# M1A mount and optics



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am going to buy a SA NM M1A soon, and was thinking about mounts and optics. I will usually shoot open sights, but was thinking about seeing how accurate I can be with a scope too. Any one with any experience with M-14/M1A mounts and optics? Thanks!


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

M1s....your speaking my language.

Be careful, you might be dumping all those nasty ARs before to long. :wink:


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

my experience with the mount and scope was that the scope ended up way to high... really should have an adjustable cheek piece for height to make it comfortable, SA sells them for about $70. I had trouble getting an m1a to shoot decent until a last ditch effort I grabbed the biggest screwdriver I could find and really reefed on the side screws of the mount, took the groups right down.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

gunattic, what mount were you using?


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

Gen 3 by SA with SA 4-14 X 56 scope.


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## Win.308Stealth (May 14, 2009)

Read the instructions on installing the mount. USE the mallet.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Say what????


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

I put this set-up together.










I got the stock from Fred's and the cheek piece I made at home with some ABS plastic. Works pretty good. Want to find some better screws.

The duct tape was on a block and paper towels to figure out how much height I needed to go. As you can see, quite a ways. when it is pushed all the way down, you can use the irons if you take the scope off. With this set-up, the problem became the rear bell hitting the rear sight on the NM sight I installed.

I have no doubt with optics this thing will shoot if it's this good with irons. (M118LR is a 3 shot group)


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

farmerj, what is the mount you are using? Looks like you have some pretty good groups going, what are the other 5 holes in the paper from?


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Savage260 said:


> farmerj, what is the mount you are using? Looks like you have some pretty good groups going, what are the other 5 holes in the paper from?


We indexed the sights that day. I had just gotten it back from the gunsmith after he rebarrelled the action and did a bunch of other work.

It's a polytech receiver that pretty much is the only remaining piece. Trigger was also set to 4 3/4 lbs. All the parts put on were USGI NM standard.

Mount I got from Sportsman's Guide. Other than the screw, it's pretty much the same as a SA or other similar mount. 3-point attachment. Side, front and in the stripper guide.

Since I used it mainly for shooting service rifle, I took the mount off and replaced the stripper guide.


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## Win.308Stealth (May 14, 2009)

Savage .260,
When my brother and I bought our M1A's, I installed my mount according to the instructions, as I remember right, I had to put the mount onto the rifle and give it a good whack with a mallet. What that does is supposedly matches your maount to your receiver. My brother on the other hand did not do that. My M1A shoots under MOA with my handloads, he shoots around 3 MOA (both at 100 yards). But, when my brother takes off his scope he can do under MOA with open sights, but not with the scope on the rifle. We did get our rifles about 8 years ago, so the mounting instructions might have changed since then, but I would strongly suggest mounting the scope mount according to the instructions.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for the info guys! I definately plan on using the instructions. Too bad the SA rifle with the adj cheek is 2800(or so) big ones!


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