M1a Folding Stock

Do it yourself M14 gunsmiting? - M14 Forum

I have over a decade of experience as a Canadian Licensed professional gun smith. And I have worked on a LOT of M14 rifles, genuine US GI ex-military and various brands of M14 clones. In fact, I have personally owned well over 100 of the M14 rifle family, including 3 dozen genuine original US GI surplus M14 rifles, about a half dozen of the Springfield M1A rifles, dozens of Polytech and Norinco M14 clones, as well as a bunch of US GI/Chinese bastards that I built up. I used to specialize in building “Tacticool” M14 rifle conversions, mostly the quick handling 18.5” barreled shorties, but I have also built up a few “tack drivers” for range/target use. I no longer work as a professional gun smiter, but I do occasionally teach a seminar on DO-IT-YOURSELF M14 inspection, maintenance, repairs, and modifications. At these seminars, I have taught dozens of M14 owners how to work on their own M14 rifles. Believe me, THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. IF you are careful and patient, and willing to learn, and willing to accept your own limitations, there are a lot of simple M14 repairs and modifications that you CAN do yourself. In my experience, many of the various faults and deficiencies of any M14 clone, Chinese or American, can usually be easily and inexpensively fixed by a do-it-yourselfer who knows what he is doing . Or by the judicious swapping in of some genuine US GI M14 parts. My M1A is only a little over a little over 30 years old, owned since new by me and not mistreated in anyway (other than a stint of 180 grain bullets and IMR4350 back in the early 80's that cracked the op rod twice) so it hasn't had to have a lot of work. No use modifying something that works as is - that costs money that I spend on more guns and reloading components. I've spent more time working on the M1 Garands (similar in many ways) but then again I have many more of them than I do M1A's and they are much older and much more abused by young GIs not inclined to take good care of "Uncles" equipment - not realizing until its too late that equipment taken care of is equipment that takes care of them when they need it most. I do realize that you need the right tools, or something that will work.

Soldier of fortune

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