by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
This report covers:
- What is the M14?
- M14 magazine
- M1A
- The pellet rifle
- Underlever
- Cocking and the safety
- Safety is manual
- Loading
- Summary
The Springfield Armory M1A Underlever Pellet Rifle is here! This is the air rifle many of you have been waiting for, and mine just arrived. Let’s take a look.
What is the M14?
The M14 is a U.S. battle rifle that was the primary personal rifle from 1958 until 1968. It was the successor to the M1 Garand (U.S. Rifle caliber .30 M1) that was the U.S. battle rifle from 1936 until being replaced by the M14 in March of 1958. Where the Garand was semiautomatic only, the M14 was made to be a select-fire rifle, though not that many of them were ever set up that way. It took some training and skill to control the rifle in the full-auto mode, because the recoil of the 7.62X51 mm cartridge was substantial. Because of the rifle’s look many assumed it was another BAR, but at only half the weight, it wasn’t.
It just so happens that old B.B. Pelletier qualified expert on the M14, which gave him the opportunity to qualify (expert again, mostly due to luck) on the brand-new M16. Most M16s and their ammo were being sent to Vietnam in 1968 when I qualified in basic training at ROTC summer camp in Fort Lewis, Washington. They had limited rifles and ammo, so only those who qualified expert with the M14 got to qualify with the M16.
From that experience I can tell you this — the M14 was a real battle rifle. The M16 that I shot was an underdeveloped toy — at least at that time! Time and further development have turned the M16 platform into a proven battle rifle, BUT — the M14 lingers on in U.S. military service as a special rifle when certain things are required. Its 7.62X51 mm round (military version of the .308 Winchester) hits harder and more accurately at longer ranges than the 5.56 mm round of the M16.
M14 magazine
The biggest difference between the Garand and the M14 was the M14’s 20-round magazine. The Garand has an 8-shot magazine that’s built into the rifle. It is very difficult to add cartridges to that mag while it’s still loaded. When the last round is ejected the en bloc clip — a steel spring that holds the eight .30-06 rounds together, also comes out of the rifle with a distinctive ping. There is a rumor that the enemy would wait to hear the ping and then attack, knowing that the soldier was reloading, but that was just a myth. Nobody could hear that ping in the noise of combat unless there were extraordinary circumstances.
The M14’s 20-round magazine can be removed at any time and topped off. Or leave it in the rifle and load it with stripper clips that connect to the top of the rifle’s receiver, similar to the way the K98 Mauser rifle is loaded. Either way it’s far easier to top off an M14 than reload the Garand. Oldtimers can tell the difference between the Garand and the M14 by the magazine of the latter that hangs down.
M1A
So why is there an M1A? It’s because American civilians cannot own fully automatic weapons without going through special legal procedures and I’m not certain that an M14 ever qualified for those. Since any M14 could potentially be converted to full auto, it was a special case that had to be dealt with individually. To satisfy the need for a civilian rifle to compete in military matches, the M1A was born. It’s almost identical to the M14, except it cannot receive the parts to make it full auto without modifications.
The M1A pellet rifle
And that background brings us to today’s topic, the Springfield Armory M1A Underlever Pellet Rifle. It is licensed by Springfield Armory, but it was developed under joint cooperation with the folks at Air Venturi. Springfield Armory is the company that brought the M1A to the world in 1974.
Springfield Armory offers the full-sized M1A firearm with a walnut stock. And that is the first difference knowledgeable shooters will notice about the pellet rifle. The stock on this underlever is made from some kind of Asian hardwood that resembles beech. The finish is a very matte dark brown. The upper handguard is a brown synthetic that resembles the fiberglass handguard on the firearm.
Underlever
This is an underlever air rifle, and no, it’s not a reskinned Diana 460 Magnum. You would never get it for a retail of $200 if it was. It’s similar to the Diana in several ways because both rifles are underlevers, but it’s also far from a direct copy.
The underlever pulls down and back to cock the rifle and open the loading port. Note that the upper handguard slides forward to expose the loading port.
This rifle comes in both .177 and .22 calibers. I asked to test the .22 because of the power output (1,000 f.p.s. in .177 and 800 f.p.s. in .22), as well as for easier loading. More on that in a bit.
I sat in on a design discussion with Air Venturi at the SHOT Show this year. The rifle was almost complete, but I was asked for my input. I have to admit I was blown away by the realism of the rifle! I was told they wanted to keep the retail price at $200, so the folding metal buttplate that is so characteristic of an M14 was not an option. It looks like the buttplate on this rifle folds, but it doesn’t. Shooters unfamiliar with the M14 won’t miss it, and there are more of them around than us old silverbacks. There is a rubber pad on the butt to keep the rifle firmly on your shoulder.
The underlever has an extension rod that pulls out to increase the leverage. And, what is so neat is you can leave it pulled out because the designers made the extension fit into the bottom of the muzzle brake/front sight assembly when the lever is stored.
The cocking lever can be pushed in like this.
