Springfield Armory M1A Rifles

The Springfield Armory M1A isn’t the M1 of U.S. Army and Marine Corps fame of World War II, but a direct descendent. The venerable M1 was replaced by the M14 in the 1950s with mixed results. Springfield Armory brought back the M14 in a civilian version with their M1A series.

The M1A is a fast, accurate semi-automatic rifle chambered primarily in .308 Winchester, but with an offering in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor too. Springfield Armory carefully recreated the outstanding features of the M14, without the fully automatic mode that led to the rifle’s demise when it was too powerful to handle.

Crafted of the finest materials, with a wide variety of synthetic and classic wooden stocks and in many unique stock styles, the M1A is offered with 22-inch barrel in most models but has a “scout” rifle with 16 or 18-inch offerings. This is a fun rifle to shoot, but it’s heavy. Many models with a quality scope attached weigh well over 11 pounds.

The men hitting Omaha Beach in June 1944 or the Marines charging the black sand of Iwo Jima a year later would be right at home with the M1A. The mechanism is nearly identical to the venerable M1 aside from the magazine which doesn’t “ping” when empty.

The M1A is a semi-automatic rifle with the range, power and reliability of a bolt-action. In .308 Winchester it is a powerful, accurate, long-distance rifle with uses on the range or after big game. You won’t want to pack a fully loaded M1A with a large, high-quality scope very far since it can weigh up to 13 pounds when fully accessorized.

The standard sized models arrive with a 22-inch, six-groove carbon steel barrel and a two-stage trigger. A flash suppressor is standard on most models. A 10-round magazine offers ample capacity and the extra weight reduces the recoil substantially, making this a “flinch proof” rifle even in .308 Winchester. The 6.5 Creedmoor version has almost no appreciable recoil.

• Standard – A two-stage trigger, Garand style safety and a six-groove, 22-inch barrel with a 1:11-inch twist highlight the base model of the M1A.
• Tanker – Designed to inspire images of the rifle carried by crews on Sherman tanks in World War II, the Tanker has a 16.25-inch barrel and an overall length of 37.25-inches. XS post/Ghost Ring rights and a classic walnut stock.
• Loaded – A 22-inch, National Match barrel for enhanced accuracy. A 4.5 to 5 -pound two-stage trigger and a National Match front sight blade. This is a long-distance rifle.
• Scout Squad – Reminiscent of the M1 Carbine of WWII, this has a shorter 18-inch barrel, a forward Scout-Style picatinny rail and an ambidextrous safety. It weighs nine pounds.
• Creedmoor – Chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor, this is a long-range rifle that produces minimal recoil thanks to the 9.18-weight and the lighter punch of the 6.5 versus the .308 Winchester. A 22-inch barrel with a 44.3-inch overall length and National Match grade sights make this an accurate rifle even when shooting with open sights.
• SOCOM – Branded as a “handy, tactical rifle” the SOCOM has a 16.25-inch barrel and includes a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. XS Sights Post and adjustable Ghost Ring rear sights, it offers a weaver style rail.