Agreed.
Buying an M1A is probably the "simplest" way of getting one. The older ones have more GI parts in them but you can buy them and either replace them or hold onto them until they go tango uniform. The parts are not really cheap but deals can be found.
There isn't a "middleground" when it comes to the M14/M1A platform. It's either the expensive or (relatively), cheap. Even with the Norinco's you want to upgrade the bolt and replace the flash suppressor because the metal, in particular the bolt tends to be soft.
Building one can be fun, yet expensive. The recievers can run up to a grand for a stripped one, once again parts are not really cheap. Finding a competent gunsmith for the platform can be a problem unless you have one of the companies build one for you(LRB, Smith inc), but there are wait times.
IF you do go the build route you can buy your parts a few at a time, and you are spreading the overall price out. Plus, when you build one you are building it the way you want it to be all GI parts if you want or as few commercial parts as you want...
I built mine(well collected the parts until I had them all to send off to a 'smith).
Check out http://m14tfl.com/upload/ for tons of more info. Good luck!
"Warriors"
Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets. Nine are the real fighters and we are lucky to have them for they make the battle. Ah, but the one...one is a Warrior, and he will bring all the others back.
-Heraclitis
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