EXCLUSIVE M14 EBR-RI HOW TACOM BUILDS AN M14

REPORT USMC SMAW INSIDE THE MK153 83mm ROCKET LAUNCHER

TESTED ARMALITE SPR MOD 1 MEDIUM-RANGE MONOLITHIC 5.56

FIELD TESTED: BEST TRAINING BEST SIDEARMS BEST RIFLES > I.T.T.S. URBAN SNIPER > GLOCK 17 GEN4 9mm > G.A. PRECISION .308 > WARTAC CQC > FN FNX .40 S&W > LES BAER .308 > VIKING TACTICS > ED BROWN STEALTH .45 > FNH SCAR-16 5.56 How t he U.S. Ar my builds the M14 EBR-RI.

By Eric R. Poole PHOTOS BY Eric R. Poole, JEFF ROSE & DoD

oug Carlstrom works pistols to more recent variants of the inside a simple reinforced M16. Today Carlstrom and his five- structure reminiscent of man team continue their service as Dthe Cold War. It’s subtly civilian contractors to TACOM, lead- located in a corner of the 946-acre ing the development, testing and issue island within the historic gates of Rock of the M14 EBR-RI. Island Arsenal. A career U.S. Army veteran with experience brought back from the Vietnam War, Carlstrom has During trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, Doug Carlstrom of TACOM observed witnessed the military trials of nearly soldiers trying to adapt rack-grade M14s all modern infantry small arms span- and M21s with commercial mounts, rings ning the adoption of the M9 and M11 and optics. 16 WWW.GUNSANDAMMO.COM Veterans themselves, members of the five-man team responsible for building and testing the M14 EBR-RI take great pride in their ability to resurrect the M14 and pro- vide SDMs with an out-of-the-box solution.

observed soldiers trying to attach com- 1 M14 EBR-RI rifle mercial mounts, rings and optics to 1 Leupold Mark 4 LR/T these M14s with little consistency or re- 3.5-10x40mm scope assembly peatable accuracy. After seeing soldiers 6 Magazines, 20 rounds trying to adapt the M14 to a modern 1 Sling battlefield, Carlstrom concluded that 1 Otis 7.62 cleaning kit this situation was unacceptable. When 1 Harris bipod he returned to CONUS, he set out to 1 M14 EBR-RI combination tool resolve this problem. 1 Manual M14s arrive at Rock Island Arsenal THE TRANSFORMATION in Illinois from storage at Anniston All of the joint services are using some Army Depot in Alabama. Between configuration of the M14 EBR. The 1983 and 1984, these vintage M14 EBR-RI is built and tested M14s were brought up to A code at Rock Island Arsenal by the and given a new barrel. After team that developed being replaced by the it. It was a response M16, the M14 was to the large number mothballed for an of Operational Need expected storage of Statements (ONS) 26 years. submitted for M14 “The M14s rifles to support arrive in Code “I was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and the role of a Squad A, which means to Afghanistan in 2006 to open a small Designated Marks- they are in good or arms support center,” Carlstrom says. man (SDM). The better-than-new “I opened Camp Anaconda in Balad, M14 EBR-RI was condition,” says Iraq, and started learning how sol- designed to stan- Carlstrom. “Since diers were using their rifles. At that dardize the optic we started building time, units were pulling M14s out of among soldiers, offers EBRs, we like the Win- storage and issuing them to marks- sustainability in the field and features chester actions, but we use them all— men within a squad for more accu- a chassis constructed from lightweight H&R, Springfield Armory, Winchester racy, range and effectiveness.” aircraft aluminum capable of support- and TRW. And I can’t see how we’ll ever The first M14 rifles were fielded to ing the use of a night vision device in run out of rifles.” units as they came out of Anniston front of the day optic. It also needed The Rock Island team unpacks the Army Depot. Those M14s were still to support the use of various combat- rifles from their cardboard shipping wearing wooden or nylon stocks and related accessories never seen before boxes, then removes a wooden or a brown nylon handguard. They were this age of warfare. It had to be an out- nylon stock, plastic handguard, op rod equipped with only one magazine and of-the-box system, so when any soldier guide block and barrelband. The only had no provisions for optics. Carlstrom opens his package, inside he’ll find: major subassembly that remains is the COMBATARMS2011 17 There are so many M14s still in storage at Anniston Depot, TACOM builders have

