What’s all the complaining about? With an overall length of 45" and a decked out weight of about 14 lbs., the M1A Loaded model is a big rifle. My M4 was a tool, my M14 was my rifle. It beautifully blends form, function and materials into something truly transcendent.I recommend every person own a M1A/M14. NEW USGI magazines are produced by C.M.I.M14 selector 1967 fort benning fort Eustis 68 queen yuwn m1a wife surprise me 4 years ago love it locking at 700xcrIn the summer of 1967, was a Marine at Parris Island…At 500 yards open sights, prone position, my M14 rifle shot 9 out of ten bulls eyes. Over a period of time coyotes scattered the evidence. Spent a few years living in Boston back on the 80’s times have changed “may your chains rest lightly on your shoulders and may posterity forget that you were our brothers.”I have wanted one since the day I was leaving the firing line and a Lance Corporal was entering the range walking proudly with his M14. I love automatic weaponry as much as anybody, but that rifle was just unpleasant to shoot in full auto. After acquiring point blank range on our M14, everything else depended on your skills…..An M1a will do everything more of its trained shooter….Awesome weapon. I was stating that the M-14 was upgraded and evolves the FAL was anc could not. It The American arms manufacturers had been dealt a setback, but there wasn’t a lot of quit in them. Also, who is talking about training with it? There were simply more M14s than FALs. hell ive seen weapons caches buried in iraqs lovely fine sand with only the occasionally encountered G3 come out functioning (out of a collection of AKs, PKMs, RPDs, and other weapons).I always scoff when men complain about the pain with the G3’s collapsible buttstock (aka, the meat tenderizer). She may not be built for urban assault but she’s definitely configured for CQB [Close Quarter Bumping. What was the difference between the two? the M14 is a great rifle. so youre happy that we ditched the FAL, a superior weapon system, and 280, a superior cartridge that is well known to be the middle ground between 556 and 762, just because the M14 looks cool?The M14 was a variation of the M1 Garand, which is based on 1930s technology. (That’s the correct spelling BTW) Knucklehead H-Ds are right in there too.
Maybe it doesn’t like ball ammo.
Durability and reliability go to the FAL which (barely) gets the nod over the M1a (a virtual tie, really) followed distantly by the Ar-10. Thanks so much.Nice read. Dicks sporting is offering a remington 700 varmint for $349.
“As I said the UK and others and as well as commercial DSA tried to evolve the FAL it failed.
The receiver is constructed of investment cast AISI 8620 alloy steel and treated with a matte-black Parkerized finish.The premium medium-weight match-grade, air-gauged stainless steel barrel is 22" long with a 6-groove rifling cut at a 1:11” right-hand twist. Solves problem of bolt flying forward and prevents jags and brushes from contacting bolt face..That’s because it actually has a proper spring driving the bolt home to lock up, unlike the M16 POS. Soldiers & Marines, do you remember taking an extra soft cap to the field just so you’d have a relatively clean place to put all the M16’s teeny, tiny parts without losing or dirtying them?
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Better yet 3 to 5 rnd burstsVietnam marine 1965-1966 Loved my M-14. The M1A is truly a wonderful and iconic battle rifle.Nice article Ralph. You would have thought once would have been enough.
I had a chance to shoot a G3 at a H&K event in Birmingham AL about 5 years ago, and not only was it equipped with the collapsible stock, it was the military select fire version. But i had a little bad luck with mine i fired two rounds and i noticed the bolt not closing all the way on the 3rd round. It's overbuilt in all the right ways. So was I.The M1A was born to shoot at distance. Even loaded up the the 20 round magazine with four 7.62 tracers for the MG look.Heavy and to long?
You are so right that it costs to make the thing not what it was intended to be…an accurate,reliable, and durable battle rifle that can get game and turn cover into consealment in SHTF and hunting situations.I have say, despite the fact that M14 / M1A has an almost deity-like status amongst American shooters (esp the OFWG crowd), I’m not a big fan of the M14 or M1A as a GP military small arm.
It is beautiful and very accurate with the peep. Try a 6 o’clock hold on a bullseye target.
I have all ways wanted one since the 70’s and 40+ years later i got one a model MA 9226. 5.56 is not lethal. The G-3 and CENTME too in Spanish and German use.yes the Army is figuring out what to do for a squad DMR.
The down side to it is the 8 round clip, the ping is fun but the capacity is to low for me, the other real downer is paying over a dollar per round, I don’t want to ruin history by changeing it from 30-06 to .308/7.62NATO.
Also, M14s had a secret little barrel stretching problem that was really not addressed until recently (see Smith Enterprises). The M-14 did just how history happens.Ohh your wrong the first FAL prototypes where chambered in 7.92×33 Kurtz and it did well but failed due to the NATO round we can agree NATO round blows that’s why we still use 5.56mm and will for years to come over a better round like 6.5 Grendel.“No im happy the USA stayed with the M-1 system and went to the M-14 since the M-14 still solders on today because of its higher marks over the FAL”only because we stored rather than destroyed them.