Springfield M1A Loaded in 6.5 Creedmoor

By Michael O. Humphries

The new M1A Loaded in 6.5 Creedmoor gives shooters a classic precision rifle in a great long-range chambering. Shown with precision adjustable stock. Images courtesy of Springfield Armory.

The M1A has a long tradition of precision rifle usage. From its popularity on the competitive shooting lines at the Camp Perry National Matches, the M14-pattern semi-automatic M1A from Springfield Armory has long been a highly respected performer.

Over its many years of production, the rifle has been chambered for the popular and capable .308 Win., but this cartridge has seen competition in recent years from the increasingly popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. Offering lower recoil and better downrange performance, the dimensions of the 6.5 allow it to be chambered in a .308 Win.-sized rifle.

The precision adjustable stock model is also available in flat dark earth color.

A New Direction

Enter the new offering from Springfield Armory — the M1A Loaded in 6.5 Creedmoor. While the 6.5 Creedmoor has been taking the AR and bolt-action rifle market by storm recently, the move to chamber the M1A in this round is very significant. In a sense, it marries one of the most traditional and classic precision rifle platforms with one of the hottest long-range chamberings available today.

The stock features numerous adjustment points and a vertically oriented pistol grip.

Anyone who has used the M1A or an M14 will be right at home with the 6.5 M1A Loaded. It features a 22″ stainless steel NM medium-weight barrel with a four-groove bore and a 1:8″ right-hand twist. The muzzle is topped off with a muzzle brake to tame recoil. Sights on the rifle are the company’s National Match post front and non-hooded rear units, and the rifle comes standard with a 10-round magazine (although 20 rounders are available).

The rifle is also offered with a standard M14-style synthetic stock. Note the stainless steel barrel.

The series is made up of three models. The “standard” version is a model with a standard M14-pattern composite stock, priced at an MSRP of $1,985 and weighing in at 9.3 lbs. The other two models feature a “precision adjustable” synthetic stock with a wide range of adjustments as well as a Picatinny rail on the underside of the forearm and a vertically oriented pistol grip. The stock is offered in black or flat dark earth, and both versions are priced at an MSRP of $2,045 and weigh in at 11.4 lbs.

Mike had a chance to try out the new rifles at a writers event in Las Vegas.

Hands On

I had an opportunity to try out both the standard-stocked and precision adjustable-stocked 6.5 MIA Loaded at a recent writer’s event held by Springfield Armory in Las Vegas, Nevada. We were restricted to a 100-yard range, so we could not really try out the full long-range capabilities of the rifles. However, Springfield had given us some interesting options within that distance.

I started out with the standard Loaded model with the M14-pattern stock and no scope and worked on an Action Target steel silhouette target to get a feel for the gun. I immediately noted the reduced recoil of it when compared against a .308 M1A. It was simply a real pleasure to shoot. I then moved over to a scoped model with the precision adjustable stock and lined up on a more challenging Action Target steel target with a small side-flipping plate that measured a few inches across. Still not a true challenge for a rifle of this type, but fun to do nonetheless! I was quickly flipping the swinging plate back and forth with that rifle with a great deal of authority — particularly compared to the .223 rifles were also shooting that day.

Although restricted to a 100-yard range, Mike got to wring out this precision adjustable stocked model at a small swinging plate and had a lot of fun!

Stay Tuned

I have long been a fan of the M1A rifle (as I love the Garand upon which the design is based), and really enjoyed shooting the milder 6.5 Creedmoor out of the platform. Keep an eye out for a full review of this exciting new option from Springfield from us in the near future, where we really wring out its potential.

To learn more, visit http://www.springfield-armory.com/products/m1a-loaded-6-5-creedmoor/.