Anyone who has handled a service rifle from the late 1950s will recognize the lines of the M1A. Springfield Armory builds it as a civilian semi-automatic rifle in the M14 pattern, chambered in .308 Winchester, and this version has a 22-inch barrel with a parkerized black finish and a flat dark earth stock.

This is a new, current-production rifle. It uses the same basic rotating-bolt, gas-operated layout that armed American troops for years, with a two-stage trigger and an aperture rear sight that you can adjust for range and wind. The magazine holds 10 rounds with one in the chamber, a fair match for hunting regulations in many states.

The 22-inch barrel gives you more velocity and a longer sight radius than the shorter Scout and SOCOM models. For deer, hogs, and long-range plinking, that extra length pays off. The M1A is not a light rifle, and it rewards steady shooting from a rest or a sling.

Many owners add a scope mount and optic. Check the bedding and receiver fit when you set up the rifle, and shoot a few groups before you rely on it. It ships to your FFL dealer, where the background check is completed.