by John C. Krull
Gun Week Production Manager

In 1967 Vietnam was going hot and heavy and was a subject of controversy on many levels in the United States. I was just 19 years old at the time, but had been brought up with a sense of patriotism. I had already had several friends killed in that land faraway. This influenced me to want to join up and help my country win the war and get some payback for my friends who had lost their lives.

While my parents were on a trip to the Bahamas I went to see the Marine Corps recruiter. He didn't make any promises, but made the Marines sound just like what I was looking for.

Probably from movies mostly, because I don't remember knowing any Marines at the time, I knew that they were the best, and the outfit that I wanted to be a part of. So, I joined up on the three-month delayed entry program. At the time I wasn't able to read the actual feeling of my parents, but found out later that my mother was worried about my serving and my dad was pretty proud of me for having made this life-changing decision.

Boot camp was at Paris Island, SC. The place was hot, invested with bugs, and pure hell.

Boot camp was the first place that I was introduced to a high-powered rifle. I'd been shooting squirrels and pheasant for years and had done some unsuccessful deer hunting, but had never used a centerfire rifle before this.

M-14 Boot Camp
The rifle range was a two-week part of the training. We had been issued the M-14 rifle as part of our gear and you learned to live it. The first week was mostly lectures and dry-firing. Pretty boring, but then in the second week, we got to use live ammo. By now we were very familiar with our rifles.

I remember one night in the squad bay as we were cleaning our rifles, one of the DIs (drill instructors) was pacing back and forth, lecturing the whole time. He had just finished saying, "And under no circumstances are you to take apart the trigger mechanism." This was just about as he got to the position where I was cleaning my M-14 on my footlocker. Upon looking down at me he said, "You better be able to put that thing back together." I already had disassembled the trigger mechanism. And, "Praise the Lord," I did get it back together with no problem.

I ended up shooting second for my platoon, which was a real disappointment because at the time the high shooter received a free pair of Marine Corps dress blues. I never did acquire a set of them.

About a year later at Camp Lejeune, NC, I saw a poster advertising a match that was to be held at Camp Geiger, NC, just down the road from Camp Lejeune. I showed up and they issued me everything that I needed to shoot weekend matches and provided my ammo.

Are You A Dingger?
After a few of these weekends I was called into the office by the Top (sergeant). He asked me, "Private Krull, are you a dingger?" I figured I was in deep doo-doo now because I didn't know what a dingger was. This lead to me being sent to Quantico, VA, for several months where all we did all morning was shoot our M-1 rifles in .30-06-a rifle very similar to the M-14 in operation, and the noble and distinguished 1911 .45 pistol. I loved it, shooting all day and being paid to do it. How could life be better? We also got to do some shotgun shooting in additional training on the FBI shooting range.

I was selected to represent the Marine Corps that year at the National Matches at Camp Perry, OH, but that's not what ended up happening. I got my orders to return to Quantico and then Camp Perry on Wednesday. On Friday I got orders to Vietnam. You know which took precedence.

I rarely got to spend much time on the range after that with the gun that I had fallen in love with in boot camp and was disappointed that the state of New York in their "infinite wisdom" wouldn't allow me to own an M-14; you see, it can be modified to shoot full-auto according to the pea-brained legislators.

I had seen a couple guys using guns at the range that looked like an M-14 and asked, "Who did you have to kill to get that." I didn't know about Springfield Armory's (420 W. Main St., Dept. GWK, Geneseo, IL 61254; phone: 800-680-6866; on-line: www.springfieldarmory.com) M1A at the time. I had found just what I was looking for in a version that New York state would let me own.

I've been shooting my surplus M-1 for many years and have been happy enough with it, but still wanted an M1A. Every year at the (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show and at the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual convention, I always wandered over to Springfield's booth to hold and fondle the M1A on display. But they've always been a little out of my price-range.

Another reason that I decided to not acquire an M1A was because I was very well-stocked on .30-06 ammo, which I believe is the most accurate centerfire ammo on the market, and for which the M-1 is chambered, while the M1A is .308 caliber. I didn't have a desire to stock up and acquire a whole new set of reloading tools for this different caliber.

Last year I requested an M1A from Springfield to do this article. While I did have some problems at first with the gun and was somewhat worried about being able to hit anything with its open military-style sights, I was in heaven again and spent many weekends and hundreds of rounds shooting my loaner at the range.

My concern about accuracy wasn't with the gun, but with my eyes and if I could still see well enough to make the gun perform up to its ability. The concern was unfounded. We performed as a team and shot after shot went downrange and into the black were they belonged. With different ammo, groups printed in different locations on the paper, but if I had made sight corrections my scores would have been winners.

