Re: The M14 platform and variants.
I'll start, but I'll quit before you get to those alphabit varities.
The M14 is simular to the garand, shooting wise, not the guts. 20 round mag in leu of the 8 round clips.
I was intoduced to the M14 in Basic in 1966. The sites are the key to it and the garand. Both are highly reliable but the sights. You zero the thing and that's it. 1 min windage and elevation. They are consistant. You move a click you know it moves 1 MOA. How could you screw up. If you didn't want to record or remember you settings for different ranges, you just sight it in. Set the elevation knob marks per your zero on the indent on the sight on mark on the base. Tighten it up and then set the knob to what ever distance you want.
Like the garand, the average sight with of the front sight is .076. Using the standard E-Sil. target, it is the same size as the target at 250 yards, so you can effectively use the front sight as a range finder. (the target is 1/2 the size of the front sight you're 500 yards away. If the target is twice the size of the front sight you're 125 yards away. With practice you can get pretty accurate. (the E-sil is 19 inches wide, the same size as the average soldier, shoulder to shoulder).
I was issued the M14 when I went to the 82nd after AIT & Jump school then went to the M16a1 when I went to Vietnam.
In 73, I joined the guard. A SF company and we had M14s (and several other different rifles). When Springfield Armory started making the M1A I had to have one, ( got one of the first, a 4 diget serial number 0068XX).
Then I showed up for a High Power Match. Met another guard member and we pushed to build a marksmanship unit for the AK NG.
We used our M1A's until we got access to NM M14s, These were stanard match. 4 groove barrels to use M118 NM ammo.
An old civilian shooter showed me how to shim the M1A that provided a temp bedding, whiched helped a lot.
We started attending the NG Championship matches at Camp Robinson where I met Gene Barnet (Barnet Barrels) He was a armor for the All Guard Team. We got to be friends and he took my M1A and converted it to a super match. Heavy Match 6 Grove Barrel (he was selling barrels to the guard at the time. Heavy Bishop Stock. Completely different gun).
In '78 I wrangled a slot in the USAMU Sniper school where we used the M21. Basicly a Standard Weight NM M14 with the ART Leatherwood Scope. I was highly impress. It was accurate and held its zero when you took it off and put it back on the gun.
While at the AMU Course I visited the reloading shop a time or two, (enough that I was a real pain in the ass bending their ears.) This is where I learned about Mexican Match. They were pulling the 174s our of the M118, and stuffing in 168 SMKs.
BUT, the 168s required a different barrel. It needed the 6 groove barrel as opposed to the 4 groove of the M118. Thats where Gene Barnet came in, selling the Guard his barrels.
I am a pushy sort of guy and had the ability to sell budgets, so I got more M14s and bought Barrnet barrels, and bought Sierra bullets. I got it so I could issue 2 rifles to the rifle team members. One for the M118, and on for the 168 SMKs. Mexican Match first then LC 852.
I also ordered enough standard M14s to issue 4 per BN and Seperat company for unit teams to practice for the State Team. Some of these came with a selector switch and could fire full auto. Couldn't hit anything but you could go through some ammo.
The AK NG had a pretty good sniper program using the M1C/D's. I manage to get them replaced with the M21s. Whole different ball game.
It would take too long to explain the procedures to convert a M14 to a NM. The critical part is using impregnated stocks. This prevents moister from impacting the accuracy.
The M21s worked quite well in SE Asia, in fact they spent less time in the maintance shops then the Marines M40s.
I retired from the Guard in '92, well before the tacticool M14 stuff came about. I'll let the younger guys give the run down on that.
I just think its hard to beat the standard M14 for reliability and the Heavy Match for Accuracy. I've shot my best 1000 yard scored with my Heavy Match and iron sights. It still shoots today though I'm getting old.
Whats the old saying "the older I get, the better I was"
One year at 29 Palms I scored the AMU team. The 4 man team, using the NM M14 shot a 799/800. (that poor kid who dropped a point caught holy hell), the guns could shoot.
If I was to loose about 40 years and get back in the game, I would have no difficulty in choosing the orginal M-21. Never had a problem ranging in and hitting targets to 900 yards (we used meters back then).
If you are shooting matches, go the Super Match route. If you're playing army, they are too heavy, go the Standard NM
route. The wood stocks, if set up right hold up as good as the plactic stocks, rain or shine, hot or cold. The zero of my Super Match is the same now as it was when Barnet finished it. Just need slight changes for different ammo.
I don't have any experience with the alphabit tacticool M14s, I just don't like them because they are UGLY.
M21 At USAMU Sniper School 1978
Super Match M1A (serial number 0068XX)
