LDT M14 / M1A for long range shooting

[rufrdr]

Just to give hope to M14 users on this forum...

Mine is a Polytech Chinese copy. Very embarrassing, but I gave my All GI parts SA Inc M1A to my son, so this is what I'm using now.

I have recently moved it from a used GI birch stock to the walnut wood set up shown in the picture below.

I haven't shot it since about December 2017 due to my shoulder issue mentioned previously.

It went to the range today. I used surplus FNM 1982 NATO spec ball, not match grade although this make and year is the next accurate 7.62mm ball I have shot, ever, only exceeded by 70s vintage RG ball that showed up on the U.S. market some years ago. I also shot Portuguese BF marked ball today, not quite as accurate as the FNM.

I re-sighted the rifle due to the stock and hand guard change. I also swapped out the muzzle brake the rifle had and installed a forged mil-spec flash hider with national match front sight. No bedding or shims, nothing national match. Standard weight chrome lined barrel. The stock fit is tight enough that I needed a rubber mallet to bang the trigger guard closed.
I adjusted initial windage by moving the front sight to zero so that the rear sight can then be used for reacting to wind shifts so it took about 20 rounds to get it where it needs to be.

The rifle was fired seated with a front rest for my support hand. Distance was 100 yards.

I didn't measure the group for the final three rounds, but it was more than good enough for these 64 year old eyes.

Take heart M14 shooters, your rifle is capable of great accuracy!



The rifle



The target. Only three rounds but I figured I'd quit while I was ahead. The barrel was well warmed up by this time.

I then moved to the 550 yd range and hit the steel out to 550 yards. The white dot in the distance is the large steel target at 550 yds.

[20series]

Just to give hope to M14 users on this forum...

Mine is a Polytech Chinese copy. Very embarrassing, but I gave my All GI parts SA Inc M1A to my son, so this is what I'm using now.

I have recently moved it from a used GI birch stock to the walnut wood set up shown in the picture below.

I haven't shot it since about December 2017 due to my shoulder issue mentioned previously.

It went to the range today. I used surplus FNM 1982 NATO spec ball, not match grade although this make and year is the next accurate 7.62mm ball I have shot, ever, only exceeded by 70s vintage RG ball that showed up on the U.S. market some years ago. I also shot Portuguese BF marked ball today, not quite as accurate as the FNM.

I re-sighted the rifle due to the stock and hand guard change. I also swapped out the muzzle brake the rifle had and installed a forged mil-spec flash hider with national match front sight. No bedding or shims, nothing national match. Standard weight chrome lined barrel. The stock fit is tight enough that I needed a rubber mallet to bang the trigger guard closed.
I adjusted initial windage by moving the front sight to zero so that the rear sight can then be used for reacting to wind shifts so it took about 20 rounds to get it where it needs to be.

The rifle was fired seated with a front rest for my support hand. Distance was 100 yards.

I didn't measure the group for the final three rounds, but it was more than good enough for these 64 year old eyes.

Take heart M14 shooters, your rifle is capable of great accuracy!



The rifle



The target. Only three rounds but I figured I'd quit while I was ahead. The barrel was well warmed up by this time.

I then moved to the 550 yd range and hit the steel out to 550 yards. The white dot in the distance is the large steel target at 550 yds.

I still remember the clang from the steel target at 400yards with that very same rifle... great memories

Alan

[rufrdr]

Just to give hope to M14 users on this forum...

Mine is a Polytech Chinese copy. Very embarrassing, but I gave my All GI parts SA Inc M1A to my son, so this is what I'm using now.

I have recently moved it from a used GI birch stock to the walnut wood set up shown in the picture below.

I haven't shot it since about December 2017 due to my shoulder issue mentioned previously.

It went to the range today. I used surplus FNM 1982 NATO spec ball, not match grade although this make and year is the next accurate 7.62mm ball I have shot, ever, only exceeded by 70s vintage RG ball that showed up on the U.S. market some years ago. I also shot Portuguese BF marked ball today, not quite as accurate as the FNM.

I re-sighted the rifle due to the stock and hand guard change. I also swapped out the muzzle brake the rifle had and installed a forged mil-spec flash hider with national match front sight. No bedding or shims, nothing national match. Standard weight chrome lined barrel. The stock fit is tight enough that I needed a rubber mallet to bang the trigger guard closed.
I adjusted initial windage by moving the front sight to zero so that the rear sight can then be used for reacting to wind shifts so it took about 20 rounds to get it where it needs to be.

The rifle was fired seated with a front rest for my support hand. Distance was 100 yards.

I didn't measure the group for the final three rounds, but it was more than good enough for these 64 year old eyes.

Take heart M14 shooters, your rifle is capable of great accuracy!



The rifle



The target. Only three rounds but I figured I'd quit while I was ahead. The barrel was well warmed up by this time.

I then moved to the 550 yd range and hit the steel out to 550 yards. The white dot in the distance is the large steel target at 550 yds.

I still remember the clang from the steel target at 400yards with that very same rifle... great memories

Alan

That was a great time. Come and try out my new range sometime!

