MasterGunner
Member
- Location
- Machesney Park, IL USA
I've had a lot of experience with both the M14 and the L1A1/C1A1 rifles. Both are efficient machines at delivering aimed shots, rapidly down range. Both are equally horrible as squad automatic rifles -- high cyclic rates, inaccurate, inadequate magazine capacity (M14 - 20 rounds), poorly designed magazines (Aussie L2A1, Candaian C2A1 - straight 30 round), and no quick-change barrel capability. The British L4A2 curved 30 round magazines function flawlessly and could fit either all versions of L1A1/C1A1/L2A1/C2A1, but they were reserved for the 7.62 BREN gun conversions.
The sights on the M14 (and M1) are the best iron sights put on a military rifle. I liked the folding rear sight of the L1A1/C1A1, but its sights are not as easily adjusted as those of the M14.
The controls on both rifles are easily worked and effective. I personally like the safety in the trigger guard of the M14 (and M1), but the L1A1/C1A1 is equally effective.
In the accuracy department, the standard issue M14s and L1A1s/C1A1s are probably more accurate than the average soldier can shoot. However, the M14 trigger is more easily tuned to produce crisp, consistent 4-1/2 pound trigger pull. The trigger arrangement of the L1A1/C1A1 rifle does not lend itself to such improvement easily.
As for sniping equipment, that's where the M14 (DMR - Designated Marksman's Rifle), M21 and M25 Sniper's rifles come into their own. When correctly accurized and in the hands of skilled snipers, these rifles achieve consistent one-shot kills past 900 meters. All of these sniping versions are in current service with American special operations, USMC, USA, USAF, and USN units in Afghanistan in Iraq.
The L1A1/C1A1 rifles have never been developed as a sniper system and cannot be compared in this venue. However, based on my knowledge of the FN's workings, it would be difficult to get sniper accuracy from this design. A good bolt action, dedicated, sniper rifle like the L85 or L96 or L115 rifles is a better platform for sniping, militarily speaking.
It is not widely known, but the M14 was produced in Taiwan as the Type 57 rifle. I have inspected the Type 57 design and it is a quality built arm that is very close to its American-built cousin.
The Norinco M14S is a reverse-engineered copy of the M14 that was made in Chinese PLA arsenals in large numbers (several hundred thousand), primarily to arm Philippine communist insurgents. On some of the rifles that I have inspected, called the M14S, I discovered that they were actually PLA select-fire rifles converted to semi-auto fire only. Some of the M14S rifles imported into the USA had problems with soft bolts and receiver barrel threads that allowed headspace to increase to unsafe levels within 1000 or so rounds. These problems could be cured by the installation of a U.S. G.I. bolt or re-heat treating the barrel threads in the receiver or the bolt. Smith Enterprises still offers this service to fix suspect Norinco M14S rifles.
Of the 1.5 million M14 rifles built in the USA by Springfield Armory, Winchester, Harrington and Richardson, and TRW, the best of the best are the TRW units, follwed by Springfield, Winchester,and H&R. The Type 57 was never exported outside of Taiwan, to the best of my knowledge. However, the M14S has had limited distribution in the USA, and reports from users are they either love it or not. The biggest criticism that I have about the M14S is that its stock looks like it was knawed-out of Chu wood by a demented logger with a chainsaw. This is just darn UGLY. Fortunately, it can be replaced with a good U.S. G.I. stock in either walnut, birch, or plastic. This same comment about the stock of the Norinco M14S also applies to the Taiwanese Type 57 stock to a lesser degree.
Master Gunner
The sights on the M14 (and M1) are the best iron sights put on a military rifle. I liked the folding rear sight of the L1A1/C1A1, but its sights are not as easily adjusted as those of the M14.
The controls on both rifles are easily worked and effective. I personally like the safety in the trigger guard of the M14 (and M1), but the L1A1/C1A1 is equally effective.
In the accuracy department, the standard issue M14s and L1A1s/C1A1s are probably more accurate than the average soldier can shoot. However, the M14 trigger is more easily tuned to produce crisp, consistent 4-1/2 pound trigger pull. The trigger arrangement of the L1A1/C1A1 rifle does not lend itself to such improvement easily.
As for sniping equipment, that's where the M14 (DMR - Designated Marksman's Rifle), M21 and M25 Sniper's rifles come into their own. When correctly accurized and in the hands of skilled snipers, these rifles achieve consistent one-shot kills past 900 meters. All of these sniping versions are in current service with American special operations, USMC, USA, USAF, and USN units in Afghanistan in Iraq.
The L1A1/C1A1 rifles have never been developed as a sniper system and cannot be compared in this venue. However, based on my knowledge of the FN's workings, it would be difficult to get sniper accuracy from this design. A good bolt action, dedicated, sniper rifle like the L85 or L96 or L115 rifles is a better platform for sniping, militarily speaking.
It is not widely known, but the M14 was produced in Taiwan as the Type 57 rifle. I have inspected the Type 57 design and it is a quality built arm that is very close to its American-built cousin.
The Norinco M14S is a reverse-engineered copy of the M14 that was made in Chinese PLA arsenals in large numbers (several hundred thousand), primarily to arm Philippine communist insurgents. On some of the rifles that I have inspected, called the M14S, I discovered that they were actually PLA select-fire rifles converted to semi-auto fire only. Some of the M14S rifles imported into the USA had problems with soft bolts and receiver barrel threads that allowed headspace to increase to unsafe levels within 1000 or so rounds. These problems could be cured by the installation of a U.S. G.I. bolt or re-heat treating the barrel threads in the receiver or the bolt. Smith Enterprises still offers this service to fix suspect Norinco M14S rifles.
Of the 1.5 million M14 rifles built in the USA by Springfield Armory, Winchester, Harrington and Richardson, and TRW, the best of the best are the TRW units, follwed by Springfield, Winchester,and H&R. The Type 57 was never exported outside of Taiwan, to the best of my knowledge. However, the M14S has had limited distribution in the USA, and reports from users are they either love it or not. The biggest criticism that I have about the M14S is that its stock looks like it was knawed-out of Chu wood by a demented logger with a chainsaw. This is just darn UGLY. Fortunately, it can be replaced with a good U.S. G.I. stock in either walnut, birch, or plastic. This same comment about the stock of the Norinco M14S also applies to the Taiwanese Type 57 stock to a lesser degree.
Master Gunner
(And that is speaking as someone who carried the Browning 1919 slung!)
