early M14 stock

[RCS]

These early stocks that are machined to use the M1 rifle butt plate use to be around
but are now sort of rare to find. Some collectors believe there was a special aluminum
butt plate use on some of these stocks ?

First photo shows the M14 stock on the left with M1 stocksP1010070_0043.jpgP1010072_0045.jpgP1010077_0046.jpg

[Ted Brown]

These stocks were a hold over from the T44E4 prototype for the M14. They were in use until about mid 1960 when the new flip up shoulder rest butt plate was brought into production. The early aluminum butt plates are thought to be intended for the T44E6 light weight rifle and were not used on the early M14. The T44E4 and early M14 used standard M1 Garand butt plates. For a short spell in late 1960 they continued to use the Garand butt plate on the new stocks employing a rubber spacer to fill the recess for the new shoulder rest. It seems there was a steel strike and the new butt plates could not be produced until it was over and steel supplies were resumed. It seems the rubber spacer is more rare than the old style stocks. Thanks to Bill Recca for most of this information.
Elmer Balance had about 300 of the early stocks he used on Devine, Texas built M1A rifles.

[Allen]

I have a reproduction, unfinished stock like this that I purchased from Macon Stocks years ago. What makes mine a little unique besides the fancy grain is it has no selector cut out---it is M1A configuration.

[nf1e]

Very nice. I wouldn't mind finding a couple of those for project builds myself.