Springfield Armory’s M1A

Originally posted by: Layne Simpson, American Rifleman Magazine

Shooting the Springfield Armory M1A takes me back to a time when rifles designed for the U.S. military were made of walnut and steel. It was also a time when they were chambered for cartridges with an abundance of long-range authority, in this case the .308 Win/7.62×51 mm NATO. A powerful cartridge indeed, but the weight and gas operation of the M1A make it pleasant to shoot. No sissy bag needed at the bench—just snug the butt against your shoulder, take a good sight picture and press the trigger repeatedly until the ammunition is gone.

I am sure most who read this know that the M1A is a semi-automatic-only version of the M14, the latter designed to be fired in semi- or full-automatic modes. An improved version of the M1 Garand, the M14 was adopted in May of…