[snowy]

So I've heard some good things about the Springfeild Armory's M1A.
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod- ... stan.shtml

I'd like to make an M25/XM25 if it's possible.

The M21 looks comparable to the XM25 (emphasis on "looks").
http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod-rifles-m21.shtml

The standard M1A is about half as much and has a synthetic stock.
I don't really need an adjustable stock, a cheek piece accessory will do it for me.

Other than a barrel swap would a person need anything else besides maybe a gunsmith to do some blue printing?

It'd like to see that 900m mark with it.

If I could get the results without spending the $3,000 (or the $4,600 for the "White Feather!") I think it would be a fun build.

Just dreaming about the potential build after next.


Any old salts got an opinion/experience/condemnation for me? :wink:

-snowy

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

If you want to build up an M-1A to an "XM-25" i would just buy a reciever and start up from that. To buy a new M-1A would be a waste... you would be much better off just buying an M-21 from Springfield Armory rather than buying a standard M-1A and building it up... but if you really want to build up your own... i would buy a NM M-1A reciever... if you can find one. If you want to buy a regular rifle and strip it down and rebuild it.. i would go with the Loaded Model M-1A http://www.springfield-armory.com/prod- ... aded.shtml . Personally... i would just get the M-21 simply because its just damn good right out of the box. The MSRP for the M-21 is $3086... that isnt bad for what you are getting. www.TexasBrigadeArmory.com builds custom M-25 / Designated Marksman Rifles that i have heard to be very very good. I use to own a Texas Brigade Armory "M-40A3" and it was garenteed .25 MOA 5 shot groups with factory match ammo... and it provided that. Unfortinatly... i sold it. It was a hard decision but it had to be done at the time... family needed $ help :? Here is the pricing page on all of TBA's options and rifles http://www.texasbrigadearmory.com/pricing.htm . Also... for those interested in an M-24 for a good price... TBA makes them for $2650... built to US Army specs.

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

You should really check out Texas Brigade Armory... they do awesome work. They also do custom shop work on AR-15's

TBA Remington 700 Barreled Action $1300

Suggested Configurations of Accessories and Options (click through to see more descriptions per rifle)
M40A1 USMC STANDARD RIFLE $2750

M40A1 .22 LR RIFLE $2300

M40A2 RIFLE $2700
M40A3 RIFLE $2700
M40A3 USMC STANDARD RIFLE, (McMillan A4 Stock) $3295
M40A5 RIFLE $3450
ARMY M24 RIFLE $2650
TBA M25 or FAST DMR (M1A) 7.62 NATO $3950
1903 Springfield NRA Sporter Rifle, Cal. .30-06 $2400
1903 Springfield Style "T" NRA Match Rifle, Cal. .30-06 $2900
1903 Springfield 1924 International Match Rifle, Cal. .30-06 $7500
Left Hand for all centerfire models add $250
Chambering available in 6.5/.270/.300 WSM, .223 WSM, .300 Win Mag, 7mm/.300/.338 Ultra Mag, .223 WSSM, 6.5-.284, any wildcat or other standard caliber

TBA Remington 700 Barreled Action, standard calibers $1300

Early Remington 700 Receiver below serial number 320000 (POR)

Other manufacturer’s actions also available (POR)
Stainless Steel Remington 700 Barreled Action (add) $300
Titanium Action with Stainless Steel Barrel (add) $500
Clip slot receiver to Remington factory specification $100
Early Type (pre-1969) Short Bolt Sleeve and Firing Pin $75
Badger Ordnance Tactical Bolt Handle $70
M40A1 (Rem 700/Win M70 Floorplate and Triggerguard $175
Badger Ordnance Tactical Floorplate/Trigger Guard $325
D.D. Ross Rem 700 Tactical Floorplate/Trigger Guard $325
Dakota Rem 700 Floorplate/Triggerguard $250

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

H-S Precision 10-round Magazine Conversion w/1 10 round magazine (Short Action) $375
H-S Precision Magazine Conversion for magnum and long action $375
Barrel Fluting $175
Tubb Recoil Lug $35
Vais Muzzle Brake & Installation $245

