[Warowl]

So I picked up a used m1a standard, in really good shape but it has the normal springfield stock in black. I like the texture and all, but from my own experience with it and as many other commented here it flexes a good bit. I have been trying to read, and many have done the carbon fiber arrow method, and others have done some fiberglass in the forend. I was wondering if I could rough up the inside of the stock forend a little bit and just lay a thin sheet of carbon fiber in it and epoxy it in place. I am not sure if this is excessive or useless on this stock, but I am a college guy starting out, and unfortunately I would not be able to afford a sage chassis or anything. Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[danthman114]

if youre in the military or retired mil or government, or currently work for the government and can prove it, mcmillan gives a discount.i got a a3 stock for a bolt gun for in the 400 range... ill be getting an m3a when I find a gunsmith that can bed my action to it...

 

[danthman114]

and welcome aboard. youre in the right place for your knowledge needs. everything you could possibly learn about the m14 and m1a is here and only here. go check out the gun professionals section and read everything they have to say. those ARE the guys for these rifles. they have been doing it probably since before I was born...

 

[twobyfour]

Stocks aren't terribly expensive. If you dork this one up then go buy a used GI walnut stock and you won't have to worry about it flexing. Your idea seems pretty good though. I'm sure any type of epoxy/glass application will add some rigidity depending on how you smartly tackle it.

 

[boltaction]

Hello, Save your time, money and efforts on something worth it. The SAI stock you have is plastic... The modifications you read about were/are for the USGI fiberglass stocks. Buy yourself a wood USGI stock, be it either walnut or birch. Use your stock hardware and buttplate/pad and there you go for about $30.00, for a basic M14 bare wood stock. It only goes up from there...
The plus side is, that wood and steel go together, nicely. You know that "old classic look" If you want plastic, buy an AR platform rifle.

 

[Greyson]

Hello, Save your time, money and efforts on something worth it. The SAI stock you have is plastic... The modifications you read about were/are for the USGI fiberglass stocks. Buy yourself a wood USGI stock, be it either walnut or birch. Use your stock hardware and buttplate/pad and there you go for about $30.00, for a basic M14 bare wood stock. It only goes up from there...
The plus side is, that wood and steel go together, nicely. You know that "old classic look" If you want plastic, buy an AR platform rifle.

.....Pretty much what he said....GI1 And there's alot of great GI stocks out there still. Alot.

 

[six clicks]

I like the texture and all, but from my own experience with it and as many other commented here it flexes a good bit. I have been trying to read, and many have done the carbon fiber arrow method, and others have done some fiberglass in the forend. I was wondering if I could rough up the inside of the stock forend a little bit and just lay a thin sheet of carbon fiber in it and epoxy it in place. I am not sure if this is excessive or useless on this stock, but I am a college guy starting out, and unfortunately I would not be able to afford a sage chassis or anything. Thanks in advance for any comments.

If your stock has either a bumpy texture or a wrinkle texture then it is a usgi fiberglass stock that Springfield armory used to re finish, If so it is plenty stiff as is.

If it is plastic then it probably won't do you any good to try and stiffen, you should look at a different stock, what's nice about the plastic is its probably the lightest stock available.

 

[Magnumdood]

McMillan 3A stock

I bought an M1A that was assembled in 2000. It sat in a guy's safe for 13 years. He had three of them that he said George Gardner had built for him in partial trade for a milling machine. I pulled the barreled action out of the stock and some of the bedding was beginning to crumble. So, I did something I've wanted to do for 20 years; I sent it to Roland Beaver for accurizing and for his pillar bedding of the barreled action. He welded a HUGE lug on the rear of the receiver which has a hole in the center of it that is threaded. The pillar is under the rear of the trigger guard. The bolt head is just below flush with the bedding so it doesn't contact the trigger guard. I was considering an EBR, but I don't like the way they look. Besides, don't know if it will even fit with Mr. Beaver's lug welded to the action. I sent my stock out to have it Hydro-dipped. It should be back tomorrow. I have a Sadlak scope mount which I'm going to use. I can still see the front site, but it's not crisp. My eyes have gotten too old.

 

[boltaction]

Hello, Six clicks is correct...
The early SAI composite stocks were indeed USGI fiberglass stocks with a painted wrinkle finish and the selector switch hole filled in. (at least the one I have).
An easy way to check if it is the plastic or fiberglass stock, Is to take out the top buttplate screw... If it has wood screw threads it is a newer SAI plastic stock. If it has the machined screw threads on it 10/32tpi, then it is the GI fiberglass stock.
Or if you pull your receiver out of the stock. The mag and receiver well will be flush on the sides of the stock. If there are cavities, it is the USGI fiberglass stock...

 

[Warowl]

It is the plastic stock that the newer rifles come with. Well thanks guys, I won't mess mine up then. I will keep looking at the px here and on ar15.com for the stocks for cheap. Mistake avoided.

 

[six clicks]

When you say "texture" on the stock what did you mean? Just curious as the plastic stocks are pretty smooth.

 

[Greyson]

When you say "texture" on the stock what did you mean? Just curious as the plastic stocks are pretty smooth.

They're checkered on the grips and forends...

 

[Warowl]

On the usgi stocks, wood or fiberglass, use the springfield recoil pad or would I need the metal cover?

 

[eXMarineFlieger]

If you're really serious about modifying a stock, use the 'search' function...check out 'modified stocks,' 'stock project,' etc. One forum member either posted a thread or replied to one where he used Dragonplate CF strips to stiffen the forend. Apparently turned out well. I remember it because the fellow was a lawyer, and the photo of the rifle had a legal library in the background (the trivia that sticks in my mind...). As others have said, this may or may not be a useful endeavor for a SAI plastic stock. I have one...best thing is it's light. But the forearm will easily flex under pressure. Not sure how much CF it would take to stiffen the thing up.

 

[six clicks]

You can use the SAI pad on either wood or fiberglass.