Springfield Armory M1A Standard .308 Winchester Desert Two Tone 20+1 - FDE/Tan, 22" Barrel, 20+1 Rounds, Synthetic, Desert Camo Stock

Excellent rifle. Fun to shoot. Love the M1A.

The stock is rattle canned with spray paint and scratches pretty easily. The magwell has little paint left after 20 or so mag changes. The cerakote looks pretty good. I built a M21 lookalike so the spray painted stock was ok with me. Mine came with a parkerized oprod instead of cerakote like the photo. My rifle has ran flawlessly. If you are planning to install an optic mount go ahead and order a 12-32 tap because the mount hole threads are cerakoted.

We dropped THIS for the M-16?! Honestly, I get it… more rounds per man, easier to shoot, lighter (in the 1960s)… but come on! This M1A is one of the best rifles I have ever owned, if its not THE best. Pinpoint accurate out the box, light (no really, it is), user-friendly, fully reliable, tough as coffin wood, and powerful like calling in artillery on that poor little plate down range, this is my new go-to rifle for all things fun, long-range, and I-need-to-blow-off-some-steam. Of course it aint perfect… I have yet to find a rifle that is, but it IS at the top of my list for beating out ARs for having a blast, figuratively and literally, at the range…………….. PROS. Lets start with what youll feel out of the box - its light. Like surprisingly light, like an unloaded AK. I was kind of shocked - I had heard all the History Channel stuff about how this rifle weighted a ton loaded and slowed grunts down yadda yadda yadda, but the composite body is super stiff and a breeze to schlep. It comes with an OD green cotton sling which is a nice touch if you dont have something better laying around (but you do cause this is no beginners rifle so youve been a shooter for a while and youve got that same trunk of gun junk we all do. Look in there for a better sling). Next youll notice the action - smooth like an oiled up Slip N Slide in a margarine storm. The trigger breaks like a champ and the take-up is super predictable with a rock-hard stop. At the range, it eats anything and everything - I was using surplus, pre-ban (yes thats what we have to work with in MA) mags covered in cosmoline with 147-grain surplus rounds and you would think I was using match-grade stuff. Before I even sighted the thing in I took pot shots at steel at 100 yards (seated Ill admit, cause Im 40) and rang it every time. One minor adjustment to windage and I was getting 1-inch groups with the stock irons (and Im NO crack shot). On that note, let me take this opportunity to apologize to the rest of the members at my club for the full-on HOLE I put in the far left silhouette with this thing! First time I ever screwed up a plate, and Ive thrown 338 Lapua downrange (not at my current range, I dont wanna get kicked out). And then I dropped it… well, I hit my brand new M1A with my elbow off the firing bench onto concrete. Not my smartest moment but my friends can tell you I dont win many MENSA competitions, so I picked it up, dusted it off, and other than a bit of a scuff on the flashhider, it looked and shot exactly the same. So its ME proof, and to me thats a big bonus! CONS…………… Weirdly, the rifle showed up with a black op rod and it sticks out like a head of broccoli in a pile of chicken wings, so it may not match the photos from Springfield. Definitely swap out the sad op rod spring guide with solid match-grade one ASAP. And make sure you use good grease on the parts that rub together because wear on the cerakote happens quick. The recoil pad is all rubber but still leaves a decent hickey on your shoulder. The top barrel cover feels flimsy and doesnt do much to block the heat, but it holds in place so kudos for that. And I ran through the 200 rounds I brought with me, and yes Im blaming that on the rifle for being fun to shoot… that plate never had a chance (smh emoji)………… CONCLUSION. Like most of you, Ive looked for that “me” rifle for a long time. You know what I mean - that just-right combination of upgrades to an AR to make it truly yours, or that right finish that works best with your style, or that caliber that you can never miss with (shout out to my .50 Beuwolf peeps). I still love my .44 mag lever action and my 6.5 Grendel build that I put hours in to (and about a grand but dont tell the wife) but this rifle is special right off the shelf. Its genuinely timeless - a beautiful mix of the Garand before it and the AR ahead of it - but it kind of surpasses both. Its a heavy hitter downrange but a softy to carry into the sticks. Its tough as nails but you kind of want to baby it because it runs so smooth. Its crazy reliable but kind of feels like itll shake apart before you fire that first round. Its 43-ish inches (I didnt measure) of Sorry-I-didnt-hear-you-over-the-sound-of-that-steel-ringing which no 5.56 platform can match… I just wish I wasnt painted like a zebras diarrhea.

NOT HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY! I own other products from SA none were this rough. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY.-Rifle Stock was sprayed with krylon they got overspray on the sights and flash hider! Missing 15 round magazine.

Probably should have taken a little time to search and look at other pictures of this particular variant, as what I received was not what was pictured. The stock is tan and brown rather than solid tan as pictured in the listing, and the receiver and barrel are tan, not black. It’s still an M1A and the price was very good. Wish I had realized it was a different finish / color on both the stock and receiver / barrel, but ultimately I am certain I am going to enjoy shooting it regardless of what it looks like.