M 14 in the news

[Norton]

Interesting photo of a un-scoped (wood stocked?) M 14 in Iraq.
Are they just sending plain un-modified M 14s into battle?
If so who gets them and why? (the Old Guard?)

[hunter_la5]

weird, I thought only Designated Marksman and the like were getting them?

[Enigma Nostra]

Capture piece?

-E

[rustypirate]

Yeah, could be a battlefield pickup.

[Optimus Prime]

I don't think that's a wood stock. My guess is a designated marksman that prefers peeps.

[Beprepared]

Note the duck taped cheek weld on the stock, possibly some sort of M24 with an ARMS mount?

[Different]

I have that photo on my web site. The caption for it reads:

February 15, 2007 - Specialist Robert Rapp (D Co, 1-508th PIR, 4th BCT, 82nd Airborne Division) pulls security overwatch on top of the Mandozaye District Center building, Khowst Province, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Isaac A. Graham.

[Norton]

:

February 15, 2007 - Specialist Robert Rapp (D Co, 1-508th PIR, 4th BCT, 82nd Airborne Division) pulls security overwatch on top of the Mandozaye District Center building, Khowst Province, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Isaac A. Graham.


So are they just salting Army rifle platoons with few standard M 14s to boost firepower.. Or did this Paratrooper just remove the scope?

[bigcromag]

I would guess he just took the scope off, could have been for a number of reasons, maybe its busted, or maybe his mount is set up for night vision and he did not need it during the day. Because soldiers are just big kids with access to cool toys he probobly just decided to bring the M14 with him.

[Different]

Mk 14 Mod 0 and Mod 1, M14 EBR, M39 EMR, M21, M21A5 are issued with scope installed.

If a unit orders plane jane M14 rifles from the supply system (Rock Island Arsenal is the depository) then the rifle shows up without a scope. Some soldiers or small units will buy scopes and mounts on the commercial market for their M14 rifles. I've seen several photos of soldiers over in the sand box with just plain jane M14 rifles, no scope, no fancy stock.

[Norton]

Mk 14 Mod 0 and Mod 1, M14 EBR, M39 EMR, M21, M21A5 are issued with scope installed.

If a unit orders plane jane M14 rifles from the supply system (Rock Island Arsenal is the depository) then the rifle shows up without a scope. Some I've seen several photos of soldiers over in the sand box with just plain jane M14 rifles, no scope, no fancy stock.

bigcromag.. also Wrote Because soldiers are just big kids with access to cool toys he probobly just decided to bring the M14 with him.


There's hope for the American Army yet.. no offence to veterans who like fancy stocks and scopes.. But I could see practicality of a plain M 14 with it's power and penetration. The BAR played a similar role in the early part of the Vietnam war. The advisours could pick weapons they felt fit the job at hand or sometime they just wanted one because they liked it.