M14 - catching my eye lately

[Radkins313]

"Normal M14s only needed a accuracy of 4–6 MOA while a M21 is closer to < 1–2 MOA. The difference is the work put into repeatable accuracy. ... to make this short and sweet, the m14 is an American battle/marksman rifle, while the m21 is the semi-auto sniper adaptation of the same rifle." from Wiki. Just searched it.

 

[mshootnit]

Quite correct. Bayou52. I bought one in 89 and It had almost all TRW parts. Thompson-Ramo- Wooldridge made the best M-14s. They normally made jet engine parts that were constructed from exotic metals, to very precise tolerances, to withstand high temperatures, among other things. Building a rifle was child's play to them. When the Army decided it needed more National match weapons, instead of having the AMU build them from existing stocks, they contracted TRW to build them from scratch. The resulting NM M-14s were the best of the breed.

TRW parts are clearly marked. Look for them on your rifle.

They are cool, however as shooters, in the accuracy department, new production models compare favorably.

 

[Gordon]

Mine, all TRW or Smith enterprise parts and a good M1a reciever. Only thing it lacks is the extra reciever lug for the useless FA parts.Here it is in NV dress, I also have a Sadlack Scope Mount with a 1.5-6x S&B scope in QD mounts


I registered it in Calif Assault ban in 1999 because of flash hider , I am supposed to have the mags grand fathered with it . Still in Calif. , the only Semi center fire I store in a safe at the family homestead there, just in case Like I said I bought this at Gunsite Orange in Az. in mid 80s . has mostly TRW parts and I sent it in late 80s to Smith Enterprises to do their NM mods to it. It was very tight getting it back but after a couple thousand rounds has loosened up to be combat serviceable. With a 6x scope in Sadlac mounts on it it is about 3" groups at 200 yards with my stash of Lake City M118 ammo.

 

[Reloadron]

I trained with the M14 and yes, it can reach out. The shooter on the right is me on Qual Day June 1969, the Edson Range in Camp Pendleton CA. Shooting prone on the 500 meter line. Ten rounds slow fire. Yes, I shoot left handed.



My issue rifle was also a TRW and the irony was I later had my career at the same TRW plant where the TRW rifles were manufactured in Cleveland (actually Euclid), Ohio. Later in ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) we fired full auto and with that rifle in full auto about all I could do was hold it down. When I got to TRW the old test range still existed but was later converted into parking.

When I got to Vietnam in 72 we were issued the M16 but our snipers were using the mentioned M21. The rifle in the foreground below is my NM M1A. My NM AR 10 is behind it. While the M1A does not always make it to the range I still enjoy shooting that rifle. Just something about it that I really enjoy.



<EDIT> I should point out the bi pods in the above image are props, that's all they are. Wife and I used them at gun shows years ago. Think we paid about a buck apiece for some. </EDIT>

Ron

 

[tark]

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[tark]

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[kBob]

OK I was WR...WR...Wrong. Although the M14 with Bipod and no other changes WAS listed as the M14A1 in some early pubs later what I refer to as the M14E2 was given that designation and the M14 with bipod was just called the M14 with bipod.

Sorry if I cam off as an ass. I will say the fishtail stock double pistol grip and muzzle stablizer gun was better on full auto than the M14 with bipod only when I shot them.

This is a gag shot with an Springfield M1A in an E2 stock we called The SkatenJadger!

Combat in a built up area indeed!

BTW shooting it without that back toe brake down DID result in rolling backwards and No that is not me

He was West Point X class of 77

-kBob

 

[4v50 Gary]

Skaten Jager - the eco version of green high mobility,

 

[waden45]

Here’s my mag fed Garand, in 7.62x51.View attachment 993485View attachment 993484

 

[TEXASJD]

I have a Springfield NM M1A with a Kreger barrel it took some work (trigger and bedding) but it will shoot 3shot groups around 3/8” all day likes 155Amaxs over Varget

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

I finally got my M1A and that's literally it in my profile picture

 

[Flatbush Harry]

I'll play counterpoint for a moment. first, the m1a is a really cool looking gun. That said, it is heavy, scopes very poorly both in terms of positioning your face and mounting a scope base. My personal experience with 3 of them has been that they are a 2 moa gun at best. Also, I fight the magazine to get it seated right, and the trigger is pretty meh. They're like an old range rover or 69 mustang or something. Cool looking, but a miserable daily driver. And in the stubby socom configuration, you can add "stupidly loud" to all the other negatives. But again, they look cool.
Buy a garand and a thompson compass instead. You'll get something that looks cooler (garand) and shoots better (Thompson)

I'll partially disagree with this post. First, it is a 9.5 lb rifle, just like the Garand. My father and uncle lugged these for several years during WWII and happily bet their lives on M1 Garands. Second, I use Bassett Low Picatinny 3 point scope mounts that have held beautifully on my M1As and offer both QD and nearly perfectly return to zero after reattachment. Third, my Supermatch is a 1 to 1-1/4 MOA rifle; I attach the below 10 shot 100 yard target when I sighted mine in with Federal Gold Medal Match ammo. Fourth, you need only snap in a fresh mag by putting it in at an angle and then snapping it vertical. Do it a handful of times and you've got it learned. I have the Supermatch, a Loaded in a chassis, and a Scout Squad...they're great shooters. Also, if you can strip a Garand you can strip an M1A and the same bolt disassembly tool works for both. Fifth, they are easy to maintain...and the same tub of lubriplate that I've had for more than 20 years lubes both and will outlast me. Oh, and I have three Garands, one of which I built from parts down at the CMP Advanced Maintenance Class 6 years ago. I'll bet my life on any of them. For a bolt action, I'll take a Bergara B-14HMR for $1,000. Sixth, as an architect once said, "Form follows function", so I worry less about looks and more about reliability, familiarity, and utility. As a BTW, the Garand is specifically exempted from Dianne Feinstein's Assault Weapons Ban and I have a few 10=round mags for my M1As if needed though I got my 20-round mags in 1979 when I bought my Supermatch.

