Random Guy, I love your attention to detail. Outstanding project. I look forward to seeing the progress.

 

Is the operator's manual original or a reproduction?

 

I think it’s an original, is that unusual?

 

Love to know how easy -or hard fitting the faux selector to a sage stock will be

 

Its pretty much the same as installing it in a wood stock except the SAGE chassis has to be drilled and tapped for a small machine screw instead of wood screws.

 

Random Guy you must have allot of patients to gather the necessary parts to get to the finish line. Having Forum Members that would like you to get to the finished Rifle is awesome. I really like the choice of using the 22" barrel and building the first design.

 

Having Forum Members that would like you to get to the finished Rifle is awesome.

I agree, Ted Brown reached out to me and offered his one spare SAGE crush washer, so I sent him a few dollars for that part, as it will allow me to put either this rifle or my M39 together. I owe him a public thanks, and some others too like NukeWorker, and especially Crazynoto who is an expert on these SAGE chassis and his machinest skills are very much appreciated..

Fwiw, here's a few more pics of the 1st generation, long-forend early Mk 14 Mod 0s in service.

This Army Airborne solider has likely removed the Leupold 4.5-14x scope from his unit's M107 Barnett 50BMG and installed it on this M14 (along with it's tallish rings). Note how the longer 13" forend goes all the way up to the back the gas cylinder. On the post "chop-mod" SAGE chassis you have a 1.75" gap between the rear of the gas cylinder and the chassis itself.

Caption: U.S. Army Sgt. Klye Edwards, from Reconnaissance Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, looks through the scope of his rifle onto a mortar range near Ghazni, Afghanistan, on April 1, 2007.

I think the first pic and the next two show just a generic black M16 sling, but I have a padded M60 sling as well, which was often used with the later Army EBR-RI rifles.

Here's another early Mk 14 w/ long forend where the soldier put a red dot on it.

Have not decided what sling I should use on my replica of an early Mk 14, but clearly it was operator preferences re the sling used.

 

I mocked up the rifle last night, but still waiting on the three mounting bolts for the SAGE op rod guide, and the castle nut set-screw to come in the mail - before I torque everything down. Also still need to install the faux M14 selector lock, but first wanted to test fit all the parts. For those curious, it weighs just over 15 lbs with its medium weight 22” barrel, bipod and vertical foregrip. I hope to finish it next month...and then do a range test before the winter weather arrives.

Got lucky in that the greenish-gray patina of the Navy USGI bolt matches the color of the SAI receiver.

Note how the 1st generation chassis w/ 13" long forend extends up to where the stock ferrule would normally sit, just behind the gas cylinder’s spindle valve.

I might use the padded M60 military sling shown here, as some soldiers preferred that w/ these heavy rifles.

Scope is a 2009 dated 3.5-10x40mm Leupold that reportedly came out of a govt auction, and I suspect it came off an issued Army EBR-RI M14. It has the distinct patina/surface wear on left side of the dial from being carried and rubbing up against tactical chest gear/maybe magazine pouches. I was saving this military take-off scope for an EBR-RI replica, but I decided to build this early Mk 14 Mod 0 instead, which also used this model of Leupold tactical scope.

Here’s the weight with the medium profile match barrel, empty mag, Harris bipod, and vertical foregrip. Once I install the faux selector lock and add the padded M60 military sling, the weight will be around 15 lbs 8 or 9 ozs. Best shot from the bench or prone. I hope folks enjoyed the pictures of this odd-ball project.

 

Fantastic build! Very impressive!

 

Fantastic Random build! I like it even though it's an Army build!

 

I had the opportunity to interact with a young man who served in 2008. I’m building a vault and he works for my supplier. I wanted to make sure that the racking system would hold m14s in a Sage Chassis with a Leupold scope. I asked him if he was familiar with the platform, not knowing his background. He shared his experience and we swapped pictures. With his permission I submit this photo from 2008.

They were using rifles equipped with a MDT chassis. I may be lite on the details but I really enjoyed talking with him. Makes me almost happy to give a US company money to employ guys like him. Anyway, similar system that I thought might interest some.