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Federal Ordnance M14 type rifle serial number 22XX was inspected in the factory on February 26, 1987. Likewise, rifle serial number 677X was inspected at the factory on November 17, 1989. Federal Ordnance receivers machined while Jack Karnes was on board were of good quality.

1. On any and all of the M14's, including those made by National Ordnance and Federal Ordnance, I strongly recommend the research and work done by Lee Emerson, author of He left 50% of National Ordnance to Walter Rayno, the machine shop foreman, and 50% to Jessie LaMont, Arnold also indicated the serial numbers used The first two blocks, he didn't.
2. Federal Ordnance M14 I was gifted a Federal Ordnance M14 and would like to find out it's value if I can. I have researched it and understand that it's a higher serial number model (22,200 range) assembled with Chinese parts. I have completely disassembled it, cleaned it, and inspected it for wear.
3. Serial number 455631 My notes say this was a TRW rifle, but the charts above say it should be H&R. My notes are taken from the receiver of the rifle, but I coulda made a mistake, like left a '1' off the beginning. This is the rifle I had as permanent party at Fort Leonard Wood. Serial number 1292424 TRW This was the rifle I had at BCT at Fort Ord.
4. Federal Ordnance M14 type rifle serial number 22XX was inspected in the factory on February 26, 1987. Likewise, rifle serial number 677X was inspected at the factory on November 17, 1989. Federal Ordnance receivers machined while Jack Karnes was on board were of good quality.

Part 2

The Commercial M14

U. S. Commercial Production of the M14 Type Rifle

Commercial production of the M14 type rifle began by 1971 and continues to the present day. The following list is not complete but based on observation of serial numbers, U. S. commercial manufacturers have produced at least this many M14 type receivers as listed in the table below. Note that some manufacturers (Armscorp of America, Maunz Match Rifle, Smith Enterprise, Inc., and Springfield Armory, Inc.) have issued custom serial numbers to receivers. Custom serial numbers are not accounted for in this table.

A batch of fifty to 100 investment cast AISI 8620 alloy steel 80 % semi-automatic receivers were made between 1972 and 1975 but had not been finish machined as of November, 2004. These receivers are marked as follows on the receiver heel

M W G ASSAULT-1 BARBERTON OH.

The serial number is on the left side of the receiver at the rear. The letters M W G are located on the flat surface just behind the rear sight. The letters M W G were cast into the receiver.

Shogun 2 total war fall of the samurai crack fix pirate. Characteristics of Commercial Receivers

Cast receivers - A. R. Sales Co., some Armscorp of America, Armscorp USA, Federal Ordnance, Hesse, H&R Gun Co., Maunz Match Rifle, Maunz Mfg., some Smith Enterprise, Smith, Ltd. and Springfield Armory, Inc. receivers are made by the investment casting method. Investment casting has existed in China for centuries. However, it did not gain industrial significance until after World War II with the demand for aircraft and aerospace parts. Investment casting allows complex shapes and thin sections to be formed with very close dimensional tolerances. It is common practice for the rifle manufacturer to design and own the casting die for the receiver. Any repairs or modifications to the receiver die are normally the responsibility of the owner.

Billet machined and forged receivers - Entreprise Arms and some Armscorp of America and Smith Enterprise receivers are machined from raw billet. Information on how Sarco M21 receivers were manufactured has not been available to date. Chinese and LRB Arms receivers are drop forged. The rifle manufacturer, typically, owns the receiver forging dies and is responsible for any maintenance on the dies.

Receiver Barrel Ring - Chinese, LRB Arms, Fulton Armory and some Springfield Armory, Inc. receivers have a distinct machined flat surface with a longitudinal edge on the top of the barrel ring. After the first 4620 Springfield Armory, Inc. receivers, the presence of this flat surface on the top of the barrel ring is found sporadically until a serial number just above 030000. The flat surface on the barrel ring is present on serial numbers 0062XX, 00623X, 00724X and 01899X but is not on 015XXX, 020XXX, 0210XX and 0301XX.

