Place of origin United States Used by See Users | In service 2002–Present | |
 | ||
Type Battle rifle, designated marksman rifle Wars War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Syrian Civil War Designer Mike Rock and Jim Ribordy (Original)
Smith Enterprise, Inc. (Current) | ||
The Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) is an American selective fire military designated marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is a variant of the M14 battle rifle and was originally built for use with units of the United States Special Operations Command, such as the United States Navy SEALs, Delta Force, and task specific ODA units.
Contents
These EBRs are made with the intention of carrying out both designated marksman and close combat roles in combat. Since 2010, the U.S. Army has made available two M14 EBR-RI rifles per infantry platoon for units deploying to Afghanistan. The M14 EBR-RI has a standard weight 22.0-inch (560 mm) barrel and lugged GI flash hider; it is not to be confused with the Mk 14 Mod 0 or Mod 1.
History
The creation of the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR began in 2000 after a request by United States Navy SEALs for a more compact M14 battle rifle. In 2001, Mike Rock Rifle Barrels was the only rifle barrel maker asked by United States Special Operations Command to participate in a SOPMOD conference to create what would be the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR, with details that include a collapsible stock that was requested for the new rifle and with an aluminum body with telescopic rails. Mike Rock collaborated with engineer Jim Ribordy to make the new rifle. Tests showed that their rifle was effective, but had excessive noise problems.
In 2003, Ron Smith and Smith Enterprise, Inc. created its own version of the M14 EBR (MK14 SEI), which used a medium heavy weight 18.0" barrel and was more widely favored than the rifle made by Rock and Ribordy. The Smith Enterprise-based MK14 was then used as a basis to eventually create the Mk 14 Mod 0 with Springfield Armory, Inc. being tasked to supply the necessary machinery needed to create the weapon in cooperation with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.
United States Navy SEALs were the first forces to be armed with the EBR in 2004, followed by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Army is also being armed with the M14EBR-RI, being created and updated by the Weapons Product Support Integration Directorate of the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command at the Keith L. Ware Test Facility in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; having fielded approximately 5,000 units by mid-2010. United States Marine Corps units were also considering the EBR, but wound up instead developing the M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle.
The rifle has seen limited service outside of the U.S., primarily with the Australian SASR in their Afghanistan deployment.
Design
The weapon takes the standard M14 action and replaces the standard 22.0-inch (560 mm) barrel with an 18.0-inch (460 mm) barrel. The barreled action is then bolted into a telescoping chassis stock system with a pistol grip, a different front sight, Harris bipod, four Picatinny accessory rails (which surround the barrel), and a more effective flash hider in place of the standard lugged USGI flash suppressor. A paddle-type bolt stop similar to that of the M4 carbine is used on the rifle. The EBR chassis system stock is made up entirely of lightweight aircraft alloy.
A Kydex hand guard and M68 CCO are also added as standard external accessories, though they are almost always replaced with a vertical foregrip and magnifying scope for better handling and for use in a designated marksman role. A Wind Talker suppressor can be mounted on the DC Vortex flash hider, though the U.S. military did not adopt one to active service.
Sage International had some involvement in the decision of whether to invest approximately $120,000 in an injection mold incorporating into the design the rail attachments or machine the replacement stock from a solid billet of aluminum with the latter being selected, which was then shown at the SHOT Show in Orlando in 2003.
Configurations
Several configurations are available on the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR, including the attachment of an AN/PVS-4 night vision scope. Others had included the capability of adding two different scopes or sights on the Picatinny rails, for more precision or zoom level.
Variants
Following the development of the Mk 14 Mod 0 EBR, several variants of the M14 rifle utilizing the Sage Chassis System have been developed and fielded by various branches of the U.S. military. A summary of variants, and the components utilized in each, are as follows:
Military
While the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division creates the military Mk 14 Mod 0 and Mod 1 rifles, Sage International was contracted to provide the weapon's chassis-type stock.
Civilian
The civilian version created by Smith Enterprise Inc. is also known as the MK14 SEI. The Sage EBR chassis stock is available in a carbine variant known as the M14ALCS/CV. The carbine variant is also known as the MK14 Mod 1.
Others include Fulton Armory, firing in semi-automatic mode instead of fully automatic.
Troy Industries has created a replica of the EBR's modular system made by Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division called the Troy Modular Chassis System, which can be used by mounting any functioning M1A or M14 rifle on the MCS. Philippine arms company FERFRANS has created their version of the Mk 14 Mod 0 called the FERFRANS SOPMOD M14/M1A Enhanced Battle Rifle, which uses a Sage International M14/M1A EBR Tactical Stock System aluminum chassis, an M4 buttstock, and a GRSC M4-62 General Purpose Combat Recticle.
Reception
Users have praised the weapon for its ergonomics, low recoil, and low cost, as well as having the option of various optics and accessories. It could change all "surplus M14s into modern battle rifles".