I started a military collection a few years ago and got to the point where the M14 was finally on my 'to get next' list. I wanted something as close to the one I carried in the Army as possible. I got a Springfield version:
I qualified expert in 1967 with one, and always thought it was the finest rifle ever made...still do. I guess the military thinks so too as it's been in use from the 50's to the present. I was in the Army from 67-71 and was never issued anything but the M14....never even picked up an M16.
I've got a story about the M14 that still gives me a chuckle even after almost 50 years.
As everyone knows who served back then, we all had to learn the nomenclature of the rifle, and learn how to field strip it.... in the dark... before we could fire one.
After we learned that, we went to the range, which was a huge place with 'control towers' and room for 50-100 guys (forgot exactly how many, but it was a lot) on the firing line simultaneously.
We would be given a full mag, told what position to get into, lock and load, then the tower would announce over loud speakers, "Ready on the left, ready on the right, the firing line is ready ! Fire one round !"
The first time I pulled the trigger...."bang,bang,bang,bang" in less than a second. The Sgt came up to me and screamed at me, "You were told to fire ONE ROUND private !" I told him I only pulled the trigger once. There's something wrong with the rifle!
He said you will fire only one round!
Then from the tower, ""Ready on the left, ready on the right, the firing line is ready ! Fire one round !"
Again I pull the trigger once and ...."bang,bang,bang,bang" in less than a second. The Sgt came up to me and screamed at me again, "I told you to fire ONE ROUND private !" I told him again that I only pulled the trigger once. There's something very wrong with the rifle!
He said 'Don't do that again!" I couldn't understand exactly what he meant, still don't.
Then from the tower, ""Ready on the left, ready on the right, the firing line is ready ! Fire one round !"
A third time I pulled the trigger, once, and ...."bang,bang,bang,bang" in less than a second. The Sgt had given up I guess because he just looked at me.
We were then all told to put our rifles in the racks over near the chow line and go eat.
I put my rifle in the rack and waited for everyone to get in the chow line. Then I reached out with both hands, grabbed the trigger guard of my rifle and the one next to it, lifted the guards, and pulled out the whole trigger groups, did a quick swap in my hands and reinserted the trigger groups into the other rifle. I then got into the end of the chow line.
Back on the firing line, from the tower, ""Ready on the left, ready on the right, the firing line is ready ! Fire one round !"
I pulled the trigger once and fired one round.
To the right of me I hear...."bang,bang,bang,bang" .
It was and is a fine rifle...perhaps the finest we ever issued.
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