barreled action. “We disassemble and once the rings are mounted to a six-inch of encouragement from a small mallet use all but five parts,” says Carlstrom. Picatinny rail section. The rail section with a replaceable nylon head. When “They are very good, MIL-SPEC com- is permanently affixed to an eight-inch the action is seated into the chassis, he ponents. Since the program started, square sheet of stainless steel, which rolls the rifle over and inserts a trig- we’ve only encountered one shot-out is secured in a vice that gets used for ger assembly that he’s obtained from barrel on an overhauled receiver.” nothing else. Peering through the scope another nearby parts bin. Moving past pallets and parts bins as he tightens the screws of the ring With the action seated front and rear, of leftover components, the rifle ad- cap in a cross pattern, Dan watches to he visually checks for the alignment vances to an efficient operation that make sure the mil-dot reticle remains of the chassis’ holes to ensure proper transforms an M14 into an M14 EBR-RI perfectly square with a grid he has alignment of the coarse-thread screws in less than 20 minutes. A pile of EBR posted on a wall 10 yards away. He then that wear red Loctite on the threads. The aluminum chassis systems from Sage boresights the optic before removing fore-end of the chassis is now secured International (sageinternationalltd. it from its fixture and placing it back to the operating rod guide at three com) are piled on a bench, and a into the box. points, which will effectively free-float builder picks one at random for dis- With the EBR chassis resting in a the barrel ahead of this guide. At this assembly. He must remove the top wooden fixture, an EBR builder picks point, the top cover with integral rail as- cover and extract the new guide rod an operating rod, guide rod and spring sembly is reinstalled using six 5/32-inch block that’s largely responsible for the assembly from parts bins just a few feet Allen-head screws, a barrel whip control improved accuracy. The shim kits sup- away. He starts to build up the barreled screw is brought down through the top plied by Sage were difficult to work action and checks for function before cover until it just barely touches the top with, so TACOM conferred with Sage moving on to the next step. It’s impor- of the barrel and a jam screw is run into to develop a washer that met all of the tant to the builder that he verifies that the side and interrupts the threads. This tolerance stack-ups they needed in a the unique Sage op rod guide is properly feature of the Sage International chassis replacement crush washer. positioned on the barreled action. The system has shown itself to stop barrel At another station, another veteran, red dot should face the muzzle when whip. A key point is that no pressure is Dan, pulls a long black box containing installed correctly. He then charges the put on the barrel. a Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 3.5-10x40mm operating rod to the rear a few times to A special stainless steel washer scope from a wall of identical boxes ensure that the rod isn’t binding with slides over the barrel to properly aid stacked seven feet high. Just one man the operating rod guide in any way. in the piston assembly’s function. A is responsible for placing this scope in The builder then places the barreled new piston assembly then slides over a set of Leupold Mark 4 medium-height action into the tight-fitting aluminum the barrel and is screwed on with a tactical rings. He aligns the crosshairs chassis. It usually requires some type special wrench that helps align the

The transformation from M14 to M14 EBR-RI takes just 20 minutes before the rifle 18 WWW.GUNSANDAMMO.COM come to prefer Winchester actions. Of the original rifle, only five subassemblies are discarded.

gas system. The M14’s legendary gas retention within one MOA if it needs (at best) at 100 yards. An SDM using system is completed when the builder to be rolled off the rifle. With the can- M118LR will cut that group in half. screws on the gas cylinder plug. tilever rail removed, the SDM is free to For accuracy testing, the Rock Island After sliding the front sight assem- use the M14’s iron sights as a backup team pulls from an ample supply bly across the dovetail of the flash sighting system. Even when using of M118LR. The recorded accuracy suppressor assembly, the builder just the iron sights, SDMs have been doesn’t take place until the tester ob- tightens it with a pair of pliers de- reported to have successfully engaged serves that the rifle has begun to “like signed specifically for the M14 castle and defeated targets out to 600 yards. itself.” These rifles quickly develop a nut. Before reaching this stage in the specific wear pattern under recoil that build process, however, the flash hider ACCURACY CHECK allows the barreled action to properly has had the bore size increased. The Once the Rock Island team completes standard muzzle device is opened a build, each new M14 EBR-RI rifle is up with a #7 tapered reamer, which placed on a table outside the facility’s helps to prevent a phenomenon called 100-yard indoor test range to be func- water-drop deflection at the muzzle. tion fired and checked for TACOM ac- With the stock installed, the builder curacy standards. Each rifle is shot to works on securing a solid platform verify grouping and accuracy, and that for the Leupold sighting system. He target is included with the Leupold box attaches a cantilever base to the car- and assigned scope. tridge clip guide and secures the Sage Some end users face situations where International cantilever base to the they need to use M80 ball. The M14 chassis’ top rail with the help of two EBR-RI will shoot this type of 7.62 NATO The newest Sage International EBR tensioning throw levers. Though the ammunition with two-MOA results chassis carries an ERGO pistol grip. The cantilever base can be removed, this stock can be collapsed while shouldered should only be done in the event that without injury to the shooting hand. A the primary optic fails during battle. bullet tip can be used to depress a small detent and adjust the comb height. You can remove the scope and canti- lever mount if the warfighter needs to use the iron sights. Removing the optic by removing the cantilever base has demonstrated that a soldier can expect the same zero repeatability and zero

moves to the indoor range for testing. COMBATARMS2011 19 After testing more than 5,000 M14 EBR-RI rifles with M118LR, only one has ever

