M14 Hunting Ammo

Shooting Sight makes a spindle valve with a reduced diameter gas port when in the “off” position as well as a spindle valve with replaceable jets allowing you to tune an appropriate port size for your needs.

I just picked up both a fixed valve with an .052” port on the off side and the version with replaceable jets. I did a bunch of work on my Super Match and will be trying it out this winter to both soften up the standard 175 grain loads and see what I can do with 185 grain loads as well.

It’s an easy install and removal:

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Awesome thank you for all of the input. I would like to hear more about the piston change and see if that has mad any difference. I have also used Winchester Silver ballistic tips as well just not a lot due to their cost. That being said though, the .30-06 silver ballistic tip is my go to for my bolt gun all the time but I only use 3-4 rounds of that a year, lol.
 
I've shot so many different ammo in mine. The one that stood out the most was the federal blue box 150gr. The corelokt 180gr had fair result. The hornady 150 grain American Whitetail SP had pierced primers and the recoil impulse was higher than usual. Everything else was not memorable.
 
njohnson said:
Shooting Sight makes a spindle valve with a reduced diameter gas port when in the “off” position as well as a spindle valve with replaceable jets allowing you to tune an appropriate port size for your needs.

I just picked up both a fixed valve with an .052” port on the off side and the version with replaceable jets. I did a bunch of work on my Super Match and will be trying it out this winter to both soften up the standard 175 grain loads and see what I can do with 185 grain loads as well.

It’s an easy install and removal:

View attachment 333442

View attachment 333443
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how did the spindle sizes work out? my guess is .062 .
 
The one with replacement jets goes from .052 up to .062. The fixed one is factory size , .118” I believe and then cross drilled to .052 on the “off” side allowing you to switch between stock wide open and a reduced setting. Guys down south are using them for either running suppressed or running heavier loads. It takes a bit of trial as the 052 might not be enough to cycle but I will experiment a bit and see. I don’t run atomic loads but just wanted some options to soften up the cycling a bit with 175/185 bullets.
 
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I’ll update how it works between the non stop rain and now snow I’m hoping to get up to the range this week.

Shooting Sight makes some neat stuff and can ship to Canada no issues. I picked up one of their adjustable triggers with the lightened hammer as well.
 
reloaded 4 times and then trashed= counts actually 4- not once fired as that counts as one- ie you reload your case only 3 times or at least I do and then it gets binned- too much chance of a failure in the head area - ie the brass in that area thins too much even with annealing
 
t-star said:
reloaded 4 times and then trashed= counts actually 4- not once fired as that counts as one- ie you reload your case only 3 times or at least I do and then it gets binned- too much chance of a failure in the head area - ie the brass in that area thins too much even with annealing
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this advice should be followed for sure.

personally I do not reload for my semi autos anymore. I just don't enjoy reloading enough to see it as any advantage for my needs.
If I hunt with my m14 I'd use 150gr power shok , 168(?)gr federal vital shok with the nosler partition or the Winchester supreme with the 160ish gr accubond.
all three of these have efficiently killed game from 20 out to just over 250 yards from the various m14 pattern rifles I've hunted with over the years.
 
I don't use my 14s as in plural for hunting anymore- even if its a 600 yard bipod or bench rested shot - number 1 the darned thing weighs in at 14 or so pounds, 2 ) i'd rather not "argue" with some know it all" rcmp or fishcop who's bound and determined to confiscate my gun anyway-sure I use the same LOAD as the 14 but it's in a savage 99 or something like that ( remmy 742) which they'd have a whole lot more trouble with- I know it sounds like i'm knuckling under, but i'm also avoiding hassels
 
these days i'm more inclined to use my 338 browning than any m14 - more p/c and there's no arguing it's a hunting rifle
 
1-trident-1 said:
how did the spindle sizes work out? my guess is .062 .
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You called it, tested a standard load of a 175 SMK at 2550 with the .059 and about 4 rounds out of 40 failed to lock the bolt back on an empty magazine. All shots were fired single load on an empty magazine. The cases all ejected right beside me as opposed to being thrown 5 feet in front of me. .062 is probably the smallest size that will reliably function on standard ammunition.

What I will do now is test some warmer 175 loads and some 185 grain loads with smaller jets and again look for a jet size that just manages to lock the bolt back and cycles soft. Again nothing atomic but looking for 2550 to 2600 with a 185, or maybe 2650 with a 175 and not battering the gun at all. It’s a really simple system to switch in and out and gives you the option of turning the spindle valve between either factory setting or reduced port pressure.

Edit I confirmed that the standard gas port diameter in the spindle valve is .118” so even .062 is quite the reduction.
 
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njohnson said:
You called it, tested a standard load of a 175 SMK at 2550 with the .059 and about 4 rounds out of 40 failed to lock the bolt back on an empty magazine. All shots were fired single load on an empty magazine. The cases all ejected right beside me as opposed to being thrown 5 feet in front of me. .062 is probably the smallest size that will reliably function on standard ammunition.

What I will do now is test some warmer 175 loads and some 185 grain loads with smaller jets and again look for a jet size that just manages to lock the bolt back and cycles soft. Again nothing atomic but looking for 2550 to 2600 with a 185, or maybe 2650 with a 175 and not battering the gun at all. It’s a really simple system to switch in and out and gives you the option of turning the spindle valve between either factory setting or reduced port pressure.

Edit I confirmed that the standard gas port diameter in the spindle valve is .118” so even .062 is quite the reduction.
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you will find less crap in the gas system, better dwell, and easier on brass if you reload. it does feel nice to refine a firearm with something so simple.
 
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