Caliber Marking - Springfield Armory, Inc. used upper case letters MM as part of the 7.62-MM caliber receiver marking until at least serial number 000326. At some point between serial numbers 000326 and 000527, Springfield Armory, Inc. changed the abbreviation for millimeter to a lower case mm on its receivers. Springfield Armory, Inc. used to include the stamping 7.62-mm or 7.62mm as part of the receiver marking. The 7.62-mm marking is the more common of the two. Additionally, where the caliber is indicated as 7.62mm (no hyphen) the model number is stamped as M-1A (with hyphen) instead of the usual M1A model number. Receiver serial numbers are 616XX and 66857 are stamped with 7.62mm (no hyphen) and M-1A (with hyphen).

The 7.62 millimeter caliber markings began with serial number 000001 and remained as part of the heel stamping until at least serial number 0630XX. By serial number 063112 the caliber marking no longer appears on M1A receivers. Thus, in March, 1991 the 7.62-mm and 7.62mm markings were dropped because Springfield Armory, Inc. was producing the M1A in different calibers, e.g., .243 Winchester (see Other Calibers).

Millimeter is stamped with an upper case MM on Armscorp of America, Armscorp USA, Entreprise Arms, Fulton Armory, LRB Arms, Smith, Ltd., Smith Enterprise, and some imported Poly Technologies receivers. On most Chinese M14 type rifles imported into the United States the caliber is typically denoted .308 but will be indicated on the barrel if not on the receiver. A Poly Technologies M14/S rifle, serial number 0653, has been observed with the receiver heel caliber stamping 7.62 NATO.

Receiver Scope Mount Horizontal Groove and Bolt Hole - Some commercial receivers have horizontal grooves too shallow and narrow to accommodate military specification side three point scope mounts, e.g., Brookfield Precision Tool and Sadlak Industries. The USGI drawing specification for the horizontal groove is 0.149 '; wide at the top of the groove with a sixty degree angle from the bottom of the groove. Commercial receiver horizontal grooves can measure as narrow as 0.120 '; at the top of the groove. Early production Smith Enterprise, Inc. receiver scope mount bolt holes were made with a pitch of twenty-four threads per inch. This is the only known exception for M14 type receivers which otherwise accept a Number 12 - 32 NEF thread screw.

Commercial Receiver Geometry

The commercial semi-automatic M14 type receivers have no selector lug, no operating rod rail center notch, and no groove on the front underside of the operating rod rail. The dismount notch for the operating rod is located at the rear end of the operating rod rail on all U. S. and semi-automatic Chinese commercial receivers. Springfield Armory, Inc. and Smith Enterprise, Inc. select fire receivers have both the rear and center operating rod dismount notches as well as the cut on the under side of the forward end of the operating rod rail. If a receiver is USGI manufacture or Chinese made select fire capable, it will not have this rear dismount notch.

Many of the U. S. commercial receivers (Springfield Armory, Inc., Armscorp USA, Fulton Armory, etc.) have operating rod rails wider than the USGI specification. Operating rod rail width has been measured on Armscorp receivers as follows: 1) serial number 10451 manufactured in April, 1993 – 0.232 ” 2) serial number 15906 manufactured in January, 2000 – 0.258 ” 3) serial numbers 17011 and 17013 both manufactured in July, 2003 – 0.316 ”. The Armscorp USA receiver operating rod rail is also machined differently from USGI specification to prevent the bolt roller from slamming back. Current production Armscorp USA receiver operating rod rail channels are deliberately undersized to accept operating rods with worn tabs, because new USGI operating rods ones are scarce.

The Fulton Armory receiver operating rod rail measures about 0.140 ” wider than the USGI receiver operating rod rail specification (0.130 ” – 0.01 ”). Canadian import Norinco receiver operating rod rails are approximately 2 mm wider than the USGI drawing specification. The select fire Springfield Armory, Inc. receiver operating rod rail is 1/8 '; wide while its semi-automatic receivers are made with one 3/16 '; or 13/64 '; wide. The wider operating rod rail provides more bedding surface and complicates conversion to select fire.

