Happy Birthday M14!!!

[82Rigger]

On May 1, 1957, the M14 was adopted as the Service "A" Standard rifle of the U.S. armed forces, replacing the M1 Garand.

The M14 is an evolution of the M1 rifle; in the design of the M14 many of the shortcomings of the M1 have been eradicated. The basic action of the M1 remains, but the troublesome eight round en bloc clip has gone. The hanging of the gas cylinder on the end of the M1 rifle's barrel gave some accuracy difficulties; these have been overcome in the M14 by moving the gas port and gas cylinder back about eight inches from the muzzle, The gas cutoff and expansion system used on the M14 lends itself to better accuracy because its action is not as abrupt as that of the M1. Various other changes were made to give the Army a basically better weapon than the M1.

[Keith_Hixson]

Powerful, Accurate, Reliable.

Downside. It was heavy.

I liked it better than the M-16.

I salute the M-14, in my opinion the best infantry rifle of all time.

Keith

[Keith_Hixson]

I miss your quizzes!

Keith

[larrysearight]

Great rifle, had the M-14 in boot camp and qualified with it. Also used it in ITR. Was heavier then the M-16 but could put 20 rounds in a magazine instead of 17 or 18. Didn't jam up like the M-16.

Semper Fi,
Larry

[Andy]

I loved the M-14 in Basic. In AIT we used the M-16 original and hated it. The 14 was heavy and you could not carry as much ammo but when you pulled the trigger something came out of the other end. I usually carried an M-60 so can't complain much about the weight of the 14. It's sort of a shame they gave us the 16 while they were still experimenting and refining it. We've all heard stories about guys with jammed 16's in a firefight who ended up dead. Seems like they should have let us keep the 14's until all the kinks were worked out of that little black plastic thing.

Here's to the M-14!
Stay healthy,
Andy

[usmcsgt65]

I went to war with the M-14 - love it. Never used the M16, only tested fired the M15. In snipers we used the match M1-D and the Remington (M40). But the new fangled stuff on the M16 makes wish it was avaible to us.

[frisco-kid]

The biggest thing I was looking forward to doing in basic training was, of course, shooting a rifle. Thought it was so cool when one was finally issued to me and I had to memorize it's serial number. Couldn't wait to shoot it. Qualified EXPERT. Not bad for an inner-city kid.

[Keith_Hixson]

Tom,
Qualified Expert on Both M-14 and M-16. Those pop up targets reminded me of shooting ground squirrels on the back forty. When you have been shooting a single shot .22 since 8 its was a chinch to hit them targets. I have a hard time following fast moving game in a scope. Scopes are great for slow moving and standing game but I'd rather have a peep or open sights for fast moving game. Anyway, the M-16 has proven to be an effective weapon, but I preferred the M-14.

Keith

[Packo]

I was lucky enough to have used both in Vietnam, even though it was 69' and the 16 was standard issue. When I got with the Korean Unit, 38th Regiment/9th Korean Inf Div, I had my choice. They also carried both and the old M-1 Carbines. Liked the weight of the 16 and agree with Andy about being able to carry more ammo, but when the spam was in the fan......give me the 14. Mine had the funny selector switch that made it also full auto. Must have been like the old BAR cause' it was fun on Rock and Roll.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY M-14 AND THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

Packo

PS: You can still buy them from the Rock Island Armoury. Andy, they also sell M-60's incase your looking for home protection.

[Andy]

Thanks Packo, an M-60 would be nice however I have the feeling the Governor might frown on me walking around with a 60. For years, too many to count, I?ve been carrying a .38 snub nose, however my vision isn?t what it used to be. Anyone have an idea where I could get an M-79? Just for personal protection of course. H.E. is fine but I prefer W.P.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Packo]

I think for home protection you should look into the M-79 with Beehive attachment. It would work for a blind man!

Packo

PS Have a .38 S&W Airweight snub nose. It was my dad's piece he would wear at his store. I like it but gonna give it to Deb and get a .45. Still my favorite.

[Andy]

Oh sure a beehive or shot gun round for a 40mm is fine. However an HE or WP at a range of, lets say 12 feet, means the guy can be declared "a bomb". Then EOD can take him out and detonate him. I said WP because that stuff always gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. As you know, a person can fight when wounded but if your butt's on fire, there's only one thing on your mind and it isn't sex!!!

.45 cal is a good old weapon but a .38 using brass jacketed hollow points has lots of stopping power. (Sorry, cops don't call them that anymore, they are Controlled Expansion Rounds.) Besides a .38 snubby is much easier to conceal. Only way you can wear a .45 to a bar-b-q is to wear it under a suit coat, that's tacky. Who wants a sports coat covered with hot sauce and beer?
That may not have been the correct question to ask you southern boys.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[82Rigger]

...Andy's preferences in weaponry.

I happen to know for a fact that Andy's favorite shooter of all time is...Ma Deuce.

I told him a while back that when I win the lottery, I'll buy him a present. He can tool around in Boston Harbor and protect us from
terrorists! LOL!

[sn-e3]

Now out here in God's country we mount them on our 4x4's and head out on opening day of elk season. Or maybe it just sounds like that on opening morning I know i keep my six to a big tree and plenty of escape routes, elk season can get down right crazy here too many hunters not enough elk.

[82Rigger]

...I have decided that we might be better off if'n we take the M2 duals offa the boat, stick 'em on a Humvee and let Andy take it out to Logan.

Airborne! Steve / 82Rigger

[sn-e3]

Andy would look like a modern day duke from true grit a patch on his eye hanging on to the steering wheel with leather thongs as he yelling at the top of his lungs slap leather you son of a bitchs oh yeah that would be a great part time job for andy Logan would never again be bothered by terriorests of corse when he got done to get to boston you would have to fly to new york and take a train but it would be very safe.(LOL)

[Andy]

Rigger, I never saw a Ma duce pair hooked up like that! Is that something from the Polish Navy? It looks like all the brass would get thrown together and something would jam for sure. Nonetheless, those .50's do give me a warm and mellow feeling. Thanks for the memories.

Chris, give me a .50 on a movable platform at Logan airport and Kennedy, his boys and other enemies of the State will not be darkening the doors of DC anymore. The true Army of the Potomac will rise again.
Be careful with that True Grit imagery. I like it but James might be reading this. We all know what he thinks of the star of that flick.

Stay healthy, I love the sound of a .50 at dawn...
Andy

[phuloi]

I have a Bro who was with the 9th Korean..Mike Shahda-FAC..Did you know him by chance?

[Keith_Hixson]

WE could use those two on those little black tails. Shoot the brush down getting to the deer.:D

Keith:D

[Packo]

No, don't think so. Which regiment and at what time? I was with them June and July of 69' until wounded on the 31st of July. Not many know that their Air and Arty support was called in by Americans since they had none of their own. Wish I woulda known him, that would have been cool. What did he think of the "White Horse" troopers? My personal opinion.....some of the best damn fightin' men I've ever met. Disciplined and mean, yet they were so kind to me it was unbelievable. Got real tired of their Kim Chi C-Rats but when we went to CRB for resupply I always picked up my own C's and LRRPS when I could fenagle them. Fell in love with their OB beer and Red Rice Wine. Also fell all over things after drinking that wine.

Packo

[phuloi]

Mike has always spoken very highly of his Korean comrades and is proud to have humped with them.I`ll see him on Tuesday and get more particulars,however,I think he was with them a bit earlier.