{"id":1266,"date":"2024-08-27T22:13:45","date_gmt":"2024-08-27T22:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/?p=1266"},"modified":"2024-08-27T22:13:46","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T22:13:46","slug":"fulton-armory-m14-review-war-hero-turned-civilian-sweetheart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/?p=1266","title":{"rendered":"Fulton Armory M14 Review: War Hero Turned Civilian Sweetheart"},"content":{"rendered":"<div> <!-- image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"td-post-featured-image\"> <noscript><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-feature-768x496.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton Armory M14 Review: War Hero Turned Civilian Sweetheart\" title=\"Fulton Armory M14 Review: War Hero Turned Civilian Sweetheart\"\/><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-we-hit-the-range-to-test-out-the-fulton-armory-m14-discuss-the-rifle-s-military-history-and-how-it-fares-in-civilian-hands-today\"><strong>We hit the range to test out the Fulton Armory M14, discuss the rifle\u2019s military history and how it fares in civilian hands today.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The M14 rifle has enjoyed an interesting but largely unknown history. It\u2019s a direct descendant of the famous M1 Garand; however, it has a much more convoluted and harder to understand backstory that may be somewhat different from how you imagine it to be.<\/p>\n<p>The common notion is that the M14 was simply introduced too late, and the world had already moved on to other designs, earning it the title of the \u201cshortest lived\u201d U.S. service rifle \u2026 but this is far from the truth, and the story of the rifle is much more complicated.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the finest examples of this rifle come from Fulton Armory, a company doing its best to not only preserve the legacy of these rifles, but to also make them match accurate.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry\" class=\"wp-image-295326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-Camp-Perry-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The author\u2019s Vortex spotting scope with KDG Optics Hub and Vortex red dot in a Two Vets tripod used for spotting at the matches. It weighs more than the M14 by a wide margin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-m14-history\"><strong>M14 History<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>What we call the M14 today is a simplified term that\u2019s really a mashup of a variety of nearly similar rifles that, due to various legal and technical considerations, aren\u2019t one in the same, but essentially identical for end-use. That word salad is important because the real M14 is classified as a machine gun, and it was ineligible for sale to civilians through the government like the M1 Garand, 1903 Springfield, M1 Carbine and others.<\/p>\n<p>The M14 as we know it today is the civilian model that came about initially as the M1A, a model name Springfield Armory owns and coined. Every M1A is a Springfield Armory commercial rifle, but not all semi-auto M14s are Springfield guns and simply go by whatever designation the company of origin decided on, usually just the simple M14 designation despite not being a true M14 in design.<\/p>\n<p>The entire reason why we have the Springfield M1A and Fulton M14 is the civilian demand for a match rifle otherwise identical to the military M14. The first NFA-compliant non-machine-gun M14 variants were not available until the 1970s.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-stock\" class=\"wp-image-295328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-stock\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-stock-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Fulton M14 is a beautiful, heirloom-quality rifle that shoots as good as it looks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The military M14 had a similarly problematic design history in that it was the result of numerous attempts to create a \u201cuniversal\u201d rifle that essentially doubled as a light machine gun. The need to have full-auto capability was seen as necessary by the military brass, but it was also construed as needing to be light, accurate and in the full-power 7.62 NATO cartridge. The combination of physical elements on the rifle led to a number of issues, namely that it was considered to be impossible to control in full auto, and it heated up enough that it ran into problems.<\/p>\n<p>To compound this, the idea of rifle shooting had changed after the Korean War. The culture of marksmanship so ingrained in American doctrine was seen as obsolete to an extent. The alternatives, however, weren\u2019t promising, and various military groups were hesitant to move to the \u201carea fire\u201d approach that was being researched. Individual marksmanship was always a priority\u2014though the winds of change were favoring the M16, as issue after issue plagued the M14 and its ability to actually reach troops.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-action\" class=\"wp-image-295329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-action\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-action-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Delays and other factors saw the M14 fail to reach high production numbers for more than 2 years after its official adoption, and by this time it had left a sour taste in the mouth of the military and taxpayers who had just produced millions of M1 Garands and carbines without these same problems.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to know that the 1950s were a hotbed of military experiments and trials designed to bring about the next generation of weapons. The M16 would become the ultimate warning to this mode of progress in that it was initially successful during the early stages of Vietnam, but it quickly ran into issues that caused an unknown number of casualties due to poor materials and lack of maintenance support.<\/p>\n<p>The M14 was a great rifle for its day, with the exception of being fully automatic, a feature that would ultimately be seen as unnecessary and keep the rifle out of civilian hands for the better part of 2 decades until the arrival of the redesigned semi-auto-only M1A in the \u201970s. The gun was indeed inadequate in the dense jungle environments in which it was asked to fight\u2014it would\u2019ve been an ideal weapon for the open-ground and forested area fighting in Korea.