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The M14 rifle, officially the United States Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M14, is an American
selective fire Selective fire is the capability of a weapon to be adjusted to fire in semi-automatic, fully automatic, and/or burst mode. The modes are chosen by means of a selector switch, which varies depending on the weapon's design. Some selective-fire we ...
battle rifle A battle rifle is a service rifle chambered to fire a fully powered cartridge. The term "battle rifle" is a retronym created largely out of a need to better differentiate the intermediate cartridge, intermediate-powered assault rifles (e.g. the S ...
chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 in) cartridge. It became the standard-issue rifle for the U.S. military in 1959, replacing the
M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S Army during World War ...
rifle in service with the U.S. Army by 1958 and the U.S. Marine Corps by 1965. The M14 was used by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps for Basic and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. The M14 was the last American
battle rifle A battle rifle is a service rifle chambered to fire a fully powered cartridge. The term "battle rifle" is a retronym created largely out of a need to better differentiate the intermediate cartridge, intermediate-powered assault rifles (e.g. the S ...
issued in quantity to U.S. military personnel. In 1967, it was officially replaced by the M16 assault rifle, a lighter weapon with a smaller,
intermediate cartridge An intermediate cartridge is a rifle/carbine cartridge that has significantly greater power than a pistol cartridge but still has a reduced muzzle energy compared to fully powered cartridges (such as the .303 British, 7.62×54mmR, 7.92×57mm ...
. The M14 rifle remains in limited service across all branches of the U.S. military, with variants used as
sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
and
designated marksman rifle A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
s, accurized competition weapons, and
ceremonial weapon A ceremonial weapon is an object used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority. They are often used in parades and as part of dress uniforms. Although they are descended from weapons used in actual combat, they are not normally use ...
s by
honor guard A guard of honour ( GB), also honor guard ( US), also ceremonial guard, is a group of people, usually military in nature, appointed to receive or guard a head of state or other dignitaries, the fallen in war, or to attend at state ceremonials, ...
s,
color guard In Military, military organizations, a colour guard (or color guard) is a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of Colours, standards and guidons, regimental colours and the national flag. This duty is so prestigious that the militar ...
s,
drill team A drill team can be one of four different entities: # A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military foot or exhibition drills. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed. # A dance drill team crea ...
s and ceremonial guards. Civilian semi-automatic variants are used for hunting,
plinking Plinking refers to informal target shooting done for pleasure, typically at non-standard targets such as tin cans, logs, bottles, or any other homemade or naturally occurring target. Practice In contrast to shooting done at established targe ...
, target shooting, and shooting competitions. The M14 served as the basis for the M21 and M25 sniper rifles, which were eventually replaced by the
M24 Sniper Weapon System The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) or M24 is the military and police version of the Remington Model 700 rifle, ''M24'' being the model name assigned by the United States Army after adoption as their standard sniper rifle in 1988. The M24 is ref ...
. A new variant of the M14, the
Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle The Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) is an American military selective fire battle rifle, and a designated marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO Cartridge (firearms), cartridge. It is a variant of the M14 rifle, M14 battle rifle and ...
(EBR), has been in service since 2002.


