By Dennis Santiago Competition teaches you things. Compared to loading for benchrest bolt guns, producing ultra-reliable and accurate ammo for tight-chambered, semi-auto .308 target rifles requires a different approach to case prep. Smoothness of operation is much more important in a field course gun. Reliability trumps everything (even case life) for these types of guns.
In the photo below, there’s a Redding small base body die for bumping the shoulder and making sure the case body is at SAAMI minimum. This body die is not just nice to have. It is vital. There are also a full-length sizing die and a Lee Collet neck-sizer in that turret holder. One or the other gets used after the body size die depending on what rifle the ammo will be used in. The semi-auto rounds always go through the full-length sizing die. After that comes trimming and finally cleaning — then loading can begin. The cases are trimmed using a Gracey trimmer so everything’s the same each and every time. I use an RCBS Competition Seater Die to seat the bullets. One nice feature of this RCBS die is the open side slot that allows you to place bullets easily.
It’s a long path methodology but uniformity is accuracy. More important for safety, controlling “stack-up” errors in the system solution is how one achieves reliability. The chamber-hugging philosophies of benchrest bolt guns do not apply well to AR-10s. Like most things, the right answer is context-dependent. Success is about accepting and adapting.
Dennis Talks About Using a Semi-Auto in Tactical Competitions
I have succumbed to the Dark Side — deciding to put an AR-10 together. For tactical competitions you want a bolt gun most of the time but there are times the course of fire favors the use of a semi-auto. I was using an M1A that gives me 0.75 MOA performance but I heard people were getting almost bolt-gun-level, half-MOA accuracy out of their AR-10s — so I wanted to see if that was really achievable. A quarter-MOA difference in accuracy potential may seem tiny in practical terms but it will make a difference in competition. In a match, the difference between 3/4-MOA and 1/2-MOA can alter your hit probability on a small target by 20-30%.
The AR platform also lets you tinker with triggers, stock ergonomics and muzzle brakes that help in managing the dynamics of a long distance shot better. Well I found out you can get the incremental accuracy but there’s more work to do to get the same reliability. Being a curious sort, it’s worth it to me to explore it. It’s a far cry from as-issued M-1 shooting with whatever HXP is handy. This is definitely swimming in the deep end of the pool.
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Springfield Armory has taken the M1A into the 21st Century with an adjustable modular stock that makes this classic semi-auto rifle more versatile than ever. The adjustable stock on this Loaded M1A (MP9826, MSRP $2,021) offers many cool features. You can raise/lower the cheek-piece with a handy rotary knob. Likewise the buttplate can be moved in and out with a quick-adjusting knob, allowing length-of-pull adjustment up to 1.3 inches. The toe of the stock features a bag-rider section, making the gun more stable on a sandbag. Up front you’ll find an accessory rail plus a forward-angled swivel stud allowing easy bipod mounting. The included iron sights feature half-minute adjustments for windage and 1-MOA adjustments for elevation. The 22″ stainless steel barrel has a 1:11″ twist. Rifle weight with an empty magazine is 11.25 lbs.
At the 2015 SHOT Show, Rob Leatham runs through Springfield Armory’s new Loaded M1A Series rifle with an adjustable stock (MP9826, MSRP $2,021).
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MIA Match at Camp Perry is Popular
In 1974, Springfield Armory began offering a civilian-legal, semi-automatic version of the M14 known as the M1A™. M1As have enjoyed some success in Service Rifle and High Power Competition but today most Service Rifle shooters use the lighter-recoiling AR-platform black rifles. Nonetheless the M1A remains popular with American shooters and the annual M1A Match at Camp Perry offers serious, big-time prize money, thanks to Springfield Armory. In 2014 over $25,000 worth of cash and gear was awarded to Camp Perry M1A competitors, making the M1A Match the richest single rifle event at the NRA National Championships.
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy NRA Blog.
