The M14

HI, I’M CHRIS AND WELCOME BACK TO THE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES. TODAY WE’RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT A RIFLE THAT’S BEEN PRAISED AND CRITICIZED FOR DECADES, THE M14.

THE M14 WAS OFFICIALLY ADOPTED BY THE U.S. MILITARY IN 1957, INTENDED TO REPLACE SEVERAL DIFFERENT FIREARMS: THE M1 CARBINE, M3 GREASE GUN, AND EVEN THE BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

AFTER WWII, THE US ARMY NEEDED A NEW FIREARM THAT COMBINED THE BENEFITS FOR A SEMI-AUTOMATIC WITH LARGER DETACHABLE MAGAZINES. THE US TESTED AND ULTIMATELY REJECTED THE FN FAL, OR FABRIQUE NATIONALE FUSIL AUTOMATIQUE LÉGER, A MODERN, VERSATILE RIFLE WITH A STRONG TRACK RECORD. WHY? POLITICS AND PRODUCTION. U.S. OFFICIALS PREFERRED A RIFLE DESIGNED AND PRODUCED DOMESTICALLY TO ENSURE AMERICA COULD PROTECT ITS INTERESTS AT HOME AND ABROAD. THIS DECISION LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE M14, INTENDED TO BE USED ON EUROPEAN STYLE BATTLEFIELDS SHOULD THE COLD WAR BECOME HOT. 

THE M14 IS A STANDARD MILITARY SERVICE RIFLE. THE M1A IS THE CIVILIAN VERSION OF THE SAME RIFLE, WITH DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY ADJUSTMENTS MADE FOR COMMERCIAL SALE. THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS RECEIVER MILLING. AS A MILITARY RIFLE, THE M14 IS A SELECT-FIRE RIFLE, MEANING IT CAN BE OPERATED AS EITHER A FULLY AUTO OR SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIRE. THE M1A IS ONLY AVAILABLE AS A SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE. OTHER MINOR VARIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO ARE DUE TO MILITARY FIREARMS CONFORMING TO SPECIFIC TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE VERSIONS MAY HAVE MODIFICATIONS TO PRODUCTION PROCESSES, FOR EXAMPLE, USING CAST PARTS RATHER THAN FORGED ONES. ADDITIONALLY, THE M1A MAY USE A MUZZLE BRAKE INSTEAD OF A FLASH SUPPRESSOR THAT ALLOWS FOR MORE COST-EFFECTIVE PRODUCTION. IN THE END, THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO VERSIONS IS THE M14’S SELECT FIRE CAPABILITY.

AT ITS CORE, THE M14 WAS AN EVOLUTION OF THE M1 GARAND. THE M14 KEPT THE SAME RELIABLE GAS-OPERATED ACTION AS THE M1 GARAND, BUT ADDED A DETACHABLE 20-ROUND BOX MAGAZINE, SELECTIVE FIRE CAPABILITY, AND A FLASH SUPPRESSOR. IT CHAMBERED THE NEW 7.62X51MM NATO CARTRIDGE. THE RIFLE WAS LONG, JUST OVER 44 INCHES, AND WEIGHED AROUND 9.2 POUNDS UNLOADED. IT WAS ACCURATE, RELIABLE, AND PACKED A PUNCH.

WITH THAT POWER CAME A TRADEOFF: RECOIL. IN FULL AUTO, THE M14 WAS NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. IN FACT, MANY UNITS REMOVED OR DISABLED THE AUTOMATIC FUNCTION ALTOGETHER. ITS SIZE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO HANDLE IN MANY TERRAINS, AND RESEARCH FOUND THAT THE POWER IT PACKED MIGHT ACTUALLY BE MORE THAN WAS NEEDED IN A PRIMARY SERVICE RIFLE. WITH ALL THIS IN MIND, THE US ADOPTED THE M14 IN 1957 BUT WAS ALREADY WORKING ON A REPLACEMENT THAT WOULD BETTER SUIT THE NEEDS OF MODERN WARFARE.  

BY THE MID-1960S, THE M16 BEGAN REPLACING THE M14 IN FRONTLINE SERVICE AS A NEW STYLE ASSAULT RIFLE. IN TOTAL, THE M14 WAS MOSTLY PHASED OUT AFTER ONLY 11 YEARS AS THE U.S. MILITARY’S PRIMARY AND LAST BATTLE RIFLES, ONE OF THE SHORTEST RUNS IN AMERICAN SERVICE HISTORY. BUT THE M14 DIDN’T DISAPPEAR. IN FACT, IT MADE ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING COMEBACKS. IN THE 1980S AND 90S, DURING CONFLICTS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, TROOPS NEEDED A RIFLE THAT COULD REACH BEYOND 300 YARDS AND PENETRATE BUILDING WALLS. THAT’S WHEN UPGRADED VARIANTS OF THE M14 RETURNED THIS TIME AS A DESIGNATED MARKSMAN RIFLE. 

UPGRADED WITH MODERN OPTICS, SYNTHETIC STOCKS, AND RAIL SYSTEMS, THE M14 FILLED A UNIQUE ROLE. IT OFFERED GREATER RANGE AND STOPPING POWER THAN THE STANDARD-ISSUE M4, WHILE STILL ALLOWING FOR QUICK FOLLOW-UP SHOTS. THE US NAVY ALSO CONTINUES TO USE THE M14 IN ITS RIFLE-GRENADE CONFIGURATION DURING UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENTS HELPING INITIATE THE PROCESS OF REFUELING LINES BEING PULLED BETWEEN VESSELS.  

THE M14 HAS ALWAYS EXISTED AS A TRANSITIONARY FIREARM. HEAVIER THAN IDEAL FOR CLOSE QUARTERS, YET MORE FLEXIBLE THAN A DEDICATED SNIPER RIFLE. IN ITS LIFETIME, IT’S PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN THAT WHEN REACH, POWER, AND ACCURACY MATTER, IT STILL HAS A PLACE. 
 
JOIN US NEXT TIME WHEN WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE M16.