anyone drilled and tapped an m14

aric84

aric84

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I was wondering if anyone has atempted DT'ing their norc m14's? I can make myself a custom rail to compensate for the difference in height between the receiver and the charger bridge, and figure it would be a whole lot sturdier than the side mounted rails.

I'm just toying with ideas right now and if i can do a DT for a lot less that a scope mount then I'll give it a shot.

Thanks
 
ive done it. D/T the rear charger guide. made a peice that fits over the top, and also use the standard screw in the side. then a peice added to the front. ive done 3-4 rifles like that, and they all have been very very good.
 
I have often wondered about drilling and tapping the receiver above where the barrel screws in. I guess there must be a reason that this is never done, but it sure seems like you could cut a piece of picatinny rail to fit, then make a REALLY simple mount that is screwed down front and back, just like on a bolt gun.

Can someone tell me why this never gets done?
 
I thought about that but always worried it would compromise the strength/integrity of the receiver...

...Is that just over-worry on my part or is it actually a VALID concern?
 
Tehoke01 said:
I thought about that but always worried it would compromise the strength/integrity of the receiver...

...Is that just over-worry on my part or is it actually a VALID concern?
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Before worrying too much - look at pretty much any bolt gun - if they are set up for scope mounts, mostly all are drilled and tapped there.....
 
DaveGP said:
Before worrying too much - look at pretty much any bolt gun - if they are set up for scope mounts, mostly all are drilled and tapped there.....
Click to expand...

I thought about that but I also thought about the type of "hammering" that goes on in an M14 as opposed to single shot recoiling of a bolt gun...

...add to that the M14 receiver is case hardened (I think) not through hardened and the drill and tap will be "breaking" the case, whereas the bolt gun's hardening was probably done after tapping(?).

Or would the receiver be annealed drilled/tapped then hardened again?:confused:

If it were that simple why didn't the USMC & US Army simply drill and tap instead of using a side mounting scope mount with reliability problems?...

...Or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?
 
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I think the military side mount allowed for removal of a damaged scope system and being able to return to the irons as a backup.
 
skoalbandit said:
I think the military side mount allowed for removal of a damaged scope system and being able to return to the irons as a backup.
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It also allowed for the quick installation of a starlight scope for sighting at night, although it was extremely rare for the starlight scope or the regular scope to return to zero when reinstalled.
 
tsalaf said:
skoalbandit said:
I think the military side mount allowed for removal of a damaged scope system and being able to return to the irons as a backup.
Click to expand...
It also allowed for the quick installation of a starlight scope for sighting at night, although it was extremely rare for the starlight scope or the regular scope to return to zero when reinstalled.
Click to expand...

I understand what you are both saying but all of those things can just as easily be done using a much more stable rail mount bolted directly to the top of a drilled and tapped receiver. (Matter of fact I think returning to zero would probably be much easier!)

Are there any other reasons?...

...Nothing to do with weakening the receiver itself?
 
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LRB arms thought so and produced a a whole new hammer forged reciever featuring a rail from stripper clip bridge to receiver ring, integrally mounted with dovetail mounts. It is called the M25. I paid about 3500.00 to have one built with a full trw parts kit and leave it under the ownership of a friend in south dakota so everytime i vacation to the ranch I have a rifle to shoot :D
I am thinkin if it was a successful modification to drill and tap the receiver ring.... LRB would not have spent the vast $$$ it took them to design it a different way. They are the only company producing a receiver of this type and very few have migrated to canada.
 
I'll take one of my receiver's in and get my machinist/tool n die guy to see what he thinks. I got a few kickin around for projects :D
 
hmmm

I'm a machinist myself, maybe i'll rig up a simple rail and try 'er out, just have to get the receiver dt'd and find a scope that will not get beaten to death. I don't think that the receiver integrity will be compromised since the holes are above the barrell where the stresses are contained. Also, if it is case hardened it will be lees likely to develop a fracture like a harder material. Harder to crack a soft centre...

Let's see who is the first to the finish on this DT mystery.
 
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