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View Poll Results: Would you sell a PTR-91 to get an M1A?
Yes 23 60.53%
No 15 39.47%
Voters: 38. You may not vote on this poll

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Old May 24, 2017, 09:28 PM   #26
Model12Win
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I want the basic wood stocked standard model, I am seeing them in the high $1200 range for the best prices around. I do not want and do not care about any "match" stuff or any of that crap. All I want is a plain Jane battle rifle that looks the part of an M14 and is reliable/durable/accurate enough to shoot once or twice a month for fun, not competition.
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Old May 25, 2017, 03:56 AM   #27
JJ45
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Model12, you are not alone in your preference for iron sights

Have no experience with the M1A/M14 but have two Garands and the sights are essentially the same. IMO, the best sights ever put on a battle rifle. More like target sights than battle sights.
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Old May 25, 2017, 05:57 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Model12Win View Post
I want the basic wood stocked standard model, I am seeing them in the high $1200 range for the best prices around. I do not want and do not care about any "match" stuff or any of that crap. All I want is a plain Jane battle rifle that looks the part of an M14 and is reliable/durable/accurate enough to shoot once or twice a month for fun, not competition.

I gave you the info so that you could see the price difference with going used... there are plenty of M1A owners that have backup rifles, which are rarely used. Going used can also get older rifles that were built with superior USGI parts. In regards to durability, my M1A will be better than any newly made M1A... but you need to figure out if your usage will justify the difference. Twice a month, religiously... I'd opt for an older gun. Have to consider, shy of those in competition, most shooters may fire 50 to 100 rounds when they first get the rifle, and maybe another 100 to 200 rounds each year. At that rate, you don't see failures. If you want to see if the current production SA rifles are good to go, look at posts from competitors, who put enough rounds through them that shows what goes. See what they say in regards to SA parts.

In regards to "match" stuff, the NM flash hider is a very good upgrade... as it is bored out to stop bullet strikes when carbon starts to build up. Look into Loaded rifles... as you get that and the NM front sight (rear is a match sight, just without the hood). Barrels are a little better than the standard, being between it and the NM.
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Old May 25, 2017, 04:37 PM   #29
Model12Win
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Thank you. I do see that the M1A has a different stock shape than the M14.
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Old May 25, 2017, 06:29 PM   #30
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Quote:
Thank you. I do see that the M1A has a different stock shape than the M14.
What am I missing? I have a SA M1A older NM gun sitting here with the M1A wood stock and I have a few other stocks here including a USGI M14 wood stock. The only difference I am seeing is the small notch cutout where the selector would fit on a M14. Other than that small cutout the stocks in walnut seem pretty much identical.

Ron
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Old May 28, 2017, 06:36 AM   #31
drobs
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I had an Ohio Rapid Fire STG58 FAL. Also had a Cetme and a full length M1A.
Settled on a Scout length M1A. Find it a little more handy for getting in and out of the cab of my pickup.

The FAL was ok if you could get used to so-so accuracy & a heavy trigger.
I didn't care for the bolt handle on the Cetme. Historical just not all that ergonomic. Clearing stuck cases via the pogo stick method was interesting. My buddies all went to M1A's that were far more accurate than the FAL and Cetme.

Picked this one up in 2013 from J&G sales. It was a PD trade in. Got it for around $1200 used. Picked up the stock, hand guard, and sling from Fred's M14 stocks.
http://www.fredsm14stocks.com/

Added a commercial flash hider and have a GI trigger assembly in the gun. There's some talk out there on the web that the cast SAI hammers have issues over time. Nice thing about SAI M1A's is they readily take GI parts.



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Old May 28, 2017, 11:10 AM   #32
Model12Win
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Posts: 708

Quote:
Thank you. I do see that the M1A has a different stock shape than the M14.
What am I missing? I have a SA M1A older NM gun sitting here with the M1A wood stock and I have a few other stocks here including a USGI M14 wood stock. The only difference I am seeing is the small notch cutout where the selector would fit on a M14. Other than that small cutout the stocks in walnut seem pretty much identical.
Look at the post above mine at a USGI stock. Notice on the new springfield in the area in front of the magazine the contour is much different. This bothers me.

The plan is to get a standard M1A, add a USGI stock from Freds, add a faux selector, a USGI extractor since I hear the Springfield ones often break, and USGI Web sling.

