The rifle I carried in the Marines. At least part of the time. This was a great improvement over the Garand, with it's detachable 20 round Magazine. Patton would have approved.
Lighter weight than the BAR. Reduced "logistical weight" of having several different cartridges in the inventory. Squad-type MG's like M-60 and M-240x fire this same cartridge, and in a hot war can use a whole lotta ammo fast, while aimed fire from riflemen with M-14's ought to be, uhh, aimed.
Trying to make the M-14 into a BAR-substitute was probably a mistake, but it turned out to be a really fine weapon in semi-auto when used by a squad of trained soldiers who are willing to shoot and kill the enemy. "A" on the selector switch is Government Mode, with trucks and helicopters of fresh ammo being brought to you hourly. "A" away from the shooter is Militia Mode, where you are carrying all the ammo you may ever have.
The M-14 is too expensive to put in the hands of divided-loyalty or morally-ambiguous soldiers, but perfect for the US Infantry Soldier of 1965, and their sons. It's a weapon designed to kill the enemy at distance (where high-value US Soldiers and weapon system/sensors dominate), not to wound or disable them. Allowing masses of the enemy to close (to within range of their weapons and aiming skills) with smaller numbers of US Soldiers will (and has) result in unacceptably-balanced casualties.
Only raw NECESSITY has brought back into service the (small number remaining in stockpiles, not criminally destroyed) M-14 to defend our Soldiers and Marines in the long ranges of Afghanistan. I hope that it helps them survive to get home soon.
Maybe the Taiwanese will make us up a few million as part of the F-16 deal? They really need the F-16's, not an upgrade of F-4's, and they will pay in CASH.
Anonymous - I'm sure when the video was originally made in the late 50s or early 60s, that weapon WAS lightweight. At least compared to predecessors M1 Garand and the M1918 BAR, which would be their contemporaries in similar firepower.
I used to wish my M1A had the "rock and roll switch", but I've come to understand that the M14 operator really missed the extra weight the BAR had that made the BAR controllable in full-auto.
The M1A is a fine gun. It's capable of a lot more than I can get out of it. Just wish I had a 400-yard range to practice on. Best I can do at my hunting club is 200 yards.
I was stationed at Camp Hovey, Korea, D Company, 2nd Battle Group, 34th Infantry, 7th Division, 8th US Army. That summer, we received the M14 (semiauto) to replace the fairly worn M1's. We also received the M60 machine gun (really light weight) to replace the M1919A4 and A6's.
I traded in my BAR for an M60: it was lighter, had integral bi-pod (like the A6), but was belt fed. What a deal! It was also shorter than the BAR so it didn't get hung up in brush on the trails through the wooded training areas.
I am not sure why I was not issued a pistol (1911), but I rotated shortly after the switch. As I remember, we had only one chance at familiarization firing with the M14 and none with the M60. Perhaps I just missed out because I returned to CONUS and separated.
11 comments:
The rifle I carried in the Marines. At least part of the time. This was a great improvement over the Garand, with it's detachable 20 round Magazine. Patton would have approved.
Light weight? I bet the narrator never carried one...
Shot Expert in boot camp with one, and still own one today. It's #1 of all my weapons.
None better ...
If anyone has one that they could give me for free, I would really appreciate it.
Lighter weight than the BAR. Reduced "logistical weight" of having several different cartridges in the inventory. Squad-type MG's like M-60 and M-240x fire this same cartridge, and in a hot war can use a whole lotta ammo fast, while aimed fire from riflemen with M-14's ought to be, uhh, aimed.
Trying to make the M-14 into a BAR-substitute was probably a mistake, but it turned out to be a really fine weapon in semi-auto when used by a squad of trained soldiers who are willing to shoot and kill the enemy. "A" on the selector switch is Government Mode, with trucks and helicopters of fresh ammo being brought to you hourly. "A" away from the shooter is Militia Mode, where you are carrying all the ammo you may ever have.
The M-14 is too expensive to put in the hands of divided-loyalty or morally-ambiguous soldiers, but perfect for the US Infantry Soldier of 1965, and their sons. It's a weapon designed to kill the enemy at distance (where high-value US Soldiers and weapon system/sensors dominate), not to wound or disable them. Allowing masses of the enemy to close (to within range of their weapons and aiming skills) with smaller numbers of US Soldiers will (and has) result in unacceptably-balanced casualties.
Only raw NECESSITY has brought back into service the (small number remaining in stockpiles, not criminally destroyed) M-14 to defend our Soldiers and Marines in the long ranges of Afghanistan. I hope that it helps them survive to get home soon.
Maybe the Taiwanese will make us up a few million as part of the F-16 deal? They really need the F-16's, not an upgrade of F-4's, and they will pay in CASH.
Cheers.
Anonymous - I'm sure when the video was originally made in the late 50s or early 60s, that weapon WAS lightweight. At least compared to predecessors M1 Garand and the M1918 BAR, which would be their contemporaries in similar firepower.
I used to wish my M1A had the "rock and roll switch", but I've come to understand that the M14 operator really missed the extra weight the BAR had that made the BAR controllable in full-auto.
If you don't have an M1A you should.
The M1A is a fine gun. It's capable of a lot more than I can get out of it. Just wish I had a 400-yard range to practice on. Best I can do at my hunting club is 200 yards.
I was stationed at Camp Hovey, Korea, D Company, 2nd Battle Group, 34th Infantry, 7th Division, 8th US Army. That summer, we received the M14 (semiauto) to replace the fairly worn M1's. We also received the M60 machine gun (really light weight) to replace the M1919A4 and A6's.
I traded in my BAR for an M60: it was lighter, had integral bi-pod (like the A6), but was belt fed. What a deal! It was also shorter than the BAR so it didn't get hung up in brush on the trails through the wooded training areas.
I am not sure why I was not issued a pistol (1911), but I rotated shortly after the switch. As I remember, we had only one chance at familiarization firing with the M14 and none with the M60. Perhaps I just missed out because I returned to CONUS and separated.
I was impressed with both weapons.
An awesome rifle for "the three hundred yard war" I love my M1A.
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