M1A or Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle AND AK-47/AR-15

What is your use going to be?

You need to define your usage 1st before you make a decision.

If this is purely range/potential defensive use. 2 Good quality AR-15s one as primary, one as backup and then get a M&P 15/22 as a supplemental low cost training aid. Focusing on a single manual of arms is very good, particularly if you don't/won't be able to practice alot to keep up your "skills" with different action types. I shoot alot, and if I am shooting a pump shotgun, sometimes I forget to cycle it if I have been shooting autos/doubles for a while without using a pump. (Or try to pump an automatic, done that too.:o)

If you are just wanting something to have fun with and learn or historical collecting. Get one of each, they are all fun to shoot, and very interesting in and of themselves.

If you are wanting a serious hunting gun, go with a bolt action with a good quality magnified optic. While you can use a M1A for hunting, you will wish you hadn't if you do anything other than drive up on your ATV and sit in a tree. If you have to walk very far at all, you will wish for lighter weight.

For a general purpose do everything rifle? I don't think such a thing exists. Just like you can't really use one hammer for everything you need a hammer for.

You will have to pick what your most likely use is going to be and get something that fits that application the best.
 
M14

I say M14 because I don't own an M1A, I own several rifles built on forged Norinco and Poly Tech M14 receivers that are stamped M14.

M1A is the trademarked name Springfield Armory, Inc. uses for their M14 type rifle.



My experience with these rifles is that they are accurate & reliable and they require little upkeep.

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I don't like the scout concept but even so I'd take a bolt action (just about any decent bolt action) AND an AR long before I'd even look at the M1A. Kinda a no brainer.

LK
 
Think I've changed my logic. I just don't see a lot I can do with an AR15 that I can't with an M1A. No I don't need all the rails the AR offers.
 
My experience has led me to realize that one rifle can do alot, but not everything.

I have always owned bolt-action rifles, then abandoned them, went down the "battle rifle" road and realized they didn't really fit what I needed either and am now back into a bolt-action.

I have learned that for a .308 caliber rifle, weight is a consideration. IMO to get the most from the caliber, the rifle should be scoped. Scoped "battle rifles" are just too awkward and heavy for my purposes. This experience brought me back to the bolt action in this caliber.

Regarding the AK-47/AR-15, I bought my SLR-95 long ago because I wanted an intermediary round in a semi-auto platform, I had went down the SKS road initially but "learned" the AK was a better platform, at least from this version of the AK.

I had always discounted AR rifles due to two main reasons, one is the direct impingement gas system, the other was the caliber. I have no use for the .223 caliber.

When AR's became available in alternative calibers (6.8spc) I began looking hard at them. What was offered in the AR in this caliber was much harder hitting ability in the same platform. I eventually got over my direct impingement bias and decided this was the rifle for me.

Had a 6.8spc AR been available when I bought my SLR-95, I probably wouldn't have bought the SLR-95 and not owned an AK at all. I am pragmatic and don't like overlap. But since I already own it and since it is a nice specimen I probably won't get rid of it.
 
M1A has style and history. What would the bolt gun have?
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Bolt gun would be about half the price of the M1A.

SLR-95
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I'm generally not an AK fan, but this is probably my favorite one.

I feel like I should go with the M1A and anything else I'll be compromising and justifying it by saying, I get 2 for the price of one!
 
I feel like I should go with the M1A and anything else I'll be compromising and justifying it by saying, I get 2 for the price of one!
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If you're going for a do-all weapon, I think the M1A is money well spent. The only other option I think I would consider would be a .308 AR pattern rifle, but frankly, the M1A feels way better in my hands, and is more fun to shoot IMO. Especially if you like irons.

Jason
 
Bam! Think I'm going to go M1A and eventually AR15.

I had a 308 bolt gun in the past and the hyper accuracy thing isn't real important to me, plus the kick is no fun.
 
The M1A kick will be less than a bolt gun of equal weight and less if the bolt gun was lighter. It will be about the same if it was a "sniper" rifle weight.

Keep in mind, if you are going to get a M1A, getting one that is good, may be a challenge. A large number of the rifles coming out now have almost all commercial parts in them. Very few real USGI parts. Sometimes this isn't a problem, sometimes it is. My brother had to send one of his in 2x because trigger parts kept breaking (I never saw which ones), the last time it came back, they had replaced it with a USGI HRA trigger group. He didn't have any other problems after that.