settle into the aluminum chassis. This The EBR proved itself well out to 800. socket for removing the scope from is one reason why they highly advise “We don’t lock these rifles in ma- the cantilever base, a carbon reamer against any operator or second-echelon chine rests to get this kind of accuracy,” for cleaning the gas piston cylinder armorer removing the chassis system Carlstrom says. “We like to consider and various Allen-head wrenches to from the rifle. Certain rifles settle in the human factor. If we can shoot it remove/tighten the number of Allen- right away. At most, EBR testers allow well, we know the soldier can do even head screws through the rifle’s chassis. each rifle eight rounds, with an average better. We know that we can never out- To that package a Harris bipod, Sage of three to four bullets walking before shoot these guns.” International forward vertical grip, six stopping and revealing a group. vintage 20-round magazines, a sling, Only once has a rifle ever been con- OUT THE DOOR an Otis 7.62 cleaning kit and a laser demned at accuracy testing. Although Once the rifles are tested for accuracy, filter/anti-reflection device are also TACOM won’t accept anything that scopes set in their rings are removed included. With the rifle wrapped in shoots more than 1½ MOA, the aver- and returned to the Leupold cardboard VCI protective paper, the box is closed, age group measures .97 MOA. During boxes as the rifles are lined up on an- a label indicating the rifle’s accuracy my visit, four rifles were tested and the other table ready for packaging. The is placed on the outside of its box, and poorest accuracy was .76 MOA. The shipping box is formed as an evaluator it’s added to a stack of rifles already best rifle produced an incredible .44 cuts the measured three-shot group certified on a wooden palette. MOA. I couldn’t help but let my mind from the target and drops it into the wander and think of the reaction at scope’s box for verification. The results MAINTANENCE the range that would be elicited from of that particular test are logged into a The aircraft-aluminum chassis is tight, the soldier in Afghanistan who is ulti- database with the rifle’s serial number and the rifle is configured so that the mately issued this rifle. for reference should the rifle ever barreled action does not need to be Accuracy testing hasn’t been solely return for another overhaul. removed from the chassis. Operator limited to the Rock Island indoor To meet the needs of the U.S. Army disassembly of the M14 EBR-RI is lim- range. Carlstrom has had various op- SDM program, TACOM-RI selected ited to cleaning of the external parts portunities to demo the M14 EBR-RI at key components to assemble a package of the stock system, exposed action other bases. Never having shot any- that enhances the stock M14 weapon components and disassembly of the thing beyond 300 yards before, one system and provides standardized gas system to access the gas piston of the TACOM team members, Mike optics and rails for mounting lasers, cylinder assembly. The M14 barreled Petersen, was allowed to engage iron lights and night vision equipment. A action and forward rail should not be maidens during a training exercise at special multitool was created for the removed from the stock at the operator Ft. Lewis prior to a unit’s deployment. M14 EBR-RI that features a half-inch level. Any maintenance that requires

Once the rifle has passed final inspection, the Leupold scope is removed with its 20 WWW.GUNSANDAMMO.COM been rejected for failing the accuracy test. Most rifles average sub-MOA groups at 100 yards.

a barreled action to be removed from ternational EBR aluminum-billet stock Island feel very connected to the end the stock should be done by an ar- system. This stock system in conjunc- user’s mission. To date, there is still no morer. Cleaning the gas system is ac- tion with the Leupold precision optics doctrine for an SDM rifle. So at least complished by the removal of the gas and Sage International cantilever for the near future, the M14 will have plug nut using a 3/8-inch wrench or mount makes the M14 EBR-RI capable a place on the battlefront. the M14 combination tool. Remove the of shooting less than one minute of Officials at the Pentagon considered gas piston itself, and remove all carbon angle in most cases. the M14 EBR-RI an interim solution buildup. The carbon can be taken out TACOM received the call for a “sig- and indicate that the U.S. Army is still using the reamer on the M14 EBR nificant quantity” of rifles that could looking for a more permanent solution. combo tool. Remove the trigger assem- enhance the battlefield effectiveness of Until then, Carlstrom’s team proudly bly by pulling out on the triggerguard a squad designated marksman. This shows up to work each day to build and and rotating it to the outward position. call left the number of rifles that the test the newest generation of M14s. Once the triggerguard has been rotated Army would need delivered open- “The solution is months and months to this position, pull upward on the as- ended. Most of the fighting that goes away,” Carlstrom indicates. “But this is sembly and lift to remove it from the on overseas is still a small arms war, a 90 percent solution today. We have had stock. It can now be cleaned and lubed. and the retired veterans and contrac- generals and other VIPs in our govern- To prevent excessive wear of the stock tors still working at TACOM Rock ment inspect and shoot one of these EBRs components, this should not be done for themselves. It’s a bit of a circus act, but for basic preventative maintenance. we like to tape a dime to the target when they come to experience it. Twelve out of CONCLUSION 18 generals have shot a dime at 100 yards, The M14 EBR-RI is a rack-stock M14 and they leave impressed.” rifle that has been mated to the Sage In- On the 5th day of May, this team built the 5,000th rifle, one of only two ever inducted into the Rock Island Arsenal Museum the same day it was built (the other being a M1903 Springfield serial number 1). The Rock Island Arsenal Museum is the second-oldest U.S. Army museum, which is open to the public (riamwr.com/museum).

rings and packaged with accessories such as this multitool before final shipment to the end-user. COMBATARMS2011 21