Working the M1A1 Springfield Rifle

When it comes to the great service rifles, the M1 Garand, the M1 Carbine and the M14 rifle, there is little I can say to add or detract from their reputation. I have used these rifles extensively and enjoy working with each every much. For what it is worth I am of the opinion that the Garand is the most reliable of the three. Both the Carbine and the M14 series are very reliable when well maintained but personal experience and research gives the Garand the nod for best durability.

In practical terms few of us are going to be slugging through the trenches and snow and the average shooter will be able to enjoy thousands of rounds of ammunition between tune-ups, but even the angels must grease their chariot wheels. The civilian version of the M14 rifle is a very well turned-out piece from Springfield Armory.

The M1A1 rifle is all there is for most of us wanting America’s last steel and wood rifle and gives shooters a good working rifle at a fair price, however, you will see many It has been well maintained. The operating principles are sound. of these rifles come into the shop simply because the owner did not know what he was getting into. With the introduction of the M1 Carbine and its easy maintenance design along with non-corrosive ammunition we had the first low maintenance issue weapon.

The M14/M1A1 is not a low maintenance rifle and is more akin to the Garand than the Carbine in this re

This is ideal. While rugged, they are easily ruined by ten thumbed operations. gard. The M14 has been criticized for changes in the gas system but it is basically a modified M1 Garand designed to use a twenty round box magazine chambered for .308 Winchester rather than the eight round en block magazine used in the .30-06 Springfield-chambered Garand. Keep that in mind. The basic design of the M1A1 goes back to 1936.

Springfield’s rifle is tighter than most military rifles but, just the same, the rifle shows up in the shop with accuracy complaints. Despite the awesome reputation of the White Feather sniper rifle variants, the standard M1A1 is not a particularly accurate rifle by sporting standards. Unless you order a MATCH rifle, the M1A1 is not designed to deliver match grade accuracy.

A two-inch, three round 100 yard group is normal with good ammunition, however, with increasing ammo prices many people shoot a lot of poor ammunition these days. Some rifles are considerably more The stock to action fit is important in this design. accurate, but a factory M1A1 that does less than two inches with good quality Winchester 147 grain ball ammunition is to be appreciated.

I have never seen an M1A1 that cannot be tightened up to an extent and National Match-tuned M1A1s can shoot honest one MOA groups at 600 yards. Lets look over the M1A1.

The gas tube unscrews from the muzzle end. Disassembly Remove the magazine and triple check the chamber! Be certain the rifle is unloaded. With the rifle inverted, press upwards on the rear of the trigger guard. The trigger guard will unlatch. The trigger assembly then pulls out of the stock. The assembly does not require much effort to pull free. Next, right the rifle and with the barrel tilted left, rock the receiver of out of the stock. The barreled action is then free of the stock.

Further disassembly may be needed. Press the operating rod spring forward toward the muzzle to disengage from the connecting block. Next pull the operating rod to the rear until it is lined up with the disassembly notch in the right side of the receiver. Rotate up and outward to remove the operating handle. The bolt is removed by pushing it forward and upward. A tip: When the rifle is in storage, leave the trigger guard unlocked as this locking system sometimes compresses the wood.

And do not disassemble a factory match rifle. Common Problems The most common problem is a dirty or corroded rifle. Much of this problem stems from the use of poor ammunition. Some foreign surplus is corrosive. Other lots are not loaded to the high standard of US military or commercial rounds. Steel cases are hard on extractors. Accuracy problems are often related to the use of ammunition that will not prove accurate in any rifle.

Some nations do not have the powder technology we do and their powders are dirty and less efficient. A related problem is a dirty barrel. Folks who buy cheap ammunition tend to shoot lots of it and sometimes they do not clean the bore afterwards. Getting into true mechanical and fit problems, the most common problem that affects accuracy is a poorly fitting stock. Check stock fit, the mortises for the action and the handguard and even the butt plate. Check for wood shavings around the action and the magazine well.

