Contents.History Early development The M14 was developed from a long line of experimental weapons based upon the rifle. Although the M1 was among the most advanced rifles of the late 1930s, it was not an ideal weapon. Modifications were already beginning to be made to the basic M1 rifle's design during the last months of. Changes included adding firing capability and replacing the eight-round with a detachable holding 20 rounds., and 's own offered different conversions. Garand's design, the, was the most popular, and T20 prototypes served as the basis for a number of Springfield test rifles from 1945 through the early 1950s. T25 prototypeIn 1945, Earle Harvey of Springfield Armory designed a completely different rifle, the T25, for the new T65.30 light rifle 7.62×49mm at the direction of Col. Rene Studler, then serving in the Pentagon.
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The two men were transferred to Springfield Armory in late 1945, where work on the T25 continued. The T25 was designed to use the T65 service cartridge, a Frankford Arsenal design based upon cartridge case used in the M1 service rifle, but shortened to the length of the case. Although shorter than the.30-06, with less powder capacity, the T65 cartridge retained the ballistics and energy of the.30-06 due to the use of a recently developed ball powder made by Olin Industries. After experimenting with several bullet designs, the T65 was finalized for adoption as the cartridge.
Olin Industries later introduced the cartridge on the commercial market as the. After a series of revisions by Earle Harvey and other members of the.30 light rifle design group following the 1950 Fort Benning tests, the T25 was renamed the T47.The T44 prototype service rifle was not principally designed by any single engineer at Springfield Armory, but was a conventional design developed on a shoestring budget as an alternative to the T47. With minimal funding available, the earliest T44 prototypes used T20E2 receivers fitted with magazine filler blocks and re-barreled for 7.62×51mm NATO, with the long operating rod/piston of the M1 replaced by the T47's gas cut-off system. Lloyd Corbett, an engineer in Harvey's rifle design group, added various refinements to the T44 design, including a straight operating rod and a bolt roller to reduce friction.
Infantry Board service rifle trials. Experimental T47 rifleThe T44 participated in a competitive service rifle competition conducted by the Infantry Board at, Georgia against the Springfield T47 (a modified T25) and the, a variant of 's (from 'Fusil Automatique Leger', French for 'light automatic rifle'). The T47, which did not have a bolt roller and performed worse in dust and cold weather tests than both the T44 and the T48, was dropped from consideration in 1953. During 1952–53, testing proved the T48 and the T44 roughly comparable in performance, with the T48 holding an advantage in ease of field stripping and dust resistance, as well as a longer product development lead time. A article in July 1953 hinted that the T48/FAL might be selected over the T44.
During the winter of 1953–54, both rifles competed in the winter rifle trials at U.S. Army facilities in the Arctic. Springfield Armory engineers, anxious to ensure the selection of the T44, had been specially preparing and modifying the test T44 rifles for weeks with the aid of the armory's cold chamber, including redesign of the T44 gas regulator and custom modifications to magazines and other parts to reduce friction and seizing in extreme cold. The T48 rifles received no such special preparation, and in the continued cold weather testing began to experience sluggish gas system functioning, aggravated by the T48's close-fitting surfaces between bolt and carrier, and carrier and receiver. FN engineers opened the gas ports in an attempt to improve functioning, but this caused early/violent extraction and broken parts as a result of the increased pressures. As a result, the T44 was ranked superior in cold weather operation to the T48. The Arctic Test Board report made it clear that the T48 needed improvement and that the U.S.
Would not adopt the T48 until it had successfully completed another round of Arctic tests the following winter.In June 1954, funding became available to manufacture newly fabricated T44 receivers specially designed for the shorter T65 cartridge. This one change to the T44 design saved a pound in rifle weight over that of the M1 Garand. Tests at Fort Benning with the T44 and T48 continued through the summer and fall of 1956. By this time, the T48/FAL rifles had been so improved that malfunction rates were almost as low as the T44.The T44 was selected over the T48/FAL primarily due to weight (T44 was a pound lighter), simplicity with fewer parts, the T44's self-compensating gas system, and the argument that the T44 could be manufactured on existing machinery built for the M1 rifle (this later turned out to be unworkable). In 1957, the U.S. Formally adopted the T44 as the U.S.
