Other than bolt actioned rifles I’m curious with has better accuracy and ease of maintenance between the two semi auto rifles
Currently I have a M14 that I would like to accurize. The more I read articles the more I want to halt this project. Yes in can be made .5moa but takes a lot of work like NM barrel, op rod, stock bedding, unitizing, trigger job, scope mount, etc…all this process is actualy fun and rewarding. What I don’t really like is that it’s a pain in the arse to maintain it’s accuracy over time. To many things hanging on the barrel and bedding issues.
As for the for the AR platform I have a bit if experience with them but only in the 5.56 area and mostly cqb type. For those you have experience with the AR10 please feel free to share your experience especially those who tried or own rifles.
The only .308 precision semi I own, for now, is an MWS. For a chrome lined 16" barrel I couldnt ask any more accuracy out of it than it already has. The best thing about it was all I had to do was open the box and use it. Yeah it was $2300 but the rifle works and is accurate out the box. You would have spent way more than that accurizing your M1A.
While the decision is ultimatly your’s to make, I have grown to greatly prefer the ar type rifles.
As you can see by my screen name, I really like the m1a/m14 type rifles. However when I started to look into a semi auto precision rifle it became clear that the ar type rifle is a much more cost effective rifle to use.
Like OTO27, I am using an lmt mws as it has some features I have really come to like but I feel most quality ar’s will shoot well. The biggest factor that moved me away from the m1a was the fact the stock needed glass bedding, and the lack of scope mounting options. FWIW, I can’t even remember the last time I shot my m1a, but the lmt mws comes with me every range trip. I just enjoy shooting it much more, and the money saved goes nicely into practice ammo.
A 308 AR is a better choice for a precision rifle. The M14 requires more special assembly techniques and tuning to achieve peak accuracy. There are stocks available that will deliver good accuracy that do not require glass bedding but they are expensive and generally heavy.
Assembling a precision AR is often as simple as installing a quality barrel & free float tube and it’s very easy to install optics.
Consistent .5 moa groups may be an unrealistic goal with either rifle
I bought a SA NM M1A about 10 years ago and sadly it hasn’t seen much range use. I bought an LMT MWS recently and have really enjoyed it. The LMT gets a lot more use and is easier to upgrade. I am contemplating selling the M1A and putting all the money into the LMT. I haven’t done it yet though.
Can’t a really add to what has already been posted but I spent a fortune on my M1A & my Colt HBAR outshot it out of the box! M14s/M1As were obsolete when adopted.
You may want to look at the Larue OBR ,it is the most accurate AR type in.308 I have ever shot . I own an Armalite T10 24 inch ,a Armalite AR10 20 inch NM rifle and a Springfield Armory NM in 308 and after shooting a friends Larue OBR I know I a’m getting one B4 the end of the year.
I would also look at Les Baers sniper AR rifles, these look to be the most accurate 308 semi auto AR style rifle out there, I’m in the process of getting one within the next 2 months.
I own an Armalite T10 24 inch ,a Armalite AR10 20 inch NM rifle and a Springfield Armory NM in 308 and after shooting a friends Larue OBR I know I a’m getting one B4 the end of the year.