Cheap and Easy M14 Tweaks

Ganderite

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I just got one of those new m14 shorties. i was going to bed it, but discovered that the plastic stock does not have any "meat" where I would normally drill some holes to take bedding compound.

So I reverted to an old target shooing trick, first perfected with the Garand, but works on M14 too.

As you know, when you cam the trigger guard shut, you clamp the receiver onto the stock. If two pieces of thin cardboard (like a ammo box flap) are placed on the trigger guard clamping surfaces, the clamping pressure can be increased.

M14TRIGGERSHIM2.jpg


What I did was paint the metal with a coat of contact glue, and then put the cardboard on the tacky surfaces. The rifle was then assembled and left over night for the glue to dry. These pictures were taken when I took the rifle apart to trim the surplus cardboard off with a sharp knife.

M14TRIGGERSHIM1.jpg


At the same time a piece of cardboard was put under the receiver to increase the clamping pressure. I used some contact cement on the bottom rails of the receiver to hold the cardboard in place. After clamping overnight, the cardboard is ready for trimming around the outside and inside of the receiver.

M14RCVRSHIM2.jpg


M14REVRSHIM1.jpg


Total cost : About 5 cents and 20 minutes.

I will re-test the rifle and see if grouping improves.


The send modification will be to the front sight. The front sight post is very high.

M14STEST1.jpg


The rear sight is also quite high when the rifle is zeroed at 100 yards. To test this theory, I installed a different front sight that sits 0.200" lower than the original. (That is almost a quarter inch lower!)

m14fronttunnnel3.jpg


m14fronttunnnel1.jpg


With the rear sight cranked all the way to the bottom, the rifle shoot slightly low at 100 yards. I am guessing it will take 3 or 4 clicks to re-zero the sight, so 0.200" lower is about perfect for this rifle.

My plan is to cut the post off the front sight and to install a ring sight. I have done this to some other rifles and find that so long as the aperture is large, it makes for a great general purpose front sight.

m14frontsiteoptions.jpg


The way this is done is to take a regular aperture insert:

m14ringsite2.jpg



and then trim away most of the outer ring, leaving an aperture on a post that can be soldered into a slot in the front sight base.

m14ringsite1.jpg


If the aperture is big enough, it can be used on any kind of target. if you can see it inside the ring, you will hit it.

I will update after the sight is fabricated and test shot.
 
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Sounds like you got her well in hand Ganderite ;) awesome post. I love seeing guys going outside the box customizing their rifles. :rockOn:
 
Gonna be having a go at this :):):)
Its great to see there are still some thinkers out there, working away on the kitchen table undermining the economy LOL
And excellent step by step..............keep it up :)
 
Ganderite, I really wish I had your "odd parts box" that front sight is cool good work. This should be added as a "sticky" I think .
 
"Is there a flatstock copper (or similar) that would work in this application?"

That would work. Cut the shim stock into strips about 1/4" wide and glue them to the bottom of the receiver rails.

The cardboard is a test. If the rifle groups better I will strip the cardboard and glue on shim stock, or maybe plastic. A credit card is a bit too thick, but my library card looks about right.

Cardboard will gradually compress and will be destroyed by rain, oil and cleaning solvent.
 
Cheap and easy M14 tweaks? Count me in!

1- to correct the off centre rear aperture, I selected a suitable washer and JB welded it to the sight, making certain it wouldn't interfere with anything (and was centred, natch). Then I masked and sprayed it flat black tremclad. (blacked out the front sight too, while I was at it.

2- using super clean degreaser and a scotchbrite pad, I really improved the wood stock's appearance. Rinsed the crap out of it later, let it dry, then varathaned it. Added a couple of strips of grip tape to the stock, as the varathane was a bit slippy to hold.

3- painted the upper handguard flat black, just because

4- rounded off any sharpish edges (op rod handle, for instance) with emery cloth. Made sure not to get crayyyyzeee of course

Think that's it; still have the s**tty flash hider and op rod guide tho'. :)
 
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Thanks for taking the time for a detailed post Ganderite.

I've used the cardboard trick sans proper bedding compound with accuracy improvements on other types, curious how much it will tighten up the Norky. Mine seems super tight already, don't know if she'd draw together with that cardboard added.

I await your apples to apples accuracy testing.:)
 
The cardboard is a test. If the rifle groups better I will strip the cardboard and glue on shim stock, or maybe plastic. A credit card is a bit too thick, but my library card looks about right.

Cardboard will gradually compress and will be destroyed by rain, oil and cleaning solvent.

There ya go.
 
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