M1A: The Background

In 1962, the government's Springfield Armory--the U.S. arsenal in Massachusetts that is linked by name only to the current Illinois-based company--was instructed to create some modified M14-based rifles for competition use.

The guns were to have a number of modifications which basically worked toward the same end: the new rifles would have no full-automatic fire selector. Where practical, semi-auto M1 parts were installed to replace selective fire components. (See "The First M1As," American Rifleman, Aug., 1990).

Despite complying with ATF guidelines for a rifle readily suitable for sale to civilians, the gun ran afoul of DCM's Maj. Gen. Nelson M. Lynde. Gen. Lynde felt the new rifles were not DCM-compliant as they could not be converted back to military issue configuration in the event of a national emergency.

However, in 1974 the then-newly formed Springfield Armory (now Springfield, Inc.) resurrected the design and petitioned for its approval for competition use. This time DCM relented on the stipulation that the company maintain the outward appearance of the M14 (except for the selector switch). Springfield Armory agreed. It dubbed the rifle the M1A and apprehensively brought it to market.