I owned an M1A standard for a time and I wish I still had it for the cool factor, mine was a FINE shooter but my half the cost PA-10 out shot my M1A and shot better than my friends fathers National Match, his father and I shot both rifles (the NM vs my PA-10) and we both got better groups with the PA-10 so John is bluntly correct (which is one of the several reasons I enjoyed meeting him, plus he has a hilarious sense of humor, his stories had me rolling in his class)
Now with all that said, I absolutely love the rifles for what they are and I plan on picking up another Standard M1A because I enjoyed shooting mine, a lot, but I’m not in a situation where I can hang onto multiple $1k plus firearms that get shot a few times a year, if I go more than 6 months without shooting one, it’s on the chopping block to make room for the next “gotta have” toy.
It's interesting to me that the M1A holds such legendary status in some gun owners minds.
The idea of the M21 and the stories coming out of the Vietnam war were of "legendary status" as well.
I worked directly for a 8th Inf Sniper instructor who was on loan from the AMU from 1967-1969. He wrote a book on the M21 and how much work it took to get 2.5 MOA out of that system shooting M118.
Fast forward to images of SEAL's in Norway, Delta Snipers, etc and the legend is made.
Both categories the alternative was not even serviceable. AKA the SR-25 is a dog as well, so much so it's step son, the M110 SASS was canned and replaced by HK.
I spent time with Hunter, a well known CAG operator, who I asked why in 1993 he ran a M21 over the SR-25. He told me, and I quote " the SR-25 is what I started with, but after 7 extractors I swapped rifles" he kept extra extractors in his upper breast pocket.
So I have a strong feeling for the M14, and not a fan at all.
Last year I was at the Smith Enterprise factory that built the M14 Crazy Horse, that's a real rifle but it's a damn long shot to compare that to a M1A/M14
A interesting side note to my crazy post.
The US Army always loved the Semi-auto Sniper rifle. The 1903's were canned as soon as the M1C could be fielded.
My mentor told me the M21 was a direct replacement of the M1C only because, no one in the INF sqd in the Vietnam war shot 30.06. the M60 ammunition could be used by the M21. So there is that...
But, when a man I will call Major "Barbour" was the facilitator of the lease on the M24, the Army got the shaft on it's love of the Semi-auto Sniper rifle. Until the M110 came along.