SA (Springfield Armory) GI Parts
I keep seeing questions on just when did SA switch from GI parts to
commercial cast parts. The answers seem to be all over the place. Here
is what I have found.
Commercial parts won’t be found on Devine or San Antonio, Texas M1A rifles. Very early Illinois rifles will be built with GI parts, but it was fairly early when SA started using some commercial parts. I just inspected a M1A in the 145XX range that had several commercial parts in it. It was purchased new by it’s present owner in the late 70’s (more than likely mid 1980).
This rifle included a six groove, non-chrome lined barrel, cast operating rod with the SA marked below the part number, and a cast trigger housing marked with a -0 suffix. The internal trigger group parts were GI as was the flash suppressor. I found an interesting variant of the rear sight which had a late style pinion and a WWII SA lock bar windage knob. That was a new one on me. The rear sight spring cover was also a reproduction with no ribs on it’s sides.
Many later M1A rifles were produced with all GI parts when they were available. It’s always been a case of supply and demand. Thousands of sets of M14 parts were imported back from Israel in the mid 80’s. These parts allowed Armscorp to get it’s start and supplied SA with original GI parts for their so called Collectors Edition line of rifles. These were built with GI parts and GI wood stocks.
I remember a long spell where SA was using lock bar sights on their M1A. Late style sights were in short supply as were butt plate assemblies. SA produced their own butt plates, but many examples had plastic trap doors for the tool compartment. Less expensive M1As used to come equipped with GI fiberglass stocks. These had the selector holes filled in and a black textured paint job. They also had rubber butt pads. Their new plastic stocks seem to be pretty good and nice looking, but I don’t know how they compare strength wise.
At any rate, SA M1A rifles may appear with any combination of GI and/or commercial parts if produced within the last 35 years. I think it was often a matter of what was on the shelf at the time with the exception of a few special run models.
Over the years I have collected a nice set of M14 and M1 gages. These range from field to depot use and many I have never seen in private collections before. I am sure there are others who have collected as much or more than I, Bill Recca not withstanding, but I don’t know of any who actually use these tools in their day to day operations as I do. Stuff turns up an I always search the gun shows and garage sales for them. Most of this started about 25 years ago. I purchased a footlocker full of Garand parts and found it included several gages for the M1. A fellow offered me some M14 parts at a gun show and I found it included a partial Field Gage set with it’s original wood box. It was well worth the $150 paid for it all. Most of the tools and gages I’ve collected didn’t cost all that much. This is probably because the sellers didn’t have any use for the stuff or didn’t even know what it was. Not long ago I purchased several depot gages from a fellow who brought them by my shop. We had to look them up to even know what some of them were used for. Just last month I was able to acquire two sets of M14 receiver/barrel torque gages found on the TFL. This stuff doesn’t come along very often so I didn’t hesitate even though I had to pay a pretty good price for them. I tend to average these things out cost wise so it doesn’t feel so bad, but it’s hard to explain to the wife.
Usually there is no record to record the history of tools such as these. The torque gages at least had some documentation which made them even more interesting.
First off, they were apparently new and in unused condition. One set did have some minor discoloration from oxidation. It was partially unpacked while in storage. There was no way to tell when they were originally made, but the drawing specifications were dated 14 Jun 62. I doubt that that has any relation to the actual production date other than they couldn’t have been made prior to then. Calibration certificates included with the tools indicated they were tested Feb. 7, 1990. The military form DA 3023 was signed off on Feb. 14, 1990. After that they must have sat in storage for some time. Eventually they were transferred from DDJC San Joaquin to the DRMO Stockton, CA April 29, 1997 and finally shipped to the buyer November 3, 1997. If I am reading this documentation right, the boxes must have sat in storage since then. The gentleman I bought them from picked them up from a salvage company in Stockton where they were just sitting on a shelf waiting to rust away. Things tend to do that in Stockton. One nice thing I found was these tools can be modified to be used on the Garand rifle as well as the M14. That’s a plus.