… or it can be extended and still used and stored that way. Genius!
Cocking and the safety
The M1A cocks with 35 lbs. of effort, according to the description. You know I will check that for you. I do use the extended lever to cock the rifle.
But there is more to cocking. I test-fired the rifle the first time and it shot well. But it wouldn’t cock for me on the next try. I tried it many times. Each time I felt the sear slipping off as I relaxed pressure on the cocking lever. This was confusing until I looked at the safety. It works in the reverse direction of an M1A, M14 or M1 Garand safety. Pull it back into the triggerguard to make the rifle ready to fire and push it forward through the triggerguard to make the rifle safe. I had been working it backwards! And that was apparently what kept the rifle from cocking.
The M1A pellet rifle safety works in the reverse direction of the M1A firearm safety. Push the safety back into the triggerguard to make the rifle ready to fire and forward to make it safe.
Once I cycled the safety on and off again several times and then pulled it back towards the trigger to make the rifle ready to fire, the cocking problem was gone. I tell you this in case anyone who is familiar with an M1A, Garand or M14 makes the same mistake.
Safety is manual
The safety is manual. It stays where it’s put until you move it. And that’s the way we like it! Let the shooter be responsible for his own safety. With the cocking effort it’s unlikely that a child will cock this rifle. So long as the shooter has been trained in proper gun handling techniques and practices them, everything should be fine.
Loading
When the rifle is cocked the upper handguard slides forward to expose the loading port. I have normal-sized hands for an adult and I find this rifle somewhat difficult to load. The trick is to balance it on your knee or on a table with the muzzle pointing straight up. The pellet can then be balanced on your thumb for loading. It isn’t perfect, but you soon grow accustomed to it. I suspect that loading will be more difficult for people with sausage fingers.
The upper handguard slides forward as the rifle is cocked. This exposes the loading port.
Summary
I will end this report here but there is much more introduction to come in part 2. At that time I will discuss and show the sights, the scope mount that comes with the rifle, the trigger and more details about this fascinating new spring-piston air rifle. We will start testing velocity in part 3.
The Springfield Armory M1A pellet rifle is many things. It’s a lookalike airgun. It’s a spring-piston rifle that’s hopefully very accurate. It has good power so it can be used for some hunting. It has adjustable sights plus a scope mount. And all of this comes to you at a fantastic price! With the holidays coming I would watch this blog and perhaps put this one on my short list!
B.B.,
When you said scope mount at the last paragraph I was wondering if it had built in Picatinny rails, until I went over to the PA site and saw that like the M1A it required a proprietary manner of attaching a scope mount.
Siraniko
BB, thanks for the history on the M14.
to clarify your cocking difficulties – the safety must be in a particular position (off) to enable cocking?
Whetor,
The safety must be off — pulled into the triggerguard.
BB
BB,
This is an interesting air rifle, 2 stage trigger, semi reasonable power, and most importantly, nice open sights.
Fish
Fish,
With fashion, I do indeed mean appearance. I am mostly referring to their PCP’s. Some of those look just a little bit too wonky for me.
rr,
i see what you mean. still, when u gaze at them long enough with an open airgunner’s heart, the necessities of pcps make their pcps look cool as well. they have their own special physical appeal; just let ur heart look at them instead of ur eyes, let’s see if that would make any change.
one of the reasons i wouldn’t buy the m1a up there is because it tries to look like a firearm. how about we have firearms try to look like airguns, right? that’s y i’d pick a synergis over this m1a or a 460 over a k98 any day.
fish
Fish,
I myself would look at other things than looks. Of course I have looked at other things for quite some time. I do not need uber magnum sproinger performance. I have always looked to accuracy, no matter what the power level.
You must always look at what you want, not what is shown to you. When you do such you will fill your desire. Most of my airguns are antique. This is because of the power level and the accuracy. I have long sense abandoned the power level and searched for the accuracy.
Most of the new airguns (sproingers) are meant to appeal to the powder burners. They think they want high velocities to match that of their powder burners and cheap prices. They do not understand the laws of physics and are usually upset because they cannot hit what they are shooting at over 100 yards away.
They are idiots. Once they pull their heads out, then we can teach them about airgunning.
RR,
Well, we had talked about fashion; that was why I mentioned all that BS. 🙂
I cannot agree with you more; accuracy comes first. If an air rifle is accurate, then my eyes will learn how to fall in love with it.
Ah, I thought the laws of Physics changed when a springer got stronger!? 🙂
‘Trillions of flies eat p..p. Hmm… Let’s go eat p..p then…’ That’s how marketing trends work.
Fish
Fish,
This is one reason all of my airguns do not look like firearms. I am far more interested in performance than looks, most especially when it tries to look like a firearm. With Hatsan though, I am not sure what kind of drugs the designers are on, but they could use a sober moment to look at what they have designed.
RR,
I don’t know, man. Gladius, Flash Wood, BullBoss, – not a PCP but – Proxima, they all look good to my eyes.
