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SAI Standard M1A, sending to fulton Armory

3K views 34 replies 18 participants last post by  Hi-Point Bobby 
#1 ·
So I've always liked the M14/ civilian M1As, I finally was able to have one. It was in the family. Now I know it's a standard model and most would say just buy a fulton armory and keep the SAI as a backup, but I was thinking about sending the SAI off to have the barrel switched to a NM, trigger assembly, Gas system, sites, and new stock thrown on it. I have 1500 to modify it the way I want.

Question is, on a standard trying to make it NM, is this worth all the trouble? It's been passed down in the family so thats why I wanted to do it. Barrel is worn anyways so it needs changed regardless. Plus I like the M1A but I'm not really the kind to have multiples of the same exact platform unless it's glocks.

Has anyone else done this to theirs? Have you noticed substantial difference in accuracy? I know many will say bed the stock but I don't really wanna go down that road as of right now. Thanks in advance.

Also if you can think of anything else I can change out on the SAI standard M1A that I didn't name above, please feel free to let me know. Thanks you all!
 
#8 ·
I think that would be my GO TO short list.

I've only bought parts from Forceman, but others who've had him work on their rifles have been very pleased, and what I paid for was what I got.

Ted Brown has done great work, and has some very extensive experience and training on the specific platform, and last time I sent him a barrel/receiver to get fitted for a bolt (because of the two bolts and two barrels I had for the receiver, none of the combinations slicked in like snot, unlike others I had put together) what came back was golly gee fine and the rest of the project went together without any hitching, hiking, or hassle. What is more, I asked for a prospective timeline, I got it, and while it was somewhat delayed, the onset of the pandemic lockdown, as well as wildfires... he still kept it within a few months from start to finish, and all things considered, that wasn't too bad.

TonyBen has saved my bacon, supplied parts, and is almost done with a heavy black nitrided barreled action that, once it is a complete rifle, will return to him upon a window of availability and get bedded into an M3A stock. I think he's pretty booked at the moment, as my eventual bedding job slot is already in line, and if I get it back before Halloween I'm going to be surprised as well as exceedingly pleased. But, it wouldn't hurt to contact him and just ask him what his crystal ball reveals as far as estimated turn around.
 
#12 ·
I know you can spend a lot of money to make a M1A a tack driver, but every so often all the tolerances seem to stack up in a positive way and you end up with a tack driver in a standard platform. That happened to me. Years ago the Firing Line Forum, then under a different owner, had a group buy of ArmsCorp receivers. I got mine and sent my parts to Ralph at RA Parts and had him build it. Here is what happened the first time I shot it. I set my target up at 50 yards. Shot 1 fired. Then I fired my second shot. I looked at the target through my spotters scope and it appeared that I missed the target. I fired shot number 3 and again it almost appeared that I again missed the target, but the hole seemed little larger. I walked down to my target and to my surprise those 3 shots went through the same hole. You could see by the outline of the hole that all 3 shots had made. Compare that to my early LRB dot matrix serial number receiver put together and accurized by Ron Smith that I have around $2500.00 invested in. That rifle while very accurate comes in second to the afore mentioned rifle.
 
#20 ·
Because I don't want to, family sentimental pass down. Gonna make what I have good.

Also I don't like owning multiple weapons of the same platform unless it makes sense. Having 4 or 5 of the same thing doesn't make much sense to me. Never has, when I can use that same money to make what I have do what I want and then take the rest of my money to get something else.

Not knocking anyone that does buy a ton of the same platform, it's just not me.

Plus I like the challenge of making this thing super accurate. It's a challenge to see what all can be done to it. Like a nice muscle car you sink money into. Project as well.
 
#21 ·
Keep in mind that the performance of a rifle is the function of a number of factors. One of them is the rifle but the ammo, the shooter and the environment all play a role. Inferior ammo pretty much limits how well the system performs. A shooter with deficiencies likewise limits how well the system performs. M14 type rifles are less forgiving of shooter deficiencies that AR type rifles. Tight groups can be downright impossible to shoot on a gusty day.

Don’t fall victim to unrealistic expectations.
 
#28 ·
Thanks you all, well I'm going into this open minded, learning that quickly this weapon isn't a MRAD 338 taking a mile shot lol. But I do want to hit consistent out to certain ranges. I appreciate the input and will look into all of these suggestions. The only one I'm on the fence about is bedding because I've read some that say it helps their platform and others that said it actually made things worse (not knowing the reason) but it's a hit or miss it seems.
 
#31 ·
You can go with a JAE if you can find one. That eliminates the need for bedding but your probably looking at 1100/ $1500.
But don’t be concerned about bedding a Mac stock at all.biy if you don’t bed or go chassis, I don’t think you stand a chance of getting to moa or better.
You’d have to get really lucky.
 
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