M14 army/navy issued scopes

fext · May 15, 2012, 05:31 PM

Dear all,
is there a scope which was used on M14 rifles in any armed force in the world, with magnification up to but not exceeding 6x?
Planning to attend a competition with limitations as above and need to have something I can prove as a service combination. (ACOG comes in mind but I was not able to find any info which would support a claim that M14 with an ACOG was used.)

hoytinak · May 15, 2012, 05:37 PM

In '03 my unit at the time (2/505 PIR, 82nd ABN) bought us ACOGs for use on our M14s in Afghanistan. Here's my setup.

Water-Man · May 15, 2012, 05:53 PM

Your ACOG went up to 6X?

hoytinak · May 15, 2012, 05:54 PM

No, it was 3.5X. Not much for a M14 but we worked with what they'd give us at the time.

Water-Man · May 15, 2012, 05:56 PM

OP said up to 6X.

hoytinak · May 15, 2012, 05:58 PM

Well, he also said, "not exceeding"....maybe I read it wrong.

Auto426 · May 15, 2012, 07:33 PM

The modernized M14's in military service feature M1913 Picatinny rails which allow them to mount just about any optic the troops using them can get their hands on. I believe the most common scopes used feature 10x or more magnification, so if the OP is trying to stay under 6x then it might be best to stick with an ACOG.

Jimro · May 15, 2012, 09:32 PM

The Israelis used Tasco 6x44s, Nimrod 6x40, and Kahles 6x42 scopes on their M14 sniper variants. The Nato rangefinding reticle with a BDC Turret were standard on all three optics. The BDC Turret on the Nimrod was changeable from 69 gr HPBT for use on an M16 to a 168 HPBT or 173 gr FMJBT for use on the M14.

Jimro

Keg · May 15, 2012, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Your ACOG went up to 6X?

[QUOTEOP said up to 6X.][/QUOTE]

Quote:

Well, he also said, "not exceeding"....maybe I read it wrong.

hoytinak..I don't think U read wrong....I take this as any scope that is 6x or less....His limit is 6x.....

Water-Man · May 16, 2012, 12:06 AM

"magnification up to but not exceeding 6X". What's not to understand guys?

Keg · May 16, 2012, 01:23 AM

Actually U were the one who seemed confused....lol....and then pretty much repeat my post....

Quote:

I take this as any scope that is 6x or less....His limit is 6x.....

Quote:

"magnification up to but not exceeding 6X".

Water-Man · May 16, 2012, 01:27 AM

I think you hunted one too many hogs.

Keg · May 16, 2012, 01:38 AM

At least 6...ooops...hope thats not too confusing for ya.....

SR420 · May 16, 2012, 06:50 AM

The 6200 plus M14EBR-RI rifles built by TACOM had Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10 scopes issued with them.
All of the scopes had a non-illuminated MIL DOT reticle.

Jimro · May 16, 2012, 12:50 PM

You can still get a Kahles 6x42 ZF95 for less than an ACOG if cost is a concern. Getting the "correct" IMI mount that the IDF used might be a little more problematic (you can still find them sometimes) but the US Military uses the Larue mount, so you can prove that all components were used on issued M14 rifles.

Jimro

fext · May 16, 2012, 02:08 PM

Gentlemen, thanks a lot for the info so far. I already checked the Kahles/Nimrod scopes, the rectile looks interesting.
An additional question though:
what about scout scopes, were there M14s issued in scout configuration?

SR420 · May 16, 2012, 02:26 PM

Plenty of 18.0" Scout length MK14s have been issued, but they are issued with more traditional optics.
That's not to say that operators did not replace these optics with forward mounted RDS, because they did.

Jimro · May 16, 2012, 03:30 PM

Yes M14s were reconfigured at user discretion, but only 1x magnification optics (M68 or Eotech) were used as there are no long eye relief scopes in the .mil inventory of which I am aware.

I do know that the 5.5 power ACOG was used on M14s in Iraq by at least one sniper team in my old unit. The reticle isn't calibrated for M118LR ammunition, but if you zero it at 300 the lines are "plenty close" out to about 700 for an SDM level of precision.

I'm sure someone out there even tried to mount an Elcan on one at some point.

Jimro

May 15, 2012, 05:31 PM	#1
fext Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Posts: 64	M14 army/navy issued scopes Dear all, is there a scope which was used on M14 rifles in any armed force in the world, with magnification up to but not exceeding 6x? Planning to attend a competition with limitations as above and need to have something I can prove as a service combination. (ACOG comes in mind but I was not able to find any info which would support a claim that M14 with an ACOG was used.)