Semi-automatic M14 type receivers will not have the selector lug and operating rod rail machining cuts. Springfield Armory, Inc. M25 and some Norinco M305 receivers do not have the scope mount recoil lug on the left side. Armscorp USA, Smith Enterprise, Springfield Armory, Inc. and Entreprise Arms also make rear lugged and double lugged receivers for competition shooting. The receiver lug or lugs are welded on to the receiver. Fulton Armory offers rear lugged receivers. Springfield Armory, Inc. has offered a rear lugged receiver since 1989 and LRB Arms has done so since 2003. Smith Enterprise has added lugs to receivers upon customer request since at least 1991. Receiver lugs are welded on with two known exceptions. About 1985 or 1986, Smith Manufacturing produced rear lugged receivers from castings for Armscorp of America. Karl Maunz designed and marketed a bolted receiver front lug in 1986 (see Karl Maunz).

Manufacturing Difficulty and Forgiveness – Even though the M14 receiver is essentially an updated 1936 design, it is not easily machined into final form. As of 2005, a five axis CNC machining center is still not capable of performing all of the cuts necessary to bring the receiver to final form. Some cuts still require manual manipulation of a cutting tool to complete the form to blueprint specification. However, it is a very forgiving design in that many of the machining cuts are purely cosmetic. For example, the top edge contour from the rear sight pocket to the barrel ring, the relief cut above the bolt lock, the barrel ring top center and left hand corner, and the heel corner symmetry on commercial receivers are often not identical to USGI receivers but accuracy and function are not affected in the least.

Comparison of USGI and Springfield Armory, Inc. Select Fire Receivers - There are six minor differences between the commercial Springfield Armory, Inc. select fire receiver and a USGI receiver: 1) the commercial receiver has a rear dismount notch 2) receiver heel stampings reflect either USGI contractor or the commercial Springfield Armory, Inc. manufacture 3) the USGI receiver has a drawing number, 7790189, stamped underneath the operating rod rail forward of the center dismount notch 4) the USGI receiver has a machining fixture alignment hole in the right receiver leg 5) the commercial receiver selector lug is neatly welded on and 6) some, if not all, factory Springfield Armory, Inc. receivers have a small hemisphere machined on the outboard side of the receiver rear sight pocket right ear. Otherwise, they look the same. An examination of both select fire receivers under the heel, rear sight base and stripper clip guide show almost identical underside machining cuts.

Presently, only Armscorp USA, Inc., Entreprise Arms, LRB of Long Island, Inc. and Springfield Armory, Inc. are producing M14 type receivers in the United States. Smith Enterprise, Inc. has definite plans to manufacture M14 type receivers in the future.

U. S. Commercial Manufacture Select Fire M14 Type Rifles

Civilians may own select fire M14 type rifles in the United States of America as long as federal, state and local laws are complied with. However, the May 19, 1986 McClure-Volkmer Firearms Owners Protection Act ceased new production of select fire M14 type rifles allowed for civilian possession under the registration provisions of the 1934 National Firearms Act. Converted and new commercial manufacture receivers were registered under the National Firearms Act by approved ATF Form.

Since 1971, U. S. commercial manufacturers have produced more than 254,000 M14 type rifles but less than one percent of them are select fire capable. An estimated 1000 to 2000 factory made Springfield Armory, Inc. (Geneseo, IL) and a few more than 176 Smith Enterprise select fire rifles were produced before May 19, 1986.

At least three Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A rifles made by the Texas company have been identified as NFA registered select fire conversion models. One of them is serial number 000908 and another is 001691. The third Texas M1A was converted by Federal Firearms Licensee Stan Andrewski. A small number of Illinois M1A rifles were converted to select fire after they left the factory and registered under the National Firearms Act. Rock Island Armory (Geneseo, IL), the late J. D. Farmer of Hard Times Armory (GA), and Federal Firearms Licensees Charles Erb and Neal Smith were businesses who legally performed such work. For example, Hard Times Armory is the manufacturer who converted M1A serial number 014748 to select fire. The highest serial number Springfield Armory, Inc. National Firearms Act registered select fire M1A observed is 038770. It is a 1986 factory built select fire model.

