M1A Range reort

[Orlando]

Got out to the range today for a short time with my new M1A Had some heavy crosswinds with 20mph gusts. Was able to put this group together at 100 yds prone. Have to say that I am pleased with the rifles performance considering conditions My Garands may have some dust on them now since I found a new love

[ares7667]

My m1a is the best shooting rifle I have. I love it.

[two-70]

simply awesome

[blaster]

I shure love my M1A.

[Wingwiper]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Got out to the range today for a short time with my new M1A Had some heavy crosswinds with 20mph gusts. Was able to put this group together at 100 yds prone. Have to say that I am pleased with the rifles performance considering conditions My Garands may have some dust on them now since I found a new love

Please DO NOT shoot the messenger.

Wind has ZERO effect at 100 meters and little or no effect at 200 meters, the only thing it will affect at those ranges is the shooter.

Prone postion at 100 meters should be all Xs and maybe a slipped 10.
You need to work on breathing and slowly depress the trigger. DO not hold your breath for more than 10 seconds and shoot only once per breath.
if you are right handed, bring up that right leg and get the chest off the ground a little. Wear a glove if you are using a sling and help deaden the pulse.
Do NOT release the trigger until the round has gone through paper and only release the trigger until you hear a click. KEEP the FRONT SIGHT in crisp clear FOCUS. inside that rear apeture if you look very carefully you will see a pinpoint of clear, that is called the SWEET SPOT. place the SWEET SPOT on the FRONT SIGHT post and it will be Crystal Clear.
You have 3 different groups, which also tells me your postion changed.

Sorry for the critism, but the M1A will shoot a group the size of a Quarter at 100 meters and that is UNSUPPORTED.

Please, do not take my post as hateful please accept it as helpful... No Disresepct intended.

Also if you want to improve your shooting, when at home. Hold your rifle, fondle it, practice your postions and that way when you are at the range and want some good groups, the rifle will feel familiar and comfortable and not like a stranger. Handle it when not using it, as much as possible, make it apart of you and become a part of it. I swear you own one of the best rifles ever made, become each others friends. Good Luck.

[Orlando]

I know the wind had nothing to do with the bullet but it sure had a heck of alot to do with blowing me around! The range I shoot at has no protection from the wind for the shooter. Thats a plus though on days like that I have the place to myself.
Most of the rds would have been in the X ring if I would have adjusted the sights. This was my first time out with my new M14 and was pleased to have done this well with surplus ammo on its maiden voyage and my failing eyes.

[Wingwiper]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I know the wind had nothing to do with the bullet but it sure had a heck of alot to do with blowing me around! The range I shoot at has no protection from the wind for the shooter. Thats a plus though on days like that I have the place to myself.
Most of the rds would have been in the X ring if I would have adjusted the sights. This was my first time out with my new M14 and was pleased to have done this well with surplus ammo on its maiden voyage and my failing eyes.

Orlando

Anytime you can get to the range and shoot and you have enjoyed yourself, mostly with such a fine weapon, IT IS A GREAT DAY....

If I can be of any service, I am not trying to cut you down, I was merely pointing out what I saw, so you could improve and enjoy yourself with your new friend much more. Hope i didn't offend you.

Semper Fi

[Orlando]

Nope, wasn't offened in the least, I know I have to work on my skills or lack of. For me anyway ,anytime a quarter will cover 5 of my six shots I'm happy, but there is always room to improve

[M14man]

Alot depends on your ammo. I have a M1A Supermatch, and several bolt target guns, like a 40XC-NM. Both are capable of sub minute groups. Use military ammo, or ammo not weighing in the 'preferred' 165-175g weight and the groups open up. Neither of those guns shoot a worthwhile group with 150 grain bullets. You will have to experiment and see. Try some heavier 168 grain bullets if you can.

[rondog]

Not to open a can of worms here, but what would be the best make of M14/M1A to look for? I know they are/were made by a lot of companies. Just a good shooter for making smiles, not competition stuff. And aren't they hard to find? I haven't heard the greatest about the SA's, and they're mighty pricey too. Just curious.

[Orlando]

Mine was built years ago with all TRW major parts, Springfiled Inc reciever. Yes I was using 150 or 147 surplus I want to get into handloading so I will try heavier bullet weight. Thanks

[Wingwiper]

I own a Springfield Armory one and they are made to mil Specs. No problems at all, and the First high Power match it was ever shot in, well it did very good. I have had work done to it, Glass bedded, hand selected rear match Sight, stocked shaped, etc.

I plink with Military ammo and compete with Lake City Match Ammo. Mine is a stock barrel and NOT a Heavy or a Heavy Match. I hunt with it and I wanted to keep the character as original as possible. I try not to fire to many too fast other than a 20 rd string because the lighter barrel will become soft versus the Heavy or Supermatch barrel, but it does fine. Shot in the 90s at 600 and have never shot a perfect 100 at 600 yet and doubt I will. For that I would use a Remmington 700 and would never expect a STOCK M1A or M14 to do so, can it be done? Yes. Real tight group? No. For what a M1A is, I have done very well with military Ammo and have no doubt that M14man is correct in what he says. I just don't expect a bolt Action rifle result with a semi. I compete against myself (High Power Matches) because the guys with the bubble levels, web over the barrels, short action 5 lock bolts, and $5000 invested, who are High Masters and shoot cleans at the 600 are always going to do better at long range versus the M1a or M14. I just try to see if I can beat my last score. I have a cheap military issue cloth shooting jacket and not a fancy leather one with buckles etc The M1A competes very well against all of the fancy stuff back to the 400 and starts to show it is a Semi at the 500 and 600.

