty much everything is off limits except leaving it in the box and admiring it from a distance). The Army FM it came with is no help as it gives disassembly instructions for the M-14 which I can already do. I've been searching the internet for an answer and the best I've come up with is "pull the handle back to the notch and jiggle it while you pull up". I've been trying that for a while now and have had no luck. Any hints/advice?

Also, as far as optics, I'm thinking either an Aimpoint Comp M2 (I don't want an M4, it's too tall and it's ugly), a scout scope, or a handgun scope. Anybody got any opinions or experience on why any of the above options is a good or bad idea? Also I have an unused Ultimak rail, think it's worth putting on in place of the factory one?

 

[nbkky71]

I hate to tell you this Mumbles_45, but that's pretty much the way to remove the op-rod: align the tab on the op-rod with the notch under the windage knob and lift up and away from the receiver. A tight op-rod tab can make it a challenge.

Not sure if you saw this, but look at this link from surplusrifle.com http://www.surplusrifle.com/m14m1a/rifledisassembly/index.asp. Take a look at the pics in steps 27 and 28.

I've heard of some folks using a small flathead screwdiver wrapped in electrical tape to help pry the op-rod out.

I've never been a fan of optics on an M1A and I use iron sights on mine.

 

[Mumbles_45]

thanks, that link gives slightly more details than anything else I've seen so far, I guess mine's just tight. I'll give it another try after this post.

I do love the irons on M1As/M14s maybe my favorite Irons ever, but I like optics almost as much as I like guns, so that's half the interest to me.

 

[Jason_G]

Mumbles

Resist the urge to pry!

Springfield's op rods are tight when they are new, but they will come off without the need for an improvised tool.

The way I do it (and sometimes it still takes some fidgeting, but it always works eventually). This was taken from a post by Sustenimus over at The M14 Firing Line Forum:

1. Remove the trigger guard, stock, and recoil spring and guide.
2. Lay the action in front of you on it's left side with the muzzle pointed toward the right.
3. Position the op rod such that the very back edge of the handle is about 1/16 inch forward of the very back corner of the half moon shaped dismount notch.
4. Place your right thumb on the bottom of the cyclindrical portion of the op rod at the point where the "dogleg" is attached, and place your right index and social fingers at the top of the dogleg, opposite your thumb.
5. Place your left fingers on the back of the receiver behind the rear sight assembly, and your left thumb on the bottom of the op rod's handle at the point where the handle is adjacent to the receiver rail.
6. Press away from you with your right thumb and in towards you with your right fingers to impart a rotational force to the operating rod's dogleg that would tend to force the upper portion of the operating rod out and away from the receiver, rotating about the long axis of the cyclindrical portion of the op rod. (Alternatively, and to get a little more twisting leverage, you can use the tips of your right fingers to pull out on the hump of the oprod.)
7. While applying the pressure in step 6 with the right hand, use your left thumb to press up and away from you on the bottom of the operating rod's handle. You can get your thumb under that little notch on the bottom of the handle for more "up" leverage. This will allow the op rod's tab to ride over the slight step in the rail and on up into the dismount notch. When it goes it will make a nice "click" or "snap" sound.

This always works for me, although sometimes it's nice and quick, and sometimes it takes a few minutes, but I chalk that up to my own ham-fistedness.

It will come out without prying though.

Jason

 

[H2O MAN]

Look here http://www.rifle-company.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=137

The UltiMAK rail with a Micro T-1 installed is a tough combination to beat.

 

[RobMoore]

Just keep messing with it, you'll eventually find the "sweet spot". Just give it some outward pressure just before you reach the notch, and hopefully it will pop out.

 

[Mumbles_45]

Just an update, I did finally get it taken apart, it was VERY tight. So tight that for a while thought I was doing somehthing wrong, that wasn't the case though.

I ended up putting an Aimpoint M3 on it with an ARMS low mount and the UltiMAK M8 rail. This combination sits low enough that I do not need to add a cheek rest, and I can see the irons though the Aimpoint.

 

[lipadj46]

It will loosen up the more you remove it and eventually it will get too loose to the point it just falls out and will need to be replaced and you will be wishing for the days when it was snug