Fish
RR,
Without noting specifics,… I do remember commenting several times over the years that I have been been impressed with Hatsan’s “innovations”. In the end,.. yes, it has to work/last/prove results.
I am a bit ?,… disappointed with Crosman turning to Turkey to fill stock. Good, bad or otherwise,.. give me USA made.
Chris
Chris,
Hey man, it’s been a while we didn’t say hi to each other. I hope you’re doing well.
I wouldn’t worry about where the product is made as long as it’s good quality and priced reasonably. International trades go both ways; they buy a lot of products from us as well. Trading with Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, France, Greece and such European countries, it’s well balanced. If we don’t buy theirs, then they won’t buy ours – we don’t want that either. US do a lot of export, and most trading treaties are benefiting us. What you should worry about are the ones that cause budget deficits on our end on a continues basis, the ones that only sell and never buy…
Fish.
Fish,
Doing just fine. Yes,… I understand it works both ways. It needs to be free and (fair) trade though. No country is exclusive/an island.
Theft of tech. (and other stuff) is not good and neither is exporting the jobs of your fellow countrymen. You can toss in political and humane factors if you want to as well.
The best we can do is speak with our dollar.
Chris
Chris,
Actually, it does not work both ways; it is not free or fair either. It only works in our advantage; every single international trade in the world is done in US dollars. The financial world is turning around us, under our control. What you want would only isolate us.
With the countries I listed above, there is no theft of tech, political, or humane factors. Also, remember, there are Toyota, Honda, even Volkswagen assembly plants in the USA.
Fish
Chris,
Fair trade? Think of NAFTA and what a disaster that was (is). Other countries like Mexico and China do not have the labor laws and environmental restrictions that the US has. China is killing their own people with pollution. Remember when the Olympics were held there and China had to shut down the factories in the surrounding area? Mexico dumps everything but the kitchen sink, and maybe that also, into the Rio Grand. Here in the US we try to do the right thing and not pollute the air and water. We have labor laws, OSHA, and such to protect our workers. Mexico, China, and others not so much.
Here in Michigan, we have lost several manufacturing companies such as Brunswick, Electrolux, and even Whirlpool has move some divisions to Mexico. Locally, I worked for Parker Hannifin making hydraulic pumps and motors. They moved our entire gear pump line to Mexico and even sent some of our people down there to instruct them on manufacturing. Within two years they had killed the product with their poor quality.
Level the playing field? That’s a big joke! No way can our workers compete with workers in those countries…unless….we lower our wages, safety, and environmental, to equal theirs. I can say from experience in the QC field, I have seen nothing good come from Mexico. China on the other hand has made good progress in their quality efforts, but still pollution is a big problem.
Geo
Fish
Yep I was going to bring that up about the foriegn stuff being made here.
Crazy world sometimes now days.
B.B.,
I personally was hoping more for a Garand than an M1A, but I’m guessing the M14’s fiberglass upper handguard worked better with their ideas on how to expose the loading port.
Now, how do we go about attaching a dummy magazine to complete the look?
Nathan
Nathan,
Looking at the cocking lever angle I think the dummy magazine may work, but it will add cost.
Mike
Nathan,
So far that has been the biggest desire.
BB
BB, what a good looking rifle. It would be cool to incorporate the synergis style magazine into the
M1A magazine. Maybe an FG42 replica would be neato too, he said sheepishly.
Rob
Rob,
May be an FG42 replica would be cool, but I think I would rather have this,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x6LibuC4N0
Just seems more better to me.
Mike
I’ve been waiting on this review for a while. The realism combined with a spring piston has had me interested. Just wondering how difficult the loading port is to deal with. I don’t have sausage fingers but have a trick thumb. That is interesting about experience with the safety on the original causing the mysterious issue with cocking– some things get to be so second nature that it’s almost like trying to figure out a magic trick.
MOS,
I think older guys and M1A owners could have this happen to them. Most people will pay attention to the instructions and markings.
BB
BB-
‘Most people will pay attention to the instructions….’
I wish I lived in your world. Do you also frequently see unicorns? 😉
BB
Obviously most people don’t include men.
Deck
Okay, guys — I get it! I was just projecting the kind of world we all SHOULD live in! 😉
BB
B.B. and Readership,
I have been trying to think of some other firearm or airgun with a manual SAFETY that FORWARD Isn’t FIRE and REARWARD isn’t SAFE (I know of a few that move side to side or up and down) does anyone know of another example that works the wrong way (my opinion) like this?
shootski
Shootski,
I thought the same thing. “Forward” = ” Fire”. Or at least it does on each of mine.
I suppose with practice, one can get used to the reverse.
But not ideal, if you are used to the standard way. Especially for a safety feature. Thats one of those movements you’d like to be automatic/ muscle memory.
StarboardRower
Shootski,
I wonder if there’s a mechanical reason for it. I suppose we’ll have to wait for someone to do a teardown to find out.
The SKS and MAS49 safeties do work on a forward is safe/rear is fire basis.