History


Early development

The M14's development stemmed from an extensive line of experimental weapons based on the
M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S Army during World War ...
rifle. Although the M1 was among the most advanced
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
rifle designs of the late 1930s, it was not without faults, as various modifications to the basic M1 were considered during the last months of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Changes included the addition of
fully automatic An automatic firearm is an auto-loading firearm that continuously chambers and fires rounds when the trigger mechanism is actuated. The action of an automatic firearm is capable of harvesting the excess energy released from a previous discharge ...
fire and the replacement of the eight-round en bloc clip with a detachable
box magazine A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges withi ...
with a capacity of 20 rounds.
Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
,
Remington Remington may refer to: Organizations * Remington Arms, American firearms manufacturer * Remington Rand, American computer manufacturer * Remington Products, American manufacturer of shavers and haircare products * Remington College, American c ...
, and
Springfield Armory The Springfield Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until ...
's
John Garand Jean Cantius Garand (; January 1, 1888 – February 16, 1974), also known as John C. Garand, was a Québec-born American designer of firearms who created the M1 Garand, a semi-automatic rifle that was widely used by the U.S. Army and U.S ...
offered alternate conversions. Garand's design, the T20, was the most popular, and T20 prototypes served as the basis for several Springfield test rifles from 1945 through the early 1950s. In 1945, Earle Harvey of Springfield Armory designed an entirely different rifle, the T25, for the new T65 .30 light rifle
cartridge Cartridge may refer to: Objects * Cartridge (firearms), a type of modern ammunition * ROM cartridge, a removable component in an electronic device * Cartridge (respirator), a type of filter used in respirators Other uses * Cartridge (surname), a ...
(7.62×49mm). This was at the direction of Col. Rene Studler, then serving in the Pentagon. Harvey and Studler were then transferred to Springfield Armory in late 1945, to continuously develop the T25. The T25 was designed to use the T65 service cartridge, a Frankford Arsenal design based upon the .30-06 cartridge used in the M1. However, it was shortened to the same length as the
.300 Savage The .300 Savage cartridge is a rimless, .30 caliber rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their fo ...
. Although shorter than the .30-06, meaning less powder capacity, the T65 cartridge retained the ballistics and energy of the .30-06. This can be attributed to the use of a recently developed ball powder designed by Olin Industries. After experimenting with several bullet designs, the T65 was finalized for adoption as the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. Olin Industries later introduced the cartridge to the commercial market as the
.308 Winchester The .308 Winchester is a smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge widely used for hunting, target shooting, police, military, and personal protection applications globally. It is similar but not identical to the 7.62×51mm NATO ...
. After a series of revisions by Earle Harvey and the other members of the .30 light rifle design group following the 1950 Fort Benning tests, the T25 was renamed the T47. The T44 prototype rifle was a conventional design developed at Springfield Armory 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 the 7.62×51mm cartridge. Additionally, the long operating rod/piston of the M1 was replaced by the T47's gas cut-off system. Though not principally designed by any single engineer, Lloyd Corbett is credited for several refinements to the T44 design. Refinements included the addition of a bolt roller intended to reduce friction and a straight operating rod.


Infantry Board service rifle trials

The T44 was tested in a competitive service rifle competition conducted by the Infantry Board at
Fort Benning Fort Benning is a United States Army post near Columbus, Georgia, adjacent to the Alabama–Georgia border. Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve component soldiers, retirees and civilian employees ...
, Georgia against the Springfield T47 (a modified T25) and the T48, a variant of
Fabrique Nationale Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe. ...
's FN FAL (from "Fusil Automatique Leger", French for "light automatic rifle"). The T47, which did not have a bolt roller and performed worse than both the T44 and the T48 in dust and cold weather tests. Thus, it was dropped from consideration in 1953. During 1952–53, testing proved the T48 and the T44 to be 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 ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
'' article in July 1953 speculated that the T48/FAL could have been 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."The T48 Automatic Rifle: The American FAL"
Cruffler.com, retrieved 24 April 2012
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 a 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 single change to the T44 design saved a pound over 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 due to lower weight, simplicity with fewer parts, the T44's self-compensating gas system, and because it was postulated, falsely, that the T44 could be manufactured on existing machinery built for the M1 rifle.Hatcher, Julian S. (Maj. Gen.). ''Hatcher's Notebook'', p. 496. Harrisburg, PA: The Stackpole Company (1962). 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
Springfield Armory The Springfield Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until ...
,
Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...
, and
Harrington & Richardson H&R 1871, LLC, or more commonly known as Harrington & Richardson, is an American brand of firearms and a subsidiary of JJE Capital Holdings. H&R ceased production February 27, 2015. History The original H&R firm was in business for over a cent ...
. Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge Inc. (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.Emerson, pp. 11, 29, 37, 60-72.


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
Rock Island Arsenal The Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. Rock Island ...
. 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 steel with added molybdenum-chromium. 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 a high-nickel alloy steel