A loose gas block will impede proper function. Handguard and Stock Checks I like to check the handguard first. This furniture will warp from moisture and I have seen M1A1 rifles fired until the handguard was smoking. The stock should not be in contact with the handguard with 1/8-inch of spacing between them. The stock and handguard must not connect at the rear edge of the handguard. For a neat and even look, nail apiece of sand paper to a flat surface and sand the handguard evenly as required.

This is a neat and simple trick that will work well in evening out the handguard. The front barrel band is a cause of trouble a well. Fit to the stock is critical for accuracy as the design dampens vibration and makes for repeatability. Turn the rifle upside down and press the stock toward the barrel. The stock connects with a hook near the front of the barrel. When you press the stock toward the barrel the stock should spring back into place, thus allowing for barrel vibration dampening.

Interestingly enough, I discovered that my personal M1A1 doesn’t have much spring but it is accurate enough so only a bit of spring may be needed here. There are two answers to loose or poor fit and both may be undertaken in the same rifle. Bedding is one answer. Bedding the rifle is a straightforward operation that pays off in good accuracy. As with the M1 Carbine the fit of the receiver to the stock may not be ideal. There should be contact between the receiver and the stock and the stock must fit properly.

Occasionally a receiver will set too high and inletting the stock to drop the receiver slightly is indicated. Slow and careful is the watchword. The other problem may be that the fore end is in contact with the gas block. The fore end needs clearance from the gas block. Use your Dremel tool to remove enough material to eliminate bind. Incidentally, this same operation often yields good results with the Ruger Mini 14 rifle as well.

Those spoiled by the AR15 will find the M1A1 more demanding of maintenance. A simple clean and lube will cure many problems. The M1A1 is locked solidly in the stock by the trigger guard lockup and this lockup may be a pain. The lock maintains pressure between the receiver and the stock. The height of the stock from the housing to bottom of the mating surface may not allow a good snug fit. Again, bedding will help with this problem. The stock may be worn to the point that the trigger housing is loose.

Many rifles will show some compression of the wood over time but careful bedding and fitting will restore the original tightness. For this reason I store my rifles unlocked as it is not unusual to find wood particles in the trigger group after years of use from continual compression.. This can be polished and lightly varnished if need be. Gas Cylinder The gas cylinder must be cleaned occasionally. Be certain the cylinder is tight to the barrel and check alignment by shining a light through the cylinder.

The gas cylinder should never be removed for routine cleaning, only for detailed maintenance. I unscrew the gas cylinder with the Springfield tool and then clean the cylinder inside with a #15 Aircraft length drill bit and Pmarked drill bit as specified by Springfield. Polishing the outside is accomplished with a 3M Scotch pad also as specified by Springfield. You will have to perform this procedure less if you use quality ammunition but high round count rifles will need this done every 500-1,000 rounds.

Action Work The operating rod of the M1A1 is a hold over from the M1 Garand fitted with a press fit. Too heavy loads may bend the rod although this is Other makes are problematical. It may not be the most accurate nor the least expensive but results are very consistent. not common. Most often the rod and bolt are filthy when they come into the shop and must be thoroughly scrubbed clean. Another common problem is lubrication.

The most common cause of short cycle malfunctions is a failure to clean and properly lubricate the rifle. The rail for the operating rod, the inside rails, the bolt and the locking lug guides must be lubricated. The trigger action must be thoroughly understood. The military two stage trigger is produced with two distinct stages, one for safety and one for firing. As delivered the typical M1A1 may exhibit a 6.5 to 7.5 pound trigger compression.

If you proceed to hone the action — and I would do so only for an accomplished competition shooter — the rule is a very few strokes equals much loss in pull weight. Too light triggers are illegal for competition so less is more in this case. Carefully polishing the hammer hooks is the only way to accomplish a lighter trigger. A few polishes on the hook may lower the pull to five pounds, which translates roughly to two pounds in the initial take up and three pounds in the final press.

Sometimes the top of the trigger binds on the stock so be certain that this is not a limiting factor. The hammer spring should not be touched. The factory hammer spring is about 2 13/16-inches long but a shorter 2 1/8-inch works as well. The stronger spring definitely increases lock time and quick lock time is as great an aid to accuracy as a good trigger. If you or your customer desires a shorter spring, purchase an appropriate spring rather than clipping the hammer spring.

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