M14 Complete Owner’s Guide – Table of Contents
Contents
CHAPTER 1: READ ME FIRST!…..1
FULL CIRCLE……….1
FULL DISCLOSURE………….1
GROUND RULES and a PET PEEVE……..3
WE WERE NOT ALONE…………..3
CHAPTER 2: A BRIEF HISTORY of the M14……5
PROLOGUE…………5
Imagine It’s December 7, 1941………5
The Genesis of the M14……………….5
Cartridge Development Outside the USA…………..9
Cartridge Development in the USA………..…………11
US Rifle Development………..……….11
From the T20 to the T44 and the M14…….………..13
M14 Design Heritage Summary……….…..17
T44 and M14 Production History………..…..19
Full-Auto Follies………………….19
Changes During Production……….….23
Mel Johnson on the AR-15 versus M14 (GUNS Magazine March 1963)…….24
The Riflemen Leave the Building……….27
“SLAM” Marshall, Hitchman, Hall and Vietnam……..……..29
The M14 Falls Short……………….29
The M14 Hangs On……….…..31
A New War, a New Warrior………33
LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT………..35
WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS……….37
EPILOGUE…………………37
CHAPTER 3: A BRIEF HISTORY of the SEMIAUTO “M14″………………..39
GENESIS………………..39
Everybody Wanted a Box-Magazine Garand………39
Blame it on Teddy Roosevelt…………43
Ingenuity Steps In…49
The M1A as Match Rifle…………55
Practical and Tactical………61
Today’s M1A……….67
But, the “M1A” isn’t the only game in town and never has been……..67
CHAPTER 4: STANDARD NOMENCLATURE and OPERATING PRINCIPLES…71
STANDARD NOMENCLATURE and OPERATING PRINCIPLES…………….……77
OPERATING PRINCIPLES………………………77
Summary……77
Excerpts from Joseph C. White’s Patent # 1,907,164…………….79
Operating Cycle……………81
CHAPTER 5: MAINTENANCE………….89
FIELD STRIPPING…………89
Breaking the Rifle Down into Its Three Groups………..89
Stock Group………….91
Trigger Group……………….91
Detail Strip of the Receiver Group……..91
Removing the Operating Rod Spring…………….91
Operating Rod Removal…………..95
Bolt Removal………………97
Gas Piston Removal………97
(Optional for Those Installing a Night Sight) Front Sight Removal………..101
Flash Suppressor Removal……………….101
Bolt Disassembly……… 105
INSPECTION………..…..109
Flash Suppressor…….109
Front Sight…………..109
Gas Piston and Gas Plug…………….109
Gas Cylinder…………..109
Operating Rod Guide……109
Operating Rod………………….109
Bolt……………..119
Receiver………………119
Safety Inspection: Function of the Safety……………121
Safety Inspection: Hammer Fall Test……….121
TROUBLESHOOTING…………….121
CLEANING……….……127
LUBRICATION……………129
Ok, Ok, I’ve got the grease out; where does it go?……………….131
These are the points that should be greased:……………….131
CHAPTER 6: RUNNING the GUN………….135
INTRODUCTION……..135
AMMUNITION…….135
AMMUNITION: IN CONCLUSION…….137
SIGHTING-IN………….139
First Things First……….141
Getting a Zero…………….143
TYING UP SOME LOOSE ENDS: THOUGHT, TRIVIUM and TIP……..149
CHAPTER 7: CONFIGURATION and CUSTOMIZATION……151
FIRST THINGS FIRST: PURPOSE!…….151
STOCKS………151
Conventional Stocks; in the Beginning…………153
Straight-line Stocks and Chassis………155
Bullpup Stocks……..157
Stocks Difficult to Categorize……..159
OPTICS………….161
MUZZLE DEVICES AND BARREL LENGTH…….165
MAGAZINES…….169
CHAMBERINGS: THE USUAL SUSPECTS……169
CHAMBERINGS: BET YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF THESE!……171
CHAPTER 8: ALPHA, OMEGA and CARING……175
ALPHA….175
In the Beginning……..175
Exhibit “A”……..175
OMEGA……177
Gilding the Lily……..177
Exhibit “B”………179
CARING…….181
So… do you care if………181
THE THREE THINGS……187
APPENDIX 1: NATIONAL MATCH TRIGGER ADJUSTMENT……189
Principles of Trigger Modification……189
Don’t Think You’re Done Quite Yet!……198
Safety Inspection: Function of the Safety………198
Safety Inspection: Hammer Fall Test……….……198
APPENDIX 2: CAUTIONARY NOTES…………………201
