Israeli m14 sniper rifle

[buffalowinter]

I'm going to be posting a bunch of Israeli firearms as they are somewhat topical. I'll begin with my Israeli M14 sniper "clone". It has an original Israeli surplus fiberglass stock modified for sniping by the addition of a high cheek piece, rubber recoil pad, side mount sling swivels, and Harris bipod. The scope mount is original Israeli issue as is the sling. The scope is a Khales Wien ZF 84 10x42. The barreled action is a Springfield National Match M1A and has a single lug. The trigger is a National Match, as is the op rod and rest of the rifle. In the video below I'm engaging a 1 1/2 foot circle at 550 yards. I'm using the BDC on the scope which works really well. I'm using M118LR 173gn BTHP. The target has a Caldwell Flash Bang strobe on it but to be visible in the video you'll have to go to full screen and at least 1080p.

 

[natdscott]

Kahles is the spec optic?

 

[buffalowinter]

Kahles is the spec optic?

Khales sold the Israeli's their scopes under the Photonics brand name and it was a ZF-95 6x42 for the M-14. I do have an original photonics on my Israeli Mauser M66 sniper rifle that I'll show later.

 

[B'N'F]

The SP66 is such a neat, unique rifle along with their SR-93. The Israeli firearm configurations/history is equally interesting. Thanks for sharing!

 

[telephone79]

The SP66 is such a neat, unique rifle along with their SR-93. The Israeli firearm configurations/history is equally interesting. Thanks for sharing!

I have a Israeli marked ARTII scope on my fake
Sniper build /M14. Always thought it cool. Shoots great too! I found it on E-bay 15 years ago!

 

[buffalowinter]

Israeli M118

 

[Random Guy]

Nice shooting in that video, thanks for posting it. I wish I had property like that....maybe in retirement.

Digressing, but here's some random info for anyone interested in some of the scopes used on IDF M14 sniper rifles. First I will note that the IDF had limited funding in the post-1948 era, and they did A LOT of recycling of optics. The same scopes are seen on a variety of rifles over a period of decades.

As far as I can tell, the IDF initially used K98s in 7.62 NATO in the 1960s. The green scope on the bottom is the somewhat obscure Wild Herrbrugg 4x scopes that were made in Switzerland. It was purpose-built for a Mauser K98 "claw" type scope mount, with front and rear claws built-in.
The black scope at the top came later, it's the Nimrod 6x40mm scopes that have been seen on a wide variety of rifles (K98s, Ghalil, SP66 and M14s). From what I can tell based on a retired IDF sniper, they showed up in the 1984-85 era. I don't know what to say about that camo pattern...

One odd thing I have noted is that rings and the mount are sometimes spot-welded to prevent any loosening...

I think this picture of an early IDF M14 sniper is from the 1983 Lebanon invasion. Note the old Wild Herrbrugg 4x scope with the Mauser claw-mount. So Israel removed/recycled these old 4x scope from their old K98 snipers at some point in the 1970s and put them on the M14s. (Note: Israel received 35k M14 rifles from the US during the 1973 Yom Kipper war, and I presume they developed a sniper rifle shortly thereafter).

Here's another picture original IDF M14 4x scope on top (Swiss-made, green painted 4x Wild Herbrugg) that was reportedly used from the mid-1970s thru mid-1980s. In 1984, I have read the IDF started using the 6x40mm Nimrod seen here. This one has that K98 mount, but they went on a lot of M14s; likely on some SP66s, and I have seen them on Galil 7.62 NATO sniper rifles as well.

The Nimrod 6x40mm scopes were used from the mid-1980s until replaced in 1994 with the Austrian made Kahles/Swarovski 'Futonic' 6x42mm scope. The bottom Futonic scope is unique looking with its large rubber sun shade that makes the objective bell look like its 50mm, instead of being only 42mm. As far as I can tell, this was the final scope used by the IDF on their M14s, as they adopted the M24s in 1997 and the M14 snipers became reserve weapons. (They also used a lot of AN/PVS-2 night vision scopes).

I don't know the date of this picture, but presumably it was taken post-1994, as you can see the large sunshade of the "Futonic" scopes.

The Futonics have the so-called "104" reticle, which have a 200 to 1000 meter range estimation reticle.