The PTR is for sale, guys. Thank you for helping me make my decision. Just ain't no point in me keeping a gun around that I don't think is the one for me. Should have done what I always should have and got an M1A from the start.
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Old May 28, 2017, 04:37 PM   #33
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Now I am wanting one...

Still like the scout model the best. With a wood stock, it has a nice traditional rifle feel to it.
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Old May 28, 2017, 06:18 PM   #34
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Model12Win:
Quote:
Look at the post above mine at a USGI stock. Notice on the new springfield in the area in front of the magazine the contour is much different. This bothers me.

The plan is to get a standard M1A, add a USGI stock from Freds, add a faux selector, a USGI extractor since I hear the Springfield ones often break, and USGI Web sling.
I'll be damned, having an older rifle, much older. I never noticed that till you pointed it out. Thanks for that little bit of information. Kept looking at what I had sitting here and wondering what the heck is different?

Ron
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Old May 29, 2017, 12:13 AM   #35
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Keep an eye on Gunbroker I've seen the lowest prices on there for new guns. Get a basic model and upgrade as you go. I have 2 spare GI extractors but don't see any point in changing it out till the commercial one breaks.
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Old May 30, 2017, 07:54 PM   #36
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Not a big fan of the H&K type rifles. I surely wouldn't trade my M1A for one. I have had mine for 15 years. Early '90's with USGI parts and stock with the full-auto cut out. Would I sell a PTR to get an M1A? In a heartbeat.
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Old May 31, 2017, 02:18 AM   #37
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Quote:
The plan is to get a standard M1A, add a USGI stock from Freds, add a faux selector,...
Cool. So the plan is to make a faux M14. A semi auto (only) looking as close to an actual M14 as possible, right??

Cool.

I have never looked at what "dummy" FA parts there are out there for the M14 look. I AM familiar with the GI full auto parts, and there's a bit more to it than just a selector lever. There is also the connector bar and its spring. These parts are external to the action, unlike the M16 where everything is internal and not seen.

The selector lever of an M14 is mounted on a post (sometimes called a stud) that is part of the receiver, which the semi auto receiver does NOT have.

A "faux selector lever" would need something to mount it on. Maybe they have something that lets them look close to "right" I just don't know.

I do know that the overwhelming majority of M14s did NOT mount a selector lever. They had a "selector lock" instead. This choice was usually made at company level, once it was realized that the stories about how uncontrollable the M14 is on full auto were realized to be true. I've shot them, its true.

The selector lever cams the connector assy so it contacts the trigger group and fires the gun full auto. The selector lock is simply a round knob that does nothing. To change them, you just drive out the pin, and remove one and replace it with the other, and reinstall the pin.

Either would give a correct M14 look, the lever for the designated select fire rifle, or the lock for the rest of the rifles in the squad.

The M14 is "outdated, out moded, locked in the past, ancient history", and a lot of other things to many, but to me, its a damn fine RIFLE that never got to see its full potential because of politics in the defense dept at the time.

My old rack grade M1A, (ALL GI parts except the receiver) has one of the Garand "locking bar" rear sights on it. Best peep sight ever put on a service rifle, if you have eyes young enough to take full use of it.
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Old May 31, 2017, 01:26 PM   #38
Model12Win
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I do know that the overwhelming majority of M14s did NOT mount a selector lever. They had a "selector lock" instead. This choice was usually made at company level, once it was realized that the stories about how uncontrollable the M14 is on full auto were realized to be true. I've shot them, its true.
Thanks 44 AMP, lots of good info! Yes upon further research I want to make it look like the selector lock device if possible, to make it look like one that is locked to semi auto.

I wish Springfield Armory would make their stocks to look like an actual M14 stock. You can notice some big differences in front of the magazine well. On the M14, there is a "belly" to the stock that is totally absent on the new Springfields, plus they don't have the selector cutout that I'll need.
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Old May 31, 2017, 01:48 PM   #39
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Got some time to kill? Go look at the pics in this thread:
http://m14forum.com/m14/195847-m14-s...ps-photos.html

One of my favorites from there:



And another thread on various differences in GI stock:
http://m14forum.com/stock/165216-sub...tock-make.html
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Last edited by drobs; May 31, 2017 at 01:54 PM.
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