M1A
 

I just had to mention my new found respect for the M1A rifle. I went out on a shoot this last weekend and had my first opportunity to fire one of these rifles. The owner amazed me by taking out a 9 inch round balloon that was flopping around in the wind at 400 yards using only iron sites! Although I impressed myself by hitting the same type of target at 250 yards with a Ruger Mini-14 this guy and his M1A put me to shame.

I think the next time I find myself with $1500 just sitting around that I might pick up one!

Maine Hunter

RE: M1A
 

I' m kind of up in the air on whether I might buy an NM M1A or a Bushmaster DCM AR for highpower shooting next year. I' ve shot both and really love the M1A, but I' m leaning towards the AR since it will be pretty much used as a target rifle only and will be cheaper to shoot. Last week I took a few of my coworkers to the shooting range and impressed them by popping off 3 milk jugs of water in a row at 300 yards shooting my ' 03 springfield from a prone position. I' m using this rifle for high power matches this year but the bugger really kicks like a b@st@trd and needs to be replaced with a semiauto for next season.:D

RE: M1A
 

A friend of mine has one and we can hit a large steel gong at 500 yd. all day with National Match Sights. Good shooting.

RE: M1A
 

I darn well like mine.:)

RE: M1A
 

But now for the $64,000 question...
Would any of you consider hunting with this weapon?
Would you feel awkward hunting with a " military" weapon?
If not, then why not use them more often?[:-]

RE: M1A
 

They have infinately better iron sights than your typical sporting semiauto such as a Rem 742 or Browning BAR. They are more accurate than than sporting semiautos. Because you can.:D

Iwouldn' t feel awkward using a military style rifle. The There is almost no difference whatsoever in the looks between an M1A and a Ruger Derfield carbine except size. The deer aren' t going to know the difference. The M1A is chambered in what alot of people consider a perfect deer cartridge. An M1A is not a military ' weapon' (I prefer the term rifle) The military dos not use M1A' s and never has- they Use M14' s.

Why they aren' t used more often for hunting? They cost about $1000 more than the typical sporting semiauto so less people are going to buy them. Most people buy them for special purposes such as target and match shooting. I would bet that most people who own an M1A and hunt, probably own a better rifle for hunting such as a scoped bolt action rifle.

BTW: I hunt with actual military rifles. I' ve used a K98, a Yugo M48, and a M96 mauser in the past for deer hunting. [:-]

RE: M1A
 

I hunt with mine when I feel like it. Or, one of the other military rifles I own. I got to think whether I have any civi rifles other than my CZ .22 and my Rem. Sendero. Even the Sendero does not look too civi the way she is rigged-up and all my other bolt-guns are mil-surps.

RE: M1A
 

I never hunt with military rifles, even though I have a number of them. I like the Ruger 1A so much better when I have to drag it around in the woods... I guess this comes from many years of HAVING to carry an M1 or M 14 around, whether I liked it or not...

RE: M1A
 

Considering I hunted for a couple of years with an SKS I guess I would have to say that I would hunt with a military style firearm. I think more than the " style" of the firearm the importance should weigh on the proficiency of the shooter. A skilled shooter with an M1A would be superb hunting combo.

Maine Hunter

RE: M1A
 

There is no doubt that the M1A would do anything a hunter wanted. These can be made very accurate!! But, when I lived in Alaska, I used to drag a Win. M 70 Supergrade .375 H&H around when bear hunting. It weighed 11.5 pounds with scope, sling & magazine full of 300 grain Silvertips! At the end of the day, it sure had become heavy!! I don' t believe I could carry that rifle all day any more!!

RE: M1A
 

How about the " Scout" version with the synthetic stock?

RE: M1A
 

I' m taking my" Loaded" Standard M1A hog hunting in 3 weeks - I can' t wait to get it blooded for the 1st time! :)

These are just marvelous guns, which I highly recommend. And there is absolutely NO SOUND in the World like the sound of that bolt operation............... Pure American Steel - argh...argh....argh!!!!!!!

RE: M1A
 

Mark whiz- Right ON!!! AAARRrRRGGGGHHHHhh!!!!!!! AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGhhhhh!!!!!! -In agreement.:D

Nothing like hitting steel center mass plates off-hand at 300yds either! And hearing that satisfying KA-THUNK!:)

RE: M1A
 

The only sound missing on the M1A is the loud ' ping' sound of the enbloc ejecting after the 8th round, but that' s the small price you pay for progrees.:D

RE: M1A
 

The M1A/M1 bolt makes such a distinctive sound that I just have to share this story:D :

Last Saturday my son & I went to the NRA convention in Orlando (boy was there lot of nice toys there!!). Anywhoo......most of the guns there on display are tethered so as not to walk off, but the actions are free to be operated & observed (no magazines, of course). Well, while we were at the Springfield Armory booth........my son let loose the bolt on one of the display rifles.. Ka-Ching!!!....... it got so quiet that you could hear a pin drop in a hall of at least 10000 people!! I thought he was going to get a standing ovation :D !

When E.F. Springfield speaks..................People listen!! [8D] [:-]