That is one SHINY magazine! Is it chrome plated for extreme pew-pew-pill feeding?!
U.S. Army/Navy/USMC M14-based sniper and DMR/SDM rifles circa late-1960s to late 201Xs
- Thread starter Random Guy
- Start date
That is one SHINY magazine! Is it chrome plated for extreme pew-pew-pill feeding?!
HAHA my dad calls them the terminator mags.... The standard CMI Stainless mags come high polish like that, and with the conditions like that every day in FL I tend to lean stainless when I can. I hadnt really thought of it until now but I really should brush them to match the chassis.That is one SHINY magazine! Is it chrome plated for extreme pew-pew-pill feeding?!
My pocket carry for a bit was a Ruger LCP, the slide rusted within a month, sent it back twice to ruger for a recoat before I finally found a stainless slide.
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For anyone interested, here are some pics of my latest M14 replica project - an early Mk 14 Mod 0 circa 2004ish. First, two pics provided some inspiration. What is unique about these early Mod 0s is the 1st generation SAGE chassis with 13” long forend, and full length 22” barrel. These would be 2004 era SAGE chassis, but feedback to Crane included a request to lighten the rifle. So, beginning in 2005 the production Mod 0s had the shorter “chop mod” forends that were 11.25” long and the barrels were shortened to 18” length. My replica is the earlier version.
My project parts collected between 2020-2024:
Notable deviation with my replica is a medium weight chrome-lined match barrel, instead of a standard profile USGI M14 barrel.
Mock-up (still need the SAGE op rod guide mounting bolts and to install the faux M14 selector lock). For those curious, the rifle will weigh about 15.5 pounds unloaded with the padded M60 sling. Durable but heavy.
So that’s my latest M14 replica project.
My project parts collected between 2020-2024:
Notable deviation with my replica is a medium weight chrome-lined match barrel, instead of a standard profile USGI M14 barrel.
Mock-up (still need the SAGE op rod guide mounting bolts and to install the faux M14 selector lock). For those curious, the rifle will weigh about 15.5 pounds unloaded with the padded M60 sling. Durable but heavy.
So that’s my latest M14 replica project.
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What did the original BAR weight
@Random Guy As always, attention to detail is second to none. Your insurance appraiser must be like “what the fuck “ …
My replica early Mk 14 Mod 0 is heavy and is best shot from the bench or prone. Folks might be surprised what a DMR or sniper type M14 weighs when built around a heavy McMillan stock. USMC M14 DMR w/ bipod, sling and empty magazine being weighed:
As noted, the feedback to Crane from soldiers regarding the early Mk 14 was it was too heavy, so chassis was shortened 1.75” and barrel was shortened by 4” (going from 22” to 18”, and it was the standard skinny profile, not the thicker, medium weight barrel that I used). I think the production Mk 14 Mod 0 weighed about 14 lbs unloaded. The SAGE chassis adds about 2.5 to 3 lbs over the standard M14 stock, depending on configuration.
As noted, the feedback to Crane from soldiers regarding the early Mk 14 was it was too heavy, so chassis was shortened 1.75” and barrel was shortened by 4” (going from 22” to 18”, and it was the standard skinny profile, not the thicker, medium weight barrel that I used). I think the production Mk 14 Mod 0 weighed about 14 lbs unloaded. The SAGE chassis adds about 2.5 to 3 lbs over the standard M14 stock, depending on configuration.
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Well, at least one of them is vintage, lol. Both of these clone M14's are built with 100% military used/issued take-off parts (except for the civilian semi-auto receivers). Even the Sionics style MAC M14 silencer on the XM21 was made in the early 1970's, and it's probably the only one (or one of the only) vintage Sionics/MAC M14 silencers in a private collection. These builds took a very long time to assemble, but it was worth the effort!
XM21 vs Mk14 Mod 1:
XM21 vs Mk14 Mod 1:
Still Alive & Kicking!
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Jan. 19, 2022) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Connor Lashus, from Dallas, aims an M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during a live fire exercise, Jan. 19, 2022.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Jan. 19, 2022) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Connor Lashus, from Dallas, aims an M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during a live fire exercise, Jan. 19, 2022.
Spc. Jared Higgins, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, scans his sector with an M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle during Operation Southern Strike III in the district of Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Sept. 2, 2012.
Pfc. Carlos Rivera, a squad designated marksman with Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, scans his sector while providing security in the district of Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, July 30, 2012. His unit is part of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and Combined Task Force Arrowhead.
Spc. Earnest Budlong, a native of Middletown, R.I., a sniper with the Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, engages targets with a modified M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle during Orient Shield 12. The Orient Shield exercise is one of the foundations of U.S. and Japanese defense cooperation, and is U.S. Army Japan's premier field training exercise.
