The M14 was formally adopted by the U.S. military in 1957 to replace the M1 Garand. The M14 won this distinction by participating in a competitive service rifle competition conducted by the Infantry Board at Fort Benning during the early 1950s.
By the time the U. S. military stepped ashore in Vietnam, the Army and the Marines were committed to the rifle. In 1970, though, the M14 was replaced by the M16. Even after being kicked out of the house, the M14 served as the basis for the M21 and M25 sniper rifles used in country and other dangerous locales.
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And then there are the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. M14s, reactivated from retirement, were pressed into service for designated marksmen and sniper positions.
In light of everything, the M14 (and the semi-auto-only “M1A”) design should be of interest to LEOs for a number of reasons. Springfield Armory has been creating match-ready M1A rifles for decades, and the new Loaded M1A should be perfect for law enforcement officers for several reasons.
- The rifle’s .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO chambering is capable of penetrating many barricades that would stop the .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO.
- The Loaded M1A’s semi-auto action is extremely fast—much faster than many bolt actions pressed into sniper service today.
- Since it’s magazine fed, the Loaded M1A can be recharged with 10 or 20 rounds quicker and easier than many bolt-action rifles.
- The Precision Adjustable stock, made by Archangel, is adjustable for both length of pull and cheek height.
- The 22-inch, medium-weight National Match barrel is air gauged and has a 1-in-11-inch twist rate.
- Springfield includes a highly effective flash suppressor as well as a National Match front blade sight that is 0.62 inches tall.
- The match-grade, non-hooded rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation in 0.5 and 1 MOA increments, respectively.
- The forend has grooves for a sure grip as well as a long bottom rail for the addition of a bipod.
- The bottom of the buttstock features a support-hand hook for top-notch stability.
- It’s easy to add Springfield’s 4th Generation Steel Scope Mount, which makes installing a scope a simple affair.
To learn more about the Springfield Loaded M1A, keep your eyes peeled for a full review in an upcoming issue of SPECIAL WEAPONS FOR MILITARY & POLICE. To subscribe, visit Tactical-life.com/subscribe.
For more information on the Springfield Loaded M1A, please visit Springfield-Armory.com.
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