M1A1

[Joshua M.]

Last week my Dad, and I took our M1A1 out to sight in, as this was the first time since we had it that it was decent enough to shoot. He started out, and couldn't hit anything, anf then towards the end we decided it was shooting way high, even though the rear sight was all the way down. We tried everything, and it just kept shooting way high. So as we were putting it away we discovered copper "tracks" accross the bottom of the flash supressor/ front sight. So he took it off and had a machinist gauge it, and found it to be way off, that explains the copper, and the way high, as it seems the bullets were "ramping" off the end. So he machined the suppressor off, so we still had the front sight. Today he stopped by and we went out and this thing is dead nuts now, I have never been this accurate with iron sights before at any distance, let alone 300 yards. My question is this has anybody had a problem with their suppressors, and also what is the "best" on on the market. Thanks...

 

[az_imuth]

If you're referring to an M1A, then the flash hider could certainly cause that sort of problem by being out of alignment. I think Fulton Armory sells an alignment tool, or you can probably use a straight piece of dowel rod to align it to the bore. That should solve the problem unless your flash hider is actually defective.
oops...I see you already fixed it, good job.

 

[xtriggerman]

If you have a Springfield Armory M1A, I think you should have just sent it back and they would have made it right for free. If its a China 14, well...cutting it is all you could do. SA stands behind there stuff. I once had one with a bad chamber and they put a new barrel and TRW bolt in the gun -no charge. Mine shot nice untill it heated up a bit. I didnt want to do the beding song and dance so I sold it and bought a Springfield SAR 48. I still have that cause it still shoots tight hot.

 

[Slamfire]

My question is this has anybody had a problem with their suppressors, and also what is the "best" on on the market.

Interesting that you also encountered the same problem the Army found with M14 suppressors. Sometimes bullets would hit the suppressor.

On the NM M14's and M1a's a match modification is to ream the inside of the suppressor to a larger size. According to my AMU pamphlet, they used a NR 7 Taper reamer. The suppressor end was enlarged to .406".

 

[Al LaVodka]

Guns w/out stuff on the end are more accurate. Not as cool, but more accurate...
Al

 

[madcratebuilder]

Obviously your flash suppressor was miss-aligned. There is a tool for setting the alignment and reaming is a common NM mod. Reaming the FS is not meant to correct alignment problems.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

First of all, the M1A1 is a main battle tank. The M1A is a commercial reproduction of the M14 main battle rifle. It's not just semantics...

As mentioned, the flash suppressor might be out of alignment. Additionally, there have been enough recorded instances of the flash suppressor on the M14 deflecting rounds that they have been doing National Match modifications to them since about as long as the rifle has been around. You could probably just replace the standard flash suppressor with a NM flash suppressor, which is pretty much the same thing, just with the hole in front bored out to eliminate contact with the projectile as it exits the muzzle.

Or you could replace it with a DC Vortex from SEI.

 

[desidog]

i saw an M1A flash sup w/ bayonet lug for about 40 bucks a while back, i think it was at cheaperthandirt.com ...bayo lugs are illegal in my state though.

 

[Eightball]

First of all, the M1A1 is a main battle tank.

Or an M1 Carbine with a folding stock.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

We had the same problem with a FAL with a AWB un-slotted flash hider. Very frustrating attempt to zero a scope with bullets scraping the flash hider on the way down range. I removed the thing and was tempted to toss it. My son had it reamed out and kept it.

 

[madcratebuilder]

The reamed NM flash suppers are not reamed because of alignment problems. The FS is reamed so drops of water that collect in the splines would not deflect the bullet during compilation in the rain. This is well documented.

The cheap FS you see are just that, cheap imported junk. USGI is best followed by SA, and you should use an alignment tool any time you install a FS.