I have seen elevation drums come in at least 3 versions, "M852", "M118" and "M14."
Here's the one marked "M14," with an 800 meter BDC. I think this is for M118 ammo.

It's hard to see, but this surplus IDF M14 was being sold on an Italian website years ago, and the turret is marked "M852."
This is the Nimrod 6x40mm scope.

I have a Israeli marked ARTII scope on my fake

I think I have seen an ART II mount with IDF/Hebrew markings, but I have never been able to find any information on that variant. The records from the Leatherwood company seem to have been lost to time. You should post a picture when you get a chance.

I have seen a IDF 10x40mm Nimrod and various 10x Kahles scopes, but I don't know the history on them. Given the precision of the SP66, that would be my guess as what platform would have used such scopes, but again, that is just a guess..


Excerpt from Lee Emerson's excellent book, M14 Rifle History and Development, Sixth Edition, Vol 1 (2019)

 

[buffalowinter]

Nice shooting in that video, thanks for posting it. I wish I had property like that....maybe in retirement.

Digressing, but here's some random info for anyone interested in some of the scopes used on IDF M14 sniper rifles. First I will not that the IDF had limited funding for much of the post-1948 era, and they did A LOT of recycling of optics. The same scopes are seen on a variety of rifles over a period of decades.

As far as I can tell, the IDF initially they used K98s in 7.62 NATO in the 1960s. The green scope on the bottom is the somewhat obscure Wild Herrbrugg 4x scopes that were made in Switzerland. It was purpose-built for a Mauser K98 "claw" type scope mount, with front and rear claws built-in.
The black scope at the top came later, it's the Nimrod 6x40mm scopes that have been seen on a wide variety of rifles (K98s, Ghalil, SP66 and M14s). From what I can tell based on a retired IDF sniper, they showed up in the 1984-85 era. I don't know what to say about that camo pattern...
View attachment 8344252

One odd thing I have noted is that rings and the mount are sometimes spot-welded to prevent any loosening...
View attachment 8344254

I think this picture of an early IDF M14 sniper is from the 1983 Lebanon invasion. Note the old Wild Herrbrugg 4x scope with the Mauser claw-mount. So Israel removed/recycled these old 4x scope from their old K98 snipers at some point in the 1970s and put them on the M14s. (Note: Israel received 35k M14 rifles from the US during the 1973 Yom Kipper war, and I presume they developed a sniper rifle shortly thereafter).

View attachment 8344250

Here's another picture original IDF M14 4x scope on top (Swiss-made, green painted 4x Wild Herbrugg) that was reportedly used from the mid-1970s thru mid-1980s. In 1984, I have read the IDF started using the 6x40mm Nimrod seen here. This one has that K98 mount, but they went on a lot of M14s; likely on some SP66s, and I have seen them on Galil 7.62 NATO sniper rifles as well.

View attachment 8344251

The Nimrod 6x40mm scopes were used from the mid-1980s until replaced in 1994 with the Austrian made Kahles/Swarovski 'Futonic' 6x42mm scope. The bottom Futonic scope is unique looking with its large rubber sun shade that makes the objective bell look like its 50mm, instead of being only 42mm. As far as I can tell, this was the final scope used by the IDF on their M14s, as they adopted the M24s in 1997 and the M14 snipers became reserve weapons. (They also used a lot of AN/PVS-2 night vision scopes).
View attachment 8344262

I don't know the date of this picture, but presumably it was taken post-1994, as you can see the large sunshade of the "Futonic" scopes.
View attachment 8344264

The Futonics have the so-called "104" reticle, which have a 200 to 1000 meter range estimation reticle.
View attachment 8344271

I have seen elevation drums come in at least 3 versions, "M852", "M118" and "M14."
Here's the one marked "M14," with an 800 meter BDC. I think this is for M118 ammo.
View attachment 8344273

It's hard to see, but this surplus IDF M14 was being sold on an Italian website years ago, and the turret is marked "M852."
This is the Nimrod 6-40mm scope.
View attachment 8344282

I think I have seen an ART II mount with IDF/Hebrew markings, but I have never been able to find any information on that variant. The records from the Leatherwood company seem to have been lost to time. You should post a picture when you get a chance.