Infantry service rifle, designated M14. Production contracts Initial production contracts for the M14 were awarded to the,. (TRW) would later be awarded a production contract for the rifle as well. 1,376,031 M14 service rifles were produced from 1959 to 1964. National Match M14 Springfield Armory produced 6,641 new M14 NM rifles in 1962 and 1963, while TRW produced 4,874 new M14 NM rifles in 1964. Springfield Armory later upgraded 2,094 M14 rifles in 1965 and 2,395 M14 rifles in 1966 to National Match specifications, while 2,462 M14 rifles were rebuilt to National Match standards in 1967 at the.
A total of 11,130 National Match rifles were delivered by Springfield Armory, Rock Island Arsenal, and TRW during 1962–1967.Production M14 rifles made by Springfield Armory and Winchester used forged receivers and bolts milled from AISI 8620 steel, a low-carbon molybdenum-chromium steel. Harrington & Richardson M14 production used AISI 8620 steel as well, except for ten receivers milled from AISI 1330 low-carbon steel and a single receiver made from alloy steel with a high nickel content. Deployment.
Soldier with an M14 watches as supplies are dropped in 1967 during the.After the M14's adoption, Springfield Armory began tooling a new production line in 1958, delivering the first service rifles to the in July 1959. However, long production delays resulted in the being the only unit in the army fully equipped with the M14 by the end of 1961. The finally completed the change from M1 to M14 in late 1962. Springfield Armory records reflect that M14 manufacture ended as TRW, fulfilling its second contract, delivered its final production increment in fiscal year 1965 (1 July 1964 – 30 June 1965). The Springfield archive also indicates the 1.38 million rifles were acquired for just over $143 million, for a unit cost of about $104.The rifle served adequately during its brief tour of duty in. Though it was unwieldy in the thick brush due to its length and weight, the power of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge allowed it to penetrate cover quite well and reach out to extended range, developing 2,560 (3,463 ) of muzzle energy. However, there were several drawbacks to the M14.
The traditional wood of the rifle had a tendency to swell and expand in the heavy moisture of the jungle, adversely affecting accuracy. Fiberglass stocks were produced to resolve this problem, but the rifle was discontinued before very many could be distributed for field use. Also, because of the M14's powerful 7.62×51mm cartridge, the weapon was deemed virtually uncontrollable in fully automatic mode, so most M14s were permanently set to semi-automatic fire only to avoid wasting ammunition in combat. A rare M14 presentation model, serial No.
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0010The M14 was developed to replace seven different weapons—the M1 Garand, and (BAR). The intention was to simplify the logistical requirements of the troops by limiting the types of ammunition and parts needed to be supplied. However, it proved to be an impossible task to replace all these weapons. The M14 was also deemed 'completely inferior' to the World War II M1 Garand in a September 1962 report by the. The cartridge was too powerful for the role and the weapon was simply too light to serve as a replacement for the BAR. Replacement The M14 remained the primary infantry rifle in Vietnam until it was replaced by the in 1966–67, though combat engineer units kept them several years longer.
Further procurement of the M14 was abruptly halted in early 1964 due to the U.S. Department of Defense report which had also stated that the AR-15 (soon to be M16) was superior to the M14.
(The DOD did not cancel FY 1963 orders not yet delivered.) After the report, a series of tests and reports by the followed that resulted in the decision to cancel the M14. The M16 was ordered as a replacement for the M14 by direction of in 1964, over the objection of the U.S. Army officers who had backed the M14. (Other factions within the Army research and development community had opposed the M14 and the 7.62×51mm round from the start.) Though production of the M14 was officially discontinued, some disgruntled troops managed to hang on to them while deriding the early model M16 as a frail and under-powered ' toy' that was prone to jam. In late 1967, the U.S. Army designated the M16 as the 'Standard A' rifle, and the M14 became a 'Limited Standard' weapon.
