US Army sees urgent need for 'longer-range' infantry weapon

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azredhawk44

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Funny how those irrelevant derelict M14 rifles just never seem to fade away into the mists of time like they are "supposed" to do.
 
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daveydoo

New member
I thought the m14 was a POS when it compare to today tech....I am so glad they are wrong. It is one of my favorites.
 
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eldogg4life

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top 3 in my opinion

One of my top 3 rifles ever...
Well that I have fired personally.
It is not affective in all instances but it has its place.
 
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nate45

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I have an MForgery, but I think I would prefer my .308 or .30-06 for serious fighting.

NO SHTF threads.
NO TEOTWAWKI topics.
NO ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE scenarios.
Click to expand...

Ah come on a couple of zombie stories won't hurt us.:)
 
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Bart Noir

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The full article says that the funding is for bipods, stocks, and scopes etc.

So I guess this isn't the big windfall for Springfield Armory that it first seemed.

Bart Noir
 
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SR420

New member
Many have tagged the M14 a stop gap rifle.

The stop gap label can be officially removed. The M14 is no longer just a stop gap.

With just a little help and enhanced technology the private sector will be able to produce brand new lighter weight M14s from scratch
at a lower cost than any of the new and improved .308 ARs currently available and new .308 auto loaders not quite ready for prime time.

Even without a change from the top, the private sector will soon be making brand new M14s from scratch.
The private sector embraced the M14 years ago because it's a money maker and the US military keeps using
the M14 because the old ones are paid for, it works and it responds extremely well to low cost modernization techniques

A Smith Enterprise, Inc. M21A5 was tested at Ft. Benning in March of 2008.
The modernized M14 fired groups under 1 MOA at 1000 yards with M118LR ammo.
 
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overkill556x45

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I saw M14's fielded as I left my AO in 2005. I won't say what unit was carrying them (OPSEC and all that), but it wasn't SF. Almost every designated marksman had one.

That said, my 'Guard infantry unit has yet to get rid of M16A2's. My issued rifle says "COLT MANUFACTURING, MODEL AR-15" on the lower receiver (which is now mainly silver) and you can see where "AUTO" was scratched off and "BURST" was stenciled in under it. I mention this because I know a lot of people will read that Jane's article and go "Wow, we're getting M14's soon!". I guess it depends on your definition of "soon". I have no doubt that some units may get more M14's, but most of us will still have M16 series weapons for many more years. Heck, I saw M16A1's still in service in 2004. We will never be rid of the black rifle...at least until Colt has the patent for M14's.

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one.
 
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Arabia

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People are reading to much into this article.

The article does not mention that the military is going to replace their M16s for M14s or that they are going to make new M14s. What the articles states is that the military wants allocate more money to update older M14s to use them in specialized roles, for example Designated Marksman, and light sniper rifle. The M16 and M4 will remain the standard issue rifle of our armed forces. In addition the ARMY and Marines are going to an automatic SR25(modernized AR10) as a full time sniper rifle to replace the bolt action M24.
 
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Davis

Moderator
Of course, the Army has always testing many different firearms, from the Evans carbine to the Hopkins and Allen Single Action Army, from the 1941 Johnson to the Berdan I.

Just because it was tested means nothing.

That is not to say, of course, that the Smith rifle is bad, merely that being tested means little.

Davis
 
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TPAW

New member
US Army sees urgent need for 'longer-range' infantry weapon
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It's called air support, artillery and an accurate fire mission. Been there done that..........No point expending young bodies as cannon fodder when other means exist.
 
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SR420

New member
Arabia ... the ARMY and Marines are going to an automatic SR25(modernized AR10) as a full time sniper rifle to replace the bolt action M24.
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The Marines are having growing numbers of the M39EMR ~ Enhanced Marksman Rifle built up for them.
I guess they will support the SASS.
M39USMCEMR...jpg
 
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hoytinak

New member
They've seen the need for longer-range infantry weapons for a while now....I carried a M14 in '03 in Afghanistan as my main rifle with a M4/M203 slung on my back as a secondary weapon....man I hated those mountains carrying a full combat load for both.
 
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44 AMP

Staff
isn't it odd how reality keeps eventualy intruding

Into military planners fantasies?

Many years ago, certain individuals in power decided that a long range rifle wasn't needed, that the intermediate range assault rifle round combined with the .30 cal GPMG would be enough. The transition started during Vietnam, and has continued through today with the M4, whose short barrel handiness has lessened the long range effectiveness (such as it had) of the 5.56mm round.

So now, we again have some folks in the military who recognize the usefulness of the long range rifle. Perhaps eventually we may rediscover the usefulness of general marksmanship as well, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
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Davis

Moderator
Yeow, a fellow would be lucky to get a chin weld on that rifle, much less cheek. It makes an SVD look positively cozy!

Davis
 
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hoytinak

New member
Yeow, a fellow would be lucky to get a chin weld on that rifle, much less cheek.
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The cheek weld and LOP on that stock is fully adjustable...there's plenty of room to make it nice and comfy for ya. ;)
 
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