M14 Wood Handguards

[shottist]

The first production M14s were equipped with Wood, (Walnut)? Hand Guards. A switch was then made to vented Fibre Glass Hand guards and finally to un-vented Glass Hand Guards. I know why the change in the Glass Hand Guards but why the switch away from the Wooden Guard?

Information

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[Calif-Steve]

When shooting on full-auto the wood would smoke. Actually, firing them semi-auto could do the same. The wooden handguards didn't last very long.

[jmoore]

They look really good though! The early rifles also did not have the fancy buttplate assembly. Instead, it was a regular M1 rifle buttplate.

[RCS]

T44 stock on an M1A with M1 rifle buttplate, an aluminum buttplate was often
used. Barrel is dated Jan 1960, sling is MRT DEC 1953

[Bob Seijas]

I have told this story before, but I love it. When SA made the switch, they threw all the wooden guards on the scrap heap, a mountain of them. A handyman loaded them in his pickup and took them home to use as kindling in his stove. He had burned most of them when Cholly Steen heard about it and bought the remainder for 50 cents each. Sarco put them up for sale at $20. I bought three. When he got down to about 25, he raised the price to $50. They eventually sold. I put one on my M1A, cut one down to make a no-nick guard for a GT restoration, and still have one, brand new with the clip

[browningautorifle]

I always thought the M14 looked way better with the top wood and M1 butt plate. But I never had to carry it in action.

[jmoore]

T44 stock on an M1A with M1 rifle buttplate, an aluminum buttplate was often
used. Barrel is dated Jan 1960, sling is MRT DEC 1953

Any more pics? That one just doesn't do the package justice.

Never saw a "plain" no flip-up thingy aluminum buttplate. Does it interchange w/ the regular M1 style?

[RCS]

It is a regular M1 buttplate made out of aluminum, Bill Ricca had one for sale on his excellent website. The very early wood and plasitc T44 stocks often had this buttplate

[userids]

T44 stock on an M1A with M1 rifle buttplate, an aluminum buttplate was often
used. Barrel is dated Jan 1960, sling is MRT DEC 1953

thats a beauty!

[RCS]

I could use a T44 safety too