I have seen a IDF 10x40mm Nimrod and various 10x Kahles scopes, but I don't know the history on them. Given the precision of the SP66, that would be my guess as what platform would have used such scopes, but again, that is just a guess..


Excerpt from Lee Emerson's excellent book, M14 Rifle History and Development, Sixth Edition, Vol 1 (2019)
View attachment 8344305

Very nice. I've been looking for an Israeli K98 sniper. The one at the bottom in your photo, with the Wild Heerburg scope, looks like one I passed up for sale on Guns International. I regret that now.

 

[telephone79]

Nice shooting in that video, thanks for posting it. I wish I had property like that....maybe in retirement.

Digressing, but here's some random info for anyone interested in some of the scopes used on IDF M14 sniper rifles. First I will note that the IDF had limited funding in the post-1948 era, and they did A LOT of recycling of optics. The same scopes are seen on a variety of rifles over a period of decades.

As far as I can tell, the IDF initially used K98s in 7.62 NATO in the 1960s. The green scope on the bottom is the somewhat obscure Wild Herrbrugg 4x scopes that were made in Switzerland. It was purpose-built for a Mauser K98 "claw" type scope mount, with front and rear claws built-in.
The black scope at the top came later, it's the Nimrod 6x40mm scopes that have been seen on a wide variety of rifles (K98s, Ghalil, SP66 and M14s). From what I can tell based on a retired IDF sniper, they showed up in the 1984-85 era. I don't know what to say about that camo pattern...
View attachment 8344252

One odd thing I have noted is that rings and the mount are sometimes spot-welded to prevent any loosening...
View attachment 8344254

I think this picture of an early IDF M14 sniper is from the 1983 Lebanon invasion. Note the old Wild Herrbrugg 4x scope with the Mauser claw-mount. So Israel removed/recycled these old 4x scope from their old K98 snipers at some point in the 1970s and put them on the M14s. (Note: Israel received 35k M14 rifles from the US during the 1973 Yom Kipper war, and I presume they developed a sniper rifle shortly thereafter).

View attachment 8344250

Here's another picture original IDF M14 4x scope on top (Swiss-made, green painted 4x Wild Herbrugg) that was reportedly used from the mid-1970s thru mid-1980s. In 1984, I have read the IDF started using the 6x40mm Nimrod seen here. This one has that K98 mount, but they went on a lot of M14s; likely on some SP66s, and I have seen them on Galil 7.62 NATO sniper rifles as well.

View attachment 8344251

The Nimrod 6x40mm scopes were used from the mid-1980s until replaced in 1994 with the Austrian made Kahles/Swarovski 'Futonic' 6x42mm scope. The bottom Futonic scope is unique looking with its large rubber sun shade that makes the objective bell look like its 50mm, instead of being only 42mm. As far as I can tell, this was the final scope used by the IDF on their M14s, as they adopted the M24s in 1997 and the M14 snipers became reserve weapons. (They also used a lot of AN/PVS-2 night vision scopes).
View attachment 8344262

I don't know the date of this picture, but presumably it was taken post-1994, as you can see the large sunshade of the "Futonic" scopes.
View attachment 8344264

The Futonics have the so-called "104" reticle, which have a 200 to 1000 meter range estimation reticle.
View attachment 8344271

I have seen elevation drums come in at least 3 versions, "M852", "M118" and "M14."
Here's the one marked "M14," with an 800 meter BDC. I think this is for M118 ammo.
View attachment 8344273

It's hard to see, but this surplus IDF M14 was being sold on an Italian website years ago, and the turret is marked "M852."
This is the Nimrod 6x40mm scope.
View attachment 8344282

I think I have seen an ART II mount with IDF/Hebrew markings, but I have never been able to find any information on that variant. The records from the Leatherwood company seem to have been lost to time. You should post a picture when you get a chance.

I have seen a IDF 10x40mm Nimrod and various 10x Kahles scopes, but I don't know the history on them. Given the precision of the SP66, that would be my guess as what platform would have used such scopes, but again, that is just a guess..


Excerpt from Lee Emerson's excellent book, M14 Rifle History and Development, Sixth Edition, Vol 1 (2019)
View attachment 8344305

I will look the scope up and post a picture on line for you. I bought it years ago and put it on my home built M14 sniper.