[madcratebuilder]

Originally Posted by Wingwiper

Sorry for the critism, but the M1A will shoot a group the size of a Quarter at 100 meters and that is UNSUPPORTED.

That's a sub1/4moa, unsupported. I got to call ya on that. Ain't going to happen. Great shooter with a $4k super match, may get near 1/4 moa, prone.
A rack grade M1A that shoots under 2moa is doing good, a NM under 1moa is good. Look at the scores the top shooters are doing.

Originally Posted by Wingwiper

I own a Springfield Armory one and they are made to mil Specs.

SAI, M1A is not a mil-spec build. The only parts that would be mil-spec would be old usgi parts, ie. gas cyl, fs, sights, bolt, op-rod, stock. SAI does build a fine rifle, but the newer ones have few usgi parts.

[Wingwiper]

Originally Posted by madcratebuilder

That's a sub1/4moa, unsupported. I got to call ya on that. Ain't going to happen. Great shooter with a $4k super match, may get near 1/4 moa, prone.
A rack grade M1A that shoots under 2moa is doing good, a NM under 1moa is good. Look at the scores the top shooters are doing.



SAI, M1A is not a mil-spec build. The only parts that would be mil-spec would be old usgi parts, ie. gas cyl, fs, sights, bolt, op-rod, stock. SAI does build a fine rifle, but the newer ones have few usgi parts.

My M1A was purchased about 27 years ago. ( had to think about that, it was 1979 or 1980)

I have shot groups that are quater size at 100 meters with MY M1a on more than a few occassions. It has and still will, although I may not be the one who can do it any longer, my age has caused my eyesight to deteriote, otherwise I would love the challenge. I have shot 1 1/2 inch groups in OFF HAND with the M16A1 and have done that a few times. Have a bit more of hard time doing that with a M16A2 because the butt stock is about 3/4 of inch longer and by the time I wrap around it, it is a full 1 1/2 inch longer than the M16A1 butt.

[mym1a]

M14man I would like to know what powder/grains you are using behind the 168 grain jbthpmk?I have been using lcm852 cases no 34 primers 41.5 ,42grns of imr 4064 with the sierra mk 168 grain bullet.I'm shooting a 3inch group at 100 yrds which even for me is poor? have been thinking about going to imr 4895.but I don't think thats the problem? I'm attempting to keep my cartridge head space .02 to .03 below the designated head space. seating bullet as close to factory lcm852 as possible,(ogive to case head)any pointers?

[M14man]

MyM1A:I use 40.5 grains of IMR 4895, CCI-LR primers, and seat the bullet about max length for the magazine. This is for the Sierra 168. I also find the bulk Remington 165g bullets to shoot fairly decently without the full expense incurred by the Sierra's. You can get them at Cabelas for about $95 per 500. Cases may vary, but I will stick with one type for the lot I shoot. You will have to take it out several times to get a good sample of what it can do. Use a rest if you can to really test the gun and the ammo. I use a small base die, and don't worry about the finer things like run-out, or neck reaming,etc. In your test target shown Orlando, most of them would have been 10's if the sights were adjusted. Those wild shots could be bedding, but more likely the poorer performance of 147 grain bullets. There are also some days that the gun..(and shooter) do very well; and some days it doesn't do as well. I have 3 -.308's so I load them all up the same, and they go in what ever gun. By the way, a quarter is an inch, not 1/4 inch.

[mym1a]

Originally Posted by M14man

MyM1A:I use 40.5 grains of IMR 4895, CCI-LR primers, and seat the bullet about max length for the magazine. This is for the Sierra 168. I also find the bulk Remington 165g bullets to shoot fairly decently without the full expense incurred by the Sierra's. You can get them at Cabelas for about $95 per 500. Cases may vary, but I will stick with one type for the lot I shoot. You will have to take it out several times to get a good sample of what it can do. Use a rest if you can to really test the gun and the ammo. I use a small base die, and don't worry about the finer things like run-out, or neck reaming,etc. In your test target shown Orlando, most of them would have been 10's if the sights were adjusted. Those wild shots could be bedding, but more likely the poorer performance of 147 grain bullets. There are also some days that the gun..(and shooter) do very well; and some days it doesn't do as well. I have 3 -.308's so I load them all up the same, and they go in what ever gun. By the way, a quarter is an inch, not 1/4 inch.

thanks for the info when the weather gets a little better i will go again! appears to be me and my eagle eyes. I never shot any thing but m118 and m852 168 and 173 out of this rifle. lightest bullet being the 168 grn.

[Wingwiper]

My LC Match are M118 173 grain and have a velocity of 2550 fps. plink with 168 gr Ball.

I do not recall any Military ammo being any different including Belted Machine Gun.