'Side-lever' M-14 - a good (Forgotten Weapons) review

[AJMD429]

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I'd not seen anything quite as thorough - usually the M-14 is just dismissed as an attempt to make the Garand better that failed because the government was moving to the idea of wounding being more tactical than killing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL-dLeWvbss

I won a Springfield Scout M1A in a pro-gun raffle years ago, and I really don't see the need for a different 308. Others are nice, but the M1A does feel more like a 'real gun' than some of the others do to me.

[2ndovc]

Great rifles!

I have two, a HB stainless barrel and a Squad Scout. The scout gets a lot more use. For me, it's a great combination of size, weight and carries well.

jb

[Pat C]

I've been a M14 fan for long time mostly because Dad held high regard for the rifle .He carried one in Vietnam 1966-1967, expert Rifleman shot on rifle team some as well.

I've built a number of M14 type rifles over last 20 plus years with commercial receivers and USGI parts.
Including my M114 conversion using modified M1 receiver with custom parts and M14 parts.

Two rifles I'm quite fond of I machined the receivers one from precision investment casting and the other from billet. Holding specs to USGI prints including carburizing . And phosphatase.
Finally built on all USGI parts.

I don't get to shoot them much anymore as we sold our property .I hate public ranges too.

[Streetstar]

My Tanker model M1A is a very capable shooter that can keep 5" silhouette spinners spinning at 75 yards if i do my part - havent put it on actual paper to see what the true accuracy potential is - it was dialed in enough for the react targets straight out of the box and i havent felt a compelling need to touch it

Its also obviously ready to repel boarders if the smells of my backyard bbq antics becomes too much for nerr' do wells to resist

[COSteve]

I won a Springfield Scout M1A in a pro-gun raffle years ago, and I really don't see the need for a different 308. Others are nice, but the M1A does feel more like a 'real gun' than some of the others do to me.

I couldn't agree more. My basic training rifle was an M14 and I also used it in Germany for the short time I was there. However, my M1A is a bit expensive to shoot all the time at 26.7¢ per round for my 150 grn FMJ mil spec handloads (yes, I stocked up on components when they were cheap). So, as I also handload the 5.56 for the dreaded ARs my son wanted, I got me a new 583 Series Ruger Mini in 2015 and turned it into a 'Mini M14'.

Big and little brothers. Both a hoot to shoot but the Mini M14 is considerably cheaper to shoot using 62 grn Hornady FMJ bullets that my Mini seems to love.

IMG_8801.jpg

[2ndovc]

I say "repel borders" all the time. Must be the pirate in my blood!

Still need a Tanker to round out the M1A collection. I've gotten into the AR10 world and it's trials. That's for another post though.

jb

[Streetstar]

I say "repel borders" all the time. Must be the pirate in my blood!

Still need a Tanker to round out the M1A collection. I've gotten into the AR10 world and it's trials. That's for another post though.

jb

Shiver me timbers ! -- regarding the Ar-10's -- its always something with the firearms worls isnt it - its tough to stand back and say - "Good enough! - all my needs are covered !"

[Paladin]

I had just watched that review a couple of months ago, it was more info than I had seen on the M-14 before. I was lucky enough to shoot on a military rifle team for a few years with a M-14. I had a lot of faith in it and when I deployed with 10th SF GP in 2002 they let me customize an M-14 for carry for my assignment. I built the "SOCOM" with a 16.25-inch barrel but with a selector. I still have an M1A Ultra Match that a friend from the Army Marksmanship Unit rebuilt for me and put a suppressor mount on to make it like the M-21s we had in the unit before the bolt guns. I then got a deal on a Scout-Squad with a Leupold 4X scout scope that I use as my truck gun.

My M-14 in Iraq

Hide IRAQ m14 c.jpg

My M1A

Arch's M21.jpg

My Scout Squad M1A

squad.jpg

[jeepnik]

Well, my opinion of the M14 is well documented here. As is my dislike for what came next.

I find it interesting that he mentioned the M14 was too long for close terrain. That’s the reason I bought the Scout Squad. But seriously, guys did okay with the Garand in the Pacific.

[oldebear1950]

I went thru US ARMY boot camp, at FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA, back in 1968. At the age of 18, in fact turned 18 in October of that year, and was there. I was in the ARMY RESERVES, and the M-14 was the second rifle I fired in the military, as the reserves was still using the M-1 Garand.
I transferred from the reserves to the full time US COAST GUARD in July 1969, and the Coast Guard was still using the M-1 .
But I always thought those two rifles were really good guns.

[Pat C]

John Garand had retired in 1953 from Springfield Armory .
But Matheison Tool who was contracted to design and make a shorter T series rifle hired JC Garand as a consultant to help them.

The unveiling of the New T44 short by them which led to further design changes to T44E4 and finally in 1959 US RIFLE 7.62 MM M14 was put into production at serial 2000

[2ndovc]

I say "repel borders" all the time. Must be the pirate in my blood!

Still need a Tanker to round out the M1A collection. I've gotten into the AR10 world and it's trials. That's for another post though.

jb

Shiver me timbers ! -- regarding the Ar-10's -- its always something with the firearms worls isnt it - its tough to stand back and say - "Good enough! - all my needs are covered !"

There's always something to obsess over.
I bought a Springfield AR10 last summer and just haven't been happy with the accuracy. The guys at the shop told me to call Springfield about sending it in and they would take care of boxing it up and shipping N/C. I figured I'll need another one while I'm waiting for it to come back so I bought a Sig 716i to work on while I wait for the Springfield.
I should have time Monday to get it out to the range.

jb