Posted on 11/14/2014 6:18:16 AM PST by C19fan
Critics said the M-14 was what happened when the U.S. government took many years and spent millions of dollars designing a rifle that was really just a glorified M-1 Garand from World War II.
The M-14 was the U.S. military’s last battle rifle. It appeared in 1959—the contemporary of the Pentagon’s first jet fighters and ICBMs. With its heavy steel parts and walnut stock, the M-14 looked positively archaic.
It was hardly a Space Age weapon. And it only endured as America’s battle rifle until 1970, when the M-16 completely superseded it—the shortest service record of any U.S. military rifle in the 20th century.
Yet, the M-14 has come and gone and come back again. Its accuracy and power—it fires the 7.62 x 51 millimeter NATO round—have given it a new lease on life as a weapon for snipers and designated marksmen.
The M-14 refuses to surrender.
(Excerpt) Read more at medium.com ...
The Marines recently put in a purchase order for several thousand M1911A1s from Colt. They overpaid, IMO.
The ping thing is a myth. In a firefight if you are close enough to hear the ping, you’ll be in hand to hand fighting.
“FN originally prototyped the FAL in 8mm Kurz.”
Using the Sturmgewehr round was really forward thinking on their part.
Would the .300 whisper be the modern equivalent of the 8mm Kurz? It uses brass the same size as 5.56 NATO.
Is there an intermediate round that uses shortened 7.62mm brass and a .30 caliber bullet?
Not exactly the same ballistics. At almost any weight of bullet, with all other things equal, the .06 will be about 150 to 200 feet per second faster. So it’s marginally a better flight and terminal ballistic bullet.
Actually that figure is VERY understated, it sounds like the official government inflation adjustment which is used to hold down the social security checks. The last carbine I was offered was priced to me at $600. and that was in 2008, it was an Inland, a Winchester would have cost more. At the same gun store I was offered and almost bought an M1 “tanker” in .308 with a four inch shorter barrel than the M1 Garand in 30.06 for $1300. I made a deposit on it but after thinking it over decided I had more pressing needs and canceled the purchase. The store owner didn’t blink an eye, he gave me my money back, picked up the phone and called someone else to tell him to come in and get it.
Of course, the Mini-14 is a 5.56 and was originally made for the lighter 55 grain bullet. What it has in common with the M14 is design, but not the bullet it fires.
The M14 only came in one caliber, .308 Winchester aka 7.62 X 51 NATO.
The M1 carbine was available cheap in the 60s, but the Garand was hard to come by with the DCM controlling the limited supply of them. They were in such short supply that people took to welding halves of demilled Garand receives back together and putting modified M1903 barrels on them.
Depends on rarity, correctness, and condition. Anywhere from $600 to $2500.
Wow! I’m drooling....
Didn’t know that. His M-14 is a hell of a rifle and fun to shoot.
Yer jokin. Right?
You could’ve, and from what I understand many did, ship it back early in the war this way. I understand from a jarhead buddy that several AK47’s from his unit made it back in this manner. But by the time I was there things were winding down and they were on to this sort of thing.
But then, I've never owned one so there could be things I'm not aware of with them.
I was on an ROTC drill team that used 1903 Springfields. A great rifle for the purpose. Once in a competition, when doing the maneuver that involved slapping the rifle butt smartly on the ground, I slammed the Springfield butt down hard on my foot. Hurt like a bastard, but I didn’t make a sound and kept going through the drill.
I ate a 1903A3 one time as it came down on my chin after a high throw and a bad catch from the extreme right file of the formation.
Got called out.
“COOK! Lean forward! Look down! Stop bleeding! Hols a glove on that. Give me your rifle. Now, get to the quack shack and get stitched up. NO! Don't run. Walk to the quack shack and get fixed. “ We had a drill competition a fw days later, and I was still in stitches, but could not be substituted out. Marine inspector came, looked me over, and asked why I stitched up. Told him "Sir, Fought a rifle! Sir!" in my best "bravado style" trying to nuke it out. He came back with "Who won?" "I did, sir!" seemed the only appropriate answer. It worked - no gigs.
Well done sir.
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