I think the myths of being " more fragile and maintenance heavy in order to maintain accuracy and reliability" is a load of poop passed out by people who never used a M1A much.
I've had mine since 1977, it came as a standard but a couple years later the Armors at the NGMTU converted it to a Super Match (it was Gene Barnett, Barnett Barrels himself who was an armor for the NGMTU at the time).
I've never had any problems excluding some shot out barrels and stretched out slings. I shot the crap out of it, thousands upon thousands of rounds while I was shooting for the NG.
It still shoots to this day. DON'T TAKE IT OUT OF THE STOCK. There is no need unless you are replacing a barrel. If you take it out of the stock it will take about 100 rounds to get it seated back in the glass. There is nothing that needs cleaned or lubed on a M1A that can't be cleaned while its in the stock.
The rifle still shoots today, and still shoots like a match rifle, like I said, I've have zero problems.
I have several target rifles but my best 1000 yard score was fired using my M1A. I confess I don't use scopes on it though.
In my Guard shooting days other members of my team had M1As, they had the same experience with their rifle as I did. The same is said for the NM M14s my team had.