YMMV...mine won't.



Harry

 

[Nature Boy]

I have a Springfield NM M1A with a Kreger barrel it took some work (trigger and bedding) but it will shoot 3shot groups around 3/8” all day likes 155Amaxs over Varget

My M1A loved the 155 AMAX as well

 

[TEXASJD]

I finally got my M1A and that's literally it in my profile picture

P.S. I like the A.R.M.S. Scope mounts

 

[mshootnit]

Atlantic has some BULAs now, or they did a couple days ago

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

P.S. I like the A.R.M.S. Scope mounts View attachment 993702View attachment 993703

Yea looks like that'd be the one I'll go with. With those it doesn't look like a cheek riser is required

 

[d2wing]

Here's another question about their combat role,
Were the issued with spare magazines in a pouch, for the purpose of speed loading? Or was it with stripper clips.

Magazine in pouches. I have never seen stripper clips used for either m-14 or M-16. It wasn't that heavy. 10 lbs. is not very heavy, I have seen AR's loaded with junk heavier than that, and the heft was great as we were trained to use them as a marshal arts weapon with bayonet. And we did manual of arms rifle drills with them. Also the average person was stronger and in better shape then.
My buddy Rick's sniper M-14 was equipped with Leupold scope. It didn't show it in the movie "Rescue at Dogshead" he picked off NVA at long range with his rifle in that battle. It is described in the book" Black Horse Riders" about the same battle and includes a picture of him and his rifle.

 

[snowman357]

What's been on my mind all day this week has been the M14/M1A. After seeing Jerry Miculek handle one it's been kinda calling out to me.
Is the m14 worth it ? Also what's the difference between the M14 and M1A ?

It all depends on what you are going to use it for, me I got it to use with iron sights the can be scoped but if your wanting a scope get an ar10. I have the M1A and a M1 garand, I shoot the garand more than the M1A, If you get the M1a you will need to get a few maintenance tools and extra magazines (checkmate industries are good) may also want to get the book by scott duff owners manual, also m14forum.com (more than you will ever want to know). If you dont have a garand you may want to go that way you can buy direct from the cmp and have it mailed to your house.

 

[d2wing]

What kind of accuracy was expected of the average soldier at 500 yards with the M14?

We were expected to hit a pop-up man size target at 600 meters from a standard prone position. I don't recall the time limit but it was a few seconds. They were pretty accurate. I was able to put 9 out of 10 shots in one hole in sight-in. Not everyone could do at 600 meters but 400 was pretty easy. I think the average shooter could do it at 500 yards. We were also taught quick kill back then.

 

[Reloadron]

Here's another question about their combat role,
Were the issued with spare magazines in a pouch, for the purpose of speed loading? Or was it with stripper clips.

Been awhile but the above reply on this got me to thinking we used stripper clips and bandoliers but thinking back I never saw them used in Vietnam. I remember them from my infantry training during 68 and 69. They looked like this and I think somewhere I may have a few. I do have at least four M14 magazine pouches for a cartridge belt I picked up somewhere. Actually I think I paid $40 for the 4 magazines, the cartridge belt and a GI cleaning kit on the cartridge belt some years ago. My M14 days were a long time ago. I really enjoy my M1A though.

Ron

 

[army_eod]

Fulton Armory

 

[d2wing]

Been awhile but the above reply on this got me to thinking we used stripper clips and bandoliers but thinking back I never saw them used in Vietnam. I remember them from my infantry training during 68 and 69. They looked like this and I think somewhere I may have a few. I do have at least four M14 magazine pouches for a cartridge belt I picked up somewhere. Actually I think I paid $40 for the 4 magazines, the cartridge belt and a GI cleaning kit on the cartridge belt some years ago. My M14 days were a long time ago. I really enjoy my M1A though.

Ron

I don't remember them at all. But then I don't remember lots of stuff.

 

[Ignition Override]

One of the coolest rifles ever designed .
Very good iron sights. I tried out the M-1A.

The fact that Slick Willy Clinton had a bunch of M-14s destroyed in the 1990s adds even More appeal. Oh yesss.

So many used in Vietnam by the Marines, and M-14s were used by Designated Snipers in Afghanistan, or whatever the true designation.

If you can justify the price for the civilian version- Yes.

.

 

[Boattale]

The first weapon I ever qualified with in the Army was the M-14, winter 1968, Sand Hill, Ft Benning... And as always, that marksmanship training came after humping the thing everywhere for weeks during all the other stuff you did in Basic... Never warmed up to it, struggled to qualify until I finally just let it beat me up to improve my scores.. A year out of basic we got M-16's to qualify with (I was still stateside..) and I had no trouble at all shooting at the Expert level... At that time I was barely 140 which might have something to do with the difficulty I had with that M-14...

Looking back on it I don't find anything at all to recommend it unless I needed a battle rifle and couldn't acquire something better. From what I remember the Army came to the same conclusion a long time ago... since they left general service before I came back from my senior trip in 1971, I believe..

Good luck with whatever you choose...

100%. If somebody gave me an M1A I'd put it for sale the next day. My M-14 experience comes from 1970. I've not forgotten it. As soon as we got out of MCRD then, everybody got M-16 A 1. Huge improvement.