M14
“Developed from the M1 Garand, the M14 uses a higher caliber bullet than the M16, but is restricted to semi-automatic fire.”
— in-game description
The direct descendant of the famous M1 Garand used in WW2 and the Korean War, the M14 was the last standard-issue US battle rifle. Adopted in the early 1960s, it was soon phased out and replaced by the more effective M16 in the US military, although other South Vietnamese allies continued to use it. The M14 remains in limited service today, usually as a training weapon or for ceremonial occasions. In game, the M14 is an additional primary weapon option for several South Vietnamese classes.
History
Even before the end of World War II, the M1 Garand was being experimentally modified to increase its versatility and effectiveness, with John Garand himself designing the select-fire 20-round magazine T20 experimental rifle. Clearly, there were demands that pointed towards a more versatile weapon, firing a lighter cartridge, that could simultaneously be used to fill both assault and fire-support roles.
Concurrently, attempts were made to replace the obsolete .30-06 with a more lightweight .30 caliber rifle round. Prototype rifles were hence built around the cartridge: for example, the T25 was built to fire the experimental T65 round (7.62x49mm). From experience in the Korean War, American commanders recommended the development of a single, powerful rifle round that could both used in this new rifle and its machinegun counterpart, which was then still under development. After further refinements and development, the T65 was the basis that became finalized as what is now known as 7.62x51mm NATO.
As a response to the call for service rifle designs, various prototypes were submitted, including the T47 (a modified and improved T25), the T48 (which later became the FN FAL), and the T44, which was an alternative to the T47. The end-goal originally was to find a robust platform that could replace seven different weapons from WW2: the M1 Garand, Springfield M1903, Enfield M1917, M1 Carbine, M3 Grease Gun, Thompson submachine gun, and the Browning Automatic Rifle. Essentially: the rifle needed to be able to fulfill, in addition to its role as a standard battle rifle: the role of a close-quarters submachine gun, long-range sharpshooter rifle, as well as a general capacity fire-support machinegun.
The T44, which won the selection and subsequently became adopted as the M14, was simply incapable of performing all those roles at once. It was a fairly robust and powerful battle rifle, sporting high bullet velocity and accuracy, but due to the recoil produced from firing the large 7.62x51mm cartridge, sustained fully-automatic fire was out of the question. It was neither suitable for a submachine gun role, for which it was too large, unwieldy and overpowered; nor a light machine gun role, for which it was too light. Furthermore, the size of the weapon made it difficult to operate in the jungles of Vietnam, and the wood stock was found to negatively impact rifle accuracy when it expanded in the humidity and heat.
Overall, the M14's official issue was limited: production was very quickly halted and in 1967 the rifle was completely replaced in favor of the M16. However, up until 1970, many troops still hung on to the M14 out of fear and suspicion of the M16, having heard of its early reliability issues. Nonetheless, the M14 proved to be an effective marksman rifle, serving as the platform for the later M21 marksman rifle (which underwent early trials in Vietnam as the XM21) - it continues to be employed in this capacity today.
Weapon Specifications
M14
- Rifle, Caliber 7.62x51mm, M14.
| Ammunition | |
|---|---|
| Ammo Type | 150.5gr M59 Ball |
| Rounds Per Magazine | 20+1 |
| Magazines | 6 Magazines |
| Weight Per Magazine | 0.68 kg / 1.50 lbs |
| Handling | |
| Weight | 4.1 kg / 9.04 lbs |
| Features | Attachable Bayonet |
| Firemodes | Semi-Automatic |
| Recoil | Vertical: 500
Horizontal: 280 |
| Spread (MOA) | 1.25 |
| Length | 1126 mm |
| Melee Reach | 1680 mm |
| Damage | |
| Instant-hit Damage | 123 |
| Damage Value | 800 |
| Energy Impulse | 414.5 |
| Penetration Depth | 17 |
| Ballistic Coefficient | 0.20 |
| Velocity | 850 m/s |