Nathan
RR,
No issue/offense here. They will undercut and dominate any way they can. That is clear.
For some reason,…. the TV slogan of,… “Coming soon!!! To a theater near you!!!” comes to mind,………. not sure just why,….. 🙁
Chris
Shootski,
This is Umarex backwards stuff, to put it nicely, these Germans working with the Chinese just do not understand how a safety should work. They do not really care that this is screwed up as long as you spend your money on it. Umarex and Wang Po industries can bend over and take it as far as I am concerned. This ain’t right and they should pay for the stupidity.
RidgeRunner,
Interestingly i think i have experienced German business owners that were good people and really smart and knowledgeable about their trade. I have also known some of the World’s greatest crooked, street smart, and knowledgeable about swindle German Titans of Industry! Adding that knowledge to the Chinese (Oriental) Character flaw of knowing better how to do ANYTHING and we have a binary explosive! Of course Americans have an equally worrisome Flaw bred typically by making do with little starting on the trip from all nations of the World to the USA. Even once the luckiest become hyper wealthy they still squeez every penny HARD especially if it belongs to some other SCHMOE!
If history is any indicator of the future the good people in both countries will eventually take it in the kiester! Once Again.
shootski
Shootski,
I’m thinking that this rifle should have an automatic safety but due to the demand that the safety be a manual that’s what they ended up with.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I think Chanman819 has the right idea that we won’t know the why of the SAFETY until we view the insides and perhaps not even then. Automatic would not be authentic but might have kept from being so obviously backward to the powder burner.
shootski
mos,
off topic reply here. i’ve just found out pa used to sell blowguns.
/product/aftermath-kavi-dartknight-blowgun-48-12-darts?m=3175
fish
Fish
I was going to say that the other day when me and Chris was talking about his 880 he messed with trying to shoot arrows. I said to bad Minute of Something didn’t have his spaghetti shooter back then. Well tell about it anyway back then. He could of had I guess.
But anyway I mentioned I have a modern blow gun some where. But I think I did get it through PA back then.
But yep I knew they sold them at one time. Now I wonder how long ago that was.
Gunfun1,
Yep it would be interesting to know when they were selling… I don’t think it would have been too long ago based on being from Gamo, but I might be wrong on that. I started slinging spaghetti about 3 years ago. That sounds interesting on the 880 arrow shooter. I’ve seen a video or two on Youtube with something similar. I like the idea of a pump-up pneumatic arrow launcher. I feel like the arrows would need to be on the lightweight side to get good trajectory with 880 volume of air.
Minute of Something
Chris tried some different things with his 880. He was close to getting something to shoot pretty good. I think it was BBQ skewers.
And I’m getting ready to mess with a 499 barrel on 3 of my Crosman guns. A 1377 pumper, the 2260 Co2 rifle and one of my Maximus I have. I think I will try your spaghetti shooting idea on one of them. Or who knows maybe each one of the guns.
I think the pumper will be the way to go though. That way the power can be controlled. Fun stuff.
Gunfun1,
Yeah, that’s a great idea to try the 499 barrel on all of those. After you mentioned trying spaghetti in one or more, I remembered a Taofledermaus video I saw where he tries shooting spaghetti out of a breakbarrel pellet rifle. He caught some interesting high speed footage, but the thing is he didn’t use a stabilizer to keep the spaghetti flying straight until impact. Also it looks like it would have had a rifled barrel– I think a smooth bore is a safer bet with the spaghetti. Someone in the comments suggested backing it up with a felt cleaning pellet, which could be a way to add a stabilizer. Not sure if the felt pellet would be too tight for the 499 bore though. Here’s the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wCXYiDsi80
Minute Of Something
I got the 499 barrel yesterday. Had to work overtime last night so I took it with me so I could use the Bridgeport and the lathe but was too busy at work to do anything on it. I’ll have to do it this week at work sometime.
And what I got thought up to do is I have a old 2240 barrel and I’m going to cut it off the length of how much fits in the steel breeches. The I’m going to drill it out so the 499 barrel fits inside. Then I’m going drill through the transfer port hole and into and through the 499 barrel. Going to super glue the 499 barrel inside the drilled out 2240 barrel. Then that assembly will fit in any Crosman/Benjamin steel breech or even the plastic breeches like is on the 2240’s and 1377’s.
Still can’t wait to get it done to see what happens.
GF1,
Good idea for a universal bushing. I like it.
Chris
Chris
I hope it shoots good.
If it does I’ll be getting another barrel. I got more guns I want to try it on.
One will be my Sig MPX.
Fish,
You’ve got good research skills, that is an interesting find. Looks like it was from Gamo. A few years back I would see some blowgun offerings from Gamo in brick n mortar stores, but now it seems like I only see darts from them in the stores, but not the blowguns. Funny to see that it is legal in *most* states, and has a max velocity of 0 fps… hee. Well, that counts as a foot in the door, I believe!
MOS,
Gamo sells it on its website for $12, but the shipping is $15. If I knew for sure it was one piece, I would buy – in case a free shipping coupon worked.