Iraqi soldiers assigned to the 73rd Brigade, 16th Division, adjust the scope on an M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle at a rifle range at Camp Taji, Iraq, June 25, 2015. Training at the building partner capacity sites is an integral part of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve’s multinational effort to train Iraqi security force personnel to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Finished a USMC M39 EMR replica, aside from installing the fake M14 selector lock. These were issued circa 2008-2012, and designed to replace the fiberglass stocked USMC M14 DMR rifles. The M39s were subsequently replaced with the KAC M110s. It fits my collection interests.
Here's how it started...a salty original M39 case.
...still need a few items to fill this old case, mainly an M39 Operator's manual, and the proper Tenebraex ARD with black plastic case that fits inside the small circle cut-out on the left. I'm guessing the 2 AA batteries that were in the case may have been from an AN/PEQ-2A?
(If anybody has an M39 manual that they can live without, please let me know. I am a motivated buyer...I traded mine years ago before I started to build a replica M39, so I'm hunting for one now. One can be seen in the below pic in the picture of case contents)
Here's how it started...a salty original M39 case.
...still need a few items to fill this old case, mainly an M39 Operator's manual, and the proper Tenebraex ARD with black plastic case that fits inside the small circle cut-out on the left. I'm guessing the 2 AA batteries that were in the case may have been from an AN/PEQ-2A?
(If anybody has an M39 manual that they can live without, please let me know. I am a motivated buyer...I traded mine years ago before I started to build a replica M39, so I'm hunting for one now. One can be seen in the below pic in the picture of case contents)
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Nice! I’m feeling much jealousy over those items! I need an M39 manual. Trying to fill
thats very coolim not jealous of this case at all
The one big deviation from a replica of an original M39 is the barrel I used. It’s the proper Kreiger medium weight SS DMR profile, but it’s in caliber 6.5 Creedmoor. Krieger only made 5 of these barrels for a custom order by Jon Wolff back in late 2107, and I later obtained it in a trade deal. It’s also nitrated and I was told these barrels were very pricey. One can’t tell the caliber once it built up, but here’s the markings:
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1st Reconnaissance Battalion Marines in Northern Trek Nawa, Afghanistan, 15 August 2010:
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Thanks for posting that picture. I have one of the same Marine w/ same M14 DMR rifle, but I didn't know the date & place until now.
What is interesting re that DMR rifle is the non-standard scope and rings. Not sure what scope that is, but it's clearly not the standard issue Leupld Mk 4, fixed 10x scope that used GGG or Badger Ordnance rings. Looks like a quick release set-up of some sort.
Here's a left-handed Marine with a DMR including the original GG&G mount and rings, along with the 10x Leupold Mk 4 scope.
Usmc issued Schmidt and Bender 3-12....
2010 such a sporty year... Getting me all hot just thinking about it....
Obligatory pic
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Looks like a backwards installed (based on the side with the QD levers) Larue mount to me. If it’s a 0moa model mount, guess it doesn’t matter what direction the mount is then.
So your actually telling the liberals helped me…lol
Not really, when you look beyond the surface level. They're actually making sure that you don't spend your money so that they can find a way to take it from you later! That's the way of the shifty shitlibs!
That's what one would expect, but the S&B has the illumination knob on the left side of the main tube (9 o'clock) whereas the scope in that picture has the battery compartment for the illumination directly on top of the rear ocular at 12 o'clock. So it's a mystery scope...
Actually I kind of do...if I may digress. We know your experience with the EBR-RI in Afghanistan was not the best (got full of dirt and was hard to clean, so-so accuracy, cantilever scope mount a PITA to remove and reinstall with a good zero, and apparently your rifle not issued with any grease, which an M14 requires for proper maintenance). So, you'll probably think I'm crazy for building a replica of what you carried back in 2010 - but it is indeed a 2025 project of mine....just need a receiver for this replica.
Fwiw, I have three other SAGE-based replicas that I spent years piecing together, so I figured I needed a 4th and final Army version for my collection:
Replica of an early/1st generation SOCOM Mk 14 Mod 0 w/ Leupold 10x scope (these were built at Crane circa 2004)
Replica USMC M39 EMR w/ S&B 3-12x scope (these were built at USMC Quantico base/PWS, circa 2007-2008). Still need an older style SAGE vertical grip for it, proper ARD unit, and the fake selector lock installed, but otherwise it has the right pieces. Not an easy build.
Replica Navy (NECC) Mk 14 Mod 2 w/ Nightforce 3.5-15x scope (these were built at Crane circa 2011). This one took 3 years to build.
