{"id":1613,"date":"2023-11-09T20:03:22","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T20:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1613"},"modified":"2023-11-09T20:03:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T20:03:22","slug":"diy-build-your-own-m14e2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1613","title":{"rendered":"DIY: Build Your Own M14E2"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Will Dabbs, MD<\/a><\/p>\n

R<\/span>are and sultry, simultaneously utilitarian and cool, the elusive M14E2 was designed to be a squad automatic version of the esteemed M14 service rifle. In years past, the closest you could get to one of these unusual firearms was by perusing the pages of some moldy old gun book.<\/p>\n

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This semi-auto DIY build of the ultra-rare M14E2 was done with SARCO, Inc. parts and a Springfield Armory M1A. Image:\u00a0Jake Miller\/Springfield Armory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, now thanks to SARCO, Inc. as well as Springfield Armory, an M14E2 of your own is within reach \u2014 that is, if you\u2019re reasonably handy with tools.<\/p>\n

The M14E2 Unicorn<\/h2>\n

Small arms evolve over time. The pressures of congressional budgets combined with the crucible of combat drive mechanical adaptation to ideally produce an improved product. Sometimes the result is something like the paradigm-shifting German StG44. Other times it\u2019s the ambitious but dead-ender WWI-era French Chauchat.<\/p>\n

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The M14E2 was designed to take over the \u201csquad automatic\u201d role. Designated M14A1 during 1966, it weighed in at 14.5 pounds. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For me, the M14E2 sits somewhere in the middle. It may be a \u201cfailure\u201d due to the fact it wasn\u2019t widely adopted and did not achieve its intended aims, but it\u2019s also weirdly cool. Add in the fact that in the past the M14E2 was unobtainium, and it makes it just about irresistible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Magazine capacity, sustained fire capability, and controllability during full-auto firing were often cited as complaints about the M14E2. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But how did the M14E2 in all its wonderful weirdness come about? With the development of the M14 from the classic John Cantius Garand-designed M1, what you had was the ultimate iteration of the revered rifle. Chambered for the new 7.62 NATO round, select-fire and fed by a detachable magazine, the M14 addressed all the relative shortcomings of the admittedly exceptional M1.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The M14 was originally envisioned as a one gun-does-everything replacement for the M1 rifle, the M1 Carbine and the M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)<\/a>. The appeal of simplified logistics was likely a driving force behind this plan. However, the 7.62 NATO round is a large, powerful cartridge that is hard to control in full-auto fire from a rifle like the M14.<\/p>\n

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A rare view of an M14E2 (also called M14A1) in service with the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam during 1966. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To address this, the M14E2 was developed. Its wooden stock included a vertical pistol grip, a folding front grip, and a rubber buttpad under a flip-up steel buttplate, all designed to help tame the rifle\u2019s recoil under full-automatic fire. It also included a robust steel bipod as well as a muzzle stabilizer that slipped over the original slotted flash suppressor. A slotted synthetic handguard helped facilitate barrel cooling.<\/p>\n

The end result looked about as awkward as some mad scientist\u2019s hybridized duck-monkey. However, the gun fits the human form beautifully and runs like a scalded ape. So, if you\u2019d like to build up a semi-automatic M14E2 \u201cclone\u201d of your own, the voyage begins with sourcing the parts.<\/p>\n

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Some of the M14E2s were passed to the allied Vietnamese troops. This example is seen with ARVN Rangers during the Tet Offensive. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Unfortunately, Uncle Sam only made around 8,300 of these strange hybrid rifles, and many of them were gobbled up in combat in Vietnam. Original buttstocks and parts on the civilian market were few and far between, with commensurately high prices. Enter SARCO, Inc.\u00a0<\/p>\n

[For more information on the M14 in the Vietnam War, click here<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

SARCO: A New Source<\/h2>\n

Anyone with a passion for surplus military guns and gear knows the name SARCO well. The company was incorporated way back in 1962 by Cholly Steen, III, and the name stood for \u201cSteen Armament Research Company\u201d. SARCO would become renowned for digging up some of the most unique and rare military surplus gear available from around the world.<\/p>\n

