Vietnam War M1A

[CalebFuller78]

Ok so I need a little help with a project. There is a man at my church that was a Marine in Vietnam, he was a unit marksman and is proud to say that when everyone else used the m16 he was still hauling around his M14. He has been a great friend helped me and my family in so many ways and has taught me so much. I've asked him why he doesn't just buy an M1A if he likes them so much and he always says his wife won't let him. Me and my family are moving away to take care of family and I'd like to buy him a M1A and give it to him as a gift. I don't want to just buy him a base M1A, I want to set it up like he had it Vietnam. So can any of you history guys tell me what scope, sling, rings ect he would have used. I don't want to even give him a clue as to what I'm doing. This is the least I can do for a man that has done so much for me, my family, and our country. I'm betting I'll spend anywhere from 2-3k on this project. Is that an accurate guess? Thanks in advance.


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[pmclaine]

There was an ARTII with fibreglass case advertized for sale on the CMP WTS sight earlier this week.

Not sure if its what your friends rifle would have been set up like, scopes probably came later but......

WTS: ART II scope and can PRICE REDUCED - CMP Forums

Disregard went to get the link and I see it sold. Sorry.

As an aside. If your friend was USMC Id imagine his M14 would have been pretty much GI issue with iron sights - probably a walnut stock with fibreglass heat shield. Sling would have been an M1907. A GI "issue" M1A from Springfield armory would fit the bill. If you want to spend more getting an LRB will give you a forged receiver like the M14 had. Either could be had within your budget limits.

USMC was using bolt guns for trained marksman in VN. The Army adopted scopes, ARTII, for the M14 but I (with limited study) cant recall a scoped USMC M14. I imagine one couldf have been liberated from the Army at some point though.

Better informed people will chime in with better info.

 

[281sohc]

Without knowing exactly what he had, it's for sure that he at least went thru basic training with a standard m14. Also, as stated above, I have no knowledge of a usmc m14 being scoped in Vietnam. My advice would be..... Buy a standard m1a from Springfield armory. Replace the Boyd's walnut stock that they use with usgi stock. I have picked them up from gun parts corp for less than 50 bucks. It will be a birch stock with a dark stain, but for the money they are very nice and the same contour as what he knew. Lastly, I would find one of the nylon usgi web slings to pop on it and give it to him. I'm sure he would be ecstatic

 

[Greg Langelius *]

My standard issue weapon in Vietnam was an H&R M14. It had no mods. I was with 3rd Marine Division from late 1966 until late in 1967.

My M1A was an SA "Loaded" Model with a medium weight stainless barrel, lug-less flash hider, N/M sights, and N/M Op-Rod rod and guide. There was a cotton Garand sling on it. It was better than my M-14 by a wide margin. I bought the "USGI" bipod and regretted it.

IMHO, no need for a scope; none of the mounts that would have been available back around then would be worth installing. I mounted a Leupold Vari-X II(?) 6-24x40 on it with the SA Mount. It was marginally usable, mainly because it is very hard to make and install a stable mount on an M1A, and also because the scope axis ends up way too high for use without replacing the stock with an M-21 style stock with the adjustable cheek rest.

Greg

 

[mtrmn]

I can't help you with any of the questions asked---just want to say good on you to do this for the guy.

 

[leid]

The standard M14 rifle appeals to every Vietnam vet I have met that qualified with one.

 

[CalebFuller78]

He said he used a starlight night vision scope I think, I know those are old tech but would I be able to find one.


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[rcnpthfndr]

heres a pvs-2, iirc should be the right era

An PVS 2B First Generation Night Vision Weaponsight | eBay

 

[Name Enough]

I also used the M14 in the service and would recommend the Springfield M1a loaded with the walnut stock. I have owned four of the Springfield products and currently own two. I took me 35 year for me to get over the Army taking away my M14 and issuing me an M16.
The major difference is the M1a is no select fire and thank God for that. The M14 was very difficult to control in select fire and we were not allowed to do such. If you did you would be on shite detail until the First Sargent forgot your name. I understand that later they just welded the select fire shut.

 

[leadbullet]

make sure his wife will him keep it first before dropping a couple K

 

[Cranedaddy]

Good on you! Maybe he would be better off with a new wife?




Lol kidding.. kind of.

 

[samnev]

It's great thing you are doing for your friend. I'd get the M1A loaded for him and the PVS 2B First Generation Night Vision Weapon sight from eBay which should be period perfect. Don't forget the nylon GI sling.

 

[Infringed711]

As far as scopes go this might help

Fight at Night: U.S Army Night Vision 1945-1980

 

[blfuller]

The M14 was not issued with any scope or rings, the M21 sniper rifle was but that's a different animal. You can buy a base M1A and find a USGI wood or fiberglass stock and install a Sparrow Hawk dummy selector kit. A flame birch stock is very beautiful if you can find one. Next thing would be to replace the flash suppressor with one that has a bayonet lug and get a M6 bayonet. For a sling you could get the nylon M14 sling that is OD green and looks like a seatbelt only 1 1/4" wide. The cotton variation of this was used in WWII and Korea so it would not be "correct" for a Vietnam issued M14. Another accessory would be the M2 bipod, finding an original is possible but you just need to keep an eye out for them. A good source of info on the M14 is the Firing Line Forum and you can find the parts on the PX classified section.

 

[Goodwood]

You might want to look into James River Armory. They do a new "Rock-ola" M14 built on a forged receiver with GI parts. Very well built "as issued" rifles at about $2200.