Camp Perry Military Reservation

Camp Perry Military Reservation is a 640 acre Ohio National Guard marksmanship training center. It is the largest small arms firing range in the world. Camp Perry is located on the shore of Lake Erie about eighty miles west of Cleveland, OH. Since 1907, military and civilian shooters have participated in the National Rifle Association and National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice / Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) national matches conducted each summer. Collectively, these are known as the “National Matches.” The M14 M and M14 NM were first shot at Camp Perry at the 1963 National Rifle Matches. The M14 NM was first used in competition at Camp Perry in 1964 and was used by the U. S. Marine Corps as late as 1996. Since then, it has been replaced by the M16 style rifle for competition at Camp Perry.

John C. Garand retired in April, 1953 from Springfield Armory. He did some consulting work for Mathewson Tool Company in 1954 on the T44E4 rifle, test version of the M14. He visited the National Matches at Camp Perry every summer with 1961 being his last trip there. As part of his annual visit to Camp Perry, Mr. Garand visited the TRW test facilities in the summer of 1961 at the adjacent Erie Ordnance Depot while developmental work was being done on the M14 NM. TRW occupied four brick buildings at the Erie Ordnance Depot. The U. S. Coast Guard has office spaces in one of these buildings in 2005. In the early 1960s, Erie Ordnance Depot warehoused hundreds of thousands of M1 Garand and M14 rifles.

From 1960 until at least 1968, men such as Elmer Ballance, Karl Maunz, and Richard Smith participated in the shooting competition at Camp Perry. Melvin Smith was at Camp Perry each year during this period selling welded M1 Garand receivers and parts to civilian competition shooters. From the early 1960s until 1974, civilian competitors used the M1 Garand rifle and military shooters were equipped with the M14 rifle. Before 1960 until some time in the mid-1970s as many as 3,500 civilians competing at Camp Perry each summer were housed in hundreds of four man wood huts. The wood huts had originally been built to house Prisoners-of-War during World War II. In the 1960s, they were labeled with automobile license plates to assist the residents in locating their assigned huts. Most of these wood huts were torn down a long time ago but a few dozen still remain in February, 2005. These wood huts were approximately 16 feet square. In the 1960s, each hut had four single military bunk beds and a wall-mounted rifle rack for the occupants.

From about 1970 until 1986, civilian competitors traded M14 rifle parts amongst themselves from these wood huts and from their automobiles. This practice was known as “tailgating.” Karl Maunz started an informal association of competition shooters in 1984 in Atlanta, GA known as the American Shooters Union. The American Shooters Union had set up a place to buy, sell and trade M14 parts in 1985 amongst the Commercial Row at Camp Perry. Camp Perry officials put a halt to tailgating as of 1986. In response, Karl Maunz and other members of the American Shooters Union opened a firearm parts and accessories store known as Uncle Sam’s. The store was located at 4484 W. Lakeshore Port Clinton, OH, directly across the highway from the entrance to Camp Perry. In the summer of 1986, Uncle Sam’s sold used M14 parts and other firearms related items. From their 1986 catalog, some of the M14 parts prices are as follows: complete bolt $35.00, stripped bolt $25.00, barrel $75.00, flash suppressor $15.00, gas cylinder $15.00, operating rod $30.00, fiberglass stock $10.00, complete rear sight assembly $15.00, complete USGI M14 parts kit $239.95, Accuracy Lug $39.95, and Maunz Mfg. receivers for $239.95.

Springfield Armory, Inc.

Springfield Armory, Inc. is the oldest and largest commercial manufacturer of M14 type rifles. In 1994, it was renamed Springfield, Inc. for a time. Springfield Armory, Inc. has been located in Geneseo, Illinois since 1974 when Bob Reese became the owner. While at Camp Perry in August, 1973, Bob Reese took a photograph of Karl Maunz with a U. S. Marine utility cover (hat) on his head and a M1A rifle in his hands posing in the offhand position. Mr. Maunz borrowed the utility cover for the photograph from a friend present at the time. This photograph was drawn as an illustration and became the company’s logo by no later than 1979. At the suggestion of Colonel Joe Smith, head of the DCM, in August, 1973 at Camp Perry, Karl Maunz encouraged Mr. Reese to shoot the M1A rifle in a DCM match and he did so.

