“Jam proof” is a bridge too far, but overall it could chew through ammo in the nastiest of circumstances. Confirmed kills at 500-yard-plus, the M14 was an out-and-out killer in a studied marksman’s hands and as reliable as its predecessor. For the most part, the M14 did a solid job stepping into the Garand’s shoes. When your pop whipped the Germans and Japanese in one fell swoop and has battles such as Normandy, Bastogne, Monte Cassino, Tarawa and Iwo Jima on his resume, it’s fair to say you have a lot to live up to. Which to some extent may have also set it up for bumpy road from the start. A Much Too Small Thumbnail Of The M14īlood blue as a Boston brahmin, the M14 is a direct descendant of perhaps America’s most cherished battle rifle-the M1 Garand. And even if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool AR, AK, FAL, G3, or what-have-you man or woman, if you’re honest with yourself, you’d make room in your gun safe for this throwback icon. Cornerstone to the gunmaker’s catalog, its semi-auto rendition of the M14-the equally iconic M1A-keeps the legend alive.

No matter what banner you hoist in the fray, there’s no denying the M14 won’t soon be forgotten.īarbershop-worthy ponderations fuel one part of the rifle’s longevity. Did the M14 get the short end of the stick in as the country’s infantry spear point? Or only was it only there due to politics and nostalgia? When not flaming each other in the comment section of a post, honestly, both sides have valid points to the worthiness of the rifle. Today, the rifle spurs debate hot enough to cook off a freshly chambered round. The M14 is a decided exception.Īmong the briefest runs (1957-1964) as the American military’s main battle rifle, the steel and birch (sometimes walnut) beast has all the makings of a historical footnote. Short service typically doesn’t equate to legendary. While the short service life of the M14 should have made it a military footnote, the design remains as popular as ever thanks in part to the Springfield Armory M1A. Springfield Armory M1A National Match … still a favorite among those going the distance.

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