This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest Book of Classic
Combat Rifles. IN MARCH OF 1965, the first U.S. troops landed in
Vietnam. They were carrying the M14 rifle, chambered for the
7.62×51mm NATO (M80 Ball) cartridge, which had a detachable
20-round magazine and was capable of semi- and full-automatic
fire. The military soon learned the M14 on full auto was
extremely difficult to control; most burst fire was ineffective.
As a result, many M14 rifles were issued with the selector
levers removed, making the rifle effectively, an M1 Garand with
a 20-round magazine. The M14 was accurate but heavy, weighing
nearly nine pounds, empty. As U.S. involvement in the Vietnam
War escalated, our troops encountered North Vietnamese as well
as the Vietcong carrying the Soviet-designed AK47 (Avtomat
Kalashnikova model 47), chambered for the 7.62×39mm Soviet
cartridge, and had a 30-round magazine. The AK’s light recoil
permitted controllable, accurate full-auto bursts and American
troops began to feel outgunned. The Un