By Ted Brown
Shooters Den
Commercial parts won’t be found on Devine or San Antonio, Texas M1A rifles. Very early Illinois rifles will be built with GI parts, but it was fairly early when SA started using some commercial parts. I just inspected a M1A in the 145XX range that had several commercial parts in it. It was purchased new by it’s present owner in the late 70’s (more than likely mid 1980).
This rifle included a six groove, non-chrome lined barrel, cast operating rod with the SA marked below the part number, and a cast trigger housing marked with a -0 suffix. The internal trigger group parts were GI as was the flash suppressor. I found an interesting variant of the rear sight which had a late style pinion and a WWII SA lock bar windage knob. That was a new one on me. The rear sight spring cover was also a reproduction with no ribs on it’s sides.
Many later M1A rifles were produced with all GI parts when they were available. It’s always been a case of supply and demand. Thousands of sets of M14 parts were imported back from Israel in the mid 80’s. These parts allowed Armscorp to get it’s start and supplied SA with original GI parts for their so called Collectors Edition line of rifles. These were built with GI parts and GI wood stocks.
I remember a long spell where SA was using lock bar sights on their M1A. Late style sights were in short supply as were butt plate assemblies. SA produced their own butt plates, but many examples had plastic trap doors for the tool compartment. Less expensive M1As used to come equipped with GI fiberglass stocks. These had the selector holes filled in and a black textured paint job. They also had rubber butt pads. Their new plastic stocks seem to be pretty good and nice looking, but I don’t know how they compare strength wise.
At any rate, SA M1A rifles may appear with any combination of GI and/or commercial parts if produced within the last 35 years. I think it was often a matter of what was on the shelf at the time with the exception of a few special run models.
Over the years I have collected a nice set of M14 and M1 gages. These range from field to depot use and many I have never seen in private collections before. I am sure there are others who have collected as much or more than I, Bill Recca not withstanding, but I don’t know of any who actually use these tools in their day to day operations as I do. Stuff turns up an I always search the gun shows and garage sales for them. Most of this started about 25 years ago. I purchased a footlocker full of Garand parts and found it included several gages for the M1. A fellow offered me some M14 parts at a gun show and I found it included a partial Field Gage set with it’s original wood box. It was well worth the $150 paid for it all. Most of the tools and gages I’ve collected didn’t cost all that much. This is probably because the sellers didn’t have any use for the stuff or didn’t even know what it was. Not long ago I purchased several depot gages from a fellow who brought them by my shop. We had to look them up to even know what some of them were used for. Just last month I was able to acquire two sets of M14 receiver/barrel torque gages found on the TFL. This stuff doesn’t come along very often so I didn’t hesitate even though I had to pay a pretty good price for them. I tend to average these things out cost wise so it doesn’t feel so bad, but it’s hard to explain to the wife.
Usually there is no record to record the history of tools such as these. The torque gages at least had some documentation which made them even more interesting.
First off, they were apparently new and in unused condition. One set did have some minor discoloration from oxidation. It was partially unpacked while in storage. There was no way to tell when they were originally made, but the drawing specifications were dated 14 Jun 62. I doubt that that has any relation to the actual production date other than they couldn’t have been made prior to then. Calibration certificates included with the tools indicated they were tested Feb. 7, 1990. The military form DA 3023 was signed off on Feb. 14, 1990. After that they must have sat in storage for some time. Eventually they were transferred from DDJC San Joaquin to the DRMO Stockton, CA April 29, 1997 and finally shipped to the buyer November 3, 1997. If I am reading this documentation right, the boxes must have sat in storage since then. The gentleman I bought them from picked them up from a salvage company in Stockton where they were just sitting on a shelf waiting to rust away. Things tend to do that in Stockton. One nice thing I found was these tools can be modified to be used on the Garand rifle as well as the M14. That’s a plus.
By Ted Brown
Shooters Den
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