7/29/2015

SA, Inc. M1A serial number chronology

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SA,Inc.M1Aserialnumberchronology

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061710, 22:43
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SA,Inc.M1Aserialnumberchronology
SpringfieldArmory,Inc.M1ASerialNumberChronology
by
LeeEmerson
100617
Shortanswer:ThecollectorschoicewouldbeafactorybuiltstandardmodelM1Ariflebetweenserialnumbers0422XXand063000.Youcanemail
meforacomplimentarycopyofthisin.pdfformat.
M1ASerialNumber(s)Comments
000001to003700TexaserareceiverstendtoexhibitoneormoredimensionalflawsasidentifiedbyretiredM14gunsmithArtLuppino.Springfield
Armory,Inc.inTexasassembledabout2000completeriflesusingUSGIpartsbeforeitwassoldtoBobReese(Geneseo,IL).Anadditional120rifles
werebuiltforElmerBallancebyGlennNelsonandWayneYoungbeforeJune1974usingstrippedorbarreledreceiverssuppliedbyElmer.
000001to063XXXReceiversmachinedbyValleyOrdnanceCo.weregivenalotofhandgrindingandpolishingbyMelvinSmith.Specifically,these
areaswere:1)theexteriorheelcornersonthesides2)theflatsurfaceaftoftheoperatingrodchannel3)thetopsurfaceoftheleftreceiverwallfrom
thecartridgeclipguidetothebarrelring4)theverticalsurfaceontherightsidebehindthecartridgeclipguideallthewaybackincludingthewindage
knobear5)theleftsideofthebarrelringforwardofthehorizontalscopemountgroove6)themagazinewellaftofthefeedlipsand7)thetopsurface
ofthebarrelringafterallmachiningoperationsthatlocatedoffthebarrelringhadbeendone.ThiscosmeticdetailingisevidentaslateasM1Aserial
number062857butwasnolongerbeingdonebyserialnumber064922.Notethatthehandpolishingservedtoenhancetheaestheticappearance
butdidnotaddtothefunctionalabilityoftheM1Areceiver.AsMelvinSmithmovedtosemiretirementthereceiversurfacesnotedabovewere
finishedbymachine.Forexample,themagazinewellonM1AreceiverswascutandbroachedbymachinetoolafterMr.SmithpurchasedHillside
Manufacturing.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?56385-SA-Inc-M1A-serial-number-chronology

