01-04-2012, 07:01 PM
Pat I think you've discovered the main reason the military went to the Knights Armament. SR 25 7.62 rifle. The M-14/M-1A just weren't designed to have a scope mounted. That being said not all of the side mounted scope bases are created equal. This set up is never going to be as sturdy as a rail on a flat top AR-15. If you notice the military went to a different stock on the M-14 for the scoped M-14's. I've seen one stock which has a rail on top of the barrel hand guard where you can mount a scout scope or red dot forward in a similar fashion as is used on AK's. The stock was developed at Crane and the top hand guard screws to the the rest of the stock to make rail as rigid as possible. I looked in Brownells catalog but didn't see the stock. I think Sage international made the stock but I think the stock was several hundred bucks.
There really isn't a good way to mount a weaver rail to an existing M-1A and keep the cheek weld and have clearance for the brass unless you go well forward of the action. I know they made a mount for the Mini 14 where they removed the rear sight to attach the rear part of the mount but I've never seen any type of mount for the M-1A other than the side mount.
There really isn't a good way to mount a weaver rail to an existing M-1A and keep the cheek weld and have clearance for the brass unless you go well forward of the action. I know they made a mount for the Mini 14 where they removed the rear sight to attach the rear part of the mount but I've never seen any type of mount for the M-1A other than the side mount.