Buy bolt 308 or wait for M1A prices to come down?

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I've been looking at M1As for about 2 years. That $1200-$1500 price tag just kept me away. Now they're going for about twice that.

I'm not doing $2000+ for a Scout M1A.

So should I just get something like a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle or wait (and hope) that M1A prices come back down?
 
I think you are going to have to suck it up and pay or wait a pretty long time.

Two weeks ago, the Sportsman's Warehouse had two loaded M1As in the rack. I don't know the model number but these were walnut stocked/black finish, and they were around $1700.

Mine is stainless with the VLTOR rail system and black stock and I paid quite a bit more for mine and I have had it for several years.

AR/AK/M1A style rifles were just beginning to show up at the LGS when this thing went down in Connecticut.

After the election in 2008, it took three and a half years for the supplies to level out so you could buy firearms and/or components. In the space of less than two weeks, the supply has dried up again.

Sportsman's Warehouse is out of all components and most factory ammo.

It will be a while unless you find someone willing to part with theirs. You will have to pay a premium to get one.

OTOH, there is nothing wrong with a good bolt gun. A nice Remington 700P comes to mind. . .
 
I can't speak for what will happen to price of M1As in the near future but I can say that shopping around will do wonders. I bought my Scout NIB for about $1650 out the door. Most places wanted closer to $1800 before tax.

Lesson here: Shop around and be patient. I had to wait for my Scout for about 4 months but for the price I got it was worth the wait. I would go so far as to inquire about shops as far as 100 miles away. You're already dropping that kinda money so grab the girlfriend and make a little roadtrip/vacation out of it.

But as geetarman said you really can't go wrong with a Remmy 700 or Winchester 70 either.
 
Build one. CMP has USGI Parts kits for $600.

http://estore.thecmp.org/store/cata...pmax=&note1=&note2=&note3=&note4=&note5=&max=

And the actions are available at various locations.

Example: http://www.fulton-armory.com/

Go to the CMP M1A/M14 Forum and ask those guys about building one.

http://forums.thecmp.org/forumdisplay.php?f=100

As too the rifles themselves, I don't see the prices coming down regardless of what happens in Washington.

Look at it this way. In 1977 I paid $295 for my M1A, using an inflation calculator that would be $1120 in todays dollars.
 
I believe the current insanity will last a couple years. The administration won't be able to get much through the House, so they will try to make it a campaign issue for 2014 in hopes of regaining control. If you are set on a M1A, be patient. If you just want a good .308, the Gunsite Scout looks like a good choice. Much lighter, at least as accurate, and cheaper in the best of times.
 
If you are looking for something with a short barrel, look at something in .308 with a 20" barrel. A friend of mine just picked up a Howa 1500 in .308 with a 20" barrel. Good shooter....
 
I predict that the price of M1As , or anything else tactical will go down , WHEN PIGS FLY ! Look for them to continue upwards for the forseable future . If you really want one , you need to bite the bullet , and do it before they aren't available at all !
 
You guys are so pessimistic! :rolleyes:

Where is the evidence that fedgov is putting any priority on gun control? Heck, O'bama put Biden in charge of it. If you don't want anything done but want to appear like you are trying, you put Biden in charge of it. Biden is veep and veeps have no power. Plus, it ain't like Biden is a Dick Cheney.

What motivations does the GOP have to cooperate with Democrats to get any legislation passed? P i s s i n g off their base? I don't think so.

The gun control movement has been impotent for 40 years, since people woke up and realized that gun laws have nothing to do with safety and security.

In 6 months, the pipeline will be full, prices will be marginally higher than they were 3 weeks ago, and most everything will be available. Our federal legislature is going to be too concerned with propping up our currency to do much else.

Until the shelves are restocked with guns and magazines, you should probably be buying silver specie.
 
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FALPhil said:
In 6 months, the pipeline will be full, prices will be marginally higher than they were 3 weeks ago, and most everything will be avialable.
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This would be the best possible outcome. Of others are being too pessimistic...I find this view to be overly optimistic.

I hope it all calms down. Terrible tragedies are reduced. And prices return to reasonable. Until then...it'll be 22LR for me and maybe some bolt action centerfires.
 
When exactly do you see the M1A's coming down in price?

Local gun shops have trouble keeping them on the shelf in the time from 2010-2012 NORMALLY.

Now? Fughetaboutit.

*ESPECIALLY* if the AR-15 style rifle becomes banned, the M1A might be the best option overall.

Prices coming down? If I had $50G's I'd buy 25 M1As and consider it an investment.
 
Very seldom do you see prices drop. The only time they seem to is if YOU are selling the firearm. I was sure glad to pick up those Mausers when I did. Had to buy them by the mixed crate. 117 rifles at $3 each. Mixed models and conditions. A few were just barreled actions. Luckily they all had bolts. That was back in the 60's.
 
don't waste your money on a ruger "scout". If you like scout rifles get the real thing (steyr) or if it's just a beater/truck gun a savage. If you look around M1A prices should settle down at some point and if you have a gunshop that you deal with regular have them put an M1A on back order for you and you'll probably have the cash in hand by the time it rolls in.
 
Very seldom do you see prices drop. The only time they seem to is if YOU are selling the firearm. I was sure glad to pick up those Mausers when I did. Had to buy them by the mixed crate. 117 rifles at $3 each. Mixed models and conditions. A few were just barreled actions. Luckily they all had bolts. That was back in the 60's.
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If there is no new legislation that goes through, then prices will drop again.

In general,prices DO rise like you said. But thats also because the value of a dollar goes down. Prices do go down after 'scares'.
 
I have never seen the prices of M1a's drop, except in the mid 90's when Competitive shooters were selling their M1a's to buy NM AR15's. In the transition period from M1a to AR15 you could get a used NM M1a for $1000.00

That was 15 years ago and this is now.

I am glad I got mine when they were “cheap” because I sure could not afford them now.
 
If there is an original FR8 with matching bolt in your area, this often have very good/excellent bores.
On the rear sight, three of the four settings are apertures.

With enough reading people discover that being large-ring Mausers (8mm actions), it is safe to shoot both standard Nato 7.62 and new, modern commercial .308. FR8s are often confused with the FR7s. FR7s have the much weaker, older small-ring 7mm actions.

Some nice examples were recently on Gunbroker for about $400-450.
Both of mine are handy, powerful and have excellent results with the field gauge.
Notice how the Ruger Gunsight looks so much like the FR8 and maybe the Enfield "Jungle"...any resemblance is purely a coincidence;).
 
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You can either suck it up and pay or keep you fingers cross and hope and ban doesn't happen. If it does you can forget it. As long as their is even mention of a ban going through the price will just keep running up. I know the scouts were going for about $1700.00 at the first election. Right now $2000.00 to $2400.00 seems to be average till the scare passes at least. If you do get one good luck finding mags for that rifle right now as well.

I don't know if they are going to be too busy to do anything. I think this is their prime opportunity to do something while they have alot of public and political support and they are well aware of it. In time when people calm down and think rationally and not on emotion, i think they will not have as much support. So i hope they get stalled.
 
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