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide.jpg\" alt=\"M14-stripper-clip-guide\" class=\"wp-image-295330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide.jpg\" alt=\"M14-stripper-clip-guide\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-stripper-clip-guide-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The M14 can, in fact, be loaded into the detachable magazine using stripper clips. Note the lips of the clip guide above the magazine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The M14 in military hands was, in fact, supplemented by the civilian models into the \u201980s and \u201990s. Because military stocks fit civilian models and vice versa with some modification, aftermarket and match options became available as competitors sought to get maximum accuracy from their rifles. Of interest is that most of the real developments in M14 accuracy came from the civilian competition side of things when shooters began tinkering with bedding, unifying the upper handguard to the barreled action, and tweaking the lugs and lockup. The civilian M14 was basically born of the desire for match shooting superiority, and its evolutions and modifications can be traced directly to these roots.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider.jpg\" alt=\"M14-flash-hider\" class=\"wp-image-295331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider.jpg\" alt=\"M14-flash-hider\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-flash-hider-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The fit and finish on all parts of the Fulton M14 are perfect, down to the flash hider and bayonet lug.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The military M14 never really left U.S. service: It was still used in a variety of roles up until the War on Terror, where it was again called upon for direct action. This became a confusing time for the M14 because its most-recognizable configurations were relatively short-lived, such as the iconic EBR variant. Other rifles would come along and replace it, such as the M110 as a marksman\u2019s rifle, but the M14 somehow kept holding on. These rifles have been spotted in the current war in Ukraine and other hotspots around the world.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fulton-armory-m14-service-rifle\"><strong>The Fulton Armory M14 Service Rifle<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Today\u2019s M14 variants are enjoying a bit of a spike in popularity, as the ongoing retro trend has pushed consumers to wood and steel instead of flavor-of-the-day AR and striker pistols. I approached Fulton Armory to discuss doing an M14 build after I had so much success with their M1 Garand restoration. After running through a variety of options, we eventually decided on what we felt people would be most interested in seeing: a purest-form service rifle with only the most necessary upgrades (such as a trigger job). The goal was then for me to fire this rifle in the first Fulton-sponsored McKee Memorial Match during the CMP National Matches at the historic Camp Perry\u2014hallowed ground for all American shooters.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger.jpg\" alt=\"M14-trigger\" class=\"wp-image-295332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger.jpg\" alt=\"M14-trigger\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-trigger-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The trigger on the rifle is a clean, two-stage military type that Fulton cleaned up and made very crisp but match legal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We agreed to terms in late July 2023, and, in February of 2024, I got sent the first images of my rifle under construction. The finished product was delivered soon after, and I set about getting it sorted for match shooting. The rifle was breathtaking when I opened the box. For those of us who appreciate these sorts of things, this was art. The rifle is what can only be described as the peak form of the M14, devoid of accuracy-robbing, full-auto capability \u2026 and with all the combined knowledge of FA\u2019s gunsmiths. When handling this rifle, you\u2019re handling American tradition at its finest.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block.jpg\" alt=\"M14-gas-block\" class=\"wp-image-295333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block.jpg\" alt=\"M14-gas-block\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-gas-block-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A critical fit area for the M14 is in the gas port\/stock junction. Masterful fitting in this part of the rifle is required for best accuracy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a technical sense, this is a commercial M14 semi-auto variant with a receiver that meets USGI material and heat-treat specs. The parts are all as close to USGI as possible; in fact, some parts might actually be original. The barrel is a 22-inch chrome-lined .308 Win.\/7.62 NATO Criterion with a 1:12 twist. The stock is hand-fitted, a beautiful walnut in GI contour. The rifle arrived with a green canvas sling and one magazine. I contacted Check-Mate for additional new M14 magazines, and they sent me a variety in capacities from five to 25 rounds. Reliability with these mags in the FA M14 has been flawless with any ammo I\u2019ve shot.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo\" class=\"wp-image-295334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-M14-ammo-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I took the rifle to the range and didn\u2019t bother with bench accuracy testing\u2014because I wouldn\u2019t be firing it from the bench. Rather, I went straight to the old book of knowledge and set up a 200-yard target and my spotting scope, and I slung up with my coat. The old timers will tell you to center the rear sight on the centerline, bottom out the rear and count up 10 clicks to 200 yards \u2026 and hold \u201clollipop\u201d with the bottom edge of the black center resting on the tip of the front sight. So that\u2019s what I did.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight.jpg\" alt=\"M14-rear-sight\" class=\"wp-image-295335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight.jpg\" alt=\"M14-rear-sight\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/M14-rear-sight-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The rear sight is very similar to that of the M1 Garand, but it\u2019s configured slightly differently to account for the 7.62 NATO cartridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I proceeded to fire Black Hills 168-grain BTHP Match, Hornady 168-grain AMAX Match and Federal 175-grain Gold Medal Match ammunition. All of these match loads were punching 10 and X rings at this distance, my best groups were all effectively the same in this competition setting, averaging 1.5 MOA (3 inches for 10 shots at 200 yards prone with sling and coat). After the initial break-in, I was very satisfied with this and did some bench testing at 100 yards with the same loads using iron sights, and it came in roughly the same, if not better, but my eyes are only so good.