Winchester Proto-M14 Rifle

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 2/7/2017 | J Hines

[w1n1]

In the aftermath of World War II, the United States spent 12 years looking for a successor to the M1 Garand rifle. The new standard infantry arm was expected to be select-fire, lightweight, accurate, controllable, and fire a heavy .30-caliber projectile. It would replace not just the M1, but also the BAR and perhaps the M1 Carbine as well – a true universal weapon. Of course, these requirements were complete fantasy, unachievable in the real world – but that did not prevent Remington, Springfield Arsenal, and Winchester from trying to meet them.

Winchester produced a proto M14 with select fire weapon complete with a removable bipod. It was extremely light and made from an ordinary Winchester M1 Garand Rifle with many modifications.

This rifle is a Winchester prototype, which has been substantially lightened from the M1 it began life as. A pistol grip has been added, along with a fire selector lever and a box magazine system. A detachable lightweight bipod allows it to be used for supporting fire. It is chambered for the T65 or 7.62 NATO cartridge, which dates it as definitely post-WWII.

The mighty M14 rifle is a battle rifle that refuses to be shelved. It has been dusted off and implemented in the war against terror in current times. See the video here.

[quadrant]

I know people criticize the M14, but it is one accurate rife; it rugged; and it will fire with all sorts of gunk in the chamber.
I think it would have been a great rifle for a conflict with the Soviets in Western Europe, but in SE Asia, the M14 was simply out of its element.

[redcatcherb412]

If you really miss it as I did, the Mini-30 tactical in 7.62x39 is a great substitute.

[dangerdoc]

My Mini-30 was not accurate. When I was in the service, I bought an M1a, on the sniper’s course, 800 yard silhouette shots with iron sights were doable.

[D Rider]

A friend of mine carried one his whole tour in Vietnam. The first time his m16 jammed he threw it down an picked up an m14. Easy to fire accurate, and you can’t hide behind small trees and shrubs. In fact I have successfully shot the 7.62 round through a 6 inch tree to take game. (Not intentionally)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The top of my wish list has a Ruger Mini-14 Tactical “Ranch Rifle”. Short money and just a damned nice piece. Someday. Have to get out of MA first.

[M1903A1]

If the tests hadn’t been rigged against it, we could have fielded the world-proven FN-FAL instead.

[meyer]

I’m pretty fond of my SOCOM - an M-14 based carbine of sorts. The only thing I changed on mine was to toss the plastic-like stock for a nice wood stock. Guns should sport wood.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

When the US Army decided to try out a small .222 Special bullet the Winchester company designed the first rifle to fire it. It looked like a M1 Carbine. Armalite won the bid with their M-15 rifle, now the M-16.

[BuffaloJack]

I carried an M14 for 4-1/2 months in Vietnam, then they took it back and gave me a crappy M16 that jammed every time it was needed. I really loved that M14.

[Jeff Chandler]

his m16 jammed

Because of crony capitalism in the area of procurement, the M16 was initially equipped with ammo powered by smokeless powder not designed for the weapon. This caused most of the problems with the M16.

[Jeff Chandler]

See #11.

[Tailback]

I really like my FAL, but the iron sights are vastly inferior to the Garand/M-14.

[Lurker]

I love my M1A. Just wish it wasn’t so damned heavy. It was much, much lighter when I was 35. Don’t know when it gained all that weight.

L

[OregonRancher]

100% correct, plus the army ordinance folks wanted to up its cyclic rate a small amount, using that as an excuse to change powders. The original 16 used by Kennedy was better than the
AK47.

[Farmer Dean]

The army tried to save money by using WC846/844 ball powder instesd of the IMR type powder that was really the proper propellant.Too much calcium carbonate in the ball powder clogged the gas tube.

[43north]

“Too much calcium carbonate in the ball powder clogged the gas tube.”

That plus the brilliant minds of Robert McNamara’s Defense Department told the grunts that this was such a great rifle that it NEVER needed cleaning which is absolute nonsense with any mechanical device, especially in an uber-humid environment like Viet Nam.

[Celtic Conservative]

They’re nice, but a wretched pain in the ass to work on. The parts are expensive, and finding someone to work on it is difficult as well. I say all of this as a factory certified armorer for said weapon. You would be better off with a AR pattern rifle or a full-up M1A/ M14.

FWIW

CC

[Farmer Dean]

As an armorer how do you rate the M1A/M14?I’ve had zero problems with mine so far.

[doorgunner69]

If you ever get one, do not expect mush in the way of accuracy. They are reliable though, shoot every time.