Semi-auto M14?

[Calif-Steve]

The Garand Collectors Assoc. recently had a nice article about the M14NM. These are all converted M14's. It seems the CMP has a pile in Anniston(?). It is my understanding the M14NM were the subject of a court ruling some years back that declared the ONE at trial to be a legal semi-auto. The American Rifleman Magazine had a nice article about the purpose-built semi-auto M14. Maybe 1980(?). Very small number built and the Army turned down the production request. The Army had no choice then and was forced to use the M14 as the platform for M14NM's. Of course, all M14NM's then are converted machine guns and BATF show up in the picture.

[Bill Ricca]

The NM M14 in question was owned by a Class III dealer from Ohio. One day ATF confiscated the rifle and through help from the NRA, the court case was won and the rifle returned to him. Because the Feds never appealed the decision, it applies only to that rifle. If an NM shows up today, the Feds have every legal right to go through the same process with the owner.

The dealer, who was a friend, sold the rifle, along with the records from the court case, to another friend I knew. He recently sold the rifle to another individual.

Unfortunately the dealer was killed in a very strange type of automobile accident. He will always be missed.

[americal71]

Just to add to the confusion - in 1981, at the request of the AMU, the small arms shop at Anniston Army depot milled off the receiver extension to which the auto selector is fitted on three m14's. They were then reassembled and test fired to see if the process affected accuracy or functioning. I understand the reasoning was to see if the rifles could be modified so as to never be converted to full auto and then sold to civilian competitors. Another rumor was that the army wanted m21 rifles without the selector - who knows!The rifles worked fine, the report was forwarded and nothing ever happened, The three rifles were supposedly sentenced to meet cptn crunch

[Capt Quahog]

Good friend in Massachusetts with his son are on the state rifle team. Until a few years back, they were equipped with Army owned M14 rifles on loan. The selector switch had been removed, leaving the shaft with the rifles locked into semi-auto only mode. Recall sitting at their kitchen table having coffee while examining one of those M14 rifles. That particular piece was of TRW manufacture. Was told that at least one other M14 in possession of the rifle team members, was in fact built by Harrington & Richardson.

Since then, those M14 rifles have been returned to the military for service use. The target shooting team now uses AR-15 match rifles.

[userids]

wow, it would be nice to own a c&r m14 in semi-auto, it would complete my collection!

[Claven2]

As I recall, Lee Emerson's book (see the stickies for a copy) talks about them Stevo.