Thoughts about this scope for M1A, and general opinions wanted....

[technetium-99m]

That's my old rifle. With 168gr handloads it consistently produced 4-5 inch groups at 300 yards using the irons from a front rest and rear bag. The stock it's in is producing whatever the correct amount of pull is on the front ferrule and the gas lock tightens just before the 6:00 position. With mixed cases and 42.5 gr of TAC behind 168 gr Noslers the groups opened to just over 6", I used new Lapua brass to shoot my best groups. I sense Andrei is doubtful about the rifle's capability though. I can assure you that rifle shoots very well for an M1A.

The M1A is a great rifle for what it is. That being said I've tried to scope them and it resulted in frustration, they are best left to the excellent irons.

 

[technetium-99m]

Computers are difficult.

 

[technetium-99m]

Groups all shot at 100 yards, front and rear bags with iron sights. First group was mixed cases, second was Lapua brass, all bullets were 168gr Noslers, primers were CCI BR2's. I believe these were both 10 round groups.



Something like 1.8" from the extremes of the bullet holes. If you shoot 10 more rounds that group fills in nicely.



Better than mixed cases.

I'll see if I kept my 300 yard groups. In any case, that rifle is set up well. The barrel is either a Douglas or a Krieger (most likely the Douglas heavy profile) and was installed by someone who knew what they were doing. M1A's are just a royal pain to keep shooting good, I now have a DPMS LR-308 that I like much better.

 

[technetium-99m]

Every so often it would turn in something retarded like this, but it's also why 5 round groups can be deceiving.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Thanks for the pics. I am already very happy with the rifle, and have plenty of plans for it regardless of what configuration I stick with. Half the fun is having a project to play with. It ranks right up there with my M1 Garand on my list of guns I just need to have.

 

[MoBoost]

That's a good shooting rifle - you can't argue with 10 round groups; that second one is about 1.25MOA. Impressive.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

The M1A is a great rifle for what it is...they are best left to the excellent irons.

100% agree with this statement.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Yall are starting to really make me lean towards irons.....

But then I still want a scoped rifle....


What seems to be the biggest problem with a scope on them? I have heard that you need a good base, and planned to go with either a Basset or Sadlak. Part of my issue for wanting a scope is some of my own eye problems, and that I have the M1 Garand with equally sweet irons, so why not scope the M1A. Yall may be talking me into irons, but would like a bit more input.

600 yards with Irons would be something huh....

 

[Shadowrider]

Here's my suggestion. If you are young enough and still have the eyes to run irons, play in that playground while you can. The Garand and M1A have outstanding iron sights even by today's standards. They can be improved a bit though. Search up some of Kurt Miller's and Patrick Kelly's posts on the forums and you will find the ways to tweak them a bit. For a match gun it's pretty satisfying to do well with irons, that's something I'm a looooooong way from doing BTW...

Now for hunting I can't fault your logic, good glass will buy you more time at dusk for sure. Just another reason to buy another M1A and scope it!

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Ok, I'm going irons for now. We will see what happens between now and spring, then I will decide what my next step is. Maybe I should just try to build a decent bolt gun at that point.

To be honest, my first pellet gun had a scope on it, and so has almost every gun since. So maybe a big problem is with confidence in using the irons. Almost feel like I need a teacher, I pretty much taught myself to shoot, and did so with the pellet gun with a scope. Guess it's time to become a better marksman, the old fashioned way.