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Classic American battle rifles have regained popularity via M1 Garand matches, service rifle matches, the M1A Match at Camp Perry, and Vintage Sniper competitions. If you own a classic M1 Garand, or an M1A, the modern semi-auto descendant of the M14, you should enjoy the two videos presented here. With help from our friend Grant G., we managed to located two original U.S. Army training films, one for the M1 Garand, and one for the M14. Both films use clever animated drawings to show the gas guns’ internal operations and cycling processes.
M1 Garand Training Film
Here is a U.S. Army training film for the M1 Garand (officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1). The M1 Garand was the first semi-automatic battle rifle to be generally issued to the infantry of a major nation, though other countries issued semi-auto rifles to special units. Gen. George S. Patton called the Garand “The greatest battle implement ever devised.”
Animated Diagrams Show M1 Garand Operational Cycle starting at 2:00-Minute Mark:
M14 Training Film
The successor to the M1 Garand was the M14. The 27-minute official U.S. Army video below demonstrates the operation of the M14. Field-stripping is shown from the 5:13 time-mark through 8:30. Cut-away drawings show the M14’s gas operation at 8:40.
The complete 8-step functioning cycle is demonstrated from the 9:25 time-mark through 22:41. These eight operations are: 1) Feeding; 2) Chambering; 3) Locking; 4) Firing; 5) Unlocking; 6) Extracting; 7) Ejecting; and 8) Cocking. This movie is fairly long, but fans of battle rifles will find it well worth their time. Every M1A owner should definitely watch this video start to finish.
Watch M14 Functioning Cycle Starting at 9:25 Mark:
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The NRA maintains a webpage with the latest results for all the National rifle and pistol matches at Camp Perry. Click any of the links below to launch a page with match-by-match results. Once you navigate to the appropriate results page, click the particular match title (or 3-digit match number) to open a table with ranked lists of competitors with their scores. For example, the National High Power Rifle Championship is Match number 400.
Over $25,000 Worth of Prizes at 2014 NRA Springfield M1A Match
The Springfield M1A Match was held Wednesday July 24, 2014. Sponsored by Springfield Armory, this popular event features big-money payouts and valuable hardware prizes. More than $25,000 in cash and prizes were awarded, with categories for shooters of all skill levels. There was a big turn-out for the event. Competitors were treated to bright, sunny skies yesterday. Here are photos from the match, courtesy NRA General Operations.
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Gun Digest offers a users’ guide for tactical rifles. Authored by Patrick Sweeney (Guns & Ammo Handguns Editor), the 224-page Gun Digest Book of the Tactical Rifle covers tactical rifle types, ammo, reloading, and tactical accessories. Most of the book’s sixteen chapters are gun-specific — detailed discussions of particular rifles such as the M15/M1A, the FN-FAL, and the Sig 556. There are also dedicated chapters on Bullpups, Rimfires, and “Sniper Rifles” (both bolt-action and semi-auto).
While the book sports an AR15 on its cover, AR-platform rifles are NOT the major focus of the book. If you are only interested in ARs, this is not the book for you. However, if you want to learn more about a variety of modern arms, you should find the book a valuable resource. Gun Digest claims: “No other book covers as many different styles of tactical rifles, and is written by a more qualified author.”
About the Author
The handguns editor for Guns & Ammo magazine, Patrick Sweeney is a also a credentialed gunsmith and police firearms instructor. He has written many of Gun Digest Books’ best-selling titles including: Gun Digest Book of the 1911, Vols. I and II; Gun Digest Big Fat Book of the .45 ACP, Gun Digest Book of the AR-15, Gun Digest Book of the AK and SKS, among other titles.
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The NRA/Springfield M1A Match takes place August 5, 2012 at Camp Perry, Ohio. This special M1A match revives interest in the M14, and its modern derivatives. (Springfield’s M1A is a commercially-produced, semi-auto version of the M14.) At one time, M14-based match rifles dominated Service Rifle matches, but that’s history. Now M16/AR15 platform rule the roost in the Service Rifle game. But many shooters loved the old wood, .30-caliber rifles, leading to the creation of a special National Match just for M1A rifles. Renewed interest in the M1A, coupled with big-money sponsorship from Springfield Armory, led to the the first dedicated Camp Perry M1A match in 2008. That first-ever match proved a huge success, drawing over 500 shooters. Hundreds of M1A shooter are expected again this year.
