Differences Between The M1A and M14
The M14 rifle was designed primarily in response to the AK-47. This rifle was issued for American soldiers to be used in Vietnam, which replaced the standard-issue WWII rifle "M1 Garand". It fired a stronger 7.62x51 NATO round which outmatched the stopping power and range of the AK-47; however, due to its lengthy barrel size, US Marines complained it was not suitable for jungle warfare during the Vietnam War.
The Springfield Armory M1A is, for the most part, identical to the M14. There are, however, a few important differences:
M1A receivers are made from precision investment cast AISI 8620 alloy steel. The military M14 receivers were manufactured using the drop forge process, which is more complicated and more expensive. Until around the late 1990s, the M1A produced by Springfield Armory retained the cutout in the rear right of the stock for the selector switch found on the M14. Springfield Armory has also omitted the "7.62-MM" caliber designator on the M1A receiver since 1991.
Once the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was passed, prohibiting the manufacture of firearms with bayonet lugs (among other features), the M1A no longer shipped with a bayonet lug. Although the 1994 law expired in September 2004, making bayonet lugs on newly-manufactured firearms legal again (in most states), Springfield Armory has not restored that feature. Since the bayonet lug is attached to the flash suppressor, "post ban" rifles can easily be fitted with a bayonet lug by fitting a pre-ban flash suppressor.
The California Assault Weapons Ban, which went into effect January 1, 2000, prohibited flash suppressors on all Semi-automatic rifles capable of accepting a detachable magazine. As a result, Springfield Armory designed a muzzle brake, which they installed in place of the standard flash suppressor on all models that were sold in California. The muzzle brake reduces climb of the barrel, allowing the operator to aim more quickly for another shot.
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