Took my M14 hunting this week...

[prosper]

it's your gun, do what you want with it. But you ARE trying to pound a round peg into a square hole.

You say you're not a soldier. Fair enough. But the M14 is a soldier's rifle. You say firearms have evolved, and that's certainly true. It's also why the m14 is no longer the issue rifle. Or the SMLE. Or the 3-band and other muzzle loaders. The M14 is a heavy, military, battle rifle. And it will always be. The design of the gun necessitates a lot of metal. Metal is heavy. And it's also integral to the guns design and function. Any weight reduction efforts are only going to yield you a few ounces at best.

With that in mind, and with your stated needs/desires in a rifle, I'd suggest that the m14 isn't suited to you, and can never be.
For example:

1) I am pretty sure I am weighing at at more than 10 pounds with this particular rifle. Way more than any reasonable hunting rifle should weigh.

The M14 ISN'T a hunting rifle. There are rifles that have the features you want; get one of those.

 

[prosper]

Hey, I love my M14! That's why I'm hunting with it! I just want to make it a little easier for myself next year. I realize that this is never going to be a lightweight rifle, it's just difficult to justify taking this rifle into the woods when I have another that weights in a 1/2 to 2/3's the weight and it an odd lenght to carry.

I certainly understand where you're coming from. But what you're asking for is impossible. As a military gun, the design is pretty barebones as is. There's just not that much you can do with it.

 

[manbearpig]

i was just ribbing you with the 'buff up' stuff

i would not consider the folding stock option. no offense to the poster of that thread - some people are looking for such a zombie gun build - but i consider it bubbaing the M14 in the worst way.
and it would add weight if anything. i dont see how it would help unless you really need the rifle to be more packable or decide you want to parachute in to your hunting spot

Northman999 mentioned earlier to take a pressure washer to the wood stock to get out all the soaked in cosmo/grease, have you tried that? after that id wash it down well with some turpentine to remove any thats left, maybe leave it wrapped in a turp soaked rag for a bit to really suck out all the oils. some people say to use Easy Off (oven cleaner), i havent had the opportunity to try that yet as turpentine always does the job. give it a rub down with some fine steel wool and give it a hand rubbed tung oil finish or whatever you like.

then remove the flash hider which will cut down the length and weight by a bit. consider removing the scope and replacing it with a fixed power 2.5 or 4x job, or just use the iron sights. get a good sling and you should be fine.
try good quality aluminum rings? a lot of the tactical style steel weaver rings are heavy as #$@%, from .5-1lb sometimes.

just some suggestions. if you decide to switch to a different gun and light-weight is paramount all i can say is stay away from laminate stocks - even my 'light' guns with laminate stocks are all pretty heavy.

 

[t-star]

one of the very first things done in the field was to replace the "standard" sling with a usgi m60nylon job- i can't remember how it was strung on the rifle, but you hung it around your neck and it sat across the hips like a 60- same deal as what the isreali mounted m16 does- could be the same kit for all i know

 

[Calum]

Methinks if you had gone though bootcamp with this rifle during it's service time you would not have noticed it's weight on the hunt.

So yes, suck it up buttercup.

 

[manbearpig]

Northman -- any chance we could see a photo of what the post-pressurewashed, tung-oiled chu-wood stock looks like?

im really curious as to the potential of these 'mystery wood' stocks.

 

[44Bore]

Standard hunting rifles with scope, sling and ammo usually weigh between8.75# and 10.25# same range for an iron sighted m-14, sling and 5 rounds ammo. featherweight rifles and tricked out ones can go much lighter if you are fortunate enough to own one--fact of the matter is it isn't actually as much heavier as you think. A garand with sling and 5 rounds ammo rarely goes under 10.5#.

FWIW, 44Bore

 

[manbearpig]

yeah even a lightweight rifle gets heavy fast when you start adding optics.
my savage - which i wanted specifically for a lightweight winter gun - with 3-9x40 scope, rings, mounts is about 8.5lbs unloaded.
the M14 is 10. so were talking about a 1.5lb difference here if you use the M14 with iron sights.

the ARMS mount is solid steel, and the super sniper is like 22 ounces, plus im sure there are heavyass 'tactical rings' as well.
use the iron sights, keep the scope setup for when you go to the range.

 

[Archibald]

Well maybe my issue is more the awkward length then. Lots of guys have shortened their barrel and removed flashhider, I might try that.

I even carried the gun with the sling let out a little bit today and more on my hip, made it a bit better, i will look into a safari sling.

You guys are right, it not a hunting rifle. I still like it though. I am not #####ing about it, I still take it out every day this week, and will again tomorrow and the next day until I get my moose.

manbearpig - I would love to use the irons but it shoots soooo nice with the scope at the range, haha.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

I wouldn't give up the scope to save weight. The ability to shoot and see your target under low light conditions is worth the extra weight. Even a lightweight bolt action rifle gets heavy if you try to walk around with it all day held up with your forearms. Get a good tactical sling, and adjust it for the clothing you will wear during the hunt. Like the ad says, in one breath the gun is up and on target.

 

[SuperCub]

A 3/4 ton 4x4 PU truck will never be a F1 racer no matter how much steel you cut off it.



.

 

[Calum]

An M14 is a damn fine hunting rifle, as it was built to hunt the toughest game out there...other people trained to kill you.

 

[manbearpig]

even deer are far 'tougher' than humans. ive never heard of a human running 200 yards after being heart/lung shot with a .30 caliber softpoint.
animals do not realise they are dead on their feet and keep going until their bodies literally shut down.

 

[Calum]

Yes indeed, people have done this.

 

[Rick65Cat]

I've never understood the need for lightweight rifles. A heavy rifle doesn't bother my in the slightest (though I probably should note that I'm 6'7" and somewhat bigger than the average joe )

I've hunted prairie poodles with Prosper, seeing him hold a normal hunting rifle looks like me holding a big pistol.
I've ordered a M-14 as well. And I fully plan to use mine deer hunting next year. (Hmmmm....next year I'll be 50...whatever) I have a 1913 6.5x55 Swede that I've hiked through the bush all day in Ont. You do what ya gotta do.

 

[Jeff/1911]

Archibald,

I had my M14 cut down and an AR Style flash hider and "Navy" sight installed - it was very nice! It is a much "handier" package in this configuration. He is how mine looked when it was done...Jeff/1911.

 

[Archibald]

thanks for the photo, that looks like what i had in mind. would an actual AR15 flashhider work on an M14?

 

[Jeff/1911]

thanks for the photo, that looks like what i had in mind. would an actual AR15 flashhider work on an M14?

I'm not sure what you can use for sure...best to talk to a Gunsmith. Jeff Smith with Valley gunsmithing in Ontario does a lot of these conversions, and supplies the parts.