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M14 early USGI synthetic stocks?

1K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  m1sniper 
#1 ·
Have any of you seen one?........i heard that S.A. either made or had these stocks made by subcontractors and filled M14 rifle contract orders with some of these.

I have one........it is a slightly different shape than the typical synthetic stock you see and there is no checkering on the pistol grip or forearm....I will try and post photos.
 
#6 ·
My stock looked like the middle stock pictured in M1snipers post........when i got it i could tell right away it was different from any of the typical checkered synthetics i have handled...it has a slightly beefier pistol grip....when i received it ..the stock was all beat up and very worn.....like it had been used by Jr. ROTC kids for years and years to drill with and play with......i did some epoxy repairs to a few gouges it had and re painted it in the closest to the original brown color i could find......i also remember seeing a black & white archive S.A photo of the stock in Stevens M14 book ...this is how i confirmed it was real and kind of scarce....or..at least more uncommon than the checkered synthetics.

Also if my memory is correct it has more of a traditional fiberglass look to it on the inside where the barrel channel is....as in fiberglass cloth being used with a epoxy gel coat to construct it.

Before today i have only seen the one i have and the one in the Stevens M14 book.....not sure how rare these actually are because have always preferred wood M14 stocks and never really examined the synthetics very closely.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Not sure I would call them "rare" per say. They were the 1st pattern issued fiberglass stocks. Yes , they ARE beefier in the pg area, and maybe a tad thicker in the fore end. They have similar markings inside as the checkered ones have. I won't swear to it until I review Differents book but I think he says they were made by the same company that made the later checkered ones. General Tire & Rubber Company. When I wanted one, I posted a WTB add here and SEVERAL members offered some to me. Some were kinda hi priced so I passed, but did acqiure 2 from 2 members at reasonable prices. There has been one on GB for a few years now, in rough shape with a price tag of $199 and just won't sell. Freds may still have them on his web site and IIRC gets $125 for them.
They were changed to the checkered style because it was found that when a soldier/marine started sweating the stocks became slippery. I think Bill mentioned it on his site as well.
Just checked, Freds still shows them>http://www.fredsm14stocks.com/M14-GI-Synthetic-Stocks_c21.htm
ETA, check page 284 in Differents book "History and Development of the M14"
 
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