Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I got the traditional. I love all the wood. And yes, I will be bringing it on the 5th, since I can't pick it up until Tuesday, I probably won't get a chance to shoot it until then.

Unkn0wN wrote:... I like my bed, our leather couches get cold at night

That LRB would have kept you warm at night...

I've had an M1A for 3-4 months. Got one of the tactical rifles with the cheekpad and rail. Then had to order a high-priced Leupold scope for it and wait on that. Then had to turn it over to my son to mount and boresight same. Then Deer Season came in and my dear son can barely stay out of the woods long enough to keep a job. Bottom line: I have yet to fire the cotton-pickin' thang. Also have a Browning x-bolt in .25-05, a Colt AR-15 in .223 and a Browning BAR in .308 I've never fired. Just can't seem to find the time when the weather's right. Too much titanium in my spine now to buck cold weather.

And, yessir.............. a good wife and a steady job has been the RUINATION of many a hoplophile. I long ago realized that they all looked the same to my wife. So if I once get them in the house, it's just another one of the dang guns with which I clutter her otherwise respectable and well-kept nest. Bless her heart. What she don't know won't annoy me.

I was issued an M14 for the individual matches back in '83 and I've wanted an M1A ever since. I finally bought a SOCOM 16 from Trader Jerry and will be picking it up at the Chantilly Gun Show next week. I can't freakin' wait!

expensive parts? What breaks? Anyone have an M1A that broke?

M1A4ME wrote:expensive parts? What breaks? Anyone have an M1A that broke?

Any part can break. The issue of lack of spare parts for the platform cannot be handwaved away by claiming it never breaks.

Diomed wrote:

M1A4ME wrote:expensive parts? What breaks? Anyone have an M1A that broke?

Any part can break. The issue of lack of spare parts for the platform cannot be handwaved away by claiming it never breaks.

+1

That is one of the things people should be aware of when they buy a SOCOM. It isn't standard M1A parts in the gas system; buy spares.

sure, anything can break. However, who owns an M1A that has broken?

Maybe I should look at as a oops, I dropped it and broke it thing vs. a it wore out thing. But I've never dropped mine.

If you're going to buy spare parts make sure you know how to install them correctly or you'll just have a rifle that won't work and some parts that you can't use.

I have an assortment of spare parts for my M1 Garands but then they are going on 70 years old and they've been through hell a time or two. Even then its not a "it broke" thing, they wear out after a few decades.

Based on my experience I believe if its going to break it'll do it pretty soon after you buy it and start shooting it. If they go a few years without breaking they're probably gonna last a while.

One more thing. A large number of M1 Garand parts fit the M1A's. Not the big major parts but the pins, springs, rear sights, trigger assembly parts, etc. M1 parts are easy to get and with some vendors they sell cheaper if they say "M1 Garand" rather than "M1A".

Well I had my M1A1 Springfield National Match for over 25 years and shot it in competition for over 15 of those with practice almost every weekend when the weather permitted. I can never remember replaceing anything on the weapon other then the front sight.
Bill