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy NRA Blog.
Over $27,000 Worth of Prizes for 2012 M1A Match
This year’s M1A Match will be the richest ever — with over $27,000 in cash and merchandise up for grabs. Springfield Armory has kicked in additional sponsorship to provide more payouts and prizes. The top three civilians receive prizes of $2,500, $1,500 and a M1A Rifle respectively. High Military, Woman and Senior receive $500 and a Springfield pistol each. The High Junior also receives $500 and an additional $500 is donated to their Junior Club. For everyone else who hasn’t already won a prize, $200 will be given out to 25 competitors using Lewis Class scoring. In addition, four Springfield pistols and two Springfield rifles will be awarded through prize drawings held during the match. No expert marksmanship needed for these — names are drawn out of a hat, all competitors have a chance to win.
M1A Match Course of Fire
Equipment rules allow pretty much all types/grades of M1As in the match. The one-day course of fire consists of 50 shots at 300 yards on the NRA MR-65F target, as follows: 5 sighters; 20 shots slow-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, kneeling or sitting; and 10 shots slow-fire standing.
Video of 2009 M1A match at Camp Perry (NOTE: Loud wind noise — turn down speakers.)
Story based on reports by Kyle Jillson in the NRA Blog.
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McMillan has released a new semi-auto tactical rifle, based on a Springfield Armory M1A receiver, glass-bedded by hand. McMillan’s new M3A rifle is configured for scope use, and features a CNC-inletted McMillan stock with adjustable cheekpiece. The gun takes M1A/M14 magazines. The M3A features a 6-groove, 10-twist, 18″ barrel, chambered in .308 Winchester. A notable option is a massive three-sided rail system. This allows the user to fit a scope very securely in either standard or front (scout scope) position. The side rails can carry other accessories such as lights or a back up red-dot scope. The trigger is a two-stage with pull weight of 5-6 pounds. Shown below is the M3A with optional full-length upper handguard tactical rail.
CLICK HERE for more information, or call (623) 582-9674 for pricing with desired options. A variety of McMillan rifles are showcased in the Video below.
The NRA/Springfield M1A match takes place this Sunday, August 8. This special M1A match revives interest in the M14, and its modern derivatives. Springfield’s M1A is a commercially-produced, semi-auto version of the M14, a 7.62×51 “battle rifle” that still serves our forces deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. At one time, M14-based match rifles dominated service rifle matches, but that’s history. Now M16/AR15 platform rule the roost in the service rifle game. But many shooters loved the old wood, .30-caliber rifles, leading to the creation of a special National Match just for M1A rifles
Renewed interest in the M1A, coupled with major sponsorship from Springfield Armory, led to the the first dedicated Camp Perry M1A match in 2008. With $25,000 worth of prizes and cash awards, that first-ever match proved a huge success, drawing over 500 shooters. This year, match organizers also expect hundreds of shooters, who will compete for cash awards, as well as Springfield gun-giveaways.
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy NRA Blog.
M1A Match Course of Fire
Equipment rules allow pretty much all types/grades of M1As in the match. The one-day course of fire consists of 50 shots at 300 yards on the NRA MR-65F target, as follows: 5 sighters; 20 shots slow-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, kneeling or sitting; and 10 shots slow-fire standing.
Video of 2009 M1A match at Camp Perry (NOTE: Loud wind noise — turn down speakers.)
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We are just three weeks from the start of the 2010 National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio. The National Championships, which have been held since 1907, draw more rifle and pistol competitors than any other shooting match in the Americas. The physical “playing field” is impressive — Camp Perry, situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, boasts the largest outdoor rifle range in the world.
The NRA’s Competitive Shooting Division has just released a “Welcome to Camp Perry” video, which covers the history of the National Championships along with pistol, smallbore rifle, and highpower rifle disciplines. This entertaining, professionally-made video shows the diversity of the competitions and the overall scale of this big, annual event. If you watch carefully, you’ll see cameos by champions such as Carl Bernosky. The video is highly recommended….