I heard some states are gonna make spaghetti illegal too!? “Sir, are you licensed to carry that spaghetti?” 🙂
I like the gun so far.
But one thing I don’t like is the cocking cover. That being the color. To me it stands out like a sore thumb. I would have to paint it black or something.
GF1,
The upper handguard is colored authentically.
The rifle I am testing is much darker than the stock photo I have shown. Next time I will post a picture of this one. It looks good.
BB
BB
Ok definitely want to see it. But I wonder what they look like on the guns they are shipping now.
Will they be colored like yours?
I still think I would paint it black.
GF1,
As BB stated, the cover is authentic. We even had some with synthetic stocks They were not these cheapy, hollow things you find on air rifles, but were quite substantial. They would easily stand up to a good butt stroke.
RR “Butt stroke” Please explain. I think I know, but? I never served in the military. Too young for one, too old for the other. Father was Army at the very end of Korea. Father-in-law was Navy at the very end of WW2 and neither of them talked much about the weapons they were issued.
Rk,
A butt stroke is when you approach an opponent with your rifle at the ready, pointing toward them with the buttstock at your hip. Just before your muzzle touches their upper chest, you step forward with your with your right foot and with as much force as you can muster, you rotate the buttstock upward, hitting your opponent under the chin with the tip of your buttstock.
If done properly, you will at least break their jaw, if not their neck.
RR,
Bayonet fixed, high port crossover and vertical butstroke! 🙂
BB
BB,
Oh yeah! I am with you! But to a civvy, you would have to explain all of those terms.
Another reason I do not care for the Mattelomatic. It just will not stand up to that kind of abuse.
RidgeRunner,
Both a M14e1 and M-16 (with an original metal Colt 4 position fitted) will do the job and faster. But why did you allow them to get so close???? Unless you are talking strictly a Training Situation…
shootski
Shootski,
Like a friend of mine told his instructor, “i am not using my bayonet if I still have ammunition.”
RR
Kind of like a chest blow when kick boxing. Only you grab them behind their neck when you make the move and use your knee instead. Chest or lower jaw is totally acceptable.
Don’t ask. 😉
GF1,
Chest blow my #(%. Think about it.
GF1,
This is not kick boxing. This is killing.
RR
Yep just like when you break the soldiers kneck with the butt of the gun.
I’m talking self defense. I’m not talking about a match. That is 2 different ball games there. You don’t have to be in a match to kick box.
Nope. I don’t do matches.
RR
Same.
RR
Yes authentic material. But colored brown. That is just plain terrible looking.
Got to be black.
Gunfun1,
M-14 Stocks were made under contract by a number of woodworking companies and supplied to a number of different assembler/manufactures: https://www.m14forum.com/threads/subtle-differences-in-wooden-gi-stock-by-make.165216/
so your idea of making changes to color are all possible to include total black for all the furniture = TRW. The number of field expedient modifications were high on the M-14.
shootski
Shootski
Yep just don’t know why they went that color on the air gun.
BB,
Very interesting. Looking forwards to learning more.
Chris
Very nice history lesson, and a very interesting air rifle. I thought I was done with springers in this power level (I’ve moved to PCPs in this range), but this one has me interested again. I look forward to the next report.
BB,
Flashback! Now this is a battle rifle! Sorry folks, I drift into another world. I was a member of the ship’s Self Defense Force Team and the M14 was our rifle.
I would indeed enjoy the opportunity to play with this air rifle some, but owning one…naaa. I am one of those who is not really fond of replicas. I do like a good many of the features on this air rifle.
Once upon a time I owned a Garand. It was an awesome battle rifle. There were prototypes made for it to take the BAR magazine and selective fire, but the rifle just was not up to it. You really need at least a BAR if you are going rock and roll with that cartridge. Later there were prototypes and a few issued Garands that were chambered for the 7.62 NATO, but it was more rifle than was really needed for that cartridge. Along came the M14.
Where does the safety need to be set at to cock this bugga. Inquiring minds want to know.
If I am not mistaken, I see a touch of Umarex and / or Wang Po Industries in there. 😉
RR,
Safety pulled into the triggerguard.
BB
BB,
OK, in the fire position of this particular air rifle.
RidgeRunner,
https://fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/docs/swos/ops/73PT13/tsld001.htm
Enjoy!
shootski
I’m not in to military rifles and even less so replicas of them but I know that a lot of people are. Still, I have owned a couple of military powder burners and find this one appealing. Glad to see that is a “real” airgun and not just a Co2 platform skinned over.
I am curious if the rifle will perform or if it is just a pretty face. By the velocities it appears to have a decent power plant, looking forward to the accuracy reports. I am not expecting 10 meter match accuracy or MOA at 100 yards but it needs to be able to do sub one inch 10 shot groups at 25 yards to hold my interest.
Hank
Hank,
Those are my concerns, as well. So far, from what has been said, this one’s a winner!
