My options to accurize M14

[Sterling Shooter]

OP,

Seems to me you are trying to excuse the two rifles, that's to say, sign them on to a role that they cannot not fulfill. You might want to just keep them as they are and use for Honor Guard events. Is your exuberance for these rifles reality based? I think not. Fantasy is OK for a wide eyed hobbyist but you need to professionally look at the facts, which don't support your proposition for a multitude of reasons. Ronald Reagan updating the Battleship New Jersey was a good idea. You updating these M14's for the role you see them playing, not so good an idea. I think you must already know this. One more thing, even if you can afford to match condition these rifles, where are the folks who can master them. I can tell you, as others here have alluded, mastering the M14 takes either time or intense scheduled training. There are other concepts which can be mastered without such commitment of time or money.

PS, looking at another thread on this matter, I now see that this is just about having fun with the M14's. So, how ever you want to dress up these rifles will most certainly satisfy. You'll really have fun after you match condition your rifles and then fit them with selector switches. Hmmm.

 

[JG26_Irish]

OP, I see you got your rifles. Also see that one of them is a Winchester built unit. Who made the other one? Winchester still built very high quality rifles in the 50's when most of the M14's were built. Before spending a ton of money on them, I would suggest this.

1.) Detail clean the bbl if they look like they have been fired. Take time and patience with sweets or other good bore solvent. Patch, soak, wait, repeat. Often used rifles do not get the TLC they need and the bore is very fouled. Cleaning will restore it to closer to its real potential. I have often shrank groups significantly by this step alone.

2.) Get one good scope mount and one good optic. Test it on both weapons. See how they do.

3.) Since PD's cannot use reloads, you will need to test different factory match loads. Borrow a Chrono for this and keep a log book.

4.) If that NG armorer will help you, have him do a trigger job on them.

5.) Now test them for accuracy at 100, 200 and 300yds. How close are they to your goal? If close, then decide if they are worth the $$$ to proceed. If not? Remind the Chief of the anarchy that took place after Hurricane Andrew with armed gangs of holligans robbing a pillaging. So. Fla is one of those places where natural disasters are a way of life and being prepared is just part of the job.

6.) Be aware that one of the big issues with the M14 in Nam was the wooden stock swelling from the rain & high humidity which could cause reliability issues. Since your guns will spend most of their life inside a A/C storage or cruiser, it may not be a problem, but it could be.

They are probably not going to be tack drivers but you won't know til you try. Chances are a good out of the box R700 will easily out perform them, but it is what it is.

Irish

 

[taseal]

JG26, the other is a TRW build.

 

[taseal]

OP,

Seems to me you are trying to excuse the two rifles, that's to say, sign them on to a role that they cannot not fulfill. You might want to just keep them as they are and use for Honor Guard events. Is your exuberance for these rifles reality based? I think not. Fantasy is OK for a wide eyed hobbyist but you need to professionally look at the facts, which don't support your proposition for a multitude of reasons. Ronald Reagan updating the Battleship New Jersey was a good idea. You updating these M14's for the role you see them playing, not so good an idea. I think you must already know this. One more thing, even if you can afford to match condition these rifles, where are the folks who can master them. I can tell you, as others here have alluded, mastering the M14 takes either time or intense scheduled training. There are other concepts which can be mastered without such commitment of time or money.

PS, looking at another thread on this matter, I now see that this is just about having fun with the M14's. So, how ever you want to dress up these rifles will most certainly satisfy. You'll really have fun after you match condition your rifles and then fit them with selector switches. Hmmm.

Thank you for your suggestions Sterling, much appreciated for the input.

 

[sinister]

If you get your M16s you should do a cost/benefit analysis between accurizing your two M14s as opposed to accurizing three or four M16s for the price.

Free float rails, Geiselle triggers, scopes, and ammo will be much more reasonable and easier to do with the M16s to give you true (maintainable and sustainable) 300-yard precision capability.

 

[LRRPF52]

1.5 doesn't sound too bad, but I would like at least 1 moa. I'm gonna have about a 500 dollar budget to get 1 moa, and that's going to include the scope.

Ain't gonna happen is the short answer. $500 will not pay for the mounts and optics, let alone the wizard smith and components to make these guns shoot. $500 might cover some repairs as things go down on the guns if they are subjected to any kind of regular shoot schedule, but as-is, they offer no real advantages to an LE agency.