My experience with the M14 is limited, but I always thought it was a sweet shooting rifle in relation to its caliber and weight. I never had to "hump" with one, as I attended basic in 1981 with the M16A1. The M16/M4 is the system I'm most comfortable with. Those of you who started with the M14 echo the same sentiments of just about every vet I've ever talked to in respect to the era they served and the rifles they trained with. A friend of mine, who also went through basic in the late 60s had similar regard for the M14, and finally fell into a sweet deal on an M1A National Match.