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Short of the rifle and a few accessories, SARCO offers all the primary parts you need to get started on your own M14E2 build. Image:\u00a0Jake Miller\/Springfield Armory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But, by its nature, the business of acquiring and selling surplus material is directly affected by the availability of the products. As compared to sourcing parts of widely made military products, supporting the demand for more rare items can be difficult. Add to that the effects of time, with each year making even the most common parts more and more scarce, and you have quite a hill to climb. As a result, SARCO would eventually find itself also in the business of manufacturing to support the demands of its wide range of customers. Which brings us back to the topic at hand.<\/p>\n

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The M14E2 is a perfect example of the type of product that SARCO would support, but its extreme rarity limits the availability of parts. So, the company decided to address this by having new parts made to help collectors and enthusiasts build their own semi-auto M14E2 rifles. If you have a rifle like an M1A for the build, they offer practically everything else you need. This includes a new stripped stock, a new stock hardware set including a new front grip assembly and rail, and an original slotted handguard.<\/p>\n

[Need a new M1A stock, but not wanting to do a full M14E2 build? Check out the Top 5 M1A Stock Systems<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

M14E2 Build Parts<\/h2>\n

Building up your own M14E2 clone is a DIY home project of modest complexity. I\u2019m comfortable around tools, but I\u2019m not a professional gunsmith. If you struggle to change the oil in your car, you might want to sit this one out. However, I am living proof that you can successfully build up this rifle with nothing more than a Dremel tool, a power drill and patience. The end result will set you apart at the range, and it\u2019s a really satisfying way to kill a lazy Saturday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The difference in the M1A\/M14 stocks and the M14E2\/M14A1 stocks are immediately obvious. Image:\u00a0Jake Miller\/Springfield Armory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to the SARCO parts, I acquired a \u201cStandard Issue\u201d Springfield Armory M1A with a synthetic stock. I binned the stock and used the basic barreled action as a starting point. You\u2019ll need a flash suppressor with a bayonet lug to secure the muzzle stabilizer, but Springfield Armory offers that for sale on the Springfield Armory Store for those that can legally install it on their rifle. Be sure to check your local laws.<\/p>\n

The OD canvas sling from the Springfield Armory Store is a good fit for this project. To use it on the M14E2, you rig it backwards. The sliding keeper goes on the rear, while the Parkerized hook locks the front grip in place. The Springfield Armory Store also offers the M-2 bipod, which is a great fit for this project. The bipod is rugged steel with a Parkerized finish. Press a button on the side to deploy or stow each leg. The legs are readily adjustable for command height. Read our M1A bipod review<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

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The original M14E2 designed offered several adaptations \u2014 like a vertical pistol grip, rubber buttpad, front grip and more \u2014 to make full-auto fire more controllable. Image:\u00a0Jake Miller\/Springfield Armory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The SARCO M14E2 stock is stripped and unfinished, but beautifully executed. Original stocks were cut from birch, which is both hard and durable. SARCO had theirs made from American beech, which is even more so. I found the quality to be superb.<\/p>\n

The SARCO M14E2 stock hardware set includes the front grip along with the internal mounting rail and installation screws. While the screws in the kit are 3\/8, I found them to be a little short and sourced a pair of 10-24\u00d71\/2 screws at my local hardware store. Like the originals, the grip folds fore and aft as desired. The original G.I. field manual made it clear that the foregrip was meant to be supported by the sling, not its mechanical latch.<\/p>\n

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Note the angled front grip for enhanced control and the M-2 bipod fitted to the rifle. Image:\u00a0Jake Miller\/Springfield Armory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other parts in the stock hardware set include the buttplate with pivoting shoulder rest, rubber buttpad with plugs, front ferrule, and rear sling swivel along with mounting hardware. Some of this stuff is original, but much of it is newly manufactured. Quality, like that of the stock, is unimpeachable. SARCO also offers original distinctive synthetic slotted handguards as well.<\/p>\n

That left a false selector switch and slip-on muzzle stabilizer for me to find. Google is your buddy for those last two items.\u00a0<\/p>\n

M14E2 Parts List<\/h2>\n