Deployment

After the M14's adoption, Springfield Armory began tooling a new production line in 1958, delivering the first service rifles to the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
in July 1959. However, long production delays resulted in the
101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
being the only unit in the army fully equipped with the M14 by the end of 1960. The
Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general- and special-purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet ...
finally completed the change from M1 to M14 in late 1961. Springfield Armory records reflect that M14 manufacture ended as TRW, fulfilling its second contract, delivered its final production increment in the 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 M14 was developed to replace four different weapons: the
M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S Army during World War ...
, the
M3 submachine gun The M3 is an American .45-caliber submachine gun adopted by the U.S. Army on 12 December 1942, as the United States Submachine Gun, Cal. .45, M3.Iannamico, Frank, ''The U.S. M3-3A1 Submachine Gun'', Moose Lake Publishing, , (1999), pp. 14, 22 ...
, the
M1 Carbine The M1 carbine (formally the United States Carbine, Caliber .30, M1) is a lightweight semi-automatic carbine that was a standard firearm for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The M1 carbine was produced ...
and the
M1918 Browning automatic rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the . ...
(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 deemed "completely inferior" to even the World War II M1 Garand in a September 1962 report by the
U.S. Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...
comptroller A comptroller (pronounced either the same as ''controller'' or as ) is a management-level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization. A financial comptroller is a senior-level executi ...
. The cartridge was too powerful for the
submachine gun A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun, to describe its design concept as an autom ...
role and the weapon was simply too light to serve as a
light machine gun A light machine gun (LMG) is a light-weight machine gun designed to be operated by a single infantryman, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. LMGs firing cartridges of the same caliber as the other riflemen of the sam ...
replacement for the M1918 BAR. The rifle was unwieldy in the thick brush of
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
due to its length and weight, and the traditional wood stocks made of walnut and birch tended 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 the fiberglass stocks could be distributed for field use. With 2,560
ft·lbf The foot-pound force (symbol: ft⋅lbf, ft⋅lbf, or ft⋅lb ) is a unit of work or energy in the engineering and gravitational systems in United States customary and imperial units of measure. It is the energy transferred upon applying a fo ...
(3,463 J) of muzzle energy, the power of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge was valued for its excellent range and good cover penetration, however, the powerful cartridge also deemed the weapon to be virtually uncontrollable in fully automatic fire, so most M14s were permanently set to semi-automatic fire only to avoid wasting ammunition in combat. Although marred by numerous shortcomings, the rifle served during its brief tour of duty with some modest success.


Replacement

Within the Army research and development community, there were disputes between factions that supported the adoption of the M14 and the 7.62×51mm round from their inception and the other factions that opposed them. The M14 remained the primary infantry rifle in Vietnam until it was replaced by the M16 in 1967, though
combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, tunnel and mine warfare ta ...
units kept them for several years longer. Further procurement of the M14 was abruptly halted in early 1968 due to a U.S. Department of Defense report which stated that the
AR-15 An AR-15-style rifle is any lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design. The original ArmaLite AR-15 is a scaled-down derivative of Eugene Stoner's ArmaLite AR-10 design. The then Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporatio ...
, which would soon be designated the M16, was superior to the M14. A series of tests by the
U.S. Department of the Army The United States Department of the Army (DA) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the U.S. The Department of the Army is the federal government agency within which the United States Army (U.S.) is o ...
following the report resulted in the decision to cancel the M14, although the DOD did not cancel the previous FY 1963 orders to be delivered. The M16 was ordered as a replacement for the M14 by the direction of Secretary of Defense
Robert McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the Lis ...
in 1964, over the objection of the U.S. Army officers who had backed the M14. Though production of the M14 was officially discontinued, some discontented troops managed to persist with them while deriding the early model M16 as a frail and underpowered "
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...
toy" that was prone to jamming. A Congressional investigation later discovered these characteristics to be the result of intentional attempts by Army bureaucracy to sabotage the M16's field performance in Vietnam. 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 M21
sniper rifle A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a por ...
s, which remained standard issue for this purpose until the adoption of the M24 SWS 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

