[SShultz]

Hello gents. I am going to be doing a barrel change on my M1A and am going to be going with an 18" variety. I was wondering what your opinions were. The first option was to go with a standard weight 18" SA barrel. Since I'm going to be sending the rifle to them for some work anyway this may be the cheaper route. The second choice is the Criterion Medium Weight 18.5" Chrome Lined Barrel. I don't really think I need a heavier barrel since the rifle is primarily used for hunting but if the Criterion is alot better then I may go with it.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
SShultz

 

[Rawnerves]

I'm not an expert on barrels but here's my 2 cents. I doubt you will notice any difference in an SA barrel and a Criterion barrel as far as accuracy is concerned. I'm not saying one is better or worst than the other just that for practical purposes the difference would be very small. Now name value is where you would leap ahead. The Criterion barrel in my opinion has the reputation that will make you feel better and get some additional resale value down the road. A Kreiger barrel will do name value even better and is considered to be a top notch barrel by any standard. You can research barrels all day long and there is a small difference, but practical versus cool is the big difference. I will be putting a Jon Wolfe Medium weight 22" on mine and it's the barrel I want (it's cool) but I don't know if it's the best or not. Probably not much help but then I'm not that savy on barrels, I just know what I like.

 

[SShultz]

Disregard Last!

OK I blame myself for not doing good research prior to posting. The same site that I was looking at for the medium weight sells a Criterion 18.5" standard weight for roughly the same price. I will be going with that.

Sorry for my Jackassary
SShultz

 

[Rawnerves]

Good choice, that way you won't have to modify your existing handguard. If you go with the medium then the standard handguard has to be sanded down to clear the barrel.

 

[NoExpert]

What work is SA Inc. doing on your rifle?

 

[SShultz]

They're going to be putting the whitefeather m25 scope mount on it and giving it the "national match" trigger job. I also have Tony aka LAW483 building me a custom stock.

SShultz

 

[NoExpert]

Good luck with that mount... I've heard of too many people who couldn't get them to stay on. I was going to go that route with my first rifle till I talked to a few M25 owners who hated the mount since it always shot loose or shifted.

How much are they charging you for it?

 

[fragout2000]

I really like the 18.5in Criterion std weight chrome lined bbl, but both shoot very well from my experience with them.

Note: The rifle sporting the gas lock front sight/Vortex flash hider has the Criterion bbl, and the other is SAI.

I bought mine from LRB Arms back in 2005, and like it so well that my next rifle will be sporting one. (Actually, it already does)

 

[SShultz]

They told me it would be just under $300 to do the install for me. I may consider a completely different direction with this build if the mount's not up to par. The whole reason I was going to go with the SAI M25 mount is because I've tried everything on the market as far as scope mounts and have yet to find one that stayed really solid. I'm kinda running out of options here because I can't afford an LRB receiver.... I'll probably just have to go with the SAI and see how it goes.

Those are both sweet looking rifles there. I'm glad I got to see one with the vortex direct connect on it because that's the flash suppressor I planned on going with.

SShultz

 

[BlackArrow]

The Smith Ent. 18.5" barrel is an outstanding product and currently issued on US Army Crazy Horse M14s and Navy SEAL Mod O rifles. You can get a medium or standard wt. Send your rifle to them and they will take care of your mount issue as well. The'll test fire it after it's completed.

Link: http://www.smithenterprise.com/products03.01.html

 

[SShultz]

I've already ordered my Criterion barrel. Once I get back from this deployment I'll be sending my rifle to Jon at M14 parts and armory. He gave me a great price on the barrel and install. I may end up sending the rifle to Smith once it's done there do work my mount issue but we'll see when the time comes.

Thanks for the info guys
SShultz

 

[NoExpert]

Did you try a fitted Sadlak mount? Or even ask if you could send them your rifle for them to fit a mount to? Just tossing around ideas...

 

[fragout2000]

They told me it would be just under $300 to do the install for me. I may consider a completely different direction with this build if the mount's not up to par. The whole reason I was going to go with the SAI M25 mount is because I've tried everything on the market as far as scope mounts and have yet to find one that stayed really solid. I'm kinda running out of options here because I can't afford an LRB receiver.... I'll probably just have to go with the SAI and see how it goes.

Those are both sweet looking rifles there. I'm glad I got to see one with the vortex direct connect on it because that's the flash suppressor I planned on going with.

SShultz

Thanks. My next rifle also sports a direct connect Vortex flash hider. (Found it in the PX already built and exactly how I was going to build mine once back from deployment..) The one in my pic uses the hooded gas lock front sight, but the M14SA LRB Tanker I picked up here sports the dovetail version, along with the dc vortex.

As far as mounts go, have you looked at the Bassett? I have 2 different types of Bassett mounts, and both work well. So well in fact, that I decided to go with the M14SA over the M25 receiver.

 

[majestic50]

What stock is Tony making for you? Ive been interested in what he has been working on lately.

 

[SShultz]

Tony is making a custom stock for me. He's going to be basing it off of his cali-tactical but adding an adjustable cheek piece and finishing it off with flush cups for my sling mount. I'm also having him add the metal stock liner to it. Here's a pic of something similar he's done in the past. I got the image in a link from him off of sniper's hide.