The M14 might have had a tough go in Vietnam, where its wooden stock swelled and ammunition made it very uncontrollable in full-auto. But through the decades, Springfield Armory has been able to accurize the rifle, expressly for competition at first and then for tactical engagements. In the upcoming January 2014 issue of Tactical Weapons, author John Fasano runs the M1A Scout Squad, an 18-inch-barreled, synthetic-stocked version of the original M14, through its paces.
Fasano writes, “Chopping 4 inches off the standard M1A barrel makes the Scout 10 times more maneuverable, and makes this 7.62mm NATO-chambered long gun a viable tactical and urban battle rifle for military and LE operators.
“From the factory, the Scout Squad comes out of the box with a forward-mounted optics base, one 10-round magazine, an 18-inch barrel and either a walnut, black synthetic or Mossy Oak camouflage stock. I’ve owned several Scout-configuration Springfield M1As over the years, from JAE-stocked whiz-bangs to straight-wood-stocked, no-barrel-scope-mount ‘tanker’ versions. But the Mossy Oak stock intrigued me. I got on the phone with Springfield to secure what just might be the ultimate tactical/hunting model of the M1A.”
To find out more about the Scout Squad and see how it performed, check out the January 2014 issue of Tactical Weapons, available on newsstands and digitally December 3, 2013. To subscribe, go to https://www.tactical-life.com/subscribe/tactical-weapons/.
Discussion about this post