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7/29/2015

SA, Inc. M1A serial number chronology

000011Receiverleftsideconnectorlockholeispresent.
000049Receiverleftsideconnectorlockholeismissing.Receiverheelrearendwallcenterlinethicknessis.
000377Highestobservedserialnumberwith7.62MMmarkingonthereceiverheel.
000440Lowestobservedserialnumberwith7.62mmmarkingonthereceiverheel.
000567to000708Withinthisserialnumberrange,ValleyOrdnanceCo.changedthereceiverdesign.TherearendoftheM1Areceiverboltrightlug
slot,locatedundertherearsightbasecover,wasextended0.080"tothereartopreventpossibledamagetotheboltroller.
001XXXto002XXXGraySyracuse,Inc.becomesthecastingsupplierofM1Areceivers.
002010Receiverleftsideconnectorlockholeisstillmissing.
002068Receiverleftsideconnectorlockholereappearsforgood.
002709Lowestknownserialnumber(strippedreceiver)soldbySA,Inc.locatedinGeneseo,IL.
002877Highestdocumentedserialnumber(completerifle)shippedfromSpringfieldArmory,Inc.inTexas.
002884Receiverheelrearendwallcenterlinethicknessis5/16.Serialnumbersafterthishavenoticeablylesssteelcutawayintheboltraceways
afterofthecartridgeclipguide.
002884to010048Atsomepointinthisserialnumberrange,thereceiverdesignwaschangedtoincorporateahemisphericalcutinthewindage
knobearoutboardside(commercialNMrearsight).
002903Lowestdocumentedserialnumber(completerifle)shippedfromSpringfieldArmory,Inc.inIllinois.
003306Highestdocumentedserialnumber(strippedreceiver)shippedfromSpringfieldArmory,Inc.inTexas.
003700HighestdocumentedserialnumberforreceiverproductionwhileSpringfieldArmory,Inc.waslocatedinTexas.ValleyOrdnanceCo.
resumedreceiverproductiononSeptember21,1974atserialnumber003701.SpringfieldArmory,Inc.inTexaswassoldaroundNovember01,
1974toBobReeseinIllinois.DuringJulyandAugust1974,ValleyOrdnancewascompleting75receiversperweek.Basedonthisoutput,the
highestreceiverserialnumberwhileSpringfieldArmory,Inc.waslocatedinTexasisestimatedatabout004075.
004357to004379January01,1976:Inthisserialnumberrange,afactoryoneyearlimitedwarrantyisinforceaftertheinitialpurchaseofarifle.
007XXXto020XXXSOMEreceiversmadefromAISI4140alloysteel.Theelevationserrationswearprematurelybutcanberepairedusingan
elevationdisk.Thesereceiversareserviceable,nootherissuesreported.
007XXXto037XXXSpringfieldArmory,Inc.doesnothaveUSGIchromiumplatedbarrelsforassemblyofcompleterifles.Factoryinstalledbarrelsin
thisserialnumberrangewillbecommercialmanufacturebutmachinedbyHillsideManufacturing(Dallas,PA)usingWilsonArmsblanks.
007041AcommercialunlinedstandardprofilebarrelandacommercialoperatingrodusedtobuildstandardmodelM1A.
0093XXAcommercialunlinedstandardprofilebarrel,acommercialboltandacommercialoperatingrodareusedintheassemblyofthisstandard
modelM1A.HillsideManufacturingmachinedreproductionoperatingrods,triggerhousings,flashsuppressors,bolts,operatingrodspringguidesand
barrels.NogascylindersweremadebyHillsideManufacturingorValleyOrdnance.Ithasnotbeenconfirmedbutmostlikelythetriggerhousingand
flashsuppressorcastingsforM1ApartswerealsoproducedbyGraySyracuse,Inc.sinceMr.Smithwasloyaltohissuppliers.ValleyOrdnancedid
thefinishmachiningoncastsemifinishedcartridgeclipguidessuppliedtothefirm.Thereproductionbolts,operatingrodsandtriggerhousingswere
stampedatValleyOrdnance.Theoperatingrodspringguidesweremadefromplatesteelusingapunchpresswithprogressivedies.Theoperating
rodsweresuppliedtoHillsideManufacturingalreadyweldedtogether.HillsideManufacturingmachinedtheoperatingrodstofinaldimension.
017XXXto020XXXThe18barreledM1Amodelsfirstappear.
030061Receiverheelrearendwallcenterlinethicknessis3/8.
0343XXHighestobservedserialnumberwithreceiverbottomsiderighthandridge.
038XXXAboutthistime,largequantitiesofUSGIM14partsareimportedintotheUnitedStatesandbecomeavailableonthesurplusmarket.
SpringfieldArmory,Inc.andotherfirearmsrelatedbusinessesbuylargequantitiesoftheseUSGIparts.
038770Highestobservedfactorybuiltselectfiremodel
040XXXReceiverwasredesignedtomovethebarrelchamberslightlyforwardtoincreaseboltlockuptime.
042201Lowestobservedserialnumberwithoutthereceiverbottomsiderighthandridge.Thebottomsideridgewasremovedfromthedesignas
partofthechangesmadeforeconomicreasons.Itmeanttwolessmachiningcutsbutitalsohadthebenefitofabetterfitwithvariousmakesof
stocks.
042201to063000ThisistheserialnumberrangethatIrefertoastheGoldenAgeoftheM1A.Thereceiverdesignhadfullymaturedbythistime.
Thereceiverswerehandfinishedbytheoriginaldesignerandmastercraftsman,MelvinSmith.SpringfieldArmory,Inc.wasawashinUSGIparts
duringthisperiod.Thus,factorybuiltstandardmodelM1AriflesinthisserialnumberrangewerebuiltwithaveryhighUSGIpartscount.
0630XX7.62mmcalibermarkingisonthereceiverheel.
0631127.62mmcalibermarkingnolongerappearsonthereceiverheel.
064872Rearluggedreceiversarenowavailablefromthefactory.
070005to072074January01,1993:Inthisserialnumberrange,alifetimelimitedwarrantyisnowineffectfortheoriginalbuyerofafactorybuilt
rifle.
07157Xto075XXXFactoryshippingboxeschangefromgreenandwhitetoblueandwhite.
072XXXto073XXXBythisserialnumberrange,theoperatingrodraildimensionshavebeennarrowedforatighterfitwiththeoperatingrodtab.
0748XXLateversionSA,Inc.commercialmanufactureoperatingrodnowusedtoassemblecompleterifles.
081004BuiltatthefactorywiththefollowingUSGIparts:TRWtriggerhousing,HRNhammer,TRWbolt,Winchesterbarrel,andWCEUSGIrear
sightelevationandwindageknobs.
084000Generallyacceptedhighestsafeserialnumberforpre94AWbanrifles.Sinceaboutthisserialnumber,noM1Arifleshavebeenfactory
builtwithluggedflashsuppressors.
097726ThelastcompletedreceiverfromValleyOrdnanceCo.isshippedtoGeneseo,IL.
098XXXTheloadedstandardmodelisdebuted.
100042HighestobservedserialnumberwithGraySyracuse,Inc.pourlotmarking
102570Changeinpourlotmarkingsindicatesthechangeincastingsupplierforreceivers.
124XXXThefactoryisinstallingcommercialmanufactureforgedbolts(Fprefixseries)inrifles.
136XXXto165XXXSomereceiversinthisrangehavescopemountgroovestoonarrowforsidethreepointscopemountsofferedbyother
companies,e.g.,SadlakIndustries,SmithEnterprise,etc.
139XXXUseofUSGIpartsinfactorybuiltriflesbeginstonoticeablydrop.
161920Withrareexceptionafterthisserialnumber,commercialunlinedbarrelsareinstalledonstandardmodelM1Arifles.SA,Inc.machinesthe
barrelsfromWilsonArmssuppliedblanks.
162708LowestobservedserialnumberfortheM1ASOCOMseries.
165XXXAbout300receiversinthisserialnumberrangehaveheelsstampedAROMRYinsteadofARMORY.
166761HighestknownserialnumberforacompleteriflebuiltduringthetenyearfederalAssaultWeaponsban.
192260FactorybuiltstandardmodelwithallcommercialpartsexceptUSGIfiberglass(withblackcrinkle)stock,operatingrodspringguide,trigger
housingandhammer.Fitandfunctionmeetmyexpectations.Iwouldbuythisrifleandbeproudtoownit.
218XXXAboutthisserialnumber,M1AriflesmaybeassembledwithnewmanufacturepolymerstocksastheinventoryofUSGIfiberglassstocks
(withblankcrinkle)havebeenusedup.
241552Mostrecentmanufacturedate(November2009).
ByJanuary2010,22standardprofilebarrels,muzzlebrakesandluglessflashsuppressorsaremanufacturedbyDasanMachineries,Ltd.
(Jeollabuk,Korea).

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061710, 23:32
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