...Yes, I'll be done with the SAGE chassis versions once I complete a replica of the US Army EBR-RI with a plain black SAGE chassis....
BTW, a year ago I allowed my then 13-year old son try my replica Mk 14 Mod 0 at 1000 yards. Before that day, he had never shot a rifle beyond 100 years, so this was a unique experience for him...and he got several hits in the 10 ring and one or two in the X-ring(!).
...so from a prone position, and as a fun range toy - the accurized EBR rifles can sometimes do okay, even at distance.
That said, I do understand that carrying one in combat over in Afghanistan was a rather mixed-bag...
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Your right looking at the Pic closer I'm so used to seeing those turrets with Marines sb scopes and stopped there. I know I was issued 3 different elevation turrets with my mk4 wouldn't surprise me if the Marines speced other turrets w Leupold cuz we gotta be different.
Its a free country if you live in a red state sorry @brianf lol you do you homie I just tell it like it was... My comments were to Brian we all know your love for the platform. Awesome you and the boy are able to bond over it. Im just looking after the poor cosplay warriors out there knowing the facts before they plunk down some coin and realize it ain't worth a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin getting it on. Most were not moa rifles that I saw first hand your looks like a sweet shooter. Suppressed they are kinda a hoot to play with
My Meager attempt at clone and fantasy m14’s…JAFR pics 
On that subject, I am curious, were you ever trained on the 'barrel tension screw' aka 'Pure Voodoo screw' on the SAGE chassis back in 2010? I have heard anecdotals that this magic screw was very carefully adjusted for all EBR-RIs when made at Rock Island circa 2009-2012 by two armorers who built basically all of these rifles.....but in the field soldiers, being soldiers, would dissemble the rifle and/or take the top cover off, and then overly tighten that Voodoo screw upon reassembly - as some did not know what that screw was for. Overtightening that one little screw binds the barrel, especially when it starts to heat up - and thus accuracy goes from 1 MOA to 3 or 4 MOA... Yep, that is what I was told, and the EBR-RI Supplemental guide speaks to this critical feature, but its not clear how well this was understood in Afghanistan.
Question: Back in 2010 were you trained by the Army or aware of this interesting Voodoo screw? Just something I am curious about...
So, this is a very unique feature - and one Army armorer made the mistake of dissembling newly received EBR-RIs for cleaning, but had no idea that he was overtightening that Vodoo screw when he put them back together. He tested the rifles afterwards and couldn't get them to group anything like the test targets that was included in every shipping box of an EBR-RI - so even that unit's official US Army armorer was oblivious to this aspect of the SAGE chassis. Rock Island only did 3-shot groups w/ M118LR for each EBR-RI, and 1.5 MOA was the max allowance. Reportedly, per the below article, only one rifle out 5000 made from 2009-2012 failed that technical accuracy requirement. Most looked like these test targets, typically under 1 MOA for 3-rds: (I wish they would have done 5-rd groups, but anyhow)
How the U.S. Army Builds the M14 EBR-RI - Guns and Ammo
The M14 EBR-RI has become a legend in the military community, and this was the only time a writer was allowed inside TACOM to document the building of these chassis-based M14s.
www.gunsandammo.com
...Why do I ask this question? Well, on my rifles the Voodoo screw slightly protrudes from the top cover, unlike the other allen head screws that are pretty well recessed. So, at first glance one might think that screw was sort-of loose and should be tightened down so it is flush with the top cover - but that actually puts a lot of downward pressure on the barrel about 6 or 7 inches from the muzzle, and once it starts to heat up - the 'binding' pressure goes up quite a bit, and accuracy goes into the toilet... Fwiw re the Voodoo screw...
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Do believe that's a Larue Stomp mount with an early gen Vortex
Sounds like a f-ing disaster waiting to happen out in the field getting banged aroundOn that subject, I am curious, were you ever trained on the 'barrel tension screw' aka 'Pure Voodoo screw' on the SAGE chassis back in 2010? I have heard anecdotals that this magic screw was very carefully adjusted for all EBR-RIs when made at Rock Island circa 2009-2012 by two armorers who built basically all of these rifles.....but in the field soldiers, being soldiers, would dissemble the rifle and/or take the top cover off, and then overly tighten that Voodoo screw upon reassembly - as some did not know what that screw was for. Overtightening that one little screw binds the barrel, especially when it starts to heat up - and thus accuracy goes from 1 MOA to 3 or 4 MOA... Yep, that is what I was told, and the EBR-RI Supplemental guide speaks to this critical feature, but its not clear how well this was understood in Afghanistan.
Question: Back in 2010 were you trained by the Army or aware of this interesting Voodoo screw? Just something I am curious about...