BB
Mildot52,
They really were some clunkers, weren’t they. The American car companies sure did have a difficult time transitioning from the muscle to the mini. Personally, I still do not think they have it right.
RR
If you truly hot rodded the old cars and new cars like I have you would know the difference.
And I’m talking serious hot rodding. Not just playing in your drive way.
How I will leave the conversation is how do you know what you don’t know. I’m always interested in learning. Lets see what we know. 😉
I’m wondering if the sliding breech cover slides automatically or manual?
Would this be a candidate for tiat?
They nailed the look!
The cocking extension is neat, I wonder what the difference in cocking effort is with it in the short position.
The safety being backwards will mess with us that have muscle memory when using one.
This being a springer, I would have normally read the blog as it evolved, and enjoyed the photos, and discussions.
(I am historically not a springer guy.)
But I have been shooting a Pro-Sport for a couple of months now, and actually have been shooting it more than my other guns.
B.B. please report on the weight and FEEL of the rifle compared to the real rifle.
And what the shot cycle is like.
If it’s accurate, maybe a tune or tune in a tube article.
A wood stocked air rifle with good sights, provisions for a scope, and absolutely stunning looks for $200?
Dude, that’s a winner..
Ian
BB
While your showing a picture on the next report of the sliding breech cover let us know if a scope can go on this gun.
Does it accept I guess its called the mil spec scope mount? I have a Daisy M14 semi auto type pellet shooter. I have a mil spec scope mount for it.
If it will go on this M1A I might just get one.
And by the way that M14 that I have has the best 2 stage semi auto/double action trigger that I have ever shot. It’s so smooth and controllable that I wish some of my other guns triggers was like it.
GF1,
There is a scope mount. The sliding upper handguard has nothing to do with it, I don’t think. They aren’t even close.
BB
BB
The hand gaurd wasn’t my concern interfering with the scope or mount if that’s what you mean.
I just wanted to know if that Air Venturi scope mount would mount on this gun your testing. That’s a good thing if it will.
GF1,
Yes, it is made especially for this rifle.
BB
BB
Ok thanks. That is good to know.
Very realistic for $200. It also looks like the scope mount that Air Venturi designed for their M1A is respectful of the one designed for the firearm. The only difference looks like the bushing and lock nut on the M1A airgun scope mount is one piece? Hope that doesn’t matter with this powerful springers recoil.
Kevin
Where are you seeing that at about the scope mount?
/product/air-venturi-m14-scope-mount-system?a=7774
Kevin
Yes that is the mount I have.
And the Daisy M14 I have is the Winchester pellet shooting model they list on that link you gave.
What I want to know and what I asked BB above is will this scope mount work on this M1A BB is reporting on today?
The M14 and M1A mounts are interchangeable on firearms (although you shouldn’t interchange since once the bushing and lock nut are in place properly they only fit the gun they were installed on well) and the one I linked is interchangeable on their airguns. Look at one of the comments in the link I gave you. He’s used his on an M14 and M1A although he did have to shim his scope on his M1A.
Kevin
Ok then that’s good.
And if I remember right the scope was pretty high with even low scope rings. It was not a comfortable cheek weld and line of sight.
And what I found for the shooting I was doing which was kind of rapid fire plinking. The factory open sights worked the best.
So I guess the scope mount is irrelevant but nice to know that it would work on this gun BB is reporting on for someone that wants to scope theirs.
Even on the firearm once you put the scope on, you had a “chin weld”, more than a cheek weld on the stock.
They made many aftermarket cheek pieces that attached to the stocks to give a better cheek weld.
They should work on here as well.
Ian
Thanks Bravo.
I wonder if those cheek risers will work on this gun BB is testing or the Daisy M14 I have.
Kevin,
We shall see.
BB
BB said the rifle comes with a scope mount, it does not. It comes with provisions for a scope mount. A slight communication mishap perhaps. Two brass screw inserts accommodate a side mounted rail assembly.
The AV scope mount suggested is solid metal. It looks like it was originally intended for some airsoft M14’s and carried over to the rest. The ‘Chinaglish’ instructions, on the box, says to attach the support block where the ‘clip guide’ dovetails on to the receiver. Perhaps required for some but not this rifle. It is not even the same size dovetail. It’s not even needed here.
Just tighten up the front mount screw, adjust the hollow spacer nut to contact the receiver, ( After installing it on the side mount itself …tight fit in the mount) then install the rear mount screw through it.
I see a bit of fluff through the peep sight … that’s not there, so I need an alternate sighting device. Old eyes.
The imitation flash hider has about a 21/2″ void space between the tip and barrel muzzle inside and some say it quiets the sound some.
I put a ported muzzle break on my Evanix AR6 and it really helped with that. It just disburses the sound to reduce its impact. I am strongly considering drilling a few holes in the flash hider on this M1A1 to see if it works better. Can’t hurt the looks.
The rubber butt stock pad is actually inserted into a hard plastic butt pad. I like that. It protects the rubber pad edges.
And yes it looks like a cheek riser of some sort would be helpful with a scope.