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2.jpg\" alt=\"Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2\" class=\"wp-image-295336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2.jpg\" alt=\"Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-2-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All variations of M14 were present on the line at the McKee match.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Hornady load produced the best general results at 100 and 200 yards by a narrow margin and seemed to hover closer to 1 MOA, which is tighter than the width of the front sight itself. Offhand practice with the rifle was easy thanks to its low recoil. Bear in mind here that while I\u2019m not close to the best by any stretch, I have shot CMP with iron sights for 20 years and have a good sense of how to get accuracy with them. It\u2019s a skill, but today\u2019s shooters will probably get better results now that optics are legal for Unlimited class at Camp Perry.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14.jpg\" alt=\"Camp-Perry-Match-M14\" class=\"wp-image-295338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14.jpg\" alt=\"Camp-Perry-Match-M14\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Camp-Perry-Match-M14-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A competitor takes aim at the McKee Memorial Match at Camp Perry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As far as a rifle like this goes, it\u2019s just about perfection. I have two rifles built by Fulton Armory, and I\u2019ll never part with them\u2014they\u2019re just that good. Not everyone wants to fork over the cash for a rifle like this, but in my experience as a 2-decade service rifle competitor, I\u2019d say there\u2019s simply no better option that so closely approximates not just what was used by the military, but also the civilian rifles that have kept interest in the M14 alive for over a half-century. You\u2019ll end up paying more on top of another M14 variant just to get it close to the accuracy and reliability that the Fulton M14 arrives with out of the box.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mckee-memorial-match-at-camp-perry\"><strong>McKee Memorial Match at Camp Perry<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The M14 has a long history at Camp Perry, the mecca of traditional marksmanship in America. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) runs things at Camp Perry, and the site has been the home of the National Matches for more than a century. Some of the most storied names in shooting history have graced these sacred grounds along the northern Ohio shore.<\/p>\n<p>The M14 Heritage Match was held on Saturday, August 3, 2024, the day before I sat down to pen this article, meaning the experience is as fresh in my mind as it can be. While the M14 match has been fired for a while at Perry, this is the first year Fulton Armory is the new sponsor\u2014the notable expertise and changes brought about by Fulton have been much needed. The inaugural match is named in honor of Clint McKee, the founder of Fulton Armory and highly respected figure in the rifle community.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-crew\" class=\"wp-image-295339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-670x420.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1021\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew.jpg\" alt=\"Fulton-Armory-crew\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-295339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew.jpg 1021w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-768x481.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-150x94.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-696x436.jpg 696w, https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fulton-Armory-crew-670x420.jpg 670w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1021px) 100vw, 1021px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The author (center, stupid grin) with the Fulton Armory team at Camp Perry.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I met with the Fulton crew throughout the day and was even paired as a shooting partner to well-known expert marksman Brian Williams. Needless to say, Williams schooled me completely, but that was to be expected. I shot the Fulton rifle in the match using factory Hornady loads and did well at 300 yards for the four-position, 45-round match. My game was about on par with my past scores, except in the rapid-fire sitting portion where I didn\u2019t fare well and had two misses due to my lack of experience in firing in that position.<\/p>\n<p>Life is long and I took this as an opportunity to live and learn. The Fulton rifle, of course, was more accurate than I was, but the moral of the story here is that you can, in fact, be quite competitive using a standard Fulton build and factory match ammo.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Editor&#8217;s Note:<\/strong>\u00a0This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gundigestservice.com\/customer\/subscribe.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gun Digest the Magazine<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p><strong>More Classic Military Rifles:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-23\" style=\"margin: 8px 0; clear: both;\">\n<div style=\"border: 2px solid #e5e5e5; padding: 20px; border-radius: 10px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-271572\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignright size-medium wp-image-271572\" src=\"https:\/\/gundigest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"color: #333; text-align: center;\">Next Step: Get your FREE Printable Target Pack<\/h2>\n<p>Enhance your shooting precision with our 62 MOA Targets, perfect for rifles and handguns. Crafted in collaboration with Storm Tactical for accuracy and versatility.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter<\/strong> and get your downloadable target pack sent straight to your inbox. Stay updated with the latest firearms info in the industry.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We hit the range to test out the Fulton Armory M14, discuss the rifle\u2019s military history and how it fares in civilian hands today. The M14 rifle has enjoyed an interesting but largely unknown history. It\u2019s a direct descendant of the famous M1 Garand; however, it has a much more convoluted and harder to understand [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gun-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1266"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1268,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1266\/revisions\/1268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tactical-dailynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}