M1A sling swivel stud

[tcostakis]

I'm close to buying an M1A in either standard or loaded configuration and I have a simple question.
Can the front sling swivel easily be changed to a stud for mounting a bipod? My shooting is off the bench so I won't be adding a sling.
Thanks.

[GM1MAN]

The front sling swivel is riveted to the stock, so the rivets would have to be drilled out and the sling swivel body removed. There are replacement bipod mounts made, many types, your choice, that are then screwed into place using the two holes from the original mount. This is not difficult to do, but the screws and nuts used should not touch the underside of the barrel, some epoxy the nuts in place as well.

They also make a bipod stud mount that fits the hole in the front of the sling swivel, but there are two problems with that, it can permanently compress the stock wood at that location, ask me how I know, and there have been cases of it cracking the stock in that area.

I ran into guy at the range who had his stock crack there and there is some discussion of that happening on the M14 forums.

Hope this helps, I am still learning about the M1A platform. You could also reach out to forum member Orlando for more information.

[tcostakis]

Thanks for the info. Since these aren't USGI stocks it seems SA should put a sling swivel stud forward of the sling swivel for this purpose.
Maybe M1A owners aren't fond of using bipods but it seems more of a natural on military type rifles than on standard bolt rifles many of which have the studs.
I can see I have a lot to learn.

[GM1MAN]

I agree with you 100%. I should mention that I was referring to the Walnut stocked M1A's only. I have no experience with the fiberglass or plastic molded stocks on the M1A's.

The real problem with the M1A's is that they are as addicting as the M-1 Garands and M-1 Carbines.

Beware if you are looking for the Military style bipod that attaches to the gas cylinder like on the original USGI rifles. The only ones that I have found to fit reliably, in spite of what the web sites say, are the USGI originals (very expensive) and the repro ones that SAI sells.

HTH.

[tcostakis]

Originally Posted by GM1MAN

The real problem with the M1A's is that they are as addicting as the M-1 Garands and M-1 Carbines.
HTH.

......haha. Both of which I have.......and am addicted to.

[Don in SC]

I've done several and it's a simple as drilling out the rivet farthest from the swivel and replacing with a standard threaded stock stud. Use a large thin washer and self locking flat nut and it will be stable. You may find that you have to trim a bit of metal off the curved plate if you use a Harris type Bipod. The rolled metal that holds the stock swivel can hit on those type of bipods but it's only 1/8th to 1/4 of inch depth by about 1 1/4 wide piece to trim out and is easy fix with a dremel type tool.

Originally Posted by tcostakis

I'm close to buying an M1A in either standard or loaded configuration and I have a simple question.
Can the front sling swivel easily be changed to a stud for mounting a bipod? My shooting is off the bench so I won't be adding a sling.
Thanks.

[LAH]

They make an adapter so you can use the factory stud on the fiberglass Archangel stock.
Also there are holes on both sides of the stock for a button quick release sling swivel.