May 15, 2012, 05:53 PM	#3
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: N. Georgia & S. Florida Posts: 1,239	Your ACOG went up to 6X? __________________ PROUD TO BE A VETERAN

May 15, 2012, 05:56 PM	#5
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: N. Georgia & S. Florida Posts: 1,239	OP said up to 6X. __________________ PROUD TO BE A VETERAN

May 15, 2012, 07:33 PM	#7
Auto426 Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2007 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 1,299	The modernized M14's in military service feature M1913 Picatinny rails which allow them to mount just about any optic the troops using them can get their hands on. I believe the most common scopes used feature 10x or more magnification, so if the OP is trying to stay under 6x then it might be best to stick with an ACOG. __________________ *"Si vis pacem, para bellum"* - If you want peace, prepare for war.

May 15, 2012, 09:32 PM	#8
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 4,330	The Israelis used Tasco 6x44s, Nimrod 6x40, and Kahles 6x42 scopes on their M14 sniper variants. The Nato rangefinding reticle with a BDC Turret were standard on all three optics. The BDC Turret on the Nimrod was changeable from 69 gr HPBT for use on an M16 to a 168 HPBT or 173 gr FMJBT for use on the M14. Jimro __________________ "Gorsh" said Goofy as secondary explosions racked the beaten zone, "Did I do that?" http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/

May 15, 2012, 05:37 PM	#2
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,708	In '03 my unit at the time (2/505 PIR, 82nd ABN) bought us ACOGs for use on our M14s in Afghanistan. Here's my setup.

May 15, 2012, 05:54 PM	#4
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,708	No, it was 3.5X. Not much for a M14 but we worked with what they'd give us at the time.

May 15, 2012, 05:58 PM	#6
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,708	Well, he also said, "not exceeding"....maybe I read it wrong.

May 16, 2012, 12:06 AM	#10
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: N. Georgia & S. Florida Posts: 1,239	"magnification up to but not exceeding 6X". What's not to understand guys? __________________ PROUD TO BE A VETERAN

May 16, 2012, 01:27 AM	#12
Water-Man Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: N. Georgia & S. Florida Posts: 1,239	I think you hunted one too many hogs. __________________ PROUD TO BE A VETERAN

May 16, 2012, 01:38 AM	#13
Keg Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2011 Location: Freestone County, Texas Posts: 885	At least 6...ooops...hope thats not too confusing for ya..... __________________ Hog Hunters never die........They just reload.........

May 16, 2012, 06:50 AM	#14
SR420 Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2005 Posts: 2,558	The 6200 plus M14EBR-RI rifles built by TACOM had Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10 scopes issued with them. All of the scopes had a non-illuminated MIL DOT reticle. __________________ facebook.com/M14HDW.US

May 16, 2012, 12:50 PM	#15
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 4,330	You can still get a Kahles 6x42 ZF95 for less than an ACOG if cost is a concern. Getting the "correct" IMI mount that the IDF used might be a little more problematic (you can still find them sometimes) but the US Military uses the Larue mount, so you can prove that all components were used on issued M14 rifles. Jimro __________________ "Gorsh" said Goofy as secondary explosions racked the beaten zone, "Did I do that?" http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/

May 16, 2012, 02:08 PM	#16
fext Member Join Date: May 15, 2012 Posts: 64	Gentlemen, thanks a lot for the info so far. I already checked the Kahles/Nimrod scopes, the rectile looks interesting. An additional question though: what about scout scopes, were there M14s issued in scout configuration?

May 16, 2012, 02:26 PM	#17
SR420 Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2005 Posts: 2,558	Plenty of 18.0" Scout length MK14s have been issued, but they are issued with more traditional optics. That's not to say that operators did not replace these optics with forward mounted RDS, because they did. __________________ facebook.com/M14HDW.US

May 16, 2012, 03:30 PM	#18
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 4,330	Yes M14s were reconfigured at user discretion, but only 1x magnification optics (M68 or Eotech) were used as there are no long eye relief scopes in the .mil inventory of which I am aware. I do know that the 5.5 power ACOG was used on M14s in Iraq by at least one sniper team in my old unit. The reticle isn't calibrated for M118LR ammunition, but if you zero it at 300 the lines are "plenty close" out to about 700 for an SDM level of precision. I'm sure someone out there even tried to mount an Elcan on one at some point. Jimro __________________ "Gorsh" said Goofy as secondary explosions racked the beaten zone, "Did I do that?" http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/