Pushing afull-sized 7.62x51mm/.308 Win.
Why Do We Do This, Anyway?
The modern American enthusiasm for firearms usually distills down to three different discrete attributes practicality, appeal and nostalgia.
Most of us select our working guns based upon their effectiveness as defensive tools.
Additionally, guns are cool, but they also need to be fun.
If the shooting experience isnt enjoyable, thats a disincentive to train.
A working gun needs to seduce you into range time.
Lastly, we Americans enjoy a heritage of shooting that is unparalleled anywhere on the planet.
Personal ownership and lawful use of firearms have been foundational parts of the American experience since the very beginning.
In my humble opinion, the Springfield Armory M1A Tanker checks all three of these blocks admirably.
lighter than the standard G.I.
This format has been proven in thehigh-tech Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 CQB rifle.
The M1A Tanker is essentially the same rifle without so much Information Age polymer bling.
The operating system of the M1A Tanker is the same combat-proven, gas-operated design that defined the M14 rifle.
The weapon feeds semi-automatically from a detachable steel box magazine.
The M1A Tanker features a tuned two-stage National Match trigger that sports a crisp 5-lb.
The front sight includes a radioactive tritium insert, while the rear is a ghost ring for rapid engagements.
The stubby muzzle brake helps tame the chaos up front.
The gun comes with a single ten-round magazine, but accepts any G.I.-standard 20-round boxes or increased-capacity drums.
Springfield Armory also offers a range of tactical accessories to make your great gun even greater.
Two differentscope mounting solutionsthread in place without any gunsmithing and let you mount up any sort of tactical optic.
Slings, bipods and cleaning gear expand the utility of the M1A Tanker as well.
In the hands of a skilled marksman with some proper glass, the M1A Tanker becomes a 500-meter rifle.
The traditional M1A rifle that inspires the M1A Tanker is an integral part of the American shooting experience.
The limiting factor is your willingness to invest the resources and time to accomplish these goals.
As with much of life, getting there really is half the fun.
History of the Tanker
Theres just something viscerally appealing about stained walnut and Parkerized steel.
The M1A Tanker draws its inspiration and its name from the elusive Tanker M1 Garand.
American G.I.s might need something handier.
That initial effort was classified as the M1E5, and it was fairly disappointing.
The result was 150 field-modified samples.
The PWB conversions also featured 18 barrels along with standard wooden buttstocks.
The ending of the war in 1945 ensured that the project faded into obscurity.
And a great irony of what we know as the Tanker Garand is that it was created for paratroopers.
The T26 also had its barrel shortened from 24 to 18.
Unlike the M1E5, the T26 used a standard wood Garand stock.
As noted earlier, the ending of the war scuttled the long-term viability of this project.
As a result, enterprising gun sellers chopped back G.I.-surplus M1 rifles to produce the infamous Tanker Garand.
The novelty of the thing made them brisk sellers.
The practical motivations were quite sound.
semi-automatic rifle are hard to ignore.
This leads us to the M1A Tanker we are reviewing here now.
Shooting Results
The following loads were shot through the M1A Tanker for this review.
Velocity measurements were made with a Caldwell Ballistic Chronograph.
The chronograph was set up at 10 from the muzzle.
Velocity measurements reported are an average of three shots.
Practical Applications
The M1A Tanker brings along unrivaled real-world practicality.
This compact rifle would reliably put venison on the table for both sport and survival.
It is easy to tote and sufficiently powerful as to give a polar bear pause.
Shooting is fun and shooting such a rarefied rifle all the more so.
Save that brass and you’re free to acquaint yourself with the many-splendored joys of handloading.
Ruminations
The M1A Tanker is not for everyone.
Some folks could never make practical use of the Tankers range and power.
Springfield Armory has an entire stable of 5.56mm rifles just standing by should that be the case.
Others are just not cool enough to rock a rifle this awesome.
The Springfield Armory M1A Tanker comfortably addresses the gun nerds triad of practicality, appeal and nostalgia.
No matter the program, the Tanker performs reliably and well.
It is a classic rifle nicely upgraded for the Information Age that is as attractive as it is effective.
The M1A Tanker runs well and looks great.
