In 1964, I was issued an M14 at boot camp at Parris Island. I had previously shot an M1 but, I fell in love with the M14. It did not hurt that it helped me qualify for an Expert Badge during qualification. We were a good team.
I always wanted one but, the government never released them to the public and, some are still in service today with a different stock used by designated marksmen and some snipers.
The M1A is for sale and really is an M14 without selector capability which, most military rifles did not have anyway. At my age, I had given up on buying one since, I had other things pulling at my wallet. Why did I need it anyway? My hunting is at relatively close range and, I have a number of other rifles which are more than adequate for any hunting tasks.
Just when I had written off the idea, an opportunity arose to obtain one. Not just an M1A, but a National Match version with a quality scope and bipod at well below market. I hemmed and hawed and told myself I had other uses for the funds but, in the end I convinced myself that it was an “investment”. I could not wait to get my hands on it!
However, nature has a way of adding a little torture to things. I sent a certified bank check. It should have been there in 4-5 days but, never arrived. I discovered that cancelling a bank check would be a really difficult thing. It was now 9 days. The bank convinced me to wait a few more days as, the post office has been very slow of late.
Fortunately, the seller was a great guy and we coordinated throughout the mess. At 12 days he sent a message that the check arrived. What a relief! A week later, the dealer called me and said the rifle arrived. I wasted no time getting there. The clerk, who I knew, smiled and said, “your rifle arrived and it is really nice. You cannot even get a scope like this anymore”.
I looked in the box and there it was. Everything I hoped for and more! Now, I have to find a long enough range to shoot it. It will take me back in time to my youth. I will be 18 again with everything ahead of me. 500 yards? That’s not too far! I can still do it 57 years later!