In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Springfield M1A and when it was made

beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
edited December 2001 in Ask the Experts
I saw an M1A made by Springfield Armoury with a serial number of 0014xx. Anyone have an idea of when it was made? I think it still had a bayonet lug on the barrel. The stock looked like an original M-14 stock in that it had the Springfield eagle and stars cartouche on the left hand side and a "P" proof cartouche on the grip. Could this be considered a desirable M1A? Any help deeply appreciated. Beach

Comments

  • nmyers@home.comnmyers@home.com Member Posts: 205 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't know the date made, but probably early 70's. USGI M14 stocks are common and cheap, so that doesn't add to it's value. Early SA Inc M1A's marked "Devine, TX" bring a premium. Unless there are markings, packaging, or documentation indicating that this was assembled by SA Inc, my thought is that it could be an SA Inc receiver assembled with a parts kit by a gunsmith. If so, the quality of the parts (all USGI?) and the skill of the 'smith would determine the value. How is the selector/disconnector notch filled? What are the barrel markings? Are parts a uniform gray parkerized, or a mixture of colors?In any case, this is certainly a pre-ban rifle, and that alone increases the value to many.Neal
  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All of the early M1A rifles were made of GI parts. I have a low three digit serial number, which is a Devine, Texas rifle, and all parts are GI. Mine has an M1-style butt plate, which is proper for early M1A rifles. The selector cutout is filled with reddish epoxy, which is proper for the early rifles.I would speculate that this rifle is a Devine, and has extra collector value to some. If the original poster does not want it, I might. Please let me know at judgecolt45@hotmail.com.
  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I looked at it again. It does have the red epoxy on the selector switch cut out. It has a TRW barrel, bolt was HRT. Has National match sights front and rear. It appears to be in near pristine condition. And I mean pristine....I don't know crap about M1A's but I know more than I should about M1 Garands....and none of my four Garands come close to this rifle...So what should I offer for it? I've seen some new M1A's matched out and lugged for around $1900. I've seen some straight M1A's for around $1000. The guy has said he wouldn't sell it for awhile while I come up with the cash......I'll take ideas on what to offer. My sincere thanks to all of you for helping out the old Garand guy. Beach
  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    MikeLook on the barrel on bottom.If it is a Devine gun,that is where they were marked.If so around $1300 for a rack grade.If no Devine mark then $1000.cpermd
  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Chuck thanks a lot for the reply. I haven't been given the chance to take it apart yet but since I'm looking for a shooter anyway it probably doesn't really matter if it is a Devine gun or not. It is from an estate so I don't really have anyone to talk and get a history of the weapon. If I get it I guess I'll take it apart and find out. Mike
  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You do not have to take the rifle apart to find the "Devine" marking. Look under the gas plug for a crudely stamped address. The address will use a letter "I" for a numeral "1," and will be all in upper case reading as follows: "RT I BX 2I0 DEVINE TEXAS." (I am reporting the way my early Devine barrel is marked. Others may be different.)Does this rifle have the M1 butt plate, or the M14 butt plate?If you buy it, it will be your gun and your money in it, but the rifle will have a lot more than shooter value to many collectors. I would suggest selling it to a collector and buying a new or newer M1A rifle and keeping the profit for your trouble of rescuing it. I value an Issue Grade Devine higher than Doc, maybe $1500-$1700 or more to the right person. With National Match sights, it could be a Match Grade and worth even more. (Is it bedded, which may be a clue about it being a Match Grade?)
  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well guys I took it apart. No Devine address that I could find anywhere. It is glass bedded with a slightly lighter reddish bedding compound than the reddish compound used in the selector switch cutout. Trigger group, op rod, and stock both hand marked with rifle's serial number. It does have the M-14 butt plate vice the M1 butt plate. I think it's just a real nice match grade weapon with no milage on it yet. Do you guys think $1100-$1300 is in the ball park? Thanks for all the help on this you guys, Beach.
  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This still sounds like an early rifle to me, and may be a Match Grade. I have personally talked to Elmer Balance, the "E" of the E & R Gun Company of Texas that bought the M14 production machinery, registered the Springfield Armory name and began making M14 clones known as the M1A. Mr. Balance told me that the serial numbers were often used out of sequence so this rifle could have even been made years later in Illinois even though it is in what is generally considered the Devine range.I think a better explanation may be that the barrel was replaced with a higher grade barrel as part of the effort to upgrade an issue grade into a match rifle (the sights and bedding would support this theory), thus losing the Devine address stamped on the bottom of the original barrel. Either way, it sounds like a great rifle, well worth the price mentioned.
  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Judge...you brought me to an interesting thought. Any chance that someone familiar with the Springfield Armoury Match Shop would recognize the position and hand writing of the individual serializations on the trigger group and stock? The reason I thought about this is that I recently came across one of the Navy Special barrels made for the M1 Garand in 7.62 NATO it had a few hand written markings relating to clearances on the barrel. I took it to the legendary Don McCoy who made the most accurate M1's in the world and he said...."oh yeah, I gauged that barrel in 1968 when I was at Crane Weapons Station Indiana...see my handwritng there?" Now if someone could verify that the markings were consistent with how they marked their match weapons back then It might lend confirmation to this being a Springfield match rifle. In any case I think the price is right anyhow and will go for it even if it is not a Devine Texas weapon. Beach
  • JudgeColtJudgeColt Member Posts: 1,790 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Good luck with SA. I first wrote SA about my early M1A and, after a month or so, got a call from a nice lady who kept telling me that the rifles made by the original military SA were not made by them and that they could not give me any information. After many explanations ovewr and over, she finally agreed to discuss my rifle with the production old-timers. A week or so later, I got a very short hand-written note on the back of my lengthy letter to contact Elmer Balance since they knew nothing about my rifle. The note was by one of the Reeses, who own SA now.
Sign In or Register to comment.