Devine Texas M1A NM

[jojo]

Found out something interesting today concerning an M1A I got in trade about 18 years ago. According to all I could find out about it it is one of the first 3,000 M1A's built in Devine Texas when Springfield Armory was first started. The serial number is 0027XX, it's all NM parts and is glass bedded. I guess thru the years I have put around 20 rounds thru it and just decided to get it out, scope it and start shooting it. I just put the Sadlak mount on it and am waiting on some Badger rings for it. Have a Kahles ZF-84 6x42 with BDC (calibrated for the M118) that I will be putting on it later this week. I have a can of Lake City Match and hopefully will take her for a walk this weekend. Figure I had around $500 in the rifle before I bought the mount and rings.

As a side note one of the extra mags that came with it was wrapped in a sheet of a Norfolk news paper dated July 15, 1976.

[Partisan1983]

That's awesome man !

[btcave]

You are a lucky man sir!

The people on this particular site would like to hear about it I'm sure.

http://m14forum.com/devine-m1a/


Thanks for sharing. Beautiful rifle.

[jojo]

You are a lucky man sir!

The people on this particular site would like to hear about it I sure.

http://m14forum.com/devine-m1a/




Thanks for sharing. Beautiful rifle.

Was just breezing thru the site and my rifle does have the Devine Texas address under the barrel I never noticed that until I read that site. Thanks for posting it. According to what I read the original owner of the company can verify it thru records, although I'm not concerned about it's pedigree. It came from an old retired Navy guy who had Alzheimer's, he used to shoot matches when he was in the military. Got it from his son in law. They were afraid he was gonna hurt himself.

Just looking at the brochures, a National Match with Walnut stock cost $250 in 1973. That is just crazy

[mriddick]

Can't get much earlier then that for a Springfield.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Damn, would you take my left nut for it, cause I'd give it!

[jojo]

Well it's official. I called Mr Elmer Ballance in Devine, Texas. I have to tell you that he was the most interesting man to talk to. I called him this morning but got no answer, when I got back home he had called me two times. He asked about the different markings and where they were. As I answered he would say "yup" Said he sold it for $250, with 2 magazines and confirmed that he built the rifle in 1973.

It really was a pleasure to hear him reminisce about the past. Said he got the idea when he was in the Air Force where he shot the M14 in competitions for 6 years. On a side note: He said that he still had stocks, barrels, trigger groups etc.... that he is trying to sell.

What a great guy to talk to. Said he was 80 years old and that he's had the same telephone number for over 40 years. I might get me one of his stocks just to keep from banging the original one up.

I asked him if I should shoot it and he said "I would" He asked if I wanted to sell it and to see if I could find out the old mans name that had previously owned it. Gonna try to get that name for him and call him back.

[btcave]

That is so cool.

[Infidelski]

Sweet!

[gpwasr10]

God this is a cool hobby. Neat discovery man!

[Gunreference1]

Jojo, you have an awesome M1A!

Steve

[jojo]

Got my scope on, now it's time for the range. Hope I get a chance to go tomorrow and the weather's nice.

[American Rage]

awesome



Rage

[O.S.O.K.]

Wow. Now that's a keeper. Family heirloom for sure. Congrats!!!

[Schuetzenman]

Very nice. I think you need a strap on Comb pad to get your head higher. That scope sticks up very high.

[jojo]

Very nice. I think you need a strap on Comb pad to get your head higher. That scope sticks up very high.

Yea I plan on getting an original lace up leather one. The rings came in low, medium, high and extra high. After talking to a few vendors and looking at photos of M21's etc... I decided to get the medium height as they still allow the use of open sites out to 500 yds without interference of the 42mm objective lens. The Sadlak mount has a channel thru it to allow use of open sights. Not a good picture but the objective is just even with the top of the mount and the rear of the scope is 1/4 inch above the hooded rear sight so really couldn't go any lower.

[jojo]

Got a nice Birch stock for my M1A so I won't beat up the original glass bedded walnut stock that came on it.

[mriddick]

I wonder why back in the day they moved from Texas to IL?

[jojo]

I wonder why back in the day they moved from Texas to IL?

I think (from my internet research) that Mr. Elmer Ballance got into a little trouble with ATF concerning another issue and after digging deeper they discovered that the receivers of the M1A's didn't have his address (he was putting his address information on the barrels) He needed money to fight a conviction so he sold the rights to Springfield to it's current owner.......... I spoke to him and he seems to be a rather nice guy.

[gpwasr10]

I think (from my internet research) that Mr. Elmer Ballance got into a little trouble with ATF concerning another issue and after difgging deeper they discovered that the receivers of the M1A's didn't have his address (he was putting his address information on the barrels) He needed money to fight a conviction so he sold the rights to Springfield to it's current owner.......... I spoke to him and he seems to be a rather nice guy.

The adress was on the barrels instead and the ATF had a fit and fucked him over...
If I were king that would be the very first orginization I got rid of.