The M1A is a gas-operated, semi-automatic rifle with a barrel length between 18 and 22 inches, with either a 1-in-12 or 1-in-11 right-hand twist with six grooves. The M1A is chambered for the 7.62x39mm round, known to the civilian world as the .308 Winchester. It is loaded by means of a supplied box magazine that holds only 10 rounds due to current federal laws, but there are still plenty of new and surplus 20-round magazines available. The 20-round magazines available from Springfield are almost $100 each so you will probably want to shop around. I have found them for as low as $50 each.

The stock is either wood or fiberglass depending on what you prefer and order. Several companies offer aftermarket stocks, but I don't see any reason for a change. My preference leans towards the beauty of the wood stock.

Sights
The sights are typical aperture sights for the rear that are fully adjustable on either or ° MOA elevation and windage. The front is a protected blade sight that is large and easy to pick up. Springfield calls the front sight a military square post battle sight.

The two-stage trigger pull is a dream at between 5 and 6 pounds. Overall length of the rifle is 44-1/3 inches with the 22-inch barrel and 40° with the 18-inch barrel. Weight varies from 8.75 pounds to 9.2 pounds and will go up from there depending on any accessories that you may attach.

The safety is located to the front of the trigger guard and is the easiest type that I have ever found of any safety. With its location and function it has a positive feel to it so that you know when it is or isn't engaged.

The price may be the killer. Depending on the model that you select, a new Springfield M1A is going to run you between $1,300 and $2,500 unless you opt to get the Carlos Hathcock Model 25 White Feather, which is going to set you back about $4,648.

Springfield had loaned me one of their National Match models. It was as accurate as any gun you will ever find. I'm leaning towards buying their Scout version which comes with the shorter barrel.

All Springfield firearms carry a lifetime warranty. I'm not really sure what that means so you might want to check.

Test Firing
We used eight different flavors of ammo during our testing. Surplus ammo made in India was send to us by Century International Arms Inc. This was used for the initial sighting in because they had very generously sent us a can of 600 rounds. It got us on paper quite readily, but didn't perform up to the standards of the match ammo from the other manufacturers. All the shots still would have been kills, but the groups were usually 4 to 5 inches from outside to outside. If you want to do a lot of shooting, surplus ammo is the way to go because the price is quit a bit less then new factory ammo.

Amazingly the Black Hills ammo with the 150-grain bullet performed the best, with three out of five shots touching, that isn't the amazing part. What was amazing to me was that the 175-grain version of the Black Hills ammo printed groups that opened up to 3x5 inches; still kills, but not as impressive.

The Black Hills ammo with the 175-grain bullet was out-performed by the Lapua 167-grain, the Federal 150-grain bullet, the Cor-Bon 125-grain bullet, and the Winchester 150-grainer. My findings are that the 175-grain bullet is one that the M1A just doesn't like as well as a lighter bullet.

This just confirms the fact that you do need to test several different manufacturers' ammunition in several bullet weights for any type of gun. All ammo will not perform the same. This is true even between lots produced by the same manufacturer.

To summarize my experience with Springfield's M1A: I couldn't have shot much better and I had a great time doing it. Never during any of the sessions at the range was I bruised by the constant recoil of the .308. I wasn't wearing any special shooting coat or shoulder pad and at no time felt any discomfort from the M1A. Its weight and design help to take the recoil out of the shooting.

If you want or need a .30-caliber firearm, I highly recommend the Springfield M1A. Unfortunately in many places you aren't allowed to hunt with a gun of this type or one that holds so many rounds, so be sure of the local laws before you do something that might be frowned upon by the local sheriff.

When contacting Springfield about your M1A or any of the ammo manufacturers, be sure to tell them that John at Gun Week sent you.

Sources for Ammunition

Lapua Vihtavuori 1241 Ellis St., Dept. GWK Bensenville, IL 60106 630-350-1116 www.lapua.com	Cor-Bon 1311 Industry Rd., Dept. GWK Sturgis, SD 57785 605-347-4544 www.corbon.com	Federal Cartridge Company 900 Ehlen Dr., Dept. GWK Anoka, MN 55303 800-322-2342 www.federalcartridge.com
Black Hills Ammunition PO Box 3090, Dept. GWK Rapid City, SD 57709 605-348-5150 www.black-hills.com	Century International Arms Inc. 1161 Holland Dr., Dept. GWK Boca Raton, FL 33487 800-527-1252 www.centuryarms.com	Winchester Ammunition Corp. 427 N. Shamrock St., Dept. GWK East Alton, IL 62024 618-258-2000 www.winchester.com