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
designated marksman rifle A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
, due to its accuracy and effectiveness at long range. In 1989, the Marine Corps began a program to upgrade their M14s into DMRs. The final product created by the Precision Weapons Section in
Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeaster ...
was called the
Designated Marksman Rifle A designated marksman rifle (DMR) is a modern scoped high-precision rifle used by infantrymen in the designated marksman (DM) role. It generally fills the engagement range gap between a service rifle and a dedicated sniper rifle, at aroun ...
(DMR) and was intended for use by security teams ( Special Reaction Teams (SRTs), FAST companies), and Marine
Scout Sniper United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper (MOS 0317, formerly 8541) is a secondary MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) designator of U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have graduated from a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Snipe ...
s in the cases where a
semi-automatic rifle A semi-automatic rifle is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger, and uses part of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber. For comparison, a bolt-act ...
would be more appropriate than the standard bolt-action M40A1/A3 rifle. The USMC Rifle Team currently uses the M14 in shooting competitions. Some original production M14s, not to be confused with M21 rifles, were in use by the Army until the
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
s, when they began to be employed as designated marksman and sniper rifles. A 2009 study conducted by the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
claimed that half of the engagements in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
occurred from beyond . American 5.56×45mm NATO service rifles were ineffective at these ranges, which prompted the reissue of thousands of M14s. Common modifications included scopes, fiberglass stocks, and other accessories. The 1st Battalion of the
3rd United States Infantry Regiment The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment is a regiment of the United States Army. It currently has three active battalions, and is readily identified by its nickname, The Old Guard, as well as Escort to the President. The regimental motto is ' ...
("The Old Guard") in the
Military District of Washington The United States Army Military District of Washington (MDW) is one of nineteen major commands of the United States Army. Its headquarters are located at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C. The missions of the units in the Military Distri ...
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 a white sling for
military funeral A military funeral is a memorial or burial rite given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards ...
s, parades, and other ceremonies. The
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Honor Guard uses a version of the M14. The U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and Base Honor Guards also use the M14 for 3-volley salutes in military funerals. It is also the drill and parade rifle of the
United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
,
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
,
United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...
,
The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a Public college, public United States senior military college, senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one ...
,
Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...
,
Virginia Military Institute la, Consilio et Animis (on seal) , mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal) , established = , type = Public senior military college , accreditation = SACS , endowment = $696.8 mill ...
, and
North Georgia College and State University The University of North Georgia (UNG) is a public senior military college with multiple campuses in Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia. The university was established on January 8, 2013 by a merger of North Georgia College ...
. U.S. Navy ships carry several M14s in their armories. They are issued to sailors going on watch out on deck in port, and to Backup Alert Forces. 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. Various sniper variants have been used by the
United States Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting sma ...
. Often mistaken for the M21 in the overt literature, only one of them has received a standard name in the U.S. military designations system: the M25, developed by the
Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
. SEALs also use the Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) for close-quarters battle and in a designated marksman role. "
Delta Force The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (1st SFOD-D), referred to variously as Delta Force, Combat Applications Group (CAG), Army Compartmented Elements (ACE), "The Unit", or within Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Fo ...
" units are known to have used M14 sniper variants. Eric L. Haney indicated in his memoir ''Inside Delta Force'' that every soldier going through the Operator Training Course trained on the M14. According to '' Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War'', the well-known account of the Battle of Mogadishu, Sergeant First Class
Randy Shughart Randall David Shughart (August 13, 1958 – October 3, 1993) was a United States Army Delta Force operator who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu, during Operation Gothic Serpent in Oc ...
used an M14 for sniping from helicopters to provide support fire to ground troops. The
U.S. Army Special Forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army. The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal m ...
("Green Berets") have made some use of the M25 "spotter rifle". The M25 was developed in the late 1980s within the 10th Special Forces Group, 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 M24 SWS 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
M1903 Springfield rifle The M1903 Springfield, officially the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American five-round magazine-fed, bolt-action service repeating rifle, used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. The M1903 was first u ...
, and holds the distinction of serving one of the shortest periods as the standard infantry service rifle of the U.S. Army, only second to the US Springfield Krag–Jørgensen rifles and carbines.


International service

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. In 1967 the Springfield tooling and assembly line for M14 production was sold to the Republic of China, also known as
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. In 1968 the State Arsenal of the Republic of China began producing the Type 57 rifle, and from 1969 to the present produced over 1 million Type 57 rifles. The Type 57 is currently in service with airport guards and the reserves. In Mainland China, Norinco has produced an M14 variant for export, some of which were sold in the U.S. before the importation ban of 1989 and the enactment of the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly referred to as the 1994 Crime Bill, the Clinton Crime Bill, or the Biden Crime Law, is an Act of Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement; it became law in 1994. It is t ...
of 1994. Rifles made by
Poly Technologies The Poly Technologies (), sometimes abbreviated as PolyTech, a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation, is a trade company with headquarters in Beijing, China. The company deals with missiles and other military products. The company was fou ...
were imported to the US in the 1980s but were banned from further import in 1989 by the George H.W. Bush Administration."M14 Type Rifles".
Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
They were being sold in Canada, Italy and New Zealand as of 2008. 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 number


Stock

The M14 rifle was first furnished with a walnut stock, then with birch, and finally with a synthetic fiberglass stock due to the moisture in the humid jungle environments of rural Vietnam causing wood to swell. The stock was 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, consisting of an arc of three stars above a spread-winged eagle. After successful test-firing, a proof stamp was also applied to these stocks consisting of a letter "P" within a circle. Rifles manufactured through late 1960 were provided with walnut handguards. Synthetic, slot-ventilated handguards were produced but proved to be too fragile for military use. These were replaced by a solid synthetic handguard that is still in use, usually colored in dark brown, black, or a camouflage pattern.


