As a little background, the Smith familys ties to the firearms world go back more than a century.
After some research, I happily realized Smith Enterprise operated its shop a mere 20 miles from my office.
The M1A from the factory is an impressively capable and accurate rifle without any modifications.
The “Crazy Horse” M21A5 was developed by Smith Enterprise for use by the U.S. Military. A custom M1A-based variant is shown here.
But, as anyone who knows me is aware, I love to customize my guns.
First up, they set to work on the trigger group.
Through some tuning and parts replacement, they got the trigger tuned to a very crisp 4.5-lb.
Spc. Jonathan Low, a designated marksman for Co. C, 2nd Bn., 27th Inf. Rgt., uses the scope on his rifle to scan the horizon in December 2004 in Khoday Nazar Kor, Afghanistan.
ammo and salt bath nitrided.
The rifles op rod was polished and then also sent off for a salt bath nitride.
The mount has a see-through channel for the use of iron sights.
The Standard Issue M1A from Springfield Armory makes for an extremely solid foundation for a custom build project like this one.
The match sights feature a narrow, .062 wide front blade for a crisp, clean sight picture.
Taming muzzle rise is the Smith Enterprise M14 National Match Muzzle Brake.
Another modification is the Smith Enterprise steel extended bolt stop/release.
The Smith Enterprise scope mount used in the project is wire EDM 4140 CM steel and has an NSN number, meaning it has been sold to and used by the U.S. Military.
For the optic, Smith chose a Leupold Mark 5 3.6-18x44mm scope.
The Mark 5 is crystal clear, easy to zero and tracks perfectly.
It was very cool to see Ron and Andy shooting the legendary rifle that they have spent decades refining.
Smith Enterprise installed their Warfighter Gas System, one of their signature offerings.
The trigger was excellent.
There was no mush, its very crisp, and its a smooth 4.5-lb.
It helped my accuracy knowing exactly where the break was without having to press too hard.
Anatomy of a build. The Smith team gets to work on the M1A for the Crazy Horse project.
The Bradley M1A Cheek Rest we added is an absolute must for shooting with a magnified optic.
It was comfortable, easily adjustable for the right height and didnt add much weight to the rifle.
The M1A/M14 is easily one of my all-time favorite rifles.
Smith’s M14 National Match Muzzle Brake is designed to match perfectly the profile of the USGI flash hider, making it legal for use in CMP and other matches.
When you handle an M1A, you could immediately feel that you are holding something special.
Beyond the M1A work itself, I also really respect the way Smith Enterprise approaches customer relationships.
They helped give our troops a new edge in which to serve their country and overcome their adversaries.
They do things the old-fashioned way at Smith Enterprises. Ron Smith is shown here giving a part some extra attention.
Itll be a trip to remember.
Ron Smith is shown here testing out the new Crazy Horse M1A custom rifle at the range.
The rifle was fitted out with a Bradley M1A Cheek Rest, in the author’s opinion, an absolute must for shooting with a magnified optic.
Smith Enterprise’s Andy Horton, the company’s shop manager and armorer, sights in the Crazy Horse M1A at the range.
Ron Smith is one of the most respected M14/M1A custom gunsmiths around, bringing decades of experience to every project.
