With what has happened with the Chinese virus I think it is time to talk about the Chinese M-14. None of the gun writers have ever talked about the origins of the Chinese M-1A. They have only talked about the gun itself. No one questioned why they would produce a complicated gun not based on the AK-47 design with a small market.
Well, here it is: At the time the persons bringing in Chinese broom handles discovered the Chinese had been making the M-14. They asked them to produce the M-1A version for export and the rest is history. However, the reason the Chinese made the M-14 was to arm their surrogates in Asia and elsewhere. The M-14 was strictly an American weapon and making them in secret would hide their origins and throw suspicion on the Americans. Without markings they would be difficult to trace. Now you know the rest of the story. I keep one in my collection to remind me who the enemy is.
Well, here it is: At the time the persons bringing in Chinese broom handles discovered the Chinese had been making the M-14. They asked them to produce the M-1A version for export and the rest is history. However, the reason the Chinese made the M-14 was to arm their surrogates in Asia and elsewhere. The M-14 was strictly an American weapon and making them in secret would hide their origins and throw suspicion on the Americans. Without markings they would be difficult to trace. Now you know the rest of the story. I keep one in my collection to remind me who the enemy is.