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McMillan Stock, any style, any color (POR)
Early 1980’s feathered camouflage gel-coat type finish on M40A1 stock (additional cost) $150
Accuracy International Chassis System for Remington 700 (adj. cheek rest) (POR)
Accuracy International Chassis System for Remington 700 (POR)
Other Manufacturer’s Stocks (H-S Precision, Choate) (POR)
Adjustable Cheekpiece For M40A1, Remington Factory, H-S Precision Stock $150
Steel Hand Stop Rail and Forend Installation $100
M40A5 type hook on underside of any stock $85
Speedlock 3-Way Adjustable Buttplate $180
Adjustable Butt Pad/Spacer System on any stock $85
Decelerator Butt Pad $27

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unertl 10x USMC Telescope (POR)
Leupold MK4 M1 Scope w/USMC Mil-Dot reticle, 10X or 16X $1210
Leupold MK4 M3 Scope w/USMC Mil-Dot reticle, 6X, 10X $1210
Leupold MK4 Long Range/Target (LR/T) M1, 3.5x10, MK4 Knobs & Mil-Dot reticle $850
Leupold MK4 LR/T M3, 3.5x10, Bullet Drop Compensator, Mil-Dot reticle $850
Leupold MK4 LR/T M1, 4.5x14x50mm, MK4 Knobs, Mil-Dot reticle $900
Leupold MK4 LR/T M1, 6.5x20x50mm, MK4 Knobs, Mil-Dot reticle $1050
Leupold MK4 LR/T M1, 8.5x25x50mm, MK4 Knobs, Mil-Dot reticle $1075
2nd Gen USMC Mil-Dot Reticle Leupold $175
Leupold MK 4 Target Knobs on Vari-X III scopes $120
USMC M40A1 Unertl Type scope mount with lugs for 1” or 30mm tube $300
Mark 4 Base, One Piece, Short Action, Right Hand $100
Mark 4 Base, One Piece, Long Action, Right or Left Hand $175
PICATINNEY RAIL SCOPE BASE with LUGS for use in clip slotted receiver $250
Badger One Piece Base, Long or Short Action $130
Leupold Mk 4, 30mm Rings $120
Badger 30mm Rings $135
Redfield Palma Rear Sight for M24 $325
Redfield “Big Bore” Globe Front Sight for M24 $75

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harris Bipod, 6"-9” or 9-13” Swivel $100
Versa Pod, Model 1 $79
Sling, 1-1/4” Heavy Leather, Target Type $55
Swivels, Sling, 1 ½” Cup Swivel Set $75
Swivels, Sling, 1 ¼” Wichita Engineering $80
Accessory package #1: Pelican Travel Vault, Dewey Cleaning Rod and Guide $275
Accessory package #2: Doskocil All Weather Case, Dewey Cleaning Rod and Guide $165
Pelican 1750 Travel Vault hard gun case, USMC spec $225
Doskocil All Weather Hard Gun Case, similar to Pelican Travel Vault $89
Eagle Drag Bag and Shooting Mat $150
THE MILITARY AND POLICE SNIPER, Advanced Precision Shooting, by Mike Lau $35

 

[Kenshin]

If you want to build an XM-25 or a DMR you better find a good gunsmith with a lot of experience building these rifles. I've built 3 over the last five years and I've come under the $2000 mark on two of them and a little over on the third.

When I first decided I wanted one I contacted Mike Lau at T.B.A {Texas Brigade Armory} and talked a little shop with him about what I wanted. {I have a few T.B.A rifles and their amazing.}
The big problem for me was that his delivery time was not on par with what I wanted. Mike is a world class gunsmith and is in demand all over the world. His policy is to service police departments and government agencys first and then comercial contracts second.I agree with his policy because his work saves lives.
This led me on my own hunt to build a custom M-14. I hate to spend money on a great rifle only to throw most of the parts away. so here is what I did.

I wanted an action so I bought a Norinco M14 in Canada for $400.00CND from www.marstar.ca {sorry guys but it's really hard to import a norinco M-14 and if you have a friend in canada with a P.A.L licenece you can swing somthing, but good luck!! Try to find a polytec M-14 in the U.S it's the same thing}
I scraped the norinco stock and the barrel after I fired about 200 rounds of surplus ammo just to see what it could do. I was getting about 1-1.5 MOA
with the surplus and then fed about 40 rounds of winchester supreme match 168's. The groups tighened to about 0.75-1.0 MOA{Not to shabby for a cheap Chinese M-14}

I then ordered a Douglas XX barrel and called to have the barrel cut to my specs. The poeple at Douglas were amazing and answered all my questions and made some recomendations that worked really well.