The M14 rifle remained the standard rifle for U.S. Army Basic Training and troops stationed in Europe until 1970.The U.S. Army converted several thousand M14s into, which remained standard issue for this purpose until the adoption of the in 1988.In 1969, tooling for the M14 was sold to Taiwan and later many rifles were exported to Baltic countries and Israel. Post-1970 U.S. Military service. An Army marksman in Fallujah, Iraq, using an M14 with a LR/T 10×40 mm M3 scopeIn the mid-1990s, the Marine Corps chose a new rifle for Designated Marksman use, an M14 modified by the Precision Weapons Shop in called the (DMR). It is intended for use by security teams (, companies), and Marine in the cases where a would be more appropriate than the standard bolt-action rifle.
The USMC Rifle Team uses the M14 in shooting competitions. Although the M14 was phased out as the standard-issue rifle by 1970, M14 variants are still used by various branches of the U.S.
Military as well as other armed forces, especially as a sniper rifle and as a, due to its accuracy and effectiveness at long range. Few M14s were in use in the Army until the. Since the start of these conflicts, many M14s have been employed as designated marksman and sniper rifles.
These are not, but original production M14s. Common modifications include scopes, fiberglass stocks, and other accessories. A 2009 study conducted by the claimed that half of the engagements in occurred from beyond 300 meters (330 yd).
America's 5.56×45mm NATO service rifles are ineffective at these ranges; this has prompted the reissue of thousands of M14s. A using an M14 rifle to fire a shot line from the to.The 1st Battalion of the ('The Old Guard') in the is the sole remaining regular U.S. Army combat field unit where the M14 is still issued as the standard rifle, along with a chromed bayonet and an extra wooden stock with white sling for, parades, and other ceremonies. The Honor Guard uses a version of the M14. Navy Ceremonial Guard and Base Honor Guards also use the M14 for in military funerals. It is also the drill and parade rifle of the,. Navy ships carry several M14s in their armories.
They are issued to sailors going on watch out on deck in port, and to. The M14 is also used to shoot a large rubber projectile to another ship when underway to start the lines over for alongside refueling and replenishment. A SEAL operator with an M14 rifle participating in maritime interdiction enforcement during.Various sniper variants have been used by the. Often mistaken for the in the overt literature, only one of them has received a standard name in the U.S. Military designations system: the, developed by the. SEALs also use the (EBR) for close-quarters battle and in a designated marksman role. ' units are known to have used M14 sniper variants.
According to, the well-known account of the, Sergeant First Class used an M14 for sniping from helicopters to provide support fire to ground troops.The ('Green Berets') have made some use of the M25 'spotter rifle'. The M25 was developed in the late 1980s within the, which was charged to support Special Forces sniper weapons as well as the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC). The M25 was first planned as a replacement for the old M21, but after the Army adoption of the as its standard sniper rifle, the M25 was intended to be used by spotters of the sniper teams, while the snipers would use the bolt-action M24.The M14 has remained in service longer than any other U.S. Infantry rifle, surpassing the. It also holds the distinction of serving as the standard infantry rifle of the U.S. Army for the second-shortest span of time of any service rifle, only surpassed by the short-lived US rifles and carbines. Service with other nations The Philippines issues M14 rifles, M1/M2 carbines, M1 rifles, and M16 rifles, to their civilian defense forces and various cadet corps service academies.
The Hellenic Navy uses the M14.The M14 production Springfield tooling and assembly line was sold in 1967 to the Republic of China (Taiwan), who in 1968 began producing their Type 57 Rifle. The State Arsenal of the Republic of China produced over 1 million of these rifles from 1969 to the present.
