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| | M14 Rifle
The U.S. Naval Academy parade rifle is the Springfield
Armory 7.62mm NATO caliber M14 Rifle.

Origins of the M14 Service Rifle
The US Army wanted a lightweight alternative for John Garand's M1 Rifle
and John Browning's M1918A2 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). The Army chose
the Springfield Armory M14 rifle in 1957. By 1964, over 1,380,874 had been
manufactured. The M14 7.62mm rifle is a shoulder fired,
magazine-fed, gas operated infantry weapon. Although the rifle has full
auto capability, it was used more often in semi-automatic fire. The
M14 was the standard service rifle of the US Military until it was
replaced in the late 1960s by Eugene Stoner's 5.56mm M16A1 rifle.
| M14 Rifle 7.62mm NATO |
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Receiver -
right side |
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Receiver -
left side |
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| Receiver & Bolt - top view |
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| Operating Rod |
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| Lower Gas Tube, Front Sight,
Flash Suppressor & Bayonet Lug |
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The M14 is an improved modification of the M1 Garand. It
performed well as a infantry rifle. The M14 has an effective range of 500
yards (460m). The M14 used a standard NATO 7.62mm cartridge in a 20-round
box magazine. M14s can be equipped with a bipod for use as SAWs squad
automatic weapons.
At one time the standard issued rifle for soldiers, sailor and marines, the
M14 is now used primarily in the Competition in Arms program, or for drill and
ceremonial purposes. The USNA M14 parade rifles have a breech block, have
no box magazine, have been demilled and come with a beautiful bayonet.
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