12-17-2011, 07:18 AM
The G3 has one of the worst charge handles, since it is difficult to operate, too far forward to use when in the prone...unless you're a 6'4" German I guess. HK took several steps backwards from the lessons learned in WWII with that rifle.
M14's are clearly not anywhere near as balanced as an AR. If you look at where the center of gravity is on the two designs, the M14 is forward, while the AR is right above your firing hand. Looking at an X-ray of the two illustrates this well. When you walk with them over a period of hours, days, and weeks, you don't need the X-ray.
To the M14's, or most other 7.62 battle rifles, I personally don't notice too much difference in recoil when using the modern aggressive technique of driving the gun, although the AR10 is the mildest of all the 7.62 NATO battle rifles. The Galil ARM in 7.62 NATO is probably the worst. If you dial down the gas system on the FAL to barely functioning, it can be quite mild.
As far as ergos go, the Garand safety is a terrible design, and the M14 faithfully continues the abortion forward into the modern era where it plagues shooters still. Mag changes suck as well with the M14 "mag well", which can actually allow the magazine to halfway lock into place with the forward catch hole not engaged into the op-rod guide (what genius devised that arrangement?), resulting in a major cluster.
I could go on about all the problems with that system, and how those problems simply don't exist with the AR. There's more than one good reason why the M14 served the shortest time as the main service rifle for the US Military, and why the AR15 has served the longest.
M14's are clearly not anywhere near as balanced as an AR. If you look at where the center of gravity is on the two designs, the M14 is forward, while the AR is right above your firing hand. Looking at an X-ray of the two illustrates this well. When you walk with them over a period of hours, days, and weeks, you don't need the X-ray.
To the M14's, or most other 7.62 battle rifles, I personally don't notice too much difference in recoil when using the modern aggressive technique of driving the gun, although the AR10 is the mildest of all the 7.62 NATO battle rifles. The Galil ARM in 7.62 NATO is probably the worst. If you dial down the gas system on the FAL to barely functioning, it can be quite mild.
As far as ergos go, the Garand safety is a terrible design, and the M14 faithfully continues the abortion forward into the modern era where it plagues shooters still. Mag changes suck as well with the M14 "mag well", which can actually allow the magazine to halfway lock into place with the forward catch hole not engaged into the op-rod guide (what genius devised that arrangement?), resulting in a major cluster.
I could go on about all the problems with that system, and how those problems simply don't exist with the AR. There's more than one good reason why the M14 served the shortest time as the main service rifle for the US Military, and why the AR15 has served the longest.