Texas Production

The Springfield Armory, Inc. story begins with U. S. Air Force veteran Mr. Elmer Ballance of Devine, Texas. His last name is correctly spelled with two lower case letters “L.” He started his business, L. H. Gun Co., in 1960 while stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The base had a housing subdivision named Lackland Heights. To save time writing, he named his company, L. H. Gun Co. “L. H.” is an abbreviation for Lackland Heights. While serving in the Air Force, Mr. Ballance shot the M14 rifle in competition on the All Air Force High Power Team. He completed his military service in 1964. After that, he built match grade M1 Garand rifles for competition shooters.

The U. S. Army Springfield Armory had closed down in April, 1968. During the NRA National Matches at Camp Perry in the summer of 1968, the closure of Springfield Armory was a topic of discussion among the attendees including Elmer Ballance, Karl Maunz and Melvin Smith. These three men and an unnamed fourth person, held two or three meetings during August, 1968 in one of the wood huts used to house civilian competitors. During one of these meetings, there was a Buckeye beer case full of Melvin Smith welded M1 Garand receivers wrapped in newspaper in the middle of the hut. It was in this meeting that Karl Maunz voiced his suggestion to name the business venture that would produce commercial M14 type rifles, “Springfield.” This was agreed to by the four men present. That particular wood hut still stood in February, 2005.

Subsequent to this, Mr. Ballance began the process to acquire the name “Springfield Armory” for production of his commercial version of the M14 rifle. In late 1969, Mr. Ballance commenced work on making the dream of civilian M14 type rifles become reality. Though banks refused to fund his dream, this did not deter him. Mr. Ballance raised the funds himself. He and Melvin Smith of Valley Ordnance Co. worked together to get the equipment set up for production of the civilian receiver and complete rifles at their respective facilities in Texas and Pennsylvania. Some of the machinery and parts which Mr. Ballance purchased for the project came from the Harrington & Richardson M14 production facility.

During this time, Mr. Ballance also modified less than fifty Springfield Armory and Winchester M1 Garand receivers to accept the M14 barrel and gas system, to function with M14 magazines, and to fit in M14 stocks. This was completed prior to September, 1971. These are the first commercial production M14 type rifles ever made. One of these modified M1 Garand receiver semi-automatic M14 rifles was sold by Collector Firearms in Houston, Texas in 2004 for $2500.00. The workmanship on these modified M1 Garand receivers is excellent.

Mr. Ballance began marketing the M1A rifle in September, 1971. In October, 1971, his Federal Firearms License was in the name of his business, L. H. Gun Company at 3426 Weir Avenue San Antonio, TX 78226. The M1A rifle was first advertised in Shotgun News in the November 01, 1971 issue. About this time, BATF Agents informed Mr. Ballance that he could not market the M1A rifle because the receiver markings did not bear the name and address of the manufacturer or the distributor. Mr. Ballance promptly applied for a new Federal Firearms License in the name of Springfield Armory, Inc. He agreed to indicate the address on the barrel. Thus, L. H. Gun Company became Springfield Armory, Inc. The name of the closed government arsenal, Springfield Armory, was well known by the public and especially by competition shooters. It turned out to be a successful marketing strategy.

Production of newly manufactured investment cast M1A receivers began at the end of 1971. For example, M1A receiver serial number 000065 was received by the buyer on December 24, 1971. These M1A rifles were assembled from USGI and National Match M14 parts except for the receiver and select fire parts. The Texas business warranted M1A rifles for one year.

In January, 1972 Valley Ordnance Co. (Wilkes-Barre, PA) was prepared to manufacture all major M1A components. Melvin Smith and Elmer Ballance agreed that Valley Ordnance would be responsible for the manufacture of the components parts and for maintaining an adequate supply of spare parts. Valley Ordnance would handle all quality control on receivers and any barrels that it might make. L. H. Gun Company would supervise all quality control during assembly and final testing and would have the sole right to sell M1A rifles. A large stack of customer orders had been building up. The San Antonio plant was not able to meet the demand. So, the L. H. Gun Company was forced to move to a new facility in Devine, TX. Beginning on February 03, 1972, Springfield Armory, Inc. moved operations and inventory about thirty-five miles to Route 1 Devine, TX 78016. No M1A rifles or receivers were shipped until after an amended Federal Firearms License with the new address was issued on March 23, 1972.