[20series]

[/quote]

That was a great time. Come and try out my new range sometime![/quote]

It would be really nice to get back over soon, I have very fond memories of my last visit, I can't believe it's over 6 years ago

[DaveB]

What you don't see reported upon is how much time the unit armorers spend maintaining the M14s for use as designated marksman's rifles. M14s and their copies/clones etc have a reputation for requiring work to achieve and maintain accuracy. The method of attaching the action to the stock means that shimming and the like is often required. If you are prepared to do a lot of shooting and adjusting to get there, they can be accurate, but I have to agree that for that kind of money there are a lot better choices out there for true long-range shooting.

The trick with the M14 to maintain accuracy once it is achieved is not to remove the action from the stock. Unless the weapon gets soaked in water there is no need to pull it out anyway. For amount of shooting the average civilian shooter does, the rifle can be cleaned sitting in the stock. Once a year pull it out, strip it down, and clean it nicely. Then shoot it so it settles back into the stock. That's what I have always done with the various M1As I've owned over the years.

Just about any M1A/M14 will shoot the US NRA target 10 ring at one hundred yards easily. Accurized rifles will do even better.

The U.S. military cleans their rifles each time they are drawn from the arms room and this constant disassembly and reassembly is hard on the accuracy of the M1/M14. The M16/M4 series isn't bothered at all by this practice.

I started my service as an officer cadet with the M14 in 1975. I have always loved them.

Actually - just to be clear, that wasn't my quote.

I too have an M305 and mine shoots really well - but the wood on the stock is somewhat soft (especially compared to good old walnut), and I can easily see how constant dis- and re-assembly could easily change the bedding even on a stock made of more stable wood. I would still prefer the AR10 design if I wanted (and could afford) a genuinely accurate semi-auto. After spending some time with our Designated Marksman's Weapon - the LMT 308 MWS, I am spoiled.

[waterford103]

Back in the good old days when M14's were legal to own I fitted heavy barrels to many of the ones I sold and generally fettled them up . only a very few needed more . Both walnut and plastic stocked rifles passed through my hands . I used a pull reamer tofinally headspace . Ran them down to the Birmingham proof house , had a cuppa tea and a natter with Clarkie then brought them back . At that time we tested with 2 types of ammo , RG small mark green spot and Lake City arsenal 155 gr sniper grade .If they shot 5 shots in an inch they were good to go. Very few failed and it was always the bedding , easy to sort. I had 2 of the Chinese m305s , they were reliable but not so accurate , two inch 5 shot groups was the norm.

[dirtbag]

Very nice Tovarisch

The wood on the SVD looks nice, and a silver PSO-1 which are quite scarce.Has it got the 1000m stadiametric rangefinding reticule or the 400m one?, reason I ask is that some silver PSO's have the 400m "Simonov" Rangefinder and are calibrated for the 9x39 round used in the VSS Vintorez and AS Val.Has it got the IR detecting function?.

Hi thanks - it has the 1000m range finding reticule, but not the IR detecting function.
Thanks for the rest of the contributions.. I have added another pic of the M14 with sunshade.
Looking forward to using this.

[snayperskaya]

Very nice Tovarisch

The wood on the SVD looks nice, and a silver PSO-1 which are quite scarce.Has it got the 1000m stadiametric rangefinding reticule or the 400m one?, reason I ask is that some silver PSO's have the 400m "Simonov" Rangefinder and are calibrated for the 9x39 round used in the VSS Vintorez and AS Val.Has it got the IR detecting function?.

Hi thanks - it has the 1000m range finding reticule, but not the IR detecting function.
Thanks for the rest of the contributions.. I have added another pic of the M14 with sunshade.
Looking forward to using this.

Ah, it's a PSO-1M2 for a SVD and post 1992 as that was the year the IR detector was dropped.

PSO-1M2 in service on a SVDS.....

[dirtbag]

Very nice Tovarisch

The wood on the SVD looks nice, and a silver PSO-1 which are quite scarce.Has it got the 1000m stadiametric rangefinding reticule or the 400m one?, reason I ask is that some silver PSO's have the 400m "Simonov" Rangefinder and are calibrated for the 9x39 round used in the VSS Vintorez and AS Val.Has it got the IR detecting function?.

Hi thanks - it has the 1000m range finding reticule, but not the IR detecting function.
Thanks for the rest of the contributions.. I have added another pic of the M14 with sunshade.
Looking forward to using this.

Ah, it's a PSO-1M2 for a SVD and post 1992 as that was the year the IR detector was dropped.

PSO-1M2 in service on a SVDS.....

Thanks mate for the info - Need to get out and shoot both of these

[dirtbag]

Right then.
I am after some advice please, as this area is quite new to me, got the gear and no idea esq'.

Load I used is GGG Brass, Hornady 168gr Match (HP)FMJBT, 41.5 gr of H4895.
Bore sighted the gun at 100 yards, shot some groups and got holes touching / same holes, happy so far

Undone the elevation knob screw, lifted off the knob and secured on to the zero, secured the screw, same for windage.
The knob is pretty much bottomed out on the 6th line.

From a 100 yard zero, I have 40 MOA left until the scope is at maximum elevation.

Does this sound right, or perhaps I have done something wrong ?

Any more help is apreciated