M14: America’s Worst Service Rifle - What Went Wrong?
Forgotten Weapons・30 minutes read
The M14 rifle was developed post-World War Two to consolidate existing firearms, facing quality control issues during production and struggles in the Vietnam jungle, ultimately leading to its cancellation in 1964 after being replaced by the AR-15 due to the Air Force's dissatisfaction. Despite initial limited production intentions, Springfield ended up manufacturing 167,000 M14 rifles over 5 years to meet high demand, with most rifles destroyed in the 1990s and some sent overseas.
Insights
- The M14 rifle, stemming from the T44 development, was adopted by the US military in 1957 as a selective fire weapon based on the M1 Garand system with a unique magazine design and gas system adapted from World War Two experiments.
- Despite high demand leading to Springfield producing over 167,000 M14 rifles, quality control issues during production, including bolt lug and receiver problems, coupled with accuracy and suitability challenges in Vietnam, resulted in the eventual cancellation of the M14 project in 1964 after the Air Force opted for the AR-15 instead.
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Recent questions
What is the origin of the M14 rifle?
The M14 rifle originated from the T44, developed by Springfield Armory as an upgraded contender to the M1 Garand by 1949.
How does the M14 gas system differ from the M1's?
The M14 gas system, adapted from a World War Two experiment, includes a self-regulating gas piston and a gas cut-off for launching rifle grenades, differing from the M1's traditional gas piston operation.
What led to the cancellation of the M14 project?
The cancellation of the M14 project in 1964 was influenced by the Air Force's purchase of AR-15s in 1962 due to dissatisfaction with the M14's performance, especially in the Vietnam jungle.
What issues plagued the M14 production?
Quality control problems during M14 production resulted in issues like bolt lugs and receivers breaking, with only Springfield manufactured rifles meeting specific criteria, leading to the involvement of multiple contractors.
How did the M14 fare in Vietnam?
The M14, designed for open land warfare in Western Europe, faced accuracy and suitability issues in the Vietnam jungle, resulting in a short service life due to its performance challenges in that environment.
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Summary
00:00
Evolution of the M14 Infantry Rifle
- The M14 is a fully transferable rifle with a rare status, prompting a discussion on its origins and subsequent reputation.
- During World War Two, the US retained the M1 Garand without significant alterations, unlike Germany's constant rifle advancements.
- Springfield Armory experimented with 14 M1 versions during the war, including paratrooper variants and box magazine-fed select-fire models.
- Post-war, the US aimed to consolidate major platforms into the M14 infantry rifle and M15 light machine gun, replacing various existing firearms.
- Springfield developed the T25, T28, T31, and T20 rifles, with the T44 emerging as the upgraded M1 Garand contender by 1949.
- The T44 underwent trials against the FN FAL, with both rifles deemed acceptable, leading to the T44's formal adoption on May 1, 1957.
- The M14, specifically the T44E4, is a selective fire rifle based on the M1 Garand system, featuring a 20-round box magazine and a redesigned gas system.
- The magazine design is derived from John Garand's T31 bullpup, with a unique nose-in-rock-back style and a front recoil spring guide rod acting as the catch.
- The full-auto system on the M14 involves a manual bolt hold open lever and an external bar that moves to indicate automatic mode, firing rounds through a specific mechanism.
- Disassembly of the M14 mirrors the M1 process, with the addition of removing the auto-trip lever to access the bolt handle and recoil spring guide.
14:00
Evolution of M14 Rifle Mechanisms
- The M1 operating rod extends to the gas port, while the M14's is shorter.
- The M14 bolt features a roller on the running cam for rotation.
- The M14 bolt design originated from the M1E3 experiment during World War Two.
- The gas system on the M14 is adapted from a World War Two experiment by inventor White.
- The gas system includes a gas piston and a gas cut-off for launching rifle grenades.
- The gas piston system is self-regulating to accommodate different ammunition pressures.
- The M14 gas system differs from the M1's traditional gas piston operation.
- The trigger mechanism of the M14 is similar to the Garand system and influenced the French RSC 1917.
- The auto-trip mechanism releases the hammer for firing in full-auto mode.
- Quality control issues during M14 production led to problems with bolt lugs and receivers breaking.
27:52
"Springfield M14: Rise and Fall"
- 50% of rifles tested for 10 consecutive hits in the black failed, with only Springfield manufactured ones passing, while Winchester and H&R guns did not meet the criteria.
- Springfield initially wasn't meant to produce a significant quantity of guns but ended up making 167,000 M14s over 5 years due to high demand.
- The Air Force, unimpressed with the M14, purchased the first military batch of AR-15s in 1962, leading to the eventual cancellation of the M14 project in 1964.
- The M14, designed for open land warfare in Western Europe, faced accuracy and suitability issues in the Vietnam jungle, leading to its short service life.
- Quality control and manufacturing issues plagued the M14 project, with TRW being brought in as a third contractor in 1961 but ultimately not continuing firearm production.
- H&R, Winchester, TRW, and Springfield were major contractors for the M14, with most of the produced rifles destroyed in the 1990s, some sent overseas, and H&R tooling sold to Taiwan for their Type 57 M14 copy.