Guns Illustrated conducted a test of a bedded but rack grade M1A with a Winchester chromium plated M14 barrel in January, 1973. The rifle consistently shot 1.5 to 2 MOA out to 500 yards using 1968 Lake City 173 grain Match and Sierra 168 grain Match hand load ammunition. The M1A became eligible for use in NRA High Power shooting matches on January 01, 1974. The NRA had modified Rule 3.1.1 in the High Power Rifle Rule Book to allow commercial made M14 type rifles to be used in competition shooting matches. At about the same time, the American Rifleman tested and reviewed M1A serial number 001562 in the March, 1974 issue.

Federal Ordnance M14 Serial Number

In early May, 1974 Springfield Armory, Inc. moved operations and inventory to 12106 Radium Drive in San Antonio to cut costs. Production ceased temporarily while equipment and inventory was moved from the Devine facility to the San Antonio facility and set up. An application was submitted to the BATF on May 13, 1974 to change the address on the Federal Firearms License. The new FFL was not issued by the BATF until late September, 1974. Springfield Armory, Inc. at 12106 Radium Drive San Antonio, TX 78216 shipped M1A stripped and barreled receivers to customers until the end of October, 1974.

Mr. Ballance never made or converted any M1A or M14 type rifles to select fire. All of the Texas M1A receiver serial numbers start with a zero. It is not possible to determine the original model of a Texas M1A by serial number. The serial numbers were logged in as ';manufactured complete'; regardless of model type, standard, National Match or E2. The serial number was logged a receiver if shipped unassembled. Some of the Texas M1A receivers were assembled into complete rifles by U. S. Army armorers at Fort Benning, GA. 150 of the M1A rifles assembled in Texas were fitted with T44E4 wood stocks with the selector cutout filled in, e.g., M1A serial number 001830.

Texas M1A Models

From a L. H. Gun Co. brochure mailed on January 06, 1973 from Devine, Texas, M1A models and prices were as follows:

Standard model with fiberglass stock $200.00

Standard model with new walnut stock $225.00 or used walnut stock $215.00

Standard model with new beech stock $215.00 or used beech stock $200.00

M1AE2 with birch stock $250.00

M1AE2 with bipod $275.00

Match grade model with walnut stock $250.00

New issue bayonet $5.00

Texas Barrel Markings

All M1A complete rifles assembled in Texas had barrels with the complete address where it was assembled. These barrel markings are typically located on the underside between the gas cylinder and the flash suppressor. There were three barrel markings for the Texas company. The marking L H GUN CO S A TEX 78226 was found on the first 100 rifles assembled by Mr. Ballance. Additionally, a few of these hand stamped barrels were shipped to Fort Benning, GA. This stamping was done by hand in two lines using serif font characters. L H GUN CO is on the first line and S A TEX 78226 is on the second line.

The barrel marking then changed to RT I BOX 2I0 DEVINE TEX or RT I BX 210 DEVINE TX. Initially, the Devine address marking was in two lines with RT I BOX 2I0 or RT I BX 210 on the first line then DEVINE TEX or DEVINE TX on the second line. The two line Devine address marking has been observed as late as M1A serial number 000567. By serial number 000812, this marking was changed to one line (RT I BOX 2I0 DEVINE TEX) to avoid indexing the barrel. The third Texas barrel marking is 12106 RADIUM SA TEX 78216. This third barrel marking appeared on the barrels some time between June and October, 1974. This address is a one line marking. The first Devine address barrel markings appeared sporadically on assembled M1A rifles beginning at about serial number 00013X. For example, barreled M1A receivers 000172 and 000214 had no address markings. The original owner received both barreled M1A receivers on April 21, 1972 from L. H. Gun Company in San Antonio, TX. The Devine address marking continued until at least M1A serial number 002127 in April, 1974. The Radium San Antonio address marking appears as early as M1A serial number 002167 in September, 1974.

Springfield Armory, Inc. in Texas marked the barrels at the time of rifle assembly. Barrels with the simple address of DEVINE TEX or DEVINE TX are not barrels marked by Springfield Armory, Inc. when it was located in Texas. Mr. Ballance never used Canadian Arsenals barrels in the assembly of M1A rifles because he did not have any from that maker in his parts inventory. Mr. Ballance gave some stripped M1A receivers to armorers at Fort Benning as payment for assembly of other M1A receivers into complete rifles.