Rifling

Standard M14 rifling has a right-hand 1:12-inch
twist Twist may refer to: In arts and entertainment Film, television, and stage * ''Twist'' (2003 film), a 2003 independent film loosely based on Charles Dickens's novel ''Oliver Twist'' * ''Twist'' (2021 film), a 2021 modern rendition of ''Olive ...
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. * M6 bayonet with M8A1 sheath * M2
Bandoleer A bandolier or a bandoleer is a pocketed belt for holding either individual bullets, or belts of ammunition. It is usually slung sash-style over the shoulder and chest, with the ammunition pockets across the midriff and chest. Though functiona ...
(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
safety pin The safety pin is a variation of the regular pin which includes a simple spring mechanism and a clasp. The clasp forms a closed loop to properly fasten the pin to whatever it is applied to and covers the end of the pin to protect the user from th ...
). Standard Operating Procedure was for the operator to use up the ammunition in the bandoleers before using the loaded magazines in the ammo pouches. The seam stitching of each pocket could be ripped out to allow the bandoleer to carry 6 pre-loaded 20-round magazines. * Sling: The service rifle used a one-piece cotton or nylon webbing sling, and the competition and sniping variants use the standard M1907 two-piece leather sling. * Cleaning kit, contained in the stock's butt-trap, included: a combination tool, ratchet chamber brush, plastic lubricant case, brass bore brush, four cleaning rod sections, cleaning rod case, and a cleaning rod patch-holding tip. * M5 winter trigger and winter safety * M12 blank firing attachment and M3 breech shield * Cartridge charger clip (holds five cartridges) * Magazine filler (or "spoon") for charging detached magazines externally. The M14 has a groove over the action that allows the operator to place a loaded clip and top off the attached magazine internally through the open action. * M1956 Universal Small Arms Ammunition Pouch, First Pattern could hold two 20-round M14 magazines horizontally. * M1956 Universal Small Arms Ammunition Pouch, Second Pattern could hold three 20-round M14 magazines vertically. * M1961 ammunition magazine pouch could carry one 20-round M14 magazine. The bottom of the pouch contained eyelets for attaching a First Aid Pouch or 3-cell (6 pockets) Grenade Carrier that could be tied down around the thigh. * M2 bipod * M76 rifle grenade launcher * M15 grenade launcher sight * Mk 87 Mod 0/1 line throwing kit


Types of sights

* Rear peep, front blade, metric * Rear National Match peep with hood, front National Match blade, metric


Variants and related designs


Military


M15

The M15 Squad Automatic Weapon was a modified M14 developed as a replacement for the .30-06
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the . ...
for use as a
squad automatic weapon A squad automatic weapon (SAW), also known as a section automatic weapon or light support weapon (LSW), is a man-portable automatic firearm attached to infantry squads or sections as a source of rapid direct firepower. Weapons fulfilling this ...
. As with the M14, it was chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO. It featured a heavier
barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids, ...
and
stock In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
, two pistol grips (one fixed, one folding) a hinged butt plate, a selector switch for
fully automatic An automatic firearm is an auto-loading firearm that continuously chambers and fires rounds when the trigger mechanism is actuated. The action of an automatic firearm is capable of harvesting the excess energy released from a previous discharge ...
fire, a
bipod A bipod is a V-shaped portable attachment that helps support and steady a device, usually a weapon such as a long gun or a mortar. The term comes from the Latin prefix ''bi-'' and Greek root ''pod'', meaning "two" and "foot" respectively. Bipod ...
, and used the standard BAR sling. Firing tests showed that the M14, when equipped with the selector switch, hinged butt plate 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
pistol grip On a firearm or other tools, a pistol grip is a distinctly protruded handle underneath the main mechanism, to be held by the user's hand at a more vertical (and thus more ergonomic) angle, similar to the how one would hold a conventional pist ...
, a folding rubber-covered metal
foregrip A vertical forward grip or foregrip is a vertical pistol grip mounted on the fore-end of a long-barrel firearm, designed for grasping by the frontal support hand (or "off hand"). Use Forward grips aid in the maneuverability of the firearm, ...
and a muzzle stabilizer. However, it remained a poor suppressive fire weapon owing to its 20-round magazines and a tendency to rapidly overheat.


