Springfield Armory, Inc.

The M1A rifle is manufactured by Springfield Armory of Geneseo Illinois. This is not the same U.S. Government owned Springfield Armory, Inc. of Massachusetts, which was closed down on April 30, 1968 by the U.S. Department of Defense. The term "M1A" is a proprietary title given by Elmer C. Ballance who started the privately owned Springfield Armory, Inc. of Devine, Texas, to his M14 pattern rifle. The receiver is made from investment cast AISI 8620 alloy steel. Early M1A rifles were built with surplus G.I. parts until Springfield Armory, Inc. began manufacturing their own. Elmer sold the "Springfield Armory' to Bob Reese in the fall of 1974. The Reese family remains as the current owner.

Today, Springfield Armory, Inc. offers the widest variety and some of the most accurate and reliable M14 pattern rifles on the market. Their National Match models and above (Super Match, M21 and M25) are guaranteed to shoot sub-MOA with Match grade ammunition right out of the box. This improved accuracy over the military M14's is due to the fact that National Match models and above have glass-bedded receivers and heavy Match grade barrels.

Differences Between the M1A and M14

Springfield Armory M1A rifles are for the most part identical to their military M14 counterparts. There are however a few differences:

Springfield Armory M1A Receiver

As previously mentioned, the receivers are manufactured by the precision investment casting method. The military M14 receivers were manufactured using the drop-forge process, which is more complicated and more expensive. Until at least the late 1990s the M1A produced by Springfield Armory retained the cutout in the rear right of the stock for the selector switch found on the M14.

Selector switch cutout in M1A stock manufactured in 1997

The walnut stock of the M21 has a height-adjustable cheek rest, which is unique to that model. The M25 White Feather is also unique in that it comes with a black McMillan Fiberglass Stock and a built in picatinny optics mount. This because there is no provision for iron sights on the M25. Springfield Armory has also omitted the "7.62-MM" caliber designator on the M1A receiver since 1991.

Once the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was passed, banning (among other features) bayonet lugs, the M1A no longer shipped with a bayonet lug. Although the 1994 law expired in September 2004, making bayonet lugs legal again (in most states), Springfield Armory has not restored that feature.

The California Assault Weapons Ban, which went into effect January 1, 2000, prohibited flash suppressors on all Semi-automatic rifles capable of accepting a detachable magazine. As a result, Springfield Armory designed a muzzle brake, which they installed in place of the standard flash suppressor on all models that were sold to California. The irony is that the muzzle brake reduces the recoil of the rifle and thus makes it more accurate. Apparently (source unverified), the military has ordered the California Legal muzzle brakes from Springfield Armory for their surplus M14's because of the improvement in accuracy.

Type Sporting and Target Rifle

Place of origin USA

Production history

Manufacturer Springfield Armory, Inc.

Variants Standard, Loaded, National Match, Super Match, M21, M25

Specifications

Weight 9.2 - 11.2 pounds (Empty magazine)

Length 44.33 inches (1126 mm)

Barrel length 22 inches (558.8 mm)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cartridge .308 Winchester

Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt

Rate of fire Semi-automatic

Feed system 5-round, 10-round or 20-round double column, detachable box magazine

Sights National Match front blade, Match-Grade Hooded Aperture with One-Half Minute adj. for Windage and Elevation.

M1A/M14 Select Fire Rifles

Select Fire M1A Receiver. Notice the selector switch and the cutouts in the stock for the full-auto parts.

Most of the M1A rifles manufactured since 1971 were made for the commercial market and thus were only capable of semi-automatic fire. However, it is estimated that well under 1,000 select fire M14 type rifles were manufactured and registered for civilian ownership prior to the passage of the Firearm Owners Protection Act on May 19th, 1986. Springfield Armory, Inc. and Smith Enterprise were the two companies that produced select fire M14 type rifles for civilian ownership. Up until May of 1986, Springfield Armory, Inc. had a Full Auto Department at their factory in Illinois. A few M1A rifles were converted to full-auto fire and registered with the ATF by Class II manufacturers like Neal Smith and Rock Island Armory. The receivers of these select fire rifles have the selector lug and operating rod rail cuts for the connector assembly.

Due to their scarcity and the fact that no new select fire M1A/M14 rifles can be produced for the civilian market because of the Hughes Amendment in the McClure-Volkmer Act, their value is now well above $10,000.

3O8 10 ROUND STRIPPER CLIP 20PCS PER PACK 308 CAL FOR USE WITH THE FN FAL, M1A, M14, AR10, HK91, G3, AND CETME MAG LOADER

Differences between the M1A and M14

Springfield Armory M1A rifles are for the most part identical to their military M14 counterparts. There are however a few differences:

Springfield Armory M1A Receiver

As previously mentioned, the receivers are manufactured by the precision investment casting method. The military M14 receivers were manufactured using the drop-forge process, which is more complicated and more expensive. Until at least the late 1990s the M1A produced by Springfield Armory retained the cutout in the rear right of the stock for the selector switch found on the M14.

 Selector switch cutout in M1A stock manufactured in 1997

The walnut stock of the M21 has a height-adjustable cheek rest, which is unique to that model. The M25 White Feather is also unique in that it comes with a black McMillan Fiberglass Stock and a built in picatinny optics mount. This because there is no provision for iron sights on the M25. Springfield Armory has also omitted the "7.62-MM" caliber designator on the M1A receiver since 1991.

Once the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was passed, banning (among other features) bayonet lugs, the M1A no longer shipped with a bayonet lug. Although the 1994 law expired in September 2004, making bayonet lugs legal again (in most states), Springfield Armory has not restored that feature.

The California Assault Weapons Ban, which went into effect January 1, 2000, prohibited flash suppressors on all Semi-automatic rifles capable of accepting a detachable magazine. As a result, Springfield Armory designed a muzzle brake, which they installed in place of the standard flash suppressor on all models that were sold to California. The irony is that the muzzle brake reduces the recoil of the rifle and thus makes it more accurate. Apparently (source unverified), the military has ordered the California Legal muzzle brakes from Springfield Armory for their surplus M14's because of the improvement in accuracy.