When did USMC receive the M14 ??

[2111]

Does any know just when the M14 was issued to the Marines ? Date and Units.
A friend of mine turned in his M1 rifle at MCAS Beaufort in Jan. 1962 and was issued the M14 on that date. I would have suspected that Marine infantry units would have received the M14 earlier.
I am aware that the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Div. started receiving the M14 in Jan. 1960 and the Berlin Garrison in early Sept. 1961. All combat units in Western Europe were equipped with the M14 by Oct 1, 1961.
Based on the above, I would guess the Marine Corps transitioned to the M14 between Oct. 1961 and Jan. 1962, but I can not find anything that gives the exact date the transition started and which units had priority. I was going to write to Leatherneck Magazine but thought one of you might have the answer.

Semper Fi

[cplnorton]

I do not know the exact date, but I was thinking the same thing as you, late 61, early 62.

[Dan Shapiro]

My Dad was still qualifying with the M1 in June 1962 - FMF, Oahu, Hawaii.

[nf1e]

I don't know about anyone else, but I got my first one Jan of '66 in boot camp. We went back to the M1 for ITR.
Semper Fi
Art

[Art]

I don't know about anyone else, but I got my first one Jan of '66 in boot camp. We went back to the M1 for ITR.
Semper Fi
Art

I have a buddy who went into the Corps in 1965 who says exactly the same thing, M14 in boot camp, M1 in ITR.

[BEAR]

My father was stationed in Orleans, France from 58 to 62. I remember him talking about the M14 when he got back from range orientation some time in 1961.
BEAR
Sorry, he was Army.

[2111]

[QUOTE] My Dad was still qualifying with the M1 in June 1962 - FMF, Oahu, Hawaii.[QUOTE]

Thanks Dan. It was not until Sept. 1, 1962 that the Marines on Hawaii traded the M1 Garand for the M14.

[2111]

My father was stationed in Orleans, France from 58 to 62. I remember him talking about the M14 when he got back from range orientation some time in 1961.
BEAR
Sorry, he was Army.

Thanks Bear, All combat units in Western Europe were equipped with the M14 by Oct 1, 1961

[Griff Murphey]

Slightly OT but at the other end of the spectrum, Marine Barracks Subic Bay had to be one of the last USMC combat units to use the M-14. They were on the range with us at Boton Valley in Subic Bay in the summer of 1975. I have pictures somewhere including one of the Subic Bay Marine who shot a sitting so low he had his elbows on the ground. I was out there with my unit BLT 1-4 zeroing a Navy 7.62 M-1 which freaked a few out.

[Major Tom]

We got our new M-14s in Oct. 1965.

[UUURah]

I went to PI in June 1962. We were issued brand new M-14's out of the crate.

A guy at our Gun Club once claimed they were the first PI Platoon issued them in August of 1961. I figure that's correct because some local guys went in as a group in July 1961 and they used M-1's. We had a Mini Reunion a few years ago and one guy had their Parris Island Book for the rest to sign. There were pictures of them using M-1's.

Ahhhh ... the M-14. "Finest battle implement ever devised by man." MY Quote.

[Bill99]

MCRD San Diego

My brother went through boot camp in the fall of 1972, he says he was one of the last classes to qualify on the M-14. Does anyone know when the USMC stopped using the M-14 in boot camp?

[the_1st_sgt]

I went through boot camp Feb-Apr 1971 and we carried and qualified with the M14. I have a buddy I served with in Desert Storm who went through boot camp sometime in 1973 and they were still carrying and qualifying with the M14

Edited to add. We were both Hollywood Marines

[2111]

Really strange. 1965 and 66, M14 in boot camp, back to the M1 in ITR and then off to Viet Nam where they end up with the the M16. Well not in 1965 but sometime in mid 1966 I believe.
In 1972 and 1973 still using and qualifying with the M14 in boot camp. I am pretty sure that when they got to there permanent duty station they were issued M16's, never to see an M14 again. In 72 and 73, if ITR still existed, what rifle was used, M14 or M16 ???

[the_1st_sgt]

when I went to ITR we were issued the most beat up M16's you could imagine. I shipped out to the 3rd Mar Div in Aug 71 where I was issued a M16. Upon rotating home I was sent to Camp Lejeune (Force Troops) and was again issued a M14. Those 14's looked nearly new or at least fresh from rebuild. In Dec 72 they were taken away from us and we were issued brand new, out of the box m16A1's.