I sent the barrel {arrived 8 weeks later} and my Norinco rifle to my gunsmith. He fit the barrel,worked on the action and bedded the rifle to a new USGI fiberglass stock in woodland camo.$1500.00 for all the parts and labour, the rifle came back shooting 1/2 MOA groups with Match ammo.
I hated the USGI stock. I tried all kinds of cosmetic things to make it fit but ended up scraping the stock and later getting a Mcmillan.
I later build two more with 18" and 16" configureations.
Norinco Guns are great. I've built many 1911's with norinco 45's and 9mm's as my starting piont. They are all dynamite guns. I out shoot my buddies and spent fractions of what they have spent. I've built 2 tactical shotguns and they work great.
Arms-corp also makes a good M-14 and you can buy the reciever spereratly.
One thing to think about.
if your going to build yourself a rifle then why not customize it to you. Military rifles are usally generic for the fact that many different people of shapes and sizes use them. Guys in the field try to use everything but the kitchen sink to make the rile fit to them.
Just a thought.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Kenshin

 

[snowy]

Good advice.
I'm trying to keep my next rifle below $2,000 without optics.
You get what you pay for.

I've been interested in a semi-auto for long range, but it appears the accuracy I'm looking for isn't in my price range.
My XM25/M-24 project is now back burnered for another day (and another set of paychecks).

I'm now thinking about building/buying a semi auto for 100-300 yards.
Hopefully this would drag the price range down to my level.

I like running by pipe dreams by you guys.

Thanks,

-snowy

 

[muzzleblast]

Kenshin, is that $2000 Canadian? Too good to be true, I bet, but I have to ask.

Happy those Norincos are sound. I'd read a lot of stuff about the older Polytech models that makes them sound like hand grenades. 1-1.5 moa is awesome out of a rifle in that price range though!

 

[Kenshin]

Well 2000.00 CND was close{at that time}. When I built my first M-14 I was not married yet {My wife is a US citizen} The exchange rate is significantly better now but I lost a bit of money on exchange and shipping.
Here is the break down.
-Norinco base 400.00 Canadian
-Douglas barrel cut,chambered, and profiled about 400.00US so 500.CND
-USGI stock 150.00 Canadian
-Gunsmithing included barrel instalation,Fitting of the stock, trigger work, bedding, and all action,receiver work. cost was about 450.00CND but I had a great shooting rifle.
I hated the USGI stock and tried to make it work with after market goodies but to no avail, I later bought a mcmillan stock which at the time set me back about 750.00CND but the fit was a million times better. If you do the math you come around the 1600.00CND mark but keep in mind 5 years ago exchange,shipping was way higher

If you want to build yourself the same thing now, it is a lot cheaper. The exchange rate it way better and you can find deals on parts a lot easier on gunbroker.com
The big thing is to find a good gunsmith.
Hope this helps
Cheers,
Kenshin

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

Sure... you can build a decent M-21 / M-25 style rifle for under $2,000.... and it will fire. But... im not saying your going to hit your target at 1,000 yards.

 

[Kenshin]

My 22" performs very well at 1000 yard shooting with handloads. ('8)')

My smaller 16" and 18" M-14's don't get to 1000{I've not really tried shooting them at those distances} but do very well out to 800 yards.
Cheers,
Kenshin

 

[Ballistic_Coefficiency]

Technically you can shoot a 22 out to 1,000 yards.... what type of groups are you getting with these rifles you built for under $2,000?

 

[Kenshin]

Depends on the loads I use but I'm getting 8-12" groups. It all depends on the day. I think the best three shot group I got at the 1000y was like 6" and no camera(':shock:')
I use my 18" for taking game. It's topped off with a BW optics 10X scope with a Y-tac reticle and I shoot game cleanly out to 450 yards. {Max range I will shoot game at with my handloads} with the most common shots at 250-300yards. At 300yards my shots are right were I place them and the game is taken cleanly,good enough for me!('')

 

[Scopes]

If you want accuracy in a semi-auto, ditch the M1A and go with an accurized AR-10