If you are just going to use it for light range fun, it really won't matter. If something fails you can just send it back to the factory and utilize their lifetime warranty.

If you are planning on doing alot of shooting and/or really need to depend on this rifle, you will need to seek out USGI parts and either replace or have the critical commercial parts replaced. That can REALLY increase the amount of money you are going to have tied up in the rifle.

You really need to define what your primary use is going to be.

The M1A/M14 is a fine rifle. But it is heavy, the ammo is heavy, and it is expensive to "scope well", if you get a good one, it is very accurate, if you get a "bad stackup" it will shoot all over the paper until work is done to it.

Just be aware of what you may be getting yourself into before you lay that type of money out and wind up disappointed.
 
M1A has style and history. What would the bolt gun have?
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The bolt guns actually have more of both.

If you're going for a do-all weapon, I think the M1A is money well spent. The only other option I think I would consider would be a .308 AR pattern rifle.....
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The AR is definitely the more "do all", and readily adaptable to it. The M1A doesnt offer anywhere near that flexibility, and most of the add on fixes are more of an afterthought, where with the AR's, they are part of the design.

plus the kick is no fun.
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If kick is an issue, dont expect the M1A to be any better. Technique, and how you shoot is more of a factor here. .308's arent "kickers", but things like how you shoulder the rifle, shooting with stocks that dont fit properly, and shooting off a bench, can make them (or any of them for that matter) less pleasurable to shoot.


If you go with the M1A, Id suggest you go with the standard model. Unless youre a higher level competitor, I dont think youre going to see any benefit from the match models. Youre better off putting the difference in cost towards ammo, some good mags, and a proper sling.

With the AR's, a good "double" flattop will give you the most options with just one upper.

One thing is for sure, if you havent owned any of them, then you do need to get a decent model of each at some point, as they all have something to offer.
 
amprecon echoes my sentiments exactly. I had the M1A on my "to buy" list for eons, and finally took it off. I could never justify the price for a .308 gun that basically I could only hit at 150 yards with irons. Once you decide you want to scope a .308 platform, there are better options out there. I also realized that fast semi-auto plinking is best on cheaper cartridges, like .223 or 7.62x39. What's the point of blowing through a box of .308 in 60 seconds, really? This is all my personal opinion of course.

My only real reason for wanting an M1A was the looks and history, not practicality. If I had infinite money to spend, I'd probably get a PWS MK216 over the M1A anyway, and even that is of somewhat dubious use.

So yah, AR15 type platform for .223...sure. AK47, SKS or Vz.58 for 7.62x39 and boatloads of Brown Bear ammo...yep. A .308 battle rifle? Ehh....I'll take a bolt action myself and make each round count.

(Of course, if I was given an M1A, I wouldn't turn it down!)
 
I could never justify the price for a .308 gun that basically I could only hit at 150 yards with irons.
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Why are you limited to 150 yards with iron sights.

I've shot a lot of 1000 yard matches and my best scores have been with my M1A.

Shooting to and past 150 yards isn't about irons or glass, its about fundamentals.
 
Shooting to and past 150 yards isn't about irons or glass, its about fundamentals.
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A big AMEN to that.

When shooting 1,000 yds at Camp Perry, I could see the target. My limitation was judging mirage and wind speed.
 
You guys must have some amazing eye sight. If you can hit (see) targets at 1000 yards with irons, what's the point of a scope!
 
Ask how big the "bullseye" is on the 1000 yard target. :)

I find in certain cases, I actually shoot better with iron sights than I do with a scope, especially when shooting unsupported or from a rest. The scope actually provides to much information when it comes to perceived movement, making it a distraction.

As kraigwy stated, its not about the range or the type of sight, as much as it is the fundamentals. Get the basics down as best you can, and everything else just starts to fall in place. The more you shoot "properly", the more you learn, and I think youll find, you never stop learning.
 
checkmyswag -

Have you thought about the cost of ammo for each rifle? As I see it, the AK will be the cheapest to feed, followed by the AR, followed by the .308's (most expensive round).

Have you experienced the recoil of each rifle? In my experience, a .308 bolt (the Ruger Gunsite) will recoil the most, followed by the M1A, then the AK, and the AR will recoil the least.

Do you plan on adding optics or shooting open sights? What range do you plan on shooting?

Good luck, let us know how you decide, and whatever you get, practice with it.
 
Irons mostly. Looking to a general purpose rifle. My range is set up for 1000 yards but that wouldnt be the norm. Inside of 500 yards is plenty good enough.
 
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