Is the M1A Dying in the Market

[R3dundantC]

I've always thought of it as a niche market. There's really only two groups of people that buy them imo; Collectors and competitors. They're big, heavy, and priced at a point that keeps the fudds and plebeians from buying them.


Picked up this early Fed Ord build in Roseburg for $1100 the other week.

 

[Aero Denezol]

My nephews (Army) returned from Afghanistan last year. The oldest is a Staff Sargent Ranger who hated having to shot someone several times to stop them. My other nephew told me he could hit an insurgent several times with his SAW and not always stop them. Good thing we continue to issue weapons to our young men that are less effective than WWII German STG-44s & MG42s.

There was a retired Recon Marine who used to hang out at the ARPC maybe 6-7 years ago, and he told me a very similar story. He was a big fan of the M14. I can't remember his name, fascinating individual. He had 1000 stories from being overseas.

 

[H2O MAN]

I've always thought of it as a niche market.

A tiny niche market... there are approximately 450K M14 type rifles in US civilian hands - that's it.

 

[U8395279]

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I just picked up a new M1A standard with a beautiful wood stock for $1200 out the door. It looks like they are selling more plastic stock models so they are able to buy some very nice walnut stocks. I do have a M1A Super Match with a McMillan glass stock in Marine Corps camo. However the McMillan glass stock is big, heavy & stiff for match shooting.
Seems guys are willing to throw down $2.5k+ on a LMT .308 and other AR type rifles. Is the market for M14 type rifles dying? Springfield is now even making an AR type rifle now.
Thoughts?

Don't forget that in the high end market it also has the SCAR-17 to compete with:





And Country Girls prefer the SCAR-17 over the M1A by over 3 to 1. This girl also has a very cool vehicle and T-shirt too:

 

[H2O MAN]

I'm starting to see SCAR 17 up for trade lately... guys looking for HK rifles.

 

[Ura-Ki]

You can keep them nasty SCAR's and leave me with the "outdated" no longer relevant M-14/M-1A/ M-21/ Super match and i'm just fine with that! LOL
M-1A's are for us grown ups!

 

[H2O MAN]

I've owned 14 at one time, but now I am down to just 3.

 

[H2O MAN]

LRB & SEI make great M14s, good luck with your quest.

BTW, 44MAG.com is have a good sale on 20 round CMI magazines right now...

 

[Iceberg]

Bought some 20 rounders, hard to beat $20 with free shipping for mil-spec mags.

 

[ron]

Nice wood stock on your M1A etrain16. I have done several M1/M1A
Stocks using the method Iceberg describes. It leaves a beautiful
GI looking sealed stock.

Don't use steel on your stock, polish with 600 grit wet/dry sand paper and Boiled Lindseed oil. Remove the stock & buttplate. After the first polish, wipe off the excess oil and let it dry. This will fill the poors in the wood. Then repeat the process 2 to three more times. You will end up with a beautiful GI finish stock. Make sure you clean the oil off the front metal after each coat. My stock maker Buddy that helped our DCM/CMP club tought a class for us. He said use of steel wool to fill poors in the wood will cause rust stains over time.

 

[ron]

All you wood stock, M1A guys here are some area shoots.
July 1 Vintage Military Rifle/Pistol Match at TCGC.
July 8 Service Rifle (mostly M1/M1A) at DRRC.
Oct. 21 "Wood Stock" Service Rifle Match at ERGC.

 

[H2O MAN]

 

[DirectDrive]

Looks like a gunfight is about to break out.
Some tough-looking characters right there.

 

[Citizen762]

I'm seeing MORE M1's coming through the LGS here in Kali because of the new AW regs which attack the evil "features" of the AR pattern rifles (collapsible stock, pistol grip etc).

 

[H2O MAN]

Install a Cali Legal muzzle device, and this modernized M14 is legal in California.

I'm not sure about mag capacity, check your local laws.

 

[DirectDrive]

Time marches on, but I sure like a wood stock on that rifle with a nice 20 round mag hangin' out of it.

 

[dwaineshort]

True, ARs are everywhere and dirt cheap, but 7.62 NATO ARs are not very cheap. My Buddy has a LMT 308 that cost him $2500. LMTs & Knights Armory rifles run $2500+. Lower end ARs like Ruger SR-762 run about the same as the M1A. ARs in 5.56 NATO and 9mmP are cheaper than 7.62 NATO to plink with. I've never been able to shoot more than 50 rounds of 7.62, it is not a plinking round. My son bought me a Colt AR-15 9mm carbine that is very cheap to shoot and much lighter. I'm still really like the M14 platform, I qualified with a M14 as a Midshipman. I have three (Walnut stocked Armscorp M14 NM, McMillan stocked M1A Super Match & a M1A Walnut Standard model), they will be with me until I'm baried at sea, then they will be my sons collection.

Even 1moa ar10's are dropping under $900 in this market.

 

[H2O MAN]

Now is a great time to own & enhance the M14 / M1A rifle.

 

[nehalemguy]

Now is a great time to own & enhance the M14 / M1A rifle.

View attachment 371152

Ewwwwwww......

No offense, but spoiling the classic lines of such a great rifle with tacticool accessories just seems somehow wrong. It's not really even recognizable as a M1A any more.

It's like taking a '69 Camaro and installing a light bar and mud flaps....IMO.

E

 

[H2O MAN]

There is nothing wrong with improving the rifles accuracy & ergonomics.

Everything with the RS is about performance gains, none of it is for show.

Late though you may be, recognizing an M14 EBR should be easy for just about everyone...
because they have been around for about 17 years now.