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, a folding metal vertical foregrip mounted under the forend of the stock, and a rubber recoil shoulder pad under the hinged butt plate. 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
Civilian Marksmanship Program The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a U.S. government-chartered program intended to promote firearm safety training and rifle practice for all qualified U.S. citizens with a specific emphasis on youth. Any U.S. citizen not otherwise legall ...
. 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", 8 February 1965. Paragraph 2, among other things, stated that the Director of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division,
Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory ta ...
, Department of the Treasury (predecessor to the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and preven ...
) had ruled that M14M and M14NM rifles so modified would not be subject to the 1934
National Firearms Act The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, was enacted on June 26, 1934, and currently codified and amended as . The law is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes an excise tax on the manufact ...
(NFA) and, as such, could be sold or issued to civilians. However, with the passage of the
Gun Control Act of 1968 The Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA or GCA68) is a U.S. federal law that regulates the firearms industry and firearms ownership. Due to constitutional limitations, the Act is primarily based on regulating interstate commerce in firearms by generally ...
, the NFA was amended to prohibit the sale 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 a
scope Scope or scopes may refer to: People with the surname * Jamie Scope (born 1986), English footballer * John T. Scopes (1900–1970), central figure in the Scopes Trial regarding the teaching of evolution Arts, media, and entertainment * Cinem ...
.


Mk 14 EBR

The Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle is a more tactical version of the M14, with a shorter 18-inch barrel, a retractable stock and multiple rails for more accessories.


M14 Tactical

Modified M14 using the same stock as the Mk 14 but with a 22-inch barrel and a Smith Enterprise muzzle brake, used by the
U.S. Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
.


M14 Designated Marksman Rifle

Designated marksman version of the M14, used by the U.S. Marine Corps. Replaced by the
M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle The M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle (EMR; formally Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle; NSN 1005-01-553-5196) is a semi-automatic, gas-operated designated marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is a mod ...
.


M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle

Modified M14 DMR fitted with the same stock as Mk 14, used by the U.S. Marine Corps. Being replaced by the
M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System The M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System (M110 SASS) is an American semi-automatic precision rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO round. It is manufactured by Knight's Armament Company, developed from the Knight's Armament Company SR- ...
.


M89SR Model 89 Sniper Rifle

The M89SR is an M14 in
bullpup A bullpup firearm is one with its firing grip located in front of the Chamber (firearms), breech of the weapon, instead of behind it. This creates a weapon with a shorter overall length for a given barrel length, and one that is often lighter, ...
configuration first introduced by Sardius in the 1980s. Later produced by Technical Equipment International (TEI) for the
Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...


AWC 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
Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
sniper school.


M21 and M25 sniper rifles

The M21 and M25 are accurized sniper models of the M14, assembled with more care and precision than is standard.


Commercial production


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 barrel for a muzzle device, a top-mounted M1913 rail for optics, and an 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.


Norinco

Norinco 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 an M14 chambered to fire 7.62x39 ammo. and the M305B is an 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 were banned from U.S. importation in 1994 due to a Clinton-era prohibition on
PRC China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
-made firearms. They were commonly sold and were popular in Canada for hunting and target shooting until they were reclassified as Prohibited firearms on May 1, 2020. 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 mm NATO magazines.


Poly Technologies ("Polytech")

Poly Technologies The Poly Technologies (), sometimes abbreviated as PolyTech, a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation, is a trade company with headquarters in Beijing, China. The company deals with missiles and other military products. The company was fou ...
of the People's Republic of China produced an unlicensed version of the M14 rifle known as the M14/S. As with the Norinco rifles, manufacture was subcontracted to State Factory Number 356. All Polytech rifles were banned in the 1989 firearm importation ban by the President George H.W. Bush administration.


Smith Enterprise, Inc.

Smith Enterprise Inc. Smith Enterprise Inc. (SEI) is a firearm and accessory manufacturing facility based in Tempe, Arizona that is known for making flash suppressors, muzzle brakes, sound suppressors, M14 rifles and accessories for M14 rifles. Smith Enterprise play ...
was founded as Western Ordnance in 1979 by Richard Smith in
Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the most populous city in the East Valley (Phoenix metropolitan area), East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by ...
and the company made numerous types of rifles but specialized in the
M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifleOfficially designated as U.S. rifle, caliber .30, M1, later simply called Rifle, Caliber .30, M1, also called US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 is a semi-automatic rifle that was the service rifle of the U.S Army during World War ...
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 contracted with Smith Enterprise to build and modify M14 rifles for use by soldiers, Marines and sailors in Iraq and Afghanistan.Poyer, pp. 37–38. Smith Enterprise played a major part in the M14 rifle modernization projects for various US military units which resulted in the development of the U.S. Navy Mark 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle. 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-inch barrel and was used as a basis to create the US Navy's Mark 14 Mod 0 with Springfield Armory, Inc. being tasked to supply the necessary machinery in cooperation with the
Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane Division) is the principal tenant command located at Naval Support Activity Crane (NSA Crane). NSA Crane is a United States Navy installation located approximately southwest of Bloomingt ...
. SEI builds an improved M14 gas cylinder as a component of their specialized rifles and for the military to upgrade older rifles. The gas cylinder is assigned the NATO Stock Number: NSN 1005-00-790-8766.