Bob M
Bob,
Mine came with a scope base in a small cardboard box. I guess that was extra, but it appeared that it came with the rifle. Sorry.
BB
BB
I’ll bet you know somebody ! If not, don’t mention again they might want it back 🙂
Probably in anticipation of testing it for accuracy with a scope.
Mine was in the outer shipping box but I paid extra for it. Did it have a green label with mounting instructions on the box itself? if so its another product they offer.
Bob M
Bob,
Haven’t opened the box yet. Don’t have time now as I’m writing tomorrow’s blog.
BB
BB
I don’t sit here waiting for replies, no rush. In fact I just returned from a hundred mile trip to the car dealership, bank, fast food store and Walmart and last but not least a gas station.
I only use my phone for calls and text.
Mounted a scope today with low rings and the best I could do was touch the stock with the side of my chin. Looking for a cheek riser pad.
Bob
Brovo just mentioned about a cheek riser to me above. I asked if the firearm risers he mentioned would work on this gun.
I want to know because if so I will rescope that Daisy M14 I have.
Bob,
Look at the firearms houses. And look at the Garand parts. That’s where I found mine years ago.
BB
Too bad it is not a semiauto, but single shot compounds the misery. It should at least have an 8 round mag
/product/springfield-armory-m1-carbine-blowback-co2-177cal-bb-rifle?m=4662
Had two M1 carbines, both stopped working after a couple of mags. Magazine spring flew out of one mag , others stopped working. Ended my ownership after second one. If I get another WW2 replica will be a Thompson
Michaelr
Check out the Air Ordinance .22 SMG full auto pellet gun. It kind of looks like a Thompson with a drum.
I have one of the Air Ordinance SMG’s. It’s a fun gun. And it will also shoot semi auto by how far you pull the trigger. And rate of fire is adjustable with a flow control. I have mine set up with a 3000 psi HPA regulated 13 cubic inch bottle. It will do a 50 round belt from 3000 psi down to around 1700 psi. The drum will hold a 200 round belt though which does come with it and you get 100 additional links if I remember right. Maybe 200 links. But then you need a bigger capacity air bottle. But pretty fun to shoot though.
Just thought I would mention it after you said the Thompson.
Judging by the number of comments already, this looks like a lot of interest in this air rifle. I will enjoy the rest of this review very much.
birdmove,
Good to hear from you. How’s your health?
BB
Thank you Gor asking Tom! It seems I have, at least temporarily, beat the prostate cancer. My PSA has held at less than .06 for two years now after two years if lupron, one laser surgery, and 40 radiation treatments. I’ll be 67 on Sunday. After all this, I had Been working out at home. I had worked up to about a 50 minute routine, when I suddenly got a hernia. I go see a surgeon on Dec. 11th.Had to quit the exercise routine so as not to make the hernia worse. I’m walking every day now. That and telling friends that, for my birthday, I got a shiny new hernia!! Eventually, I’ll have to fly to Oahu for the surgery, because Kaiser Permanente doesn’t”t do high tech stuff on the big island. And a blown right knee.
Now, all this doesn’t mean I’ve turned into a cantankerous old geezer. Well, the geezer part is true. My wife and I are helping our daughter and granddaughter. That keeps us busy. Daughter is a single mom, divorced. Taught her to shoot an air rifle and am giving her my Umarex APX NPG, which is a good shooter with RWS Meisterkugeln rifle pellets. I check in here to your blog every day, and have for years.
Don’t know much about hernias. I believe it’s an inguinal. Sorry to inflict you all with this, but, even during the worst of the dancer, I stayed positive. I’d like to be around to see my ten year old granddaughter graduate from college. I still shoot my airguns in my back yard on our acre about 12 miles from Hilo.
Birdmove,
I’ll be praying for your continued remission. From what I know and experiencing from my Father (83) you should be able to see your granddaughter for quite sometime. Hernias are par for the course especially when the prostate problem was ignored for sometime. You have good doctors and good health care. Don’t see a reason for you not get what you want.
Siraniko
Birdmove,
Good to hear. Hang in there.
Chris
Birdmove,
Thanks for the update. Know that I pray for you every day! 🙂
BB
Birdmove,
A very Happy Birthday to you it seems we share the same day, Sunday the first of November 1953, Sunday this year too.
The clock says it is about 6:40 where you are and I hope you had a fine Birthday dinner and enjoy the evening.
Thoughts and prayers for your continued health, and on the hernia, been there, done that. It will not be fun kinda painful but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Best wishes,
Mike
Thank you, Mike! And, I hope you had a happy birthday too!
Birdmove,
Maligayang Kaarawan! Happy Birthday!
Siraniko
Thank you, Siraniko!!
B.B. and Readership,
Off topic for todays blog but spot on for a recent topic:
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/where-does-rifle-cant-begin-to-matter.251661/page-2#lg=attachment222159&slide=0
The entire thread is fun to read! What don’t some of them know?
shootski
I really like the looks of this rifle. And I for one hope it doesn’t weigh a ton and has a decent shot cycle.
