Over 4th of July, LRB had a sale on T44E4 marked M14 receivers (Same as M14SA receivers but with a different heel stamp) for $599. These receivers normally retail for $869. At the same time, Jon Wolfe had a 15% off sale and I scored a WMMW 5R/20 stainless barrel for $315, shipped. This barrel is normally about $350 before shipping.
I sold my M1A standard, stripped barrelled action with bolt for $625+NIW TRW bolt. I posted the build details on the M14 forum and another member saw it and offered to sell me his used McMillan stock for $200!
I already got the bolt stop and clip guide installed and I already got the bolt lugs lapped to the receiver with 90% or better contact…
The barrel hand times at 38˚ so I need to take about 0.007" off the barrel shoulder to get it to hand time correctly and I can finish the build!
So for about $550, I upgraded from an M1A standard to an LRB with a 3/4 heavy match stainless barrel and a McMillan stock. Considering I paid $1200 for the M1A a few years ago, I’d say I was ahead of the game! A standard LRB with a GI fiberglass stock or a GI un-bedded walnut stock will run you about $2200.
Tony.
If I was too own another 14, it’d be the one with the integral scope mount. But Tunis it’s definitely gonna be a good build.
I already have the M25 rifle with the integral scope rail. I’m building this one to be identical. It has an identical barrel, identical chamber and identical headspace.
I got the rifle completely built. I reamed the chamber to 1.632".
After test fire, I hope to have the action bedded into the McMillan stock within the next 3 weeks.
I broke form from my usual range trips. Yesterday we went to BLM land and just had a good ol’ fashioned good time! I took nearly everything in the safe and shot with a couple of friends today.
I warmed up the new build and fired a few rounds from the hip for function testing. Then I popped off some rounds in rapid fire and finished off the magazine. I had no failures or jams what so ever! It was PERFECT!
Then I cleaned the barrel, fired a few more rounds, cleaned and called it good!
I fired 20 rounds of Federal XM80 ball at an SR-1 target about 85 yards away. I had my sights (I thought) at mechanical zero with the rear sight 6 clicks from the bottom. The first group was slightly left of center. I looked at my rear sight and I was 2 clicks left, so I brought it back to mechanical zero and fired 10 more rounds on to another SR1 target. The wind blew my target over at an angle so the target on the right isn’t really an accurate representation of of what the group looked like when I shot it. It was actually centered perfectly at 6 o’clock…
here’s my friend shooting my M14. Notice the spent casing ejecting out of the chamber…
He was absolutely AMAZED at how well this thing shot! He was busting clays at 85 yards with ease! He was also there for the christening of my M25 too. From what I can tell, this rifle shoots exactly the same as my M25!
My next range report will be more scientific and factual. I’ll also shoot with my Zeiss/Bassett/Bradley scope setup to see what I can do as well as run some good match ammo through it.
Tony.
Nice rifle. I love the M-14/M1A. Thanks for sharing.
Looks pretty good to me! Very nice build. 
