I have this old new M1A1 made in 1973

[jeep]

My old rifle is a unfired early 1973 Springfield Armoury ,Divine Texas NM M1A1 rifle. All parts are G.I. TRW bolt,HR trigger group, SA operating rod,G.I stock ,Serial range ##1200. Is it all right to shoot in match? Or should I keep it unfired? Are the early Springfields from Divine Texas any good?

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[Phil McGrath]

My old rifle is a unfired early 1973 Springfield Armoury ,Divine Texas NM M1A1 rifle. All parts are G.I. TRW bolt,HR trigger group, SA operating rod,G.I stock ,Serial range ##1200. Is it all right to shoot in match? Or should I keep it unfired? Are the early Springfields from Divine Texas any good?

Yes you can use it in Matches, as a Service Rifle. If its a stock rifle with no NM upgrades it won't fair as well as a rifle that has had the upgrades. A "Devine" rifle is worth a few extra sheckes and like anything condition is everything, I would sell it and build a NM spec M1A rifle or use it only a few times just for fun too say yea I shot it in a Match.

[jeep]

This rifle is a NM with glass bedding and 1967 dated U.S. Canandian contract match barrel with Devine stamping's on the barrel by the gas plug. T.E less than 1 on back and less than 1 on the muzzle. Early fat stock with hump on bottom.

[Phil McGrath]

This rifle is a NM with glass bedding and 1967 dated U.S. Canandian contract match barrel with Devine stamping's on the barrel by the gas plug. T.E less than 1 on back and less than 1 on the muzzle. Early fat stock with hump on bottom.

Well you didn't say you had a Canadian Arsenal barrel in your first post, congrats there nice barrels. Shoot in in a High Power its legal as a Service Rifle as is. Treat it nice and don't abuse it, as it is its woth more too someone looking for a NM Devine than it is as a shooter. Its your rifle do with it as you wish but you could sell it for a pretty hefty chunk and offset the cost of a high end NM build that would shoot much better if you could call the shot.

[jeep]

I have it heard that it would go twice the price of a new one made today. It has not been fired ,but a few magazines full 3 decades ago. The older fellow I got it from bought it in the early 1970's because he had one in the service in the 1960's just to have one. Back then they were $499 for the NM.

[Midmichigun]

Jeep,
I for one, would appreciate some photos of your rifle! I am a fan of the M1A1, and recently did enough research to hear about the Devine's.
Sounds like you have quite the rifle! Congrats!!

[NRA]

yes, pictures please

[jeep]

here is pictures,there is red mobil one grease on action. I have not shot it,but throat& muzzle TE less than 1 both ends. The first owner test fired it some 3-4 decades ago .

[NRA]

Nice! I want one

[jeep]

I have talked to Elmer Balance the founder and owner of Springfield armory till he sold it to Reese. He told me he had Air Force master match workers help him make the rifles from the shooting team at Lackland base. Elmer was a top shot and won many match's himself. All so at Camp Perry . Melvin Smith did all the machining and hand polished the contours on these early Texas M1A's. Elmer himself is a master gunsmith himself. He is 84 years old now and a Korean war veteran. He was a B29 superfortess gunner. Elmer coined the brand name for the Springfield amory by using it on his Texas M1A company rifle company back then per ATF rulings . Allso the term we know today as the M1A which was founded because the ATF would not let the M14 model name to be used on the semi clone. These were the early days of the real M1A made in Texas. They had all G.I. parts and were made right as can be made. Thankyou Elmer Balance. I tip a Lone Star beer to your honor,sir!