[Lamey]

AMEN.... thought it was just me.. but it gets on my nerves a bit to see anyones first or second post "whats it worth" then see them asking top dollar in the FS section a day later. Its SOOOOOO easy to go on Gunbroker, Auction Arms, GunsAmerica and just do 10 minutes of research to get a reasonable market value on about anything that shoots.

 

[gunnerm1a]

Hawk, Thanks for a great job! That's what keeps this site the best on the web.
Also it's easy to tell what something's worth.... no more than someone's willing to pay.

 

[Bill Ricca]

More than once I have caught (insert the place the devil lives). If my response was too low I was accused of giving out a false value in hopes of purchasing it cheap. If my reponse was too high I was critized for being in the business and not knowing market values, which prevented the asker from turning it over in a timely manner.

So now I just don't address the question. People can find that information without my input.

 

[bursits]

This is my first post on this forum so I don't want to step on anyones toes. However, I would be the type of person posting the "whats it worth" question and I don't see anything wrong with it. I'm not looking to sell anything. Someone help me out here but I am looking to buy a coworkers M1A (my first) with lots of extras to go with it. So whats the harm if I ask some advice on here to see if it's a fair price? I understand I could (and have) looked for all types of ideas on the internet. That's how I found this forum in the first place. But I'm sure I could get alot of first hand knowledge and experience from M14/M1A owners who have gone through this before me. That is much more valuable to me than plain old research. So if anyone is willing to guide me into a good purchase or help me avoid a bad one please email me. That way I don't have to ask "what's it worth." I'm sure my knowledge will grow as I read over the posts, but right now I'm an FNG!! Thanks.

 

[sac troop]

Bursits,
First off welcome aboard. I think you'll find that this site will be a big help to you as you aquire and get to know your new M1A. Most of us started off pretty much in your shoes. So we need to remember how it was for us back then. One thing to do on this site is to go over the Want to sells in the "PX" for postings on rifles by the members. You'll find a wide variety of M1A's in different configurations and the prices will vary accordingly. At first that may give you more questions than answers but thats how we learn. Also if you haven't already opened an account on Gunbrokers.com or some of the other clearing houses. I'd recommend that. It's free to join and once you have an account you can lurk around and monitor active auctions on M1A's that are similiar to the one your interested it. You don't have to actually bid on a gun you want to watch and it can be a good learning experience on how the process works. Good luck and again I think you'll find that this forum will be one of your best finds.

 

[wallew]

As I read this, I see the OP is over four years old.

I also note that the LAST post is over eighteen months old.

A LOT HAS CHANGED in that time frame.

Prices have gone through the roof and then back into the basement (in some instances).

While the 'what's it worth' question can get old and in a lot of instances it IS some body who is doing all that was said above.

But as Bursits said, some of the folks HAVE DONE the due diligence. And in today's market, can STILL have questions, especially about a specific purchase on a specific rifle.

Having said all that, I've built my share of M1A's, and I love the Chinese receivers.

My second degree is as a gunsmith. During school I built two Norinco's up. I removed ONE barrel and left the other barrel in place.

On the debarreled receiver, I sent it out to be hardened. I got it back with a nice note that told me that they tested both ends and it had a Rockwell hardness of either 61 (front) or 62 (rear) and there was nothing they could do. They also answered my other question, which was that it would NOT make much difference in the receiver if I had it cryo'ed or not.

So, after getting it back, I put a USGI NM barrel on it.

Both M1A's got USGI NM bolts, USGI NM trigger groups, both got USGI Oprods (I had them already), and USGI pistons (had them as well).

Bolts were hand lapped to the receiver. All the surfaces on the trigger group (except sear engaging surfaces) were smoothed with my ceramic India Stones. Both got similar 3 - 10 x 40 scopes mounted on Gen 3 scope mounts from SAI.

Then out to the range.

Both shot fairly similar. The rebarreled receiver shot the same as the chinese barrel I left in place. Both of the weapons functioned flawlessly. I eventually sold them. And moved on.

I now find myself looking at picking up one more M1A to put back into the safe.

I don't have any questions on what it's worth because I'm by no means a noob to the gun culture OR the M1A. I consider myself fortunate.

Others are not so fortunate. Yes, I concur the constant 'what it's worth' question can become tedious. But just remember, we've had a lot of new members added to the gun culture in the past three years (over 30 million background checks have been run in that time frame).

So perhaps a revisit to this might be in order? Or not.