M14A1

[ABNAK]

https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/M14A1.JPG

The SAW version. I was wondering how common their use was. I've seen a couple at most in Vietnam pics but quite a few more from training areas (a number of official Army Panama training videos show them).

I used to have an M14-clone set up nicely in an A1 stock, to include all hardware. In semi-auto the folding VFG is pretty good at holding down recoil; not sure how effective it would be in FA mode though. I could kick myself (as I could a number of other times) for getting rid of it.

[SteyrAUG]

https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/M14A1.JPG

The SAW version. I was wondering how common their use was. I've seen a couple at most in Vietnam pics but quite a few more from training areas (a number of official Army Panama training videos show them).

I used to have an M14-clone set up nicely in an A1 stock, to include all hardware. In semi-auto the folding VFG is pretty good at holding down recoil; not sure how effective it would be in FA mode though. I could kick myself (as I could a number of other times) for getting rid of it.

Shot FA versions a few times. Not sure if I can say it's better or worse than the FAL on full auto, the main pistol grip on the FAL seems like it sure be more controllable but I always end up with worse "cheek punch" from the FAL than the M14 with front folding grip. On a bipod prone it should be even nicer, but I never actually did it.

[ABNAK]

Shot FA versions a few times. Not sure if I can say it's better or worse than the FAL on full auto, the main pistol grip on the FAL seems like it sure be more controllable but I always end up with worse "cheek punch" from the FAL than the M14 with front folding grip. On a bipod prone it should be even nicer, but I never actually did it.

I have Blake Stevens' "US Rifle M14: From John Garand to the M21". It is the M14 version of "The Black Rifle", very detailed and informative. In FA the M14A1 was okay when using the bipod and foregrip, but it was too light overall for sustained FA or even accurate bursts. There was an "M15" version developed which had a heavier barrel to serve in the SAW role, but it was dropped in 1959 right before the official adoption of the M14.

http://ww3.rediscov.com/springar/full/13015-SA.1.jpg

[TED]

I've shot one of those once in full auto, I've also shot the FAL full auto and the G3 full auto. The FAL was by far the best and most controllable. It was very impressive. The M14 rose up more than the G3 but oddly seemed to have less harsh recoil overall. I was firing from off hand, off a bipod it might not matter. I have to say of all the .308 battle rifles, in full auto anyways, the M14 would be dead last for me.

[SteyrAUG]

I've shot one of those once in full auto, I've also shot the FAL full auto and the G3 full auto. The FAL was by far the best and most controllable. It was very impressive. The M14 rose up more than the G3 but oddly seemed to have less harsh recoil overall. I was firing from off hand, off a bipod it might not matter. I have to say of all the .308 battle rifles, in full auto anyways, the M14 would be dead last for me.

Agree with the M14 being last, but your experience with the FAL vs. the G3 are completely different from mine.

[uffdaphil]

I had one in Vietnam and it was a handful offhand. I found a box of selctor switches and converted some of my buddy’s standard M-14s to full auto which were worse. But at least when you did beaucoup mag dumps their stocks just smoked. With the A1 the rubber bedding melted and flowed out over the forestock. Dumb concept and execution.

[ABNAK]

I had one in Vietnam and it was a handful offhand. I found a box of selctor switches and converted some of my buddy’s standard M-14s to full auto which were worse. But at least when you did beaucoup mag dumps their stocks just smoked. With the A1 the rubber bedding melted and flowed out over the forestock. Dumb concept and execution.

Thanks for the input. Someone who actually used it on the two-way range has more valuable input than anyone else as far as I am concerned!

You said it was a "handful offhand" but was it decent in the prone using the bipod and foregrip? There was a special way to rig the sling from the bipod and through the foregrip that kept a downward pull on the bipod and kept pressure off of the foregrip and where it was mounted from what I've read.

I'm guessing you were Army in the early days of the buildup, like '65-'66?

[uffdaphil]

I was in-country in 68-9, in an Army support unit. The A1 was inherited along with other guns (grease gun, M2 carbine, old trench shotgun were my faves) when they made me an armorer. No training, just a pile of manuals and parts and teach myself. No idea of the correct method using the sling, but it was more controllable on the bipod with the flip-down foregrip, just not as much fun.

Periodically they replaced all the ammo in the humid underground company bunker. You could turn over the old stuff to EOD or... We loaded up the Deuces with many extra rifles and shot it up at an abandoned Viet rifle range as fast as we could. M-16,14 and M-60s mostly. As we left some knucklehead blew up the range tower with a LAW.

[ABNAK]

I was in-country in 68-9, in an Army support unit. The A1 was inherited along with other guns (grease gun, M2 carbine, old trench shotgun were my faves) when they made me an armorer. No training, just a pile of manuals and parts and teach myself. No idea of the correct method using the sling, but it was more controllable on the bipod with the flip-down foregrip, just not as much fun.

Periodically they replaced all the ammo in the humid underground company bunker. You could turn over the old stuff to EOD or... We loaded up the Deuces with many extra rifles and shot it up at an abandoned Viet rifle range as fast as we could. M-16,14 and M-60s mostly. As we left some knucklehead blew up the range tower with a LAW.

Thanks! You had a veritable goldmine of "older" play-toys at your disposal I see. Pretty cool.