Springfield Armory, Inc.

Springfield Armory, Inc. of
Geneseo, Illinois Geneseo is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,539. Geneseo is 20 miles east of the Quad Cities, at the intersection of Interstate 80, U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 82. Geneseo is well k ...
, produces a semi-automatic only version of the M14 known as the
M1A The Springfield Armory M1A is a semi-automatic rifle made by Springfield Armory, Inc., beginning in 1974, based on the M14 rifle, for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States. "M1A" is a proprietary name for Springfield Armo ...
. 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 produces 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
red dot sight A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non- magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms, and other devices that require aiming, that gives the user a point of aim in the form of an illuminated red dot. A standard desig ...
and the SOCOM II adds railed handguards to the package.


Gallery

File:M-14 rifle demonstration.jpeg, A U.S. soldier demonstrates shooting an M14 rifle to Iraqi Highway Patrol (IHP) police officers during training in Iraq, 2006. File:Lake thar thar-thumb.jpg, Members of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, enter the reeds on the edge of
Lake Tharthar Lake Tharthar (also Therthar), and known in Iraq as Buhayrat ath-Tharthar ( ar, بحيرة الثرثار), is an artificial lake opened in 1956, situated 100 kilometers (62 mi) northwest of Baghdad between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. H ...
in Iraq to conduct cordon and search operations July 15, 2007. File:Soldiers patrol Waygul Valley 2009.jpg, A U.S. soldier scans for activity during a combat patrol in Afghanistan, 2009. File:Army M14 Sage Stock.jpg, A soldier with an M14 equipped with a Sage M14ALCS chassis stock. File:US Navy SEALs with laser designator closeup.jpg, Two Sea-Air-Land (SEAL) team members, one equipped with an AN/PAQ-1 laser target designator, right, the other armed with an M14 rifle, assume a defensive position File:Tet1968.jpg, Battle of Hamo Village During the Tet Offensive. US Marines and ARVN troops defend a position against enemy attack. Photo taken circa January 1968. File:Nigerian soldiers during Gulf War 2.jpg, Soldiers in a Niger army unit stand in formation while a dignitary visits their outpost during Operation Desert Shield. The men are armed with M14 rifles. File:M14 rifle Ukraine 2022 1.jpg, alt=, Ukrainian TDF soldier training with an M14


Conflicts

The M14 rifle has been used in the following conflicts:


