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There was another version of the M14, the M14M, which stood for "Modified." These were rack grade rifles with the selector lug welded to prevent its operation. I read somewhere that 12,000 were produced, with the intention of civilian sales, probably to NRA-associated groups. That source said that the sales program never got going due to events of 11/22/63. Small Arms of the World has a little section on the M model.
In the fall of 2000, my state's shooting association received a few M models from the CMP on a loaner basis. I was lucky enough to rent one of the seven rifles received, cost was $25/year with some goodly restrictions on storage and use. All these and other (NM) rifles got returned to CMP in '06.
The one I had was basically brand new from Springfield Armory, s/n in the 563k range. The M was overstamped at the heel, done not quite straight. It had the usual build issues relating to accuracy but had better machining than what SA Inc was doing at the time or earlier. (I had an M1A in the 49k range for comparison.) This rental M's biggest problem out of the box, was loose bedding from having the trigger group locked for maybe thirty-seven years.
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