I'm new to the platform and would like to scope my new to me rifle. I recently bought a new in the box loaded rifle with walnut stock. It was bought and never fired a couple years ago by a friend. He sold it to me for $1100. Any other info I could benefit from would be appreciated.
Welcome! I'm new here too and going through similar decisions. I bought a good scope, and will be ordering my M1A soon. I'm looking at the sadlak steel mount to complete it.
That is a good price! That's what I started with and still have it. Love it.
I have an A.R.M.S. 18 mount on mine. I've never had a lick of trouble. Sadlak also makes a great mount. Stay away from the SAI model as it seems to work loose rather easily.
You will likely need a cheek riser when you get the scope mounted for proper cheek weld.
I have an ARMS 18 on one rifle but they are a little pricey. Another one I have came with an Armscorp mount and its a good mount too. If you don't care what its made of find a Springfield aluminum mount as would have come on the rifle, at least sometimes. Its an adequate mount and can be found used for under $100 usually.
Thanks guys for the responses. I going to use it scoped during deer season. The rest of the year I will probably remove it and try to get better with the peep sights. Shooting paper and water jugs that sort of thing.
Only recently due to eye problems did not view the M14 as a good platform for optics. Times change so after some research and thoughts went with the Bassett/Leup. MK4 set up and primary reason is that do like the ability to switch back and forth from optics to issue sights. Used the low mount version and have a thin leather cheek piece attached with Velcro to give better cheek weld with the scope. Scope/mount adds fair amount of weight but turns out to be manageable. The permanent attachment( or very close to being permanent) as other mounts did not appeal to me, but if I did go that way would have gone with the Sadlak system. Just a suggestion.
Sadlak makes several excellent mounts for the M-14 / M-1A rifle, I have been using one of their Titanium mounts for about ten years now. The mount is rock solid and Sadlak customer service is great, give them a call or visit their web site.
I would advise against the SAI mount or the SEI mount.
Welcome to the forum and ownership of a fine firearm. Precautionary maintenance would be to remove the gas plug and coat the threads lightly with anti-seize. It'll will save you many a headaches in the future. The forum has many other suggestions and tips during your journey.
Will do Eagle thanks for the heads up! Any ideas on surplus ammo that want put me in the poor house that still shoots decent? Another question I have is about lead tipped hunting bullets yes or no. Should I stick with the ballistic tip style bullets? Again thanks for listening too and answering my questions even if they don't sound so smart? I have a lot invested already don't want to find out the hard way what I shouldn't do. Thanks!
I vote get a bassett low picatinny mount and throw on (enter optic here) and get some 1980's hirtenberger 360 round battle packs. When you need iron sights just remove the scope mount. It is borderline quick detach in a way. And when you need the optic just put it on. The amount of zero you lose is around .5 moa or so in my testing. Usually unnoticeable.
Get a SWFA 10x42 for 300 bucks for a scope don't look back and over think it. Get the burris rings 80 bucks there fine etc etc. The scope mount get a basset split mount that will be speedy. Go research this all you want but its the correct answer.
When I was scoping standard M-14 type rifles I found that the Sadlak worked out the best for my situations. The ARMs #18 was just a bit too low and caused interference with ejected casings.
I have since stopped scoping the standard M-14s and have gone rifles with a build in rail such as the LRB M-25, the Bula Defense Systems M-21 and currently using the Bula XM21 for the most rugged mounting of optics available for the rifle type.
The best way to scope an M14 patterned rifle is, as Art stated above, to go with a dedicated scoped receiver like the Bula M21, XM21 and the LRB M25.
The most rugged way to mount a scope to a traditional M14 pattered receiver with the traditional side-mounts is with the Sadlak or ARMS 18 mounts.
The hands-down most convenient way to scope an M14 using the side-mount is with a Bassett Picatinny mount. The high will allow use of the iron sights. The low is the most comfortable, in my opinion. It is very repeatable and has proven to me to work very well.
Another option is the M14.CA CASM mount. It replaces the rear sights and provides a very long picatinny rail which does not go past the receiver face (unless you get the long version). This version does not interfere with SAGE chassis top rails, like the M25, Bassett and Sadlaks do, which requires modification of the SAGE top rail.
Like Tony and Art said, a receiver with a built in rail is the best way to mount optics with the m14 platform. I'm using a Sage DCSB with the sage chassis. Thus attaches your optic to the chassis instead of the receiver. As I see it the less parts between your scope and receiver the better. A scope mounted to a Lrb m25 just needs scope rings to attach a scope. My Sage needs scope rings, DCSB, and chassis. More things to go wrong in the end.
I ordered a 240 round pack of the Hirt today for just practice shooting. I found some factory loaded nolsler ballistic tips 150 gr. at around 2500 FPS if they group well will use them for hunting applications for deer at least. I will pound the piggies with what ever I can grab first. They tear the land up around here really bad, hard to plant food plots or large gardens without them destroying it.
Less experienced than other advisors above, but having had the same question and doing some research (also here), I decided for a scout scope. This is a m14.ca rail and a Nikon Force scope. The rail does get a little hot, but I really like it, and the scope seems to hold zero well when un/mounting.
I went with the Basset mainly because it's easy to dismount and remount.
Now that I've said that I must add that I don't remove it very often.
I shoot both close range and long range. When shooting at 200yds and closer I prefer open sights. Past that the scope comes in handy.
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