Users

* : Used by soldiers of the
Afghan National Army Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia * Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity **Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...
presidential guard for ceremonial duties. * : Used by Argentine soldiers of C Company, Regimento (Especial) de Infanteria 25 in the
Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
at the
Battle of Goose Green The Battle of Goose Green was fought in May 28–29, 1982, by British and Argentine forces during the Falklands War. Located on East Falkland's central isthmus, the settlement of Goose Green was the site of an airfield. Argentine forces ...
and San Carlos. * : Small quantities of XM21 sniper variants were issued by the Australian Army in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. M14 EBRs were also fielded by Australian special operations forces in Afghanistan. * : Self-defense units * * * * * * * : Adopted by Estonian military as marksman's rifle, modified by E-Arsenal called the ''Täpsuspüss M14-TP'' (Precision Rifle M14-PR), with heavy barrel, bipod, synthetic stock, and optical 4× sight. * * * : Used by Haitian security forces in the 2004 Haitian coup d'état. * * : Most are retired from the Armed forces, currently still being used by
BRIMOB The Mobile Brigade Corps ( id, Korps Brigade Mobil) abbreviated Brimob is the special operations, paramilitary, and tactical unit of the Indonesian National Police (Polri). It is one of the oldest existing units within Polri. Some of its mai ...
. * : Used by Iraqi special forces under Counter-Terrorism Service control. * : Used as sniper rifle with eventual conversion and production as
M89SR M89SR sniper rifle is a gas operated Semi-automatic firearm, semi-automatic sniper rifle produced by Technical Consultants International (TCI), an Israeli company based in Tel Aviv. The M89SR was first introduced as the Sardius M36 Sniper Weapon ...
. Israeli M14s were modified with full auto disabled and the buttstock modified to have a built-in cheek piece. * : Unknown number provided by the U.S. in the 1990s under military assistance program. * : Used by the
Tigers Militia The Tigers militia ( ar, نمور الأحرار, transliterated: ''Numūr'' or ''Al-Noumour''), also known as NLP Tigers ( ar, links=no, نمور الأحرار , ''Numur al-Ahrar'') or PNL "Lionceaux" in French, was the military wing of the ...
and the
Zgharta Liberation Army The Zgharta Liberation Army – ZLA ( ar, جيش تحرير زغرتا, Jayish Tahrir Zaghrita), also known as Zghartawi Liberation Army or Armée de Liberation de Zgharta (ALZ) in French, was the paramilitary branch of the Lebanese Marada Moveme ...
as a battle rifle, and by the Lebanese Forces militia as a sniper rifle in the
Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...
. * :
Lithuanian Armed Forces The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force and the Lithuanian Air Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service ( ...
. * : '' Pasukan Khas Laut'' of the
Royal Malaysian Navy The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ms, Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia; TLDM; Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defense operations. RMN's area of o ...
. * * * : 104,000 used within the Armed Forces of the Philippines with most decommissioned. * : Unknown number provided by the U.S. in the 1990s under military assistance program. Most of the M14s were scrapped and small numbers are used for ceremonial duties. * : Made under license as the ''Type 57''. * * : Unknown number provided by the U.S. in the 1990s under military assistance program. Still in use with ship personnel of the Turkish Navy. * : Unknown number of M14 (or M21) have been spotted during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
used by
Territorial Defence Territorial Defense or Territorial Defense Forces may refer to: Active * Territorial Troops Militia, a Cuban paramilitary militia under the command of the MINFAR * Territorial Forces (Finland) * Territorial Troops (Kazakhstan) * Territorial Def ...
. * : Uses the ''
M14SE The M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) in the US Army is a national match grade M14 rifle, selected for accuracy, and renamed the M21 rifle. The M21 uses a commercially procured 3–9× variable power telescopic sight, modified for use with the snip ...
'', manufactured by Smith Enterprise Inc., in SDM roles and has purchased M14s from other manufacturers. Also uses the Mk 14 as well as M14s custom built or modified in military armories, such as the
M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle The M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle (EMR; formally Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle; NSN 1005-01-553-5196) is a semi-automatic, gas-operated designated marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is a mod ...
. The M14 is issued to crew members on Military Sealift Command vessels. The rifle is also used by the U.S. Border Patrol and by the Park Rangers of U.S. National Park Service. * * : After the Vietnam War, the
People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...
inherited a large quantity of M14 rifles from the
Republic of Vietnam Military Forces The Republic of Vietnam Military Forces (RVNMF; – QLVNCH), were the official armed defense forces of the defunct Republic of Vietnam and was responsible for the defense of the state since its independence from France in October 1955 to its de ...
. In 2016, Factory Z113 successfully put the 7.62×51mm cartridge (designated ''M80'') into mass-production for use in these M14 and other NATO firearms like the M60 machine gun and
FN MAG The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it has been made under licence in several countries, inc ...
.


See also

*
Beretta BM 59 The BM 59 is an automatic battle rifle developed in Italy in 1959. It is based on the M1 Garand rifle, chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO, modified to use a detachable magazine, and capable of selective fire. Later revisions incorporated other featu ...
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Springfield Armory M1A The Springfield Armory M1A is a semi-automatic rifle made by Springfield Armory, Inc., beginning in 1974, based on the M14 rifle, for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States. "M1A" is a proprietary name for Springfield Armor ...


References


Further reading

* Duff, Scott A., John M. Miller, and contributing editor David C. Clark. ''The M14 Owner's Guide and Match Conditioning Instructions''. Export, Penn.: Scott A. Duff Publications, 1996. . * Murphy, Edward F. ''The Hill Fights: The First Battle of Khe Sanh''. Novato, Calif.: Presidio Press, 2003. . * Pisor, Robert L. ''The End of the Line: The Siege of Khe Sanh''. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2002. . * Rose, Alexander. ''American Rifle: A Biography.'' New York: Bantam Dell Publishing, 2008. . * Stevens, R. Blake. ''U.S. Rifle M14: From John Garand to the M21''. Toronto: Collector Grade Publications, Inc., 1995. . *


External links

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M14 to Mk 14, Evolution of a Battle Rifle
{{USAF Weapons 7.62×51mm NATO battle rifles Cold War firearms of the United States Rifles of the Cold War Infantry weapons of the Cold War Rifles of the United States Springfield firearms United States Marine Corps equipment Military equipment introduced in the 1950s