A very few Texas marked barrels were sent to Geneseo, Illinois. The barrels on the first M1A rifles leaving the Illinois factory were electro-penciled Geneseo Ill. However, M1A rifles in 1975 were sold with a coupon to be used towards the purchase of a spare barrel. Thus, a very few of the spare barrels sold by the Illinois company had Texas markings. It is likely that a very small number of individuals eventually had these Texas marked spare barrels installed on M1A rifles sold by Springfield Armory, Inc. in Illinois.

Transition from Texas to Illinois

Due to financial difficulties, Springfield Armory, Inc. changed ownership in the first ten days of November, 1974 from Elmer Ballance to Bob Reese in Geneseo, Illinois. ¹ An advertisement announcing the sale of Springfield Armory, Inc. in Texas appeared in the September 01, 1974 issue of Shotgun News. The transfer of the company assets included all of the unused receivers and barrels and many of the USGI parts. Production problems troubled the Reese family for some time. These problems were sorted out over a few months and M1A production resumed by the spring of 1975.

Mr. Ballance states that a total of 4620 receivers were manufactured before Springfield Armory, Inc. changed hands to Mr. Bob Reese. When the Texas company receivers had been used up, Valley Ordnance continued to supply finished M1A receivers to the Illinois company. It did so until 1996 when Melvin Smith passed away. The bare receivers, barrels and other parts left over from the Texas firm were used to help start production of the M1A rifle in Illinois.

The serial number transition from Texas to Illinois occurs somewhere between 002700 and 003200. There is no dispute regarding serial numbers under 002700. The rifles and receivers below serial number 002700 were sold by Mr. Ballance. Records at Springfield Armory, Inc. for receiver serial numbers under 003200 are sparse.

The following individual cases serve to illustrate the difficulty of determining at what serial number the Texas firm ceased sales of the M1A rifle:

Serial number 002734 - M1A serial number 002734 was shipped from Geneseo, Illinois on April 28, 1975. Geneseo Ill is electro-penciled on the barrel of M1A serial number 002734.

Serial number 0028XX - An M1A with serial number 0028XX has been identified with the 12106 RADIUM SA TEX 78216 marking on the barrel. Several hundred M1A rifles were assembled at the 12106 Radium San Antonio address.

Serial number 002831 - M1A serial number 002831 was sold new to the original owner by the FFL on February 19, 1975. The price was $309.75 including sales tax. The barrel has the marking RT I BX 210 DEVINE TEX. It is likely that this rifle was assembled in Geneseo, IL with a Texas marked barrel.

Serial numbers 002867 and 002874 – M1A serial number 002874 has the following one line address marking on the barrel: RT I BX 210 DEVINE TEX. According to the original owner and his purchase receipt, M1A rifles with serial numbers 002867 and 002874 were shipped from Devine, TX in May, 1974 to his local FFL. Both rifles were then promptly sold to him.

Serial number 002877 – This M1A rifle has an October, 1962 production Harrington & Richardson chromium plated barrel. The barrel marking is identical to M1A serial number 002831 except there is an O between B and X. Springfield Armory, Inc. in Geneseo, IL has no record of this serial number.

Serial number 003139 – M1A serial number 003139 has the 12106 RADIUM SA TEX 78216 marking on the barrel.

Serial number 003159 - Stripped M1A receiver serial number 003159 was received by the original owner on November 01, 1974 from Springfield Armory, Inc. at 12106 Radium Drive San Antonio, T 78216.

