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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE M14E2 7.62MM SN# 10117
Maker/Manufacturer:	SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Date of Manufacture:	1963
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 2328
Measurements:	OL:112.5CM 44 3/8" BL: 55.8CM 22"

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE M14E2 7.62MM SN# 10117
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. in 1963 - Modified M14 rifle on experimental straight line stock with full pistol grip and front folding handgrip. Compensator added to keep barrel down in full-auto fire. Stock has rubber recoil pad (now decomposed) and folding shoulder rest. This was not an all-together successful attempt to control full-automatic fire. Select switch with cyclic rate of fire 750 rpm. Complete with 20-round detachable box magazine, sling & bipod. (Bipod removed for exhibit.)

Markings:
Receiver: U.S. RIFLE/7.62-MM M14/SPRINGFIELD/ARMORY/10117.
Bolt: 7790186/SA CC1.
Barrel: 2-63.

Weapon transferred to the Museum 15 December 1966. At that time weapon was appraised at $128.59.

HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES:
1JUL63 - 30JUN64 - "The M14E2 Rifle is a modification of the M14 Rifle for use in full-automatic assault role (AR). The Rifle has an in-line stock, a compensator which slides over the standard flash suppressor, a pistol grip, a folding front grip an an added swivel attachment to the M2 bipod.
Five prototypes were fabricated and demonstrated to the customer in October 1963 and authority for the conversion of 8,350 M14 Rifles was granted in November 1963. A decision was made in December 1963 to have the Armory fabricate the new stock assemblies that would be furnished to one of the current suppliers, Olin-Mathieson Chemical Corp., or Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc., for assembly to production rifles. This decision was later reversed to provide for the assembly to be accomplished by the Armory.
The schedule established in November 1963 was to begin deliveries in the last quarter of FY64 and complete in the third quarter of FY65....
Originally on the M14E2 Rifle program, which started in November, the Armory was to fabricate the 8,350 Stock Assemblies and ship them to an M14 contractor for assembly to rifles, before the contractor phased out his own weapon production about June 1964. Because of the crash nature of this program, all items except the wood stock and three swivels were procured, assembly operations were to be performed at the Armory, and first delivery to be made in April. However, late receipt of procured parts made a program change necessary, and the M14 Rifles were shipped to the Armory for assembly of stocks after necessary modifications to the weapons. The E2 rifles require test firing with Bipods, of which fifty were to be furnished from Field Service for the purpose, and converted to meet requirements. At this point decision was made by Headquarters, Army Weapons Command, for the Armory to make this conversion on the entire quantity (8,350) of Bipods.
An order to ship 224 of the E2 weapons overseas in June could not be filled due to lack of Front Grip Assemblies (procured parts), and at the end of June the Armory was working overtime in order to ship this quantity early in July, and make delivery of a total of 1000 rifles that month. Remaining weapons are to be delivered in August (4000) and September (3350), depending on the contractor's meeting his promises for delivery of the Front Hand Grips.
Overhaul of 200 standard M14 Rifles was completed to obtain data for preparing a purchase description and overhaul standards for this weapon. The guns were packed for shipment by the end of June. The entire program was closely coordinated with the Quality Assurance Office and the data turned over to the Research and Engineering Division which will prepare the written standards covering such phases as mortality, salvage, methods of salvage and acceptable standards. However, 200 rifles are not considered a sufficient quantity to use as a basis for standards, particularly as these rifles appeared to have been 'scraped from the bottom of the barrel' rather than representing average use....
The M14E2 rifle consists of the standard M14 rifle barrel, receiver group, and firing mechanism, modified so as to meet accurate fire in the role of the Infantry Squad automatic rifle. Other features include a straight-in-line-woode1JUL64 - 30JUN65 - "On the M14E2 program, Front Grip Assemblies were not delivered by the contractor as expected. The contractor's method of fabrication, using a single-cavity mold, did not give him capacity to meet the original schedule. About 5200 rifles were shipped in October and the order completed in December.
Layaway of M14 Rifle mobilization tooling was started and about 35 tons, valued over $400,000, had been processed by the end of June. No special problems were encountered. Many items weighed 350 pounds or more and had to be removed with a hoist to clean, preserve and pack. Tooling for the Receiver, Flash Suppressor and Bolt had been turned over to storage. Activity on the program is suspended until additional funds are received.
With completion of the order for M14 Gas Cylinders, action was taken to preserve the machines and broaches not in use were covered with plastic bags....
Engineering support services were furnished to the Armory's operations Division during the manufacture, assembly, and test of 8500 new weapons and spare components. Eight rifles, equipped with winter triggers, were forwarded to the Arctic Test Board. The results of testing were generally satisfactory. A product improvement effort was initiated to strengthen compensator and the stock at the front pistol grip area. Hq, Army Weapons Command had requested type standard classification for this time."
1JUL65 - 30JUN66 - "The following design improvement features were incorporated into the procurement data system by revision action: M2 bipod and winter trigger assembly, XM152; muzzle stabilizer with positive locking mechanism; stock back plate; better handgrip with a longer service life and improved bipod jaws. Design improvements were completed on a synthetic rubber stock plad to smooth out function fire under all environmental conditions."

Notes: The M14E2 was standardized as the "Rifle, 7.62mm, M14A1," on 10/29/63.

References:
Smith, Joseph E. (Ed.) SMALL ARMS OF THE WORLD. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pa. 1966.
Stevens, Blake. U.S. RIFLE M14 FROM JOHN GARAND TO THE M21. Collector Grade Publications Inc. Toronto, Canada. 1991.
Walter, John. RIFLES OF THE WORLD. DBI Books, Inc. Northbrook, Il. 1993.

See, SPRINGFIELD ARMORY, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING. ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RIFLE, 7.62MM, M14E2. 18 December 1963. By Paul R. Landry.