View attachment 8659904
View attachment 8659885
View attachment 8659898
View attachment 8659886
So, this is a very unique feature - and one Army armorer made the mistake of dissembling newly received EBR-RIs for cleaning, but had no idea that he was overtightening that Vodoo screw when he put them back together. He tested the rifles afterwards and couldn't get them to group anything like the test targets that was included in every shipping box of an EBR-RI - so even that unit's official US Army armorer was oblivious to this aspect of the SAGE chassis. Rock Island only did 3-shot groups w/ M118LR for each EBR-RI, and 1.5 MOA was the max allowance. Reportedly, per the below article, only one rifle out 5000 made from 2009-2012 failed that technical accuracy requirement. Most looked like these test targets, typically under 1 MOA for 3-rds: (I wish they would have done 5-rd groups, but anyhow)
View attachment 8659909
How the U.S. Army Builds the M14 EBR-RI - Guns and Ammo
The M14 EBR-RI has become a legend in the military community, and this was the only time a writer was allowed inside TACOM to document the building of these chassis-based M14s.
...Why do I ask this question? Well, on my rifles the Voodoo screw slightly protrudes from the top cover, unlike the other allen head screws that are pretty well recessed. So, at first glance one might think that screw was sort-of loose and should be tightened down so it is flush with the top cover - but that actually puts a lot of downward pressure on the barrel about 6 or 7 inches from the muzzle, and once it starts to heat up - the 'binding' pressure goes up quite a bit, and accuracy goes into the toilet... Fwiw re the Voodoo screw...
On that subject, I am curious, were you ever trained on the 'barrel tension screw' aka 'Pure Voodoo screw' on the SAGE chassis back in 2010? I have heard anecdotals that this magic screw was very carefully adjusted for all EBR-RIs when made at Rock Island circa 2009-2012 by two armorers who built basically all of these rifles.....but in the field soldiers, being soldiers, would dissemble the rifle and/or take the top cover off, and then overly tighten that Voodoo screw upon reassembly - as some did not know what that screw was for. Overtightening that one little screw binds the barrel, especially when it starts to heat up - and thus accuracy goes from 1 MOA to 3 or 4 MOA... Yep, that is what I was told, and the EBR-RI Supplemental guide speaks to this critical feature, but its not clear how well this was understood in Afghanistan.
Question: Back in 2010 were you trained by the Army or aware of this interesting Voodoo screw? Just something I am curious about...
View attachment 8659904
View attachment 8659885
View attachment 8659898
View attachment 8659886
So, this is a very unique feature - and one Army armorer made the mistake of dissembling newly received EBR-RIs for cleaning, but had no idea that he was overtightening that Vodoo screw when he put them back together. He tested the rifles afterwards and couldn't get them to group anything like the test targets that was included in every shipping box of an EBR-RI - so even that unit's official US Army armorer was oblivious to this aspect of the SAGE chassis. Rock Island only did 3-shot groups w/ M118LR for each EBR-RI, and 1.5 MOA was the max allowance. Reportedly, per the below article, only one rifle out 5000 made from 2009-2012 failed that technical accuracy requirement. Most looked like these test targets, typically under 1 MOA for 3-rds: (I wish they would have done 5-rd groups, but anyhow)
View attachment 8659909
How the U.S. Army Builds the M14 EBR-RI - Guns and Ammo
The M14 EBR-RI has become a legend in the military community, and this was the only time a writer was allowed inside TACOM to document the building of these chassis-based M14s.
...Why do I ask this question? Well, on my rifles the Voodoo screw slightly protrudes from the top cover, unlike the other allen head screws that are pretty well recessed. So, at first glance one might think that screw was sort-of loose and should be tightened down so it is flush with the top cover - but that actually puts a lot of downward pressure on the barrel about 6 or 7 inches from the muzzle, and once it starts to heat up - the 'binding' pressure goes up quite a bit, and accuracy goes into the toilet... Fwiw re the Voodoo screw...
Oh boy... Let's just say I was and leave it at that haha.
You are correct tho, this was probably the largest contributor to the shitty reputation they had but hey some 06+ genius thought it was a great idea to field a battle rifle with a random screw acting as a barrel tuner cuz the chassis it rode in was that bad consistency wise but hey ...we can throw a clip on and a peq on there so we are good to fight.
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No idea on the scope, but that's definitely a LaRue Stomp mount that doesn't have the top portion attached to it. I actually have one of these mounts available, if anyone needs it. It's pretty difficult to find the old Stomp mounts.
Looking closer, I wonder if it's one of the old Horus. Seems the Razors had the illum housing offset and those turrets look small and capped.
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