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#Post#: 66--------------------------------------------------
M14 and M1A
DIR By: allmanav
Date: February 12, 2020, 8:16 am
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The internet is rife with essays by self-styled firearm experts
who seem hell-bent on disparaging various legacy platforms for
all manner of supposed deficiencies—despite the fact that those
same guns are held in high regard by large numbers of satisfied
users. Such differences of opinion are understandable given the
fact that each of us has a uniquely individual set of
experiences, knowledge and preferences that informs our choices.
One platform that seems to be a magnet for criticism is the M14
rifle. In fact, some call it out as an ideal example of failure
with explanations such as: “It’s too heavy and too long. It was
the shortest-lived service rifle in U.S. history and was only
adopted because the process was corrupt. It was unsuccessful in
singlehandedly replacing the M1 Garand, M1903 Springfield, M1917
Enfield, M1 Carbine, M3 submachine gun, M1928/M1 Thompson, and
M1918 Browning automatic rifle.”
Of those claims, the first is purely subjective, the last
represents an unrealistic goal and those that follow are
arguable, considering that the rifle still sees some military
service today and that the parties involved in its adoption are
no longer with us. More to the point, none of the complaints are
relevant to a discussion of the merits available to the average
rifleman by modern-day, semi-automatic M14 clones.
Springfield Armory continues to offer semi-automatic M1A rifles
styled like a traditional M14.
Examples from such companies as Springfield Armory (whose
corporate cornerstone is the trademarked M1A) LRB Arms, Bula
Defense and James River Armory remain not only commercially
viable, but are available in a wide variety of configurations,
including polymer- and folding-stock and short-barrel models.
And since most command the better part of two grand in price,
that should answer any questions as to the value they hold in
the minds of modern consumers.
At the risk of appearing to indulge in the same brand of myopic
self-rationalization as the aforementioned “experts,” I’d like
to suggest that the old warhorse is not only still worthy of
consideration by today’s armed citizen, but is uniquely
qualified as one of the best general-purpose rifle choices for
uncertain times. Why? Because of six characteristics that lend
it an undeniably attractive character.
Military Pedigree
Civilian firearms derived from military designs offer their
users several advantages over those developed solely for the
commercial market, and the M14-style rifle is no exception. Such
designs are typically overbuilt as they are intended to suffer
the exigencies of wartime abuse and neglect. They typically
consist of separable subassemblies that ease cleaning and
inspection and decrease parts loss.
Spare parts left over from military contracts eventually find
their way into the civilian marketplace, which virtually ensures
the user’s ability to keep the firearm in working order
indefinitely. Provisions for the attachment of accessories such
as optics, muzzle devices, bayonets, etc., and the on-board
storage of cleaning equipment is another advantage. Finally,
military firearms like the M14, because they are employed by
wide-ranging user group, usually exhibit well-developed
mechanical and ergonomic features.
Rugged Construction
The original M14 rifle was nearly devoid of polymers and
nonferrous “light” metals or construction methods designed to
shave a few ounces or favor inexpensive manufacture. Its parts
are nearly all made from machined steel forgings—a process
renown for longevity and durability. Its steel barrel threads
into the receiver, which also provides the locking recesses for
the two-lug steel bolt. The gun is basically a gas-operated
bolt-action with a strong, simple mechanism that can withstand
tens of thousands, if not a couple of hundred thousand, rounds
of firing.
In fact, the improved drawings used to machine the receivers of
today’s semi-automatic clones, whether from precision investment
castings or forgings, along with improvements in metallurgy and
quality control of bolts, barrels, gas cylinders and other
parts, makes the current crop of civilian rifles even more
reliable and refined, in some respects, than those the military
had made by the U.S. Springfield Armory, Harrington &
Richardson, TRW and Winchester.
Reliable Operation
Being an offshoot of the M1 Garand, and with aspects of its
design perfected by none other than John C. Garand himself, the
M14’s basic operating system had already proven itself
throughout multiple theaters of World War II and in the Korean
War before undergoing a baptism by fire in the Vietnam War. In
fact, the gun’s detachable box magazine and piston-driven, gas
cutoff mechanism were further refinements of the Garand’s more
rudimentary en bloc clip and dog-legged, one-piece
piston/operating rod.
