The Phoenix M14

[mightymouse]

Well here she is. After the spectacular failure of my 2 Chinese M14 clones at Fighting Rifle in Pueblo last year, a little background is needed. My biggest cock tapdance was taking an untested rifle to a high visibility class. Mea Culpa.

One was a Norinco M14 rebuilt and TOTALLY fucked up by Dan @ West Texas Armory in Lubbock, Texas. The Chinese M1A clones are generally short lived due to soft non-GI spec parts but have good buildable recievers. Unfortunatly Dan managed to install a Springfield Armory stainless barrel that was misindexed (factory reject) so the op rod would rub and eventually hang the rifle up so bad that it couldn't cycle.

The other was a stock Polytech M14s that suffered a broken extractor, which I had no replacement for. Its running again, but only as a plinker.

So I ran my AK and AR for everything else for a while, but quietly saved up my pennies since my divorce to build an M14 that could perform in a variety of roles. From 5 feet to 500+ yards was my goal. So, I consulted with Kelly McMillan (McMillian Stocks) and Ron Smith (Smith Enterprises) at SHOT and then finally with Walt and Clint McKee at Fulton Armory before sending the rifle in to Fulton for its rebirth.

And heres what I got back:


Full Size

I mounted up a new Millett DMS scope I'm working with and so far its performed beyond my expectations. Heres whats in it:

The rifle:

Norinco forged M14 reciever
USGI TRW Bolt & OP Rod
USGI National Match Trigger Assy, Op Rod Guide and Gas Piston
Smith Enterprises Vortex Flash Suppressor & Bolt Stop
Fulton Armory 18' Bush Barrel (chrome lined)

The Furniture:
McMillan MFS bedded fibreglass stock with M4 SOCOM adjustable stock, 3 rail system from the factory
GripPod's VFG/Bipod system

The Visual aids:
Surefire M951 6v weapons light
Millett DMS-1 1-4x24 scope in ARMS #22 Rings
Smith Enterprises Extended Scope Mount

I ran it a bit at lunch at Andy Stanford's Defensive Pistol Tactics just to get a feel for it, the handed it off to some other students to get feedback. An aspiring young Marine (heads off in 8 months) in the class told me it was nice but 'heavy'. *chuckles*



I took it out yesterday for a known distance zero (50 yards). The very first group it shot was 7/8ths of an inch, which is just under 2moa. I really wasn't looking for amazing, but just to see if I was on paper. As I worked it a bit I managed this group:



This is just shy of 1moa (I wrote .5, forgetting I was at 50yrds, not 100). Very respectable for suplus ball ammo in a chrome lined 18" barrel off of a gimicky bipod from a weapon originally designed to shoot 2.5 - 4moa. I'm very happy with it so far.

Now the downsides, no, its not light, coming in at 13lbs with a full mag. If I went with aluminum rings & mount, a simpler vfg, no white light, or maybe just an EOTech, I could shave it to the 11lb range, but I'm reminded of the line in the 13th Warrior:

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: I cannot lift this.
Herger the Joyous: Grow stronger.

So it carries less ammo, doesn't share mags with anything else, its heavier and it not ideal in every aspect, but it does very well in several areas so far. As it progresses, I'll keep you posted.

Kelly

[JohnTRourke]

pretty

how much?

[mightymouse]

pretty

how much?

LOL Why ya wanna buy it?

Kelly

[JohnTRourke]

LOL Why ya wanna buy it?

Kelly

No I have a ton of M14's (although not set up that way) and no job.
c'mon, give us a range, so we know what we have to make

[stubbicatt]

So, Kelly. How do you like the DMS scope? I just bought one for my 3 gun rifle, now I await mounts. It seems like a great budget scope for this sport. The illuminated reticle is quite bright and visible.

I too like the 308, but I'm using a PTR 91 rather than the M14 chassis. I put a Cooley muzzle brake on mine from JPrifles dot com, and it seems to help keep the muzzle put. And I am quite familiar with the "heavy" part of things.

Anyways, neat rifle.

[mightymouse]

No I have a ton of M14's (although not set up that way) and no job.
c'mon, give us a range, so we know what we have to make

To set this up this way, with a modern stock system, white light and decent quality optics, 4500 - 5200.00

So, Kelly. How do you like the DMS scope? I just bought one for my 3 gun rifle, now I await mounts. It seems like a great budget scope for this sport. The illuminated reticle is quite bright and visible.

So far I really enjoy it. I'll go more in depth when I do part two of the article on the website, but so far its performed well. I'll also be writing up the Burris 1-4x24 Eurodiamond as well. So you'll just have to wait til late August.

I too like the 308, but I'm using a PTR 91 rather than the M14 chassis. I put a Cooley muzzle brake on mine from JPrifles dot com, and it seems to help keep the muzzle put. And I am quite familiar with the "heavy" part of things.

Weight is kind of a biatch, but you're right, there's just something cool about a good battle rifle.

Kelly

Anyways, neat rifle.
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