[dcobra823]

I picked up a SA M1A made in 1990 and it had all HR parts yet it has a Lockbar rear sight.

Is this a comon thing with SA to build a rifle with these parts?

 

[tnw50cal]

Back in the day, yes. That's USGI parts day, quite a few came with lockbar sights.

 

[M1A's r BEST]

I bought mine in the late 70's and it had a nice set of lockbar 2 sights on it. They now sit on my Dec. 44 SA M1 Garand (not the one I shoot but the one the CMP sent me that still has the original barrel on it).

 

[bd111]

Worms take strange turns. Back in the '70's-'80's everybody wanted the T105E type sight and NObody wanted a lockbar. SAI probably got them for next to nothing. I just sold a nice Type 2 complete for $150.

 

[nickg]

my 1985 build SA m1a has lock bars too

 

[mercman]

Yeah, my 80's Bush rifle has lockbars.

 

[Bill Ricca]

Just a change of mindset. Back in the 1980's and 1970's everybody wanted the more advanced versions of everything. Lock Bar rear sights and Carbine Flip Sights were nothing in value. Circa 1975 I came into about 15 Flip Sights and could not get more than $2.50 each at a gunshow.

The Lock Bar rear sights were almost impossible to sell. Today the demands and values have all changed.

 

[XSabers]

I recently saw a "safe queen" (20 rounds down the tube) for sale that had a lock bar rear sight and a wooden hand guard. I didn't know they were made in that configuration.

 

[Gus Fisher]

In 1988, I stopped in at SAnc. in Geneseo, IL to buy some parts and asked if they had any lock bar sights. I was surprised when they brought out a container of almost 500 they had. I only had enough money for about a dozen pinions, knobs and lock bars. I got half way through them when we had to leave, but I had found four that had checkered caps and knobs. The real early ones. No WRA ones in the pile, though.

Part of the reason SAinc. used lock bars in the 80's and easrly 90's was the Post WWII pinions and knobs were hard to find and cost a lot more. The OTHER reason SAinc. used them was on the receivers that would not accept the adjustable Post WWII sights, they could usually fit Lock Bars to them.