BB
Can you tell us if it looks easy to take apart so it might be “tuned” if the owner was so inclined?
Thanks
Ray
Ray,
At 9.9# per PA site,.. that puts it on the heavy side for a springer.
Chris
( then again, that extra weight “might” mean a little bit extra quality ) Maybe?
Dude, that’s heavier than a Pro-Sport, and that’s a heavy rifle..
ray1377,
It doesn’t look that straightforward to me.
BB
BB
Found a nice cheek riser.
They are not hard to find.
Bob
Thanks for posting that.
I look forward to more reports on this interesting airgun.
BB,
You have started testing a rifle that I really admire! My formative years wearing the OD green started with Mattie Mattel’s favorite plastic poodle shooter (my basic training rifle was made by GM, HydraMatic division). Much later, I was fortunate enough to join an Army Reserve rifle team, and had the opportunity to shoot a NM model of the M14. Such a revelation, especially at 600 yards!
If this replica can shoot with reasonable accuracy, I may have to raid my piggy bank to get one.
Do you think that an ‘original’ butt plate might fit on this one? (M1A’s are a little rich for my blood, but this might just be a cheaper to own and fun alternative).
Once again, thanks for my favorite moments of the day.
Bill
I have to chime in with others here who question the logic of the backward safety. And I apologize in advance as I find it really frustrating, as a consumer; try as I might, I’m probably going to sound irritable.
Frankly, I’m impressed with how polite most people are, in tolerating what I see as ultimately a dangerous lack of concern–or maybe the equally dangerous lack of even a functional understanding–on the part of the gun’s designers, of why any manually-disengaged safety feature is even there in the first place.
If nothing else, I’d want Air Venturi and/or SA to know that this “detail” is an INSTANT disqualifier for me. You go to that much trouble for cosmetic replication–it is indeed beautiful–and then take a critical, functional, ergonomic component (a safety component at that) and make it functional, but backward?
And not just backward, in this case. That would be merely annoying on ergonomic and training grounds. No, this actually looks to be another case of “stick your finger into the trigger guard to make the gun ‘safe'”,
about which I’ve felt compelled to write before. Are you listening, designers? To dismiss this objection as trivial is to “absolutely, totally, and in all other ways” misunderstand the nature of the objection.
Seriously, can someone help me understand how this sort of derp makes it through legal? Because even if I put aside my (strenuous) distaste for design decisions taken for fear of liability over excellence of design, how can anyone not see the massive liability potential of any “safety” that requires putting your finger into the trigger guard to engage? There’s a reason you don’t see crap like that on actual firearms, and yet don’t we labor to insist (properly!) that airguns are no more toys than their noisier, range-ier counterparts? WTH?
Holy cow, I want to like rifles like this one. It looks splendid. Sights look good. I bet you could even figure out how to get a Langlois Rhodesian sling to work with the underlever. If the trigger and accuracy are good enough, it would seem to be nearly perfect for working precision singles. But the safety, alone–even aside from the liability thing–pooches the entire deal, because the manual safety is part of the firing stroke, no less than trigger or sights. Even if the safety isn’t ever engaged, you still train to disengage it every time the gun comes to the shoulder. And here we have a lovely, looker “replica” that will actually turn the lights OFF, when the user makes the correct stroke to turn them ON.
This mystifies me. I know I’m “outside the demographic” in pretty much everything, but still.
Sorry, vent off now. I know I can just ignore such designs, and I seriously appreciate that B.B. is the sort of reporter that makes discovering those details before purchase, possible. I admit I’ll still be curious about how the accuracy, sights, and trigger turn out here, but this is a no-go before it ever got started.
Kevin,
If Edith were here she would tell you of the holes I have put in the walls and ceiling for things like the backwards safety. I didn’t mention it before but your diatribe pushed my button.
Yes to what you just said.
BB
Thank you for that, B.B. I am sure you quite graciously walk more than one line like this, just given your position and breadth, and truthfully I’d not expected that you would address this specific question one way or the other. I’d not have judged you for if you didn’t, but here you seem to validate several of the very best things I’ve come to believe of you.
I really hope some of those “little” things do get sorted out, in the larger scheme of things, because man, I get jazzed about the
possibilities
of modern replica airguns for education and training, both for ourselves and for new generations (of all ages) of enthusiasts.
I’m ready to shout real design excellence from the rooftops! (My own meager reach, of course, may never be all that great,
being so often off-the-demographic as I am, but I like to think that my loyalty to faithful design and principle would make up for that. 🙂
Kevin,
The lawyer is not a gun user. He just looks at the paper specs which state that the trigger pull weighs so many pounds and that there is a safety and thus gives the corporate OK. That is all that matters in their legal minds. Never mind that the safety is actually making the item unsafe.
Siraniko
Sure, that’s probably what it is, an entirely re-active rather than pro-active attitude, but once you see the problem for what it is you can hardly un-see it. 🙂