Illinois Production

Bob Reese was an Illinois soybean farmer with an enduring passion for firearms. At some point after World War II, he bought military surplus items including firearms parts. There was a strong public demand for the M1 Garand rifle. Bob Reese served the non-competitor market demand by welding cut M1 Garand receivers back together to help meet this demand. In 1974, Bob Reese became the owner of Springfield Armory, Inc. Bob Reese, his wife and their sons, Tom, David and Dennis, have built the business into an American success story. Starting out in the barns of the family farm and growing to forty employees by 1986, firearms manufacture and assembly have been done in its Geneseo, Illinois factory for decades now. In addition to the M1A, Springfield Armory, Inc. of Illinois has made the M1911 pistol, M1 Garand, SAR 48 and BM59 rifles, and the M60 machine gun. The M1 Garand and BM59 receivers were made by Springfield Armory, Inc. and assembled with surplus parts. The Springfield Armory, Inc. M1 Garand was introduced in 1979 and its BM59 debuted in 1981. BM59 rifles and parts are still available through its sister company, Reese Surplus, Inc. The firearms manufacturer Beretta developed the BM59 rifle from 1957 to 1958. Like the M14, the BM59 is a descendant of the M1 Garand rifle.

The M1A receiver design was further changed prior to serial number 030100 to include a small hemisphere on the outboard side of the rear sight pocket right ear for use of a ball bearing to engage a detent on a newly designed match windage knob. This windage knob allowed ½ minute of angle sight adjustments by allowing eight “clicks” per revolution of the knob. Original USGI NM sights used a more delicate fine thread on the windage knob and rear sight base to effect ½ minute windage adjustments with four “clicks” per revolution.

Springfield Armory, Inc. made further changes to the receiver geometry around serial number 040000. The chamber was moved very slightly forward to improve accuracy and increase bolt lock up time. Some Springfield Armory, Inc. receivers have a ridge on the bottom right hand side that may slightly interfere with the fit of some stocks. This ridge has been identified on M1A rifles from serial number 000049 until somewhere between 034XXX and 0422XX. This bottom side ridge was removed from the design as part of the changes made for economic reasons. It meant two less machining cuts but it has the benefit of better fit with the various stocks. Prior to the May, 1986 ban on new manufacture machine guns, Springfield Armory, Inc. had a Full Auto Department that manufactured and assembled select fire M1A rifles.

Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A rifles with serial numbers under 084000 were reportedly made prior to the September 13, 1994 effective date of the U. S. Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Springfield Armory, Inc. sold stripped receivers manufactured prior to September 13, 1994 as well. If the stripped receiver was not assembled into a complete rifle by September 13, 1994 it was considered a post-'94 ban firearm by the BATF. During the ten years of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, specific features could not be added to M14 type rifles assembled for civilian sale after September 13, 1994 within the United States. These federal restrictions were automatically repealed by the sunset provision (automatic expiration of the law absent further Congressional action) of the same law on September 13, 2004. State and local laws are still in effect though. Certainly, the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban had no adverse effect on the popularity of the M1A. M1A serial number 166761 was built on August 26, 2004, just before the repeal of the ban. Springfield Armory, Inc. had USGI M14 parts kits available to them for assembly of M1A rifles at least through the 100XXX serial number range.

As of February, 2004, Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A receivers are cast by Alphacasting, Inc. in St-Laurent, Quebec, Canada for Springfield Armory, Inc. Alphacasting, Inc. makes the M1A receiver by the lost wax investment casting method. In business since 1991, it is a precision casting firm that makes parts from aluminum, bronze, and many grades of carbon and stainless steels. At Springfield Armory, Inc., all basic rifle assemblers have a minimum of two years experience assembling rifles before they are allowed to assemble rifles on their own. A rifle is test fired with five rounds for function and has to function through all five rounds or it doesn't get shipped. If it fails for any reason, it gets torn down and rebuilt. Then the rifle is tested for five rounds again.

M1A Packaging – After assembly and testing, the M1A rifles are packed for shipment. A brightly colored plastic empty chamber indicator is inserted into the chamber and the bolt closed on it. The factory headspace and safety warning tags are attached to the trigger guard. Then the M1A rifle is inserted into a plastic sleeve and placed inside a cardboard shipping box. The shipping box also contains an owner’s manual, safety literature, warranty information, and accessories and parts sales brochures. Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A rifles had a limited warranty for one year after the initial purchase for the period September 01, 1985 until December 31, 1992. Effective January 01, 1993, Springfield Armory, Inc. M1A rifles are sold with a limited lifetime warranty that applies to the original retail buyer. In recent years, a gun lock has been included. The shipping boxes were green and white in color until sometime between serial number 0708XX (after July, 1992) and 075XXX (fall 1993) when they were changed to blue and white.

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