Registration, Programs and Entry Cards
If you want to compete at Camp Perry, it’s easy to register. Simply CLICK HERE to REGISTER ONLINE.
Note: Programs and entry cards for 2010 will only be mailed to those individuals who did not register online in 2009. Those who registered online may again do so for 2010 or they may request that a program and entry packet be sent to them. All others must request a copy of the National Matches Program by writing to:
The NRA National High Power Championships has commenced at Camp Perry. Among the early events was the M1A Match. Relatively new, the M1A match was organized in 2007 by the NRA and Springfield Armory to encourage use of the M1A, an M14 derivative that was the weapon of choice for rifle competition for a number of years. With competitors lured by substantial cash prizes plus Springfield Armory gun give-aways, the M1A Match has proved hugely popular, attracting hundreds of shooters, including many of the nation’s top marksmen.
Any configuration of the M1A is allowed in the Match, with the course of fire being 50 shots at 300 yards on the MR-65F as follows: 5 sighters; 20 shots slow-fire, prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, kneeling or sitting; 10 shots slow-fire, standing.
Winner of the 2009 M1A Match was Thomas Rider, whose 484-15x score beat runner-up and 1st Place Civilian Nick Till (482-17X) by two points. Rider earned $2000.00 in prize money for his victory. Fritz Hemplemann (478-16x) was second place Civilian, while Creedmoor Sports General Manager Dennis DeMille was third place Civilian (476-21x). Emily Windmassinger of the USMC earned the High Service Award with an impressive 480-20X. In the video below you can see M1A competitors, including DeMille (0:13, 0:30, 0:42 second marks), in the standing stage.
Garand Matches are among the most popular of CMP events, and the M1 Garand, acquired direct from the CMP, still represents a great value among collectible, military-style firearms. Recognizing the demand for accurate, yet affordable ammunition for M1 Garands and M1As(civilian version of m14), Federal® has introduced new American Eagle ammo expressly designed for these popular classes of rifles. M1 Garand and M1A shooters now have a quality yet economical ammo option, which reduced risk of slam-fires.
Special Loads for Special Rifles
The M1A and M1 Garand are storied rifles with a huge following. Unfortunately, much of the hunting ammunition today isn’t suitable for these special rifles. “We know there is a very large number of shooters who use the M1A and M1 Garand rifles at the range,” said Kyle Tengwall, Federal’s director of marketing. “Whether it’s practicing for a competition, or just spending some time at the range, these shooters need affordable loads that perform well. These new loads cater to this special segment of shooters, and we’re proud to offer them something that shoots great and is available at price that can’t be beat.”
These special loads use staked primers to reduce the risk of firearm malfunction, including slamfires. The M1 Garand load features a 150-gr FMJ bullet and a carefully selected propellant that produces pressures that match the gas system design. The M1A load utilizes a 168-grain Open Tip Match (OTM) bullet that gives match-grade accuracy at an unbeatable price.
Competition teaches you things. Compared to loading for benchrest bolt guns, producing ultra-reliable and accurate ammo for tight-chambered, semi-auto .308 target rifles requires a different approach to case prep. Smoothness of operation is much more important in a field course gun. Reliability trumps everything (even case life) for these types of guns.
Classic American battle rifles have regained popularity via M1 Garand matches, service rifle matches, the M1A Match at Camp Perry, and Vintage Sniper competitions. If you own a classic M1 Garand, or an M1A, the modern semi-auto descendant of the M14, you should enjoy the two videos presented here. With help from our friend Grant G., we managed to located two original U.S. Army training films, one for the M1 Garand, and one for the M14. Both films use clever animated drawings to show the gas guns’ internal operations and cycling processes.
We are just three weeks from the start of the 2010 National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio. The National Championships, which have been held since 1907, draw more rifle and pistol competitors than any other shooting match in the Americas. The physical “playing field” is impressive — Camp Perry, situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie, boasts the largest outdoor rifle range in the world.
Registration, Programs and Entry Cards