Standing in distinct opposition to unsubstantiated claims about
how the Garand-derivative family of arms is overly susceptible
to the ingress of debris are reams of testimonials from G.I.s
across a generation that praise the rifle’s performance across
dramatically distinct climatic and terrain conditions. Given
responsible care and lubrication and fed proper ammunition,
today’s M14-style rifles, which include Ruger’s Mini-14 series,
can be counted on work exactly as designed for many years.
Simple Ergonomics
Oftentimes, those who have intimate familiarity with one
particular firearm platform, either through personal preference
or professional service, have difficulty accepting another—and
that’s understandable. But when one particular style of firearm
or operating mechanism and one arrangement of controls becomes
so sacrosanct that all others are deemed wrong, that becomes
legalism, and such is the case with AR-style controls. The M14,
by contrast, has quite usable controls in a slim, ergonomic
platform. The M14-style rifle has a reciprocating charging
handle on the right (ejection) side that’s simply an extension
of its operating rod. It allows for positive chambering by a
nudge of the heel of the hand.
In a compact package, the M14-style rifle offers numerous
benefits in terms of ergonomics and handling, as exemplified by
this Springfield Armory SOCOM16.
The bolt catch, which can be replaced with a commercial version
that also acts as a release, is on the left side of the
receiver. The safety lever isperated by the trigger finger, and
it pivots into the triggerguard from the outside, ensuring that
the trigger finger is off the trigger when going “on safe.” The
design also ensures that the trigger finger comes away from the
trigger momentarily when the lever is pivoted to the
triggerguard’s outside before the finger returns to the trigger
to go “on fire.” The magazine hooks and rocks into position with
an audible “click,” and the magazine release is also centrally
located. Windage and elevation adjustments do not require the
use of tools. It is, overall, a simple, tried-and-true set of
controls that rely mostly on gross motor skills.
Ingenious Design
Several aspects of the M14’s design make it stand out from the
crowd. Its ingenious White expansion and cutoff gas system—with
a separate piston that moves rearward to strike the operating
rod—minimizes damage with a variety of bullet types and weights
used in it. In addition, a valve on the gas cylinder allows the
gas system to be manually turned off, resulting in what is
essentially a straight-pull rifle that can be cycled faster than
a traditional bolt-action, since all that’s required is to
withdraw the operating rod handle to the rear and then simply
release it, allowing the recoil spring to return the bolt into
battery.
Also, the rifle has a feature that most newer guns, even
military designs, no longer possess: a built-in guide that
allows the magazine to be fed using stripper clips. Such clips
present an efficient and lightweight option for carrying
additional ammunition. Additionally, the attachment of either
conventional or forward-positioned optics using a wide variety
of bolt-on mounts is easy. Finally, few could successfully argue
against the M14-style rifle’s excellent sights and trigger, both
of which contribute to a level of accuracy that well serves most
hunting and defensive roles.
Traditional Aesthetics
Rifles made of wood and steel have served remarkably well in
both civilian and military circles for about seven centuries.
Sure, for about as many decades, polymer and nonferrous metals
have proven to offer some advantages—but primarily in weight
savings, not longevity. So, when it comes down to it, there’s
simply nothing fundamentally wrong with a traditionally styled
rifle made of wood and steel.
Springfield Armory's new M1A Tanker blends classic aesthetics
with a compact, shortened profile that provides for easy
handling.
In fact, the appearance of such a gun could be an advantage
during circumstances in which a more modern, tactical design
might draw unwanted attention. With a flush-fit magazine and a
shortened muzzle compensator, such as in Springfield’s recently
released M1A, the Tanker, the M14-style rifle has a form factor
that is significantly more svelte than the average modern
sporting rifle, despite its greater weight.
For all of the above reasons and more, the M14-style rifle
offers a level of utility and capability—all in an understated
package—not commonly encountered in many more modern firearms.
Is it the “perfect” rifle? By no means, but it is surely
underestimated and underappreciated when objectively evaluated.
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