Hey everyone,
I took a buddy to the range to sight in his Springfield M1A with a synthetic stock. When he gets a proper cheek weld, his eyeline is well below his rear sight... so there goes Steps 1 and 2.
I know we could fashion something with padding and tape, but what do you recommend that's more permanent? Is this a normal problem with SA synthetic stocks? Does Fred's synthetic stock have more height on the buttstock?
As far as I know, the SAI synthetics are cleaned up/painted GI synthetic stocks, or they used to be.
You say your friends cheek bone is on the stock and their eye is too low? Can he get his trigger hand thumb wrapped over the top of the stock and rest his cheekbone on his thumb?
How "level" is his head? Angled a little or laid over almost sideways?
If the above doesn't work you can buy cheek pads to either screw to the stock or tie/lace onto the stock. Yeah, foam and tape works but...gee whiz does it ever look tacky.
His position and turkey neck looked good to me.
QuoteAs far as I know, the SAI synthetics are cleaned up/painted GI synthetic stocks, or they used to be.
So are Fred's synthetic stocks the same as SA's?
Is there a specific cheek pad anyone has used and recommends? I looked around on MidwayUSA a little bit....
I had a SA scout squad with a nice synthetic stock (I even liked the rubber buttpad). It wasn't a usgi synthetic, though. They must've had them made. I didn't really have a problem with cheek weld, but I did if I was using the scout scope. There are some products that raise the comb a little. Like this one.
(http://www.desertwarriorproducts.com/sitebuilder/images/Sling_Shot_Rear_a_revised-480x233.jpg)
http://www.desertwarriorproducts.com/M1A-M14CheekRest.html
J
Try one of these :
http://www.imageseek.com/karsten/gallery/forsale
I bought A model, Karsten(the maker) recommends this one for the M1A. He told me our Servicemen and women in Iraq/Afganistan buy them too and use them with no problems.
In addition, when I was placing my order over the phone with Karsten, when I told him my address was in Texas, he asked, "What is going on in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California?" Adding that he's gotten most of his orders lately from these states mainly from DPS and Border Patrol guys.
I told him I don't know I'm just a humble dentist, but that is an interesting topic.
Ordering was easy and shipping was very quick.
I recommend him and his products. He came across as a straight shooter.
Here's what he indicated in our last correspondence :
"Brett, Happy to hear it arrived and you are pleased with the cheek rest. As for what I have made them for, Humm, M14/M14, AR15's, AK-47, Rem 870's, Ruger 10-22's, Mini 14/30's. Kel tec SU-16, AR-180B, FAL's, M-40's, M24's (close to 100 for the 19th SFG)McMillan stocks, B&C Var/Tac stock, Manners, Replacement cheek rests for Team Savage and the FT/X or what ever, K-31 Swiss, Tac Mod Modular stock uses one made specifically for them for the US Army and I could mostly think of a dozen more. The uses are as diverse as those using it covering average Bench Rest shooter all the way up the State Dept Black Op's Guy's, FBI, Delta Force, Texas Rangers, US Border Patrol, DEA and that list could go on and on as well. Karsten"
I hope this helps.
Brett
Well, sometimes "improvise, adapt, and overcome" looks like "tacky". When I first started shooting highpower, serious civilian shooters shot bolt action rifles. If the factory prone stock didn't fit, then they modified them. I remember how surprised I was to see bolt handle knobs with big goobers of friction tape to make them larger, various cheek pieces of foam, leather, moleskin, or tape, taped in place. Some of these works in progress never did get 'finished' - they just changed the tape occasionally. BUT these guys were shooting 10's and X's while their more pristine opponents were shooting 9's and 10's. I also think they had more fun. If you can't get consistent eye placement with the current stock, build it up with something until you do, then figure out how to make the build up area more permanent.
Hello Group; When you find out just how high you need the comb you can build up the area with brownells accra glass gell when it gets hard use a file and some sand paper to dress it out to fit the shooter, You may have to apply more than one thin coat and build up the area slowly. You can also add a filler like a piece from another stock and glass that prefitted cheek piece right on top of the comb of your stock fill any voids with glass and file and sand when hard paint to your taste of colors. If you feel you could use more weight in the rear of the stock cut and form multiple layers of sheet lead on the comb glass into place. These stocks are for an average size and build person and with the cost of the fiberglass stocks so low you can afford to play around quite a bit. I added some weight and some length to my grip area so I get a larger area for the rest of my hand and a straighter trigger squeezze. It almost looks like a 03A3 C type stock. Pappy
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=180913
Works. Cheap. No modifications to stock needed. Cheap.
B964, that's what I have on my scoped M1A. I wasn't happy about the way it "moved" around on me though. I got some of those velcro self stick circles from Lowe's and put the soft side on the stock and the "grippy" side on the inside of the cheekpiece (a couple on each side) and that took care of the thing trying to move on me. I like it and it works.
Before you go out and spend a bunch of $$$, does his M1A have the 1" plastic/rubber butt pad Springfield usually puts on now days? This adds an extra inch to the length of the standard stock. I had a problem with seeing through the sights until I took the pad off and put a standard buttplate on. Shortening the length of pull let me get my head a little more upright and still get a good cheek weld.