Other than the surface finish it is essentially a US rifle. It is used by the reserves and as a backup defense weapon, and used by airport guards.In Mainland China, has produced an M14 variant for export, being sold in the U.S. Prior to the importation ban of 1989 and the enactment of the of 1994. Rifles made by were imported to the US in the 1980s but were banned from further import in 1989 by the first Bush Administration. They are currently being sold in Canada, Italy and New Zealand. They have been marketed under the M14S and M305 names.Rifle design Receiver markings Stamped into receiver heel:. U.S.
Rifle. 7.62-MM M14. Springfield Armory (or commercial contractor name).
Serial numberStock. M14 with magazineThe M14 rifle was first furnished with a walnut stock, then with birch and finally with a synthetic (fiberglass) stock, which was adopted for use in damp jungle environments in Vietnam, since the wood versions would often become warped and swollen with moisture. The stock was also fitted with a hinged shoulder rest for improved user comfort when firing from a prone position. Original equipment walnut and birch stocks carry the Department of Defense acceptance stamp or cartouche (an arc of three stars above a spread-winged eagle).
These stocks also carried a proof stamp, a P within a circle, applied after successful test-firing.Rifles manufactured through late 1960 were provided with walnut handguards.Thereafter synthetic, slotted (ventilated) hand guards were furnished but provedtoo fragile for military use. These were replaced by the solid synthetic partstill in use, usually in dark brown, black or a camouflage pattern.Rifling Standard M14 rifling has right-hand in 1:12 inches with 4 grooves.Accessories Although M14 rifle production ended in 1964, the limited standard status of the weapon resulted in the continued manufacture of accessories and spare parts into the late 1960s and beyond. with M8A1 sheath. M2 (Has 6 pockets, each containing 2 × 5-round Mauser-type clips for a total of 60 rounds, and a pouch for a magazine filler. The sling was adjustable and was held in place with a matte-black steel ). Standard Operating Procedure was for the operator to use up the ammunition in the bandoleers before using the loaded magazines in the ammo pouches.
Border Patrol Agent with an M14 rifle on the northern U.S. Military M15 The M15 Squad Automatic Weapon was a modified M14 developed as a replacement for the for use as a.
It added a heavier and, two pistol grips (one fixed, one folding) a hinged buttplate, a selector switch for fire, and a. The sling was from the BAR.
Like the M14, it was chambered for.Firing tests showed that the M14, when equipped with the selector switch, hinged buttplate and bipod, performed as well as the M15. As a result, the M15 was dropped and the modified M14 became the squad automatic weapon. Accuracy and control problems with this variant led to the addition of a, a folding rubber covered metal and a muzzle stabilizer.
However, it was a poor suppressive fire weapon owing to 20-round magazines and it overheated rapidly.M14E1 The M14E1 was tested with a variety of folding stocks to provide better maneuverability for armored infantry, paratroopers and others. No variant was standardized.M14E2/M14A1 Selective fire version of the standard M14 used as a squad automatic weapon.
Successor to the full-automatic M14 with a bipod and the never issued M15. The developmental model was known as the M14E2. As a conceptional weapon developed by the Infantry School, it was known as the M14 (USAIB) (United States Army Infantry Board). It was issued in 1963 and redesignated as M14A1 in 1966.It had a full pistol-gripped in-line stock to control recoil, a plastic upper forend to save weight, a muzzle compensator, the BAR sling, an M2 bipod, and a folding metal vertical foregrip mounted under the forend of the stock.
Although an improvement over the M14 when in full-auto, it was still difficult to control, overheated rapidly, and the 20-round magazine limited its ability to deliver suppressive fire.M14M (Modified)/M14NM (National Match) The M14M is a semi-automatic only version of the standard M14 that was developed for use in civilian rifle marksmanship activities such as the. M14M rifles were converted from existing M14 rifles by welding the select-fire mechanism to prevent full-automatic firing.
The M14NM (National Match) is an M14M rifle built to National Match accuracy standards.The M14M and M14NM rifles are described in a (now-obsolete) Army regulation, AR 920-25, 'Rifles, M14M and M14NM, For Civilian Marksmanship Use,' dated 8 February 1965. Paragraph 2, among other things, stated that the Director of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division, (predecessor to the ) had ruled that M14M and M14NM rifles so modified would not be subject to the 1934 (NFA) and, as such, could be sold or issued to civilians. However, with the passage of the, the NFA was amended to prohibit sales of previously modified automatic weapons such as the M14M and M14NM to civilians.M14 SMUD Stand-off Munition Disruption, used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel to destroy unexploded ordnance. Essentially an M14 National Match rifle with.Mk 14 EBR. Main article:The M89SR is an M14 in configuration first introduced by Sardius in the 1980s. Later produced by Technical Equipment International (TEI) for theAWC G2A Sniper Rifle AWC G2A Sniper Rifle is a modified M14 with bullpup stock designed by Lynn McWilliams and Gale McMillian in the late 1990s. Produced and delivered for testing at the sniper school.M21, M25 sniper rifles The and are accurized sniper rifle versions, built to closer tolerances than the standard M14.
These are the more standard sniper rifle variants of the M14.Commercial production. A Agent with M14 during a law enforcement memorial service Armscorp M14 From 1987 to 1994, Armscorp of America or Armscorp USA produced semi-auto M14 receivers. During the first year of production, Armscorp receivers were supplied by Smith Manufacturing of Holland, Ohio, which were heat treated and finish machined by Armscorp. From 1988 to 1994, a few receivers with an 'S' serial number prefix were made of stainless steel. From approximately 1994 until 2008, Armscorps receiver castings were supplied by the Lamothermic Corporation of Brewster, New York.CAR 14 A product of Troy Industries the CAR 14 (Carbine Assault Rifle 14) is a smaller and lighter tactical version of the M14. Its barrel is 12.5 inches long and it weighs 7.9 pounds.
The rifle has select fire ability, a threaded flash suppressor for a suppressor, a tactical rail on top for sights and other attachments, and the operating rod cover. Federal Ordnance From 1984 to 1991, Federal Ordnance of South El Monte, California sold a semi-auto version of the M14 rifle. Initially named the M14 or M14A, the rifle utilized an aftermarket semi-auto receiver fitted with surplus USGI M14 parts.
All receivers were machined from castings of AISI 8620 alloy steel. Except for the first fifty receivers, the castings were supplied by Electro Crisol Metal, S.A. Of Santander, Spain, then imported to the US for heat treatment, finish machining, and exterior phosphate treatment. M14 and M14A receivers were heat-treated using the carburizing process by a firm in Santa Ana, California, followed by finish machining on a CNC machine at Federal Ordnance in South El Monte.
Federal Ordnance M14 and M14A receivers were heat-treated and carburized according to USGI M14 requirements. Each completed production rifle was proof fired, then tested for functioning by firing three rounds. USGI parts and bolts were used extensively in Federal Ordnance rifles through at least serial number 88XX. In 1989, Federal Ordnance renamed the rifle the M14SA and M14CSA. Rifles in the 93XX serial range and higher have modified receivers designed to accept Chinese-made bolts, barrels, and other parts owing to a shortage of original USGI components.
Approximately 51,000 complete Federal Ordnance M14 rifles and 60,000 or more receivers were manufactured before production was halted in late 1991. La France Specialties M14K The M14K is a commercial version of the M14 designed and built by Timothy F. LaFrance of of San Diego, California, most using forged receivers produced by Smith Enterprise of Tempe, Arizona. This rifle has a custom-made short barrel with a custom-made, shortened operating rod, and employs a unique gas tube system. Fully automatic versions have a removable flash suppressor. Semi-automatic versions (of which very few were made) have a silver-brazed flash hider to comply with the requirement that Title I firearms have a 16' barrel.
Most M14Ks employ the M60 gas tube system. Some late-model M14Ks employ a custom-designed and manufactured gas system. Both are intended to control the rate of fire in fully automatic mode. The rear sight is a custom-made National Match type aperture, and the front sight is a custom-made narrow blade, wing-protected sight to take advantage of the additional accuracy afforded by the special barrel.The stocks and handguards on M14Ks are shortened versions of the GI birch or walnut stock, but make use of the original front ferrule. The front sling mount is relocated slightly to rear, to accommodate the shortened stock. Most handguards are of the solid, fiberglass variety (albeit shortened), but a limited number were made with shortened wood handguards. The steel buttplate was deleted in favor of a rubber recoil pad, which greatly reduces perceived recoil.
A limited number of M14Ks were manufactured with the BM-59 Alpine / Para folding stock. These too had the shortened stocks and handguards, making for an extremely compact package especially suited to vehicular and airborne operations. A couple of M14Ks were built for SEAL Team members using the tubular folding stock assembly on a cut-down M14E2 stock found on some of the Team's full-size M14s prior to adoption of the Sage International EBR stock for M14 applications.
These are by far one of the rarest variants of the M14K.Norinco The Chinese firm manufactures versions of the M14 rifle known as the M14S (Sporter) and the M305. There are two versions of the M305. The M305A/B, one with the same barrel as the regular M14 and one with a short barrel. The M305A is a M14 chambered to fire 7.62x39 ammo. And the M305B is a M14 with an 18.5' barrel and chambered to fire in 7.62 NATO caliber.
Copies of the select-fire and semi-auto versions of the M14 were also made by Norinco.These rifles have been banned from importation (1989 for all Polytech rifles) and (1994 for Norinco rifles) to the U.S., due to a Clinton era prohibition on Chinese made firearms. They are commonly sold and are popular in Canada for hunting and target shooting.Production of these M14s were contracted out to Yunnan Xiyi Industry Company Limited or State Factory Number 356 from the rifles to the 7.62 NATO magazines. Polytech Industries Polytech Industries of China made an unlicensed version of the M14 rifle known as the M14S. Polytechs, unlike Norinco rifles, were all banned in the 1989 firearm importation ban by the President George HW Bush administration. Smith Enterprise, Inc was founded as Western Ordnance in 1979 by Richard Smith in and the company made numerous types of rifles, but specialized in the and M14. In 1993, Western Ordnance reformed as Smith Enterprise and has built and rebuilt numerous M14 rifles for the US Military and the militaries of Colombia, Canada and other nations.The U.S.
Department of Defense has contracted Smith Enterprise to build and modify M14 rifles for use by soldiers, Marines and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan. Smith Enterprise played a major part in the M14 rifle modernization projects for various US military units which resulted in the development of the.The company's history included originally making forged receivers for M14 rifles and briefly switching to investment casting. Smith stopped making receivers for a few years, but reentered the market with receivers machined from bar stock in 2002.In 2003 Smith Enterprise Inc. Created its version of the M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle known as the MK14 Mod 0, type SEI.
The rifle used a medium heavy weight 18.0' barrel and was used as a basis to create the US Navy's Mark 14 Mod 0 with being tasked to supply the necessary machinery in cooperation with the. SEI builds an improved M14 gas cylinder as a component of their specialized rifles and a part for the military to upgrade older rifles. The gas cylinder is assigned the NATO Stock Number: NSN 1005-00-790-8766. Springfield Armory of, produces a -only version of the M14 rifle. The standard rifle is known as the. The company produces several variations of the basic rifle with different stocks, barrel weights, barrel lengths, and other optional features.
The Springfield M1A and its model variants have been widely distributed in the U.S. Civilian market and have seen use by various law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Springfield Armory, Inc. Also produce the SOCOM series and the Scout Squad Rifle, based on the short-barreled version of the M14. The SOCOM 16 comes with provisions to mount a and the SOCOM II adds railed handguards to the package. Springfield Armory